I want to dispel some myths and errors when it comes to learning Spanish when you’re older. A common error is thinking “I’m too old to learn a new language”. That pattern of thinking is a huge hindrance to your personal progress, so I must encourage you to try to not think that way. And it’s simply not true!
I’m here to tell you the truth: you’re not too old to learn Spanish – no matter if you’re 30, 40, or 60. You can learn a new language at any age. I’ll explain how and why I know this.
- The human brain is highly adaptable. Your brain can do it. Brain elasticity is what allows you to change the way you think and what you can learn. A myth is that we lose the ability to learn as well when we’re older, because we assume brain elasticity is something we lose after a certain age. The truth is you can retain and improve brain elasticity well past childhood and young adulthood if you exercise your brain. It’s like a muscle! In other words, you get better brain elasticity the more you “stretch” your thinking abilities. Learning new things is how you can improve your ability to learn new things! Learning how to play a musical instrument is a great way to do this. Learning a new language like Spanish is another wonderful way to do this. Your “brain age” is affected by what you challenge your brain to do! You’re not too old.
- Language learning is not a talent-based ability. It’s a common misconception that only “talented” people can speak multiple languages. The truth is, while there may be a small amount of a natural “knack” some people have more than others, learning a language is a universal ability. The proof of that is the fact you already know one language. Does that mean you had a talent for English? Or does it just mean there was a period of time in your life when you had the time, the willingness, and the need to learn? (I would suggest it’s the latter.) Instead of thinking (about someone who is a polyglot) “they’re talented”, I want you to think “they put in the time and the work”. Because that is indeed what separates the speakers from the non-speakers!
- Numerous adults have learned multiple languages. Realize that you’re not a unique case (assuming you’re an adult trying to learn Spanish). There are numerous examples you can find online of adults from all walks of life who start fresh and become conversational in Spanish or other languages. If you search YouTube for “how I learned Spanish” or “learn spanish as adult” and you will find dozens of videos in which people share their stories. Aside from that, there are many language schools teaching adults how to speak Spanish, military schools that successfully bring adult learners into fluency (quickly), government institutes designed to rapidly teach language skills to diplomats or other officials, etc. The point is: adults learn new languages all the time, in various contexts – and you can do it too!
So if you’re over 40 and trying to learn Spanish, I want you to be encouraged. You can do it, just like many other older people who started learning at a later stage of life and are now successfully speaking Spanish. You got this!
Mindset is extremely important when it comes to reaching your goals, and learning Spanish is no different. Hopefully I’ve been able to offer you some reasons to believe it’s not “too late” for you, but I’d like to give you a few even more positive reasons to show you why you absolutely can learn Spanish. Not only that, but I want to offer you some advantages to learning Spanish after 40.
- You’re a better student now than when you were younger. That’s right – you are better at knowing how to study now that you’re older and more experienced. Your learning strategy is probably more selective and focused on what’s truly valuable verses what’s a time-waster.
- You have a more mature attitude toward education. If you’re like a lot of people, when you were younger you didn’t take school seriously or perhaps you weren’t willing to dedicate yourself to schoolwork or reading. Now that you’re older and more mature, the act of learning holds more value to you. You’re aware of the advantages of knowing more and acquiring more skills (like Spanish), whereas a younger person doesn’t have the life experience to really understand why they might want or need to learn a second language.
- You have more money to spend on learning materials. This isn’t necessarily true for everyone, but you probably have more discretionary income to actually pay for things like apps or online tutoring. This isn’t to say that young people don’t have the money pay for things to help them learn Spanish, but it can certainly be true in many cases.
- You’re more responsible and devoted to your learning time. Again, this isn’t always the case, but oftentimes younger people just don’t have the discipline that an older person has developed. When I was young I would tend go out with friends and stay up late (and sleep in late). I certainly never made it a point to get up and spend 30 minutes watching Spanish videos or reading in Spanish while drinking my coffee. But when you’re older and have a more established routine, it’s much easier to fit in profitable study time each day.
- You have a good idea of what you want to achieve. As a young person, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. As I got older, I got a better idea of some of the things I wanted to do. You probably were the same way, and one of the goals that got clearer for you might have been, “I want to learn to speak Spanish”. Probably, you got some exposure to Spanish in high school or college but never took it further. Now, later in life, you’re re-visiting that effort and you want to fulfill it. Maybe you simply want to finish what you started. Maybe you clearly have a desire to travel and to be able to speak to the people you encounter. Maybe you want to improve your self by gaining a new ability. Whatever the case, now that you’re older these things have become more in focus to you.
I hope you have a new vision for yourself now, after reading this short article. My desire is for you to really take hold of your goal to learn Spanish. Whether you’re learning Spanish after 40 or if you’re younger than that, I know you can do it just like millions of other people have over the years.
Learning a new language and actually speaking it is an awesome feeling. With the right strategies and effort (which I will teach in other articles on this site) you can definitely achieve this – no matter your age. So be encouraged, and know that you will get there one day. You got this!