More than considering the amount of time and dedication learning a new language demands, it is also important to consider why it is worth learning. Reasons for learning a foreign language varies, it could be practical, aspirational, intellectual, or even sentimental. But whatever reason it might be, a clear idea of why you want to learn a language can help motivate you in your studies.

This list can help distinguish your reason.

Emigration. Moving to a different country or region can be difficult. Learning the local’s language will help you communicate and integrate with the local community. It will also show your interest in and commitment to the new place.

Loved Ones. If your partner, relatives or friends speak a different language, learning their native tongue will help you better communicate with them. What’s more, it will give you a better understanding of their culture.

Career. Learning to speak the language of your foreign clients will provide you with the leverage to negotiate a business deal and to secure a contract. Knowledge of foreign languages can also increase your chances of finding a job, of getting a promotion, or of being sent overseas.

Interpreters can only provide limited assistance. It is vastly advantageous if you can understand what your colleagues or clients are discussing in meetings or in social gatherings.

Study or Research. You might be surprised to find out that the subject you’re interested in is published in a foreign language. Learning that language will enable you to understand the material, so you can appreciate the subject more.

Travel. Don’t just get by when you take a holiday in other places. Having advanced knowledge of the language will give you more than just the ability to order food and buy tickets with much ease; by giving you the ability to have a real conversation with the locals, knowledge of the language will definitely give your holiday a new dimension.

Faith. If you are a missionary, learning different types of language will help you spread the message of your faith more easily. In fact, missionaries have played a major role in documenting and devising writing systems for many languages.

Taking the Challenge. Maybe learning a different language gives you a rush that’s similar to the one a thrill seeking parachutists get after jumping off a plane.

Never Enough! Maybe there is no profound or spectacular reason why you want to learn; you’re just perhaps one of the many people who are ensnared by the vernacular addiction.