Learning a Third Language is Easier

Vocabulary

• Benefits
• Brain
• Patterns
• Confident
• Similar

Article

Learning a second language can be hard, but it has many benefits. It takes time and practice to speak it well. However, it can help you find more jobs and travel more. You can also make new friends. Because learning a new language is not easy, many people do not try to learn a third one.

But it is not as hard as you might think. People who speak many languages say that learning a third language is easier. This is because you already know how languages work.

When you learn your first language as a child, you just start using it. You don’t think about the rules. But when you learn a second language, you think about how words go together. This is especially true if the second language is very different from your first one. For example, in English, we say “a black cat.” But in French, it is “un chat noir,” which means “a cat black.”

When you learn a third language, it is easier for your brain to see these patterns. You can spend more time learning new words instead of understanding the rules.

Learning a second language helps you remember better, which can also help when you learn a third language. This makes learning faster and easier.

Also, when you speak a second language well, you feel more confident. You know what to expect and you know you can do it again.

If you want to learn a new language, it is best to choose one that is similar to a language you already speak. If you speak English, it is easier to learn Spanish or Italian than to learn Greek or Mandarin Chinese.

Summarize the article in your own words.

Speaking

• How many languages do you speak?
• What are the benefits of learning a new language?
• Would you like to learn a new language? If yes, what language?
• How many languages do people in your country usually speak?
• In your opinion, what is the hardest part of learning a new language?

Writing

• Your friend is considering learning a new language. What advice would you give them?

Listening

• Describe what happened in the video. Is it better to learn a language or to use translation programs?