Over one in four U.S. citizens learn languages on social media, with Spanish as the top preference, a survey by the language learning app Preply showed.
Preply surveyed 998 individuals residing in the U.S. and between the ages of 18 to 76 on their experiences and preferences regarding the use of social media platforms for learning purposes.
The survey showed that younger individuals are more inclined to do this. Specifically, 34% of respondents who gave affirmative answers are Gen Z. They were followed by millennials (29%), Gen X (21%), and boomers (20%).
Additionally, 58% of respondents who use social media platforms for language learning do so specifically to study Spanish, according to Preply's.
"Whether they're preparing for an upcoming vacation, hoping to land a bilingual role, or just wanting to sound impressive while ordering at a restaurant, Spanish is the top language people are learning from social media," the app explained. Other popular languages are Japanese and French.
Social media is especially important when it comes to choosing which language to learn. About 73% of the respondents said they've picked up a foreign language phrase after hearing it on social media.
Among other key findings, the survey also shows that video formats are preferred for language learning, so "most people would rather use TikTok over any other platform for language learning." Other "helpful platforms," according to Preply's study, include Reddit and Instagram.
"Our respondents also revealed that the main perks of language learning through social media are the ability to learn at your own pace and the accessibility of resources," the company says in the study. "With the power to search socials anywhere at any time and have a never-ending content stream to view, you're sure to find content that you can best relate to and learn from."
More U.S. Citizens Interested in Learning Spanish
The increasing popularity of Spanish in the United States reflects the evolving demographics of the country, alongside the ongoing growth of the Spanish-speaking community. Latinos are projected to comprise 20 percent of the U.S. population in the near future.
Spanish has also emerged as the preferred language to learn in the United States during 2023, ith more than 486,000 searches (32%), according to a study by the learning platform Promova, analyzing Google search frequencies.
Around the world, Spanish is the second most popular language after English. It has seen a significant increase of 16.5% in popularity, making it one of the top choices for language learners, in Google search frequencies.
Worldwide, the count of native Spanish speakers has surged to nearly 500 million, and when including non-native speakers, the total climbs to 595 million, as reported by the Cervantes Institute's 2022 yearbook "Spanish in the World."
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