Speaking at least one language is a necessary requirement for communicating with other people. There is no denying that having the ability to speak multiple languages can result in a new world of opportunities.

According to globaltranslations.com in their article, “Three Benefits of Being Multilingual,” being multilingual allows for easier travel overseas.

“Take a trip overseas and you’ll likely need a tour guide to get from place to place,” according to the article. “But, if you could speak the native tongue, you could ask just about anyone where to go, what to do, and how to get there.”

Speaking multiple languages also increases one’s chance of getting employed.

“Businesses today look for people who are bilingual or multilingual due to the diversity in today’s population,” according to the article.

 Another surprising benefit of being multilingual is that it can improve brain health.

“Speaking multiple languages can actually delay the effects of dementia by ‘an average of 5 years’ (BBC),” according to the article.

What’s interesting to note is that people who only speak one language are in the minority due to the fact that 60 to 75% of the world’s population speak more than one language, according to the BBC.

Azad Azargushasb is a senior at San Pasqual High School who speaks 3 languages. He explains how being multilingual has benefited him in life. Azad speaks English, Kurdish, and Farsi.

“Being multilingual has helped me out in life because being in the U.S., being able to speak Kurdish and Farsi has resulted in people within that culture having more respect for me,” said Azargushasb. “And generally in markets, if I go to bazaars and they can speak my language, I generally won’t get ripped off.”

Azagushasb recommends that other students should look into learning another language for many reasons.

“I think that if you develop the skill for multilingualism at an early age it’s easier to pick up more languages, especially now within this current economy,” said Azargushasb. “If you know another language, it’s an opportunity for more jobs and places to travel.”

Azargushasb also urges schools to be better about encouraging students to learn other languages at an earlier age.

“Especially at a younger age, kids are more prone to learning languages more easily,” said Azargushasb. “So I feel like instead of high school when kids aren’t as motivated to learn another language, I think it should be taught in middle school and maybe elementary school, because that’s when kids can easily pick it up,” said Azargushasb.

Language is the bridge that brings various people together. Being able to build a foundation for that bridge by having the ability to speak another language is incredibly important.