Christopher Hughes MBE

If you do French at school, you have a head start with Romanian & Catalan. If you learn German, you open the door to Swedish & Dutch. If you study Spanish, Italian & Portuguese are great sequels. Once you start, there’s no limit to where languages can take you, ‘linguist’ or not.

Every language you learn is a gift - to yourself and to others. It’s the chance to connect, to be understood, to discover worlds, experiences and friendships you never imagined. Learn one more, and life opens up in ways that English alone could never achieve.

A scientist with another language draws broader conclusions. A lawyer with a language builds a stronger case. A journalist with a language gets the real stories. A teacher with a language inspires the next generation. The power of languages takes any one of us to a higher level.

Think languages are only for the classroom? They’re for subtitling Netflix shows, interpreting for footballers, writing global ads, localising apps and games, whispering to world leaders. Languages shape culture, connection and (many, varied) careers. Where could one take you?

From a child's bookshelf to conflict zones, classrooms & communities – languages have been the golden thread through my life. They’ve opened doors, changed my worldview, & brought joy, purpose & connection. If you’re thinking of learning one - do it. Go further than you imagined.

I might have spent a little too long on @duolingo, but for all the bizarre phrases, it's improved my Welsh & Swedish, expanded my Chinese vocabulary & introduced me to Navajo & Turkish. It's been a valuable addition to the language learning toolkit, & a foundation to build on.

Don’t wait for a perfect reason to learn a language. Follow the spark. A word, a song, a story, a person. Let it take you somewhere you never expected. Because every language you learn opens a door - not just to a new world, but to a new version of you.

Discover a new language in the classroom, on holiday, in the workplace, at home, out of interest or on a whim, and you discover new perspectives, new possibilities, new relationships and new experiences. A new language is a voyage of discovery for everyone, however you find it.

When French transports you to Catalan or Romanian, Spanish inspires you to learn Portuguese or Italian, German piques your interest in Swedish or Eng!ish grammar, or Chinese, Farsi, Hindi or Arabic grow your world, you've discovered the power of languages. And it empowers us all.

For me, the magic of languages isn’t just in speaking or reading them. It’s in the moment you really feel them. When a song evokes emotion, a stranger becomes a friend, or a new way of seeing the world suddenly makes sense. That’s why I learn. That’s the real power of languages.

I’ve never forgotten the way a waitress's face lit up when I ordered breakfast in Portuguese, or how Albanian once made someone sure I was from her home town. Languages have never been just another subject. They’ve been bridges to warmth, welcome and feeling at home in the world.

There is no best language to learn. Just like there's no best culture to discover, no best people to meet, no best part of the world to fall in love with, no best future. Languages open up all the options the world has to offer. Why not just choose one & see where it takes you?

Learn a language, and your world widens. You’ll connect with people you’d never otherwise meet, unlock cultures you never imagined and understand life from perspectives far beyond your own. Whatever your path, a language doesn’t just help; it transforms it deeply and irrevocably.

German makes sense of 'sing, sang, sung' & 'begin, began, begun', It explains 'children', 'brethren' and 'men'. It's the source of 'water, milk and honey'. Without German, there'd be no 'bees' or 'bears', no 'cows' or 'sheep'. German & English are closer than you might think.

When you understand another language, your world is a little bigger, your connections are a little closer and your mind is a little more open. You see where other people are coming from, even if you don't always agree. You recognise that you're a part of a much bigger picture.

What's the point of learning languages? I’ve done it for the taxi rides, the balcony conversations, the smiles of shared understanding. I didn’t learn languages to get somewhere; I learned them to be somewhere. To connect. To belong. That’s the real point. albarolanguages.com/2025/06/21/wha…

Another language isn’t just a language. It’s people, culture, history, music, food, art, sport, film, literature, politics - all of human life viewed from a different angle. That’s why languages matter to us all, and why they build connections in whatever path you choose in life.

What’s the point of learning a language? For me, it’s feeling European in a flat in Spain, an exchange in a Croatian supermarket, a conversation in a Portuguese taxi, a moment of belonging far from home. Every language I learn changes how I see the world, and my place in it.

A career in languages might be a career in broadcasting, sport, journalism, gaming or diplomacy. It could take you to another level in scientific research, intercultural studies and geographical or archaeological work. Everyone can enjoy the multiple benefits of another language.

Languages are for you if you want to make genuine connections with other people, enjoy the diversity of the world & discover life lived through a different lens. Languages may start with grammar & vocabulary, but they lead to real-life transformative experiences, linguist or not.

Learning a language changed everything for me. It didn’t just open doors; it rewired how I think, learn and connect. History spoke louder. Science made more sense. Art hit deeper. Languages don’t sit in a box; they weave through every subject you learn. albarolanguages.com/2025/06/08/lan…