Famous and dynamic people that speak a foreign language

Did you know that many of your favorite actors, singers, presidents, and athletes speak more than one language? From Sandra Bullock speaking German to Shakira mastering French, Spanish, and Portuguese, celebrities around the world are showing us that language learning matters.

At Dinolingo, we believe that teaching a second language at an early age is one of the greatest gifts a parent can give. It opens up a child’s world, supports brain development, and builds confidence. But don’t just take our word for it: check out what these famous names can do, and then read on to learn how research backs the benefits and how you can nurture the same skills at home.

Celebrities Who Speak a Second Language

Multilingualism shows up everywhere in public life, from Hollywood and the music charts to the tennis court and the Oval Office. Here is a tour of well-known figures grouped by the languages they speak.

Celebrities Who Speak German

Many influential figures have learned German alongside other languages:

• Bill Clinton
• Sandra Bullock
• Leonardo DiCaprio (also speaks Italian)
• Franklin D. Roosevelt (also French)
• Gene Simmons (also speaks Japanese, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian)
• Thomas Jefferson (also speaks French, Greek, Italian)
• Ted Koppel (also French)
• Renée Zellweger

Want to start early? Check out Dinolingo’s German for Kids!

Celebrities Who Speak Spanish

Spanish is one of the most popular second languages in the world:

• Selena Gomez
• Salma Hayek (also Arabic and Portuguese)
• Will Smith
• Antonio Banderas
• Christina Aguilera
• Gwyneth Paltrow
• Jimmy Carter
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Spanish can open doors in careers, friendships, and travel. Learn more with Dinolingo’s Spanish for Kids.

French-Speaking Stars

French has long been the language of culture and diplomacy:

• Emma Watson
• Maya Angelou (also speaks Hebrew, Fanti, Italian, Spanish)
• Jodie Foster (also Spanish, Italian)
• Prince William (also Swahili, Welsh, Gaelic)
• John Quincy Adams
• Bradley Cooper
• Lady Gaga
• Jane Fonda
• Roger Federer

Celebrities Who Speak Italian

Italian is a favorite among artists and global icons:

• Monica Bellucci (also French, Persian, Spanish)
• Novak Djokovic (also Serbian, French, German, English)
• Shakira (also Spanish, French, Portuguese)
• Jennifer Connelly (also French)
• Kobe Bryant (also Spanish)

Chinese Speakers Among Celebrities

Mandarin Chinese is one of the most widely spoken languages:

• Jackie Chan (also speaks Korean, Thai, German, Spanish, Japanese, English, Cantonese, ASL)
• Mark Zuckerberg (also Latin, Hebrew, Greek, French)
• Mira Sorvino
• Herbert Hoover

Other Languages Spoken by Famous Figures

• Natalie Portman – Hebrew, French
• Taylor Swift – Japanese
• Mila Kunis – Russian
• Tom Hiddleston – Greek, French, Spanish, Italian
• Charlize Theron – Afrikaans
• Greta Thunberg – Swedish
• Christiane Amanpour – Persian
• Felix Kjellberg (PewDiePie) – Swedish
• Mother Teresa – Hindi, Bengali, Serbian, Albanian

Why Language Learning Matters More Than Ever

In today’s world, bilingualism is a superpower. Studies show that people who speak more than one language often:

• Earn 5–20% more in their careers
• Have stronger problem-solving and communication skills
• Enjoy richer cultural understanding
• Excel in global and creative industries

Even if your child never becomes a superstar like Leonardo DiCaprio or Gene Simmons, learning a second language builds resilience, flexibility, and opportunity.

The Social Advantages of Exposure to Other Languages

Hearing more than one language can do more than help your child speak in different ways. Research suggests that multilingual environments help children become better at understanding others. This includes not just cognitive skills like memory and focus, but also social abilities such as empathy and perspective-taking. Studies in developmental psychology have shown that even babies as young as 14 to 16 months can benefit from hearing more than one language. Children exposed to multilingual environments often develop stronger communication skills because they learn to pay attention to different people and different ways of speaking, which helps them understand how others think and feel.

In one family’s case, Karolina from Poland and Oscar from El Salvador are raising their daughter Natalia with Polish, English, and Spanish in the United States. Natalia is also learning American Sign Language. By the age of two, she already knows there are many ways to say the same thing, and her parents believe this helps her become more tolerant and open-minded.

According to Professor Katherine Kinsler, it’s not just speaking more than one language that helps, it’s being around different languages that makes a difference. Even if parents aren’t bilingual themselves, they can still support their children by providing access to multiple languages through books, songs, and conversation. This is encouraging news for families who want their children to grow up confident, curious, and empathetic.

Why Kids Learn Better in Talkative Neighborhoods

What if the neighborhood you live in could shape your child’s ability to connect with others, even before they learn to speak? A fascinating study suggests just that. Researchers found that infants growing up in linguistically diverse neighborhoods are more likely to learn from people who speak different languages, even if their own household only uses one language. It turns out that the language your neighbors speak may matter just as much as the language you speak at home.

The study focused on 19-month-old infants from monolingual, English-speaking families. These children were observed in controlled experiments where they watched adults performing actions while speaking either English (their native language) or Spanish (a foreign language to them). The infants who lived in more linguistically diverse communities were more likely to imitate the actions of the Spanish-speaking adult, a behavior that indicates a greater openness to learning from people who speak a different language. Importantly, this effect remained even after controlling for other factors like age, family income, population density, and the child’s overall ability to imitate. It wasn’t just that these children were better learners in general: it was specifically the diversity of their environment that influenced how they interacted.

Infancy is a crucial time for brain development. Most research has focused on how caregivers shape a child’s thinking and behavior, but this study reveals that the broader community also plays a key role. Being around multiple languages trains the brain to recognize different sounds and patterns. Beyond that, it encourages empathy, curiosity, and openness. Children learn that there is more than one way to communicate, and they become more comfortable interacting with people from diverse backgrounds.

What Does It Really Mean to Be Bilingual?

Many people imagine a “true” bilingual as someone who sounds like a native speaker in both languages, able to pass as a monolingual in either language in any situation. As King and Mackey explain, this idealized version, someone who is essentially two monolinguals in one body, is quite rare and often unrealistic. Instead, they introduce the concept of balanced bilinguals, describing individuals who can:

• Read a newspaper article in both languages with equal speed and comprehension
• Tell a joke or give a toast that is equally funny in both languages
• Explain something complex, like why it’s not okay to hit a friend, in either language with ease and clarity

But most bilinguals don’t operate this way in all areas. A child might be better at expressing emotions in one language but stronger in academic vocabulary in another, and that’s perfectly normal. Bilingualism exists on a spectrum and develops differently depending on exposure, context, and motivation. The key takeaway? Parents don’t need to aim for perfection or native-like fluency in both languages. Supporting balanced bilingualism means helping children grow in both languages as naturally and meaningfully as possible, even if their skills are uneven at times.

How to Nurture a Second Language at Home

You don’t need to be a fluent speaker, and you don’t need to live in a multilingual neighborhood, to give your child the benefits of multiple languages. With the right tools and a few simple routines, every family can build rich language exposure into daily life. Here are practical, research-backed ways to do it.

How Drawing Can Support Early Language Acquisition

For young children, drawing is more than a fun activity, it’s a powerful way to process and express new language. When kids draw, they’re labeling, describing, and storytelling, which is why educators and researchers often include art in early language acquisition.

Drawing builds vocabulary through association. When children draw an apple and label it “manzana” or “pomme,” they’re connecting image to word visually, cognitively, and emotionally. This multi-sensory process helps vocabulary stick. Encourage them to:

• Draw items from a story they’ve read
• Illustrate a new word of the day
• Label their artwork in both their first and second languages

Drawing also creates safe expression for language learners. Not all kids are ready to speak aloud in a new language, and drawing offers a nonverbal way to show comprehension. They might not say “dog,” but they can draw it and point to the word “perro.” To deepen the practice, link drawing with language content by using language-based prompts: “Draw your breakfast and label it in Spanish,” or “Draw something that’s cold and write the word in French.” Platforms like Dinolingo offer downloadable worksheets and coloring pages that tie directly to vocabulary sets, making drawing a purposeful part of the curriculum.

Let kids tell stories with pictures. After drawing, ask your child to describe their picture, prompting with simple questions in the new language: “What is this?” “How many are there?” “What color is it?” Even one-word answers help build confidence and sentence structure over time. Finally, blend drawing with other learning tools such as flashcards (have them draw their own version), picture dictionaries, and storybook retelling. Drawing gives young language learners a voice before they have the words: it reinforces vocabulary, sparks imagination, and supports comprehension through creative expression.

How Music Streaming Can Support Language Learning

For young language learners, music is more than just fun background noise, it’s a powerful educational tool. Songs introduce rhythm, vocabulary, and pronunciation in a memorable way, and with streaming platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music, families can access high-quality language content with just a click.

Songs reinforce vocabulary and grammar because repetition through lyrics helps children remember new words and phrases. Simple songs, especially ones with gestures or rhyming structures, support natural language acquisition. Platforms like Spotify’s Bilingual Kids Playlist or Super Simple Songs on YouTube offer a library of kid-friendly tracks in multiple languages. Music also builds listening comprehension: by listening to native pronunciation in context, kids develop better auditory processing. Pausing between verses to ask, “What do you think that word means?” encourages active listening, and you can slow down playback or enable subtitles on YouTube to help with comprehension.

Make music part of the daily routine by integrating songs into morning routines, car rides, or cleanup time. This consistency helps language stick without feeling like a lesson. You can also combine streaming with interactive learning: Dinolingo’s Language Courses include sing-along videos and vocabulary songs in over 50 languages, and kids earn rewards as they complete each themed lesson. Pairing a Dinolingo unit on animals with an animal-themed playlist on Spotify, for example, can help reinforce vocabulary in a multisensory way. Finally, encourage kids to sing along. Even if they don’t get every word right, singing boosts pronunciation and rhythm, so try karaoke-style versions or lyric videos and don’t worry about perfection.

Can Screen Time Actually Help With Language Learning?

Screen time often gets a bad reputation, but when used intentionally, it can be a powerful tool for language learning. The key is not how much time kids spend on screens, but what they’re doing during that time. Passive watching, like cartoons in their native language, may offer limited benefit. But interactive, language-rich content, especially in a second language, can help children build vocabulary, hear pronunciation, and reinforce grammar patterns.

Active engagement makes the difference. Look for tools that invite participation: repeating words, answering questions, or singing along. This kind of interaction boosts memory and comprehension. Screens can also expose kids to native pronunciation, because apps and videos designed by native speakers help kids hear accurate pronunciation and natural speech rhythm, which is especially valuable for parents who may not speak the language themselves. Just remember that screen time works best as a supplement, not a substitute: digital tools shine when they support real-life practice, so reinforce words from a video by using them in play, drawing, or conversation. A few best practices help:

• Set time limits and build consistency
• Watch or play together when possible
• Talk about what you learned afterward
• Choose content that fits your child’s age and level

Programs like Dinolingo are designed specifically for language learning, offering interactive videos, songs, games, and printable activities for kids ages 2–14. What sets Dinolingo apart is its flexible format: you can follow a curriculum online or offline with worksheets, posters, and parent dashboards. So instead of asking, “Is screen time bad?” try asking, “Is this screen time helping my child grow?”

Can Babies Really Learn Languages From Videos and Apps?

Many parents wonder: can my baby really learn words by watching language videos or using educational apps? The short answer is yes, and there’s science to support it. When children watch language-focused programs, especially those designed for babies and toddlers, they begin to process both the sounds (audio) and the images (visuals). This combination can help boost language learning even in very young children, particularly when those tools are interactive, age-appropriate, and used regularly with guidance.

Why Early Exposure to Language Matters

Babies are especially sensitive to different sounds (called phonemes) during their first few months of life. After about 8 months, this sensitivity begins to fade, unless they continue hearing new sounds through conversations or media. That’s why early exposure to diverse languages and sounds, even through background TV, can make a difference. A study by Robb and colleagues (2009) found that even when babies aren’t actively watching, having educational videos playing in the background can support vocabulary development.

What the Research Says

Over the past few decades, researchers have studied how educational videos and screen-based learning influence vocabulary growth. While face-to-face interaction remains the most effective method, digital resources can be a powerful supplement, especially for children aged 2 to 6:

• Sesame Street Study (1990): Children aged 3–5 showed significant vocabulary growth after watching the program regularly for 2 years.
• Linebarger and Walker (2005), also known as the Dragon Tales study: 30-month-old children exposed to educational programming like Dragon Tales had larger expressive vocabularies than their peers.
• Krcmar et al. (2007): Toddlers were able to learn new vocabulary through TV-based instruction, though live teaching was even more effective.
• Carlson & Strattman (2008): Babies who watched vocabulary DVDs scored higher than those who didn’t.
• Robb et al. (2009): Even background educational audio and video exposure, without full attention, contributed to vocabulary development.
• Amy Rush Thesis (2011): Babies, some as young as 4 months old, who watched the same infant-directed DVD repeatedly learned more novel words, especially when parents helped guide their viewing.

The conclusion? Repetition, age-appropriate content, and parental involvement all help babies and toddlers learn new words through video. It’s worth noting that not all videos are equal: some studies that showed little effect used videos like Baby Einstein WordsWorth, which may not have followed research-based teaching methods. And critics of screen time often forget that babies are always listening, so even passive exposure to new sounds can influence brain development and early vocabulary.

How Today’s Technology Makes a Difference

Unlike DVDs, today’s language learning happens on phones, tablets, and smart TVs, using apps, digital books, and interactive video platforms. These modern tools are designed for mobile, portable, and multi-sensory experiences that keep kids engaged. Apps like Dinolingo, Endless Spanish, and Gus on the Go offer child-friendly videos, songs, games, and storytelling designed to teach vocabulary, sentence structure, and pronunciation, while platforms like YouTube Kids feature curated language content, and audiobooks and podcasts provide rich listening opportunities.

To help your child learn from videos and apps effectively, watch and play together so adults can reinforce the material, repeat often to build recognition and memory, choose quality over quantity by picking content created by educators or based on child development research, encourage interaction by pausing videos to ask questions or imitate sounds, and balance screen time with real-life use by practicing new words in daily routines and play. By blending high-quality apps with real-life interaction, you give your child the best of both worlds, and help them build bilingual skills that will last a lifetime.

Start Your Child’s Language Journey With Dinolingo

At Dinolingo, we offer fun, interactive lessons in over 50 different languages for children ages 2–14. With animated videos, songs, games, stories, flashcards, printable worksheets, offline access, and a built-in reward system, Dinolingo makes learning a new language fun and effective. A parent dashboard lets you monitor progress, and up to six family members can learn together on one subscription, making it ideal for siblings and multilingual homes. Available on web, iOS, and Android, it’s perfect for families who want to raise bilingual or multilingual children. Whether you’re teaching greetings in Korean, exploring Spanish animal names, or introducing Mandarin and French, Dinolingo provides the tools and content to support language learning at every age.

Tell Us Your Story!

Why is language learning important to your family? Has your career or life changed because of someone who speaks a second language? Follow us on Instagram @dinolingo and share your story, we’d love to hear it!