Multilingual Minds: Speaking more than one language – a superpower?

Ever wondered if juggling multiple languages does more than impress your friends? Spoiler alert: it’s not just about ordering pizza in Italy or chatting in Spanish on holiday. Speaking more than one language can actually reshape your brain, boosting creativity, memory, and even resilience against cognitive decline.

In Luxembourg, where many children grow up speaking several languages, and switching between different languages across the course of the day is part of everyday life (its inhabitants use Luxembourgish, French, German, English, and often Portuguese, Spanish and more), we are very curious about the brain health benefits of multilingualism. Let’s dive into the science behind why speaking multiple languages makes your brain smarter.

Switching languages is a brain workout

Every time you switch between languages, your brain is doing a workout. It’s managing attention, filtering out irrelevant words, and activating memory systems, all of which strengthen cognitive flexibility. Research even suggests that multilingualism can delay age-related cognitive decline and build what scientists call cognitive reserve. In short, speaking multiple languages isn’t just a communication skill, but it’s brain training at its finest.

Memory gains: your brain gets a boost

Learning a new language is like hiring a personal trainer for your brain. When you learn a language, you’re constantly memorising new words, understanding tricky grammar rules, and figuring out how to string sentences together. That’s a mental workout, and just like lifting weights helps your muscles, all that brainpower helps your memory. Research shows that bilingual people often outperform monolinguals on memory-related tasks.¹ 

Task-switching like a pro

Speaking more than one language requires the brain to constantly switch between languages, almost like flipping a mental light switch. You’re always choosing the right language for the right situation. This mental flexibility improves your cognitive control. Research showed that bilingual people are awesome at filtering out distractions and staying focused.² It’s like your brain is always training for the “attention olympics”. Let’s be real, who doesn’t want to be better at focusing?

Better problem-solving and creativity

Studies show that multilinguals are more creative than monolinguals³. Need to come up with a creative solution for a school project? Problem-solving just got easier when you’ve spent years training your brain to think in different ways. So next time you’re stuck on a tough problem, remember: your brain might be better at finding creative solutions if you’re multilingual!

Stay sharp as you age

Here’s the real long-term benefit: speaking multiple languages can actually protect your brain as you get older. Research shows that bilinguals tend to experience less age-related cognitive decline⁴. Learning and using multiple languages strengthens your brain’s “cognitive reserve”—think of it as your brain’s backup system. The more languages you speak, the more resources your brain has to rely on as it ages. It’s like having extra brain power in your pocket for when you need it most⁵.

Increased attention and focus

Staying focused is hard, especially when your phone won’t stop buzzing. Multilinguals have an advantage, because constantly switching between languages means multilinguals are experts at filtering out distractions and staying laser-focused on the task at hand. Research published found that bilinguals are better at suppressing irrelevant information when completing tasks⁶. So, if you need to power through a study session, being multilingual could give you that extra edge to tune out distractions and get things done.

Quick tips to boost your superpower

Thinking about becoming multilingual or already working on it? Here are a few simple tips to get the most out of your language-learning journey:

• Start small and stay consistent: You don’t need hours a day. Even 10–15 minutes of daily practice can make a big difference over time.
• Use the language in real life: Watch shows, listen to music, or follow social media accounts in the language you’re learning. Real-world exposure helps your brain adapt faster.
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes: Messing up is part of the process. Every mistake helps your brain learn and grow stronger.
• Mix languages into your routine: Try switching languages when thinking, journaling, or labelling objects around your room, as it keeps your brain flexible.
• Have fun with it: Games, apps, and conversations with friends make learning feel less like work and more like a challenge your brain actually enjoys.

With these tips, learning a new language doesn’t just feel doable, it becomes another way to level up your brain’s superpower. 

Conclusion: Your brain’s secret superpower

So, there you have it: learning multiple languages isn’t just about being able to say “hello” in the locals’ language on holidays. It’s about upgrading your brain. From sharper memory and better multitasking to staying sharp as you age, the cognitive benefits of multilingualism are real and pretty impressive, while remembering that brain health depends on many factors, not just the number of languages you learn.

If you’re thinking about learning a new language, go for it! You’ll not only impress everyone with your skills, but more importantly, your brain will thank you with better focus, creativity, and memory. Now, that’s what I call a superpower.

For better readability of the text, the assistance of Microsoft Copilot, an AI language model based on the GPT-4 architecture, secured with UL enterprise data protection, has been used.

1. Grundy, J. G., & Timmer, K. (2016). Bilingualism and working memory capacity: A comprehensive meta-analysis. Second Language Research, 33(3), 325–340. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267658316678286
2. Bialystok, E., Craik, F., & Luk, G. (2008). Cognitive control and lexical access in younger and older bilinguals. Journal of Experimental Psychology Learning Memory and Cognition, 34(4), 859–873. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.34.4.859
3. Lee, H., & Kim, K. H. (2011). Can speaking more languages enhance your creativity? Relationship between bilingualism and creative potential among Korean American students with multicultural link. Personality and Individual Differences, 50(8), 1186–1190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2011.01.039
4. Bialystok, E. (2007). Cognitive Effects of Bilingualism: How linguistic experience leads to Cognitive change. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 10(3), 210–223. https://doi.org/10.2167/beb441.0
5. Gold, B. T., Kim, C., Johnson, N. F., Kryscio, R. J., & Smith, C. D. (2013). Lifelong bilingualism maintains neural efficiency for cognitive control in aging. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(2), 387–396. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.3837-12.2013
6. Garbin, G., Sanjuan, A., Forn, C., Bustamante, J., Rodriguez-Pujadas, A., Belloch, V., Hernandez, M., Costa, A., & Ávila, C. (2010). Bridging language and attention: Brain basis of the impact of bilingualism on cognitive control. NeuroImage, 53(4), 1272–1278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.05.078