Think about it—our personalities shine through in how we talk, connect and even joke with others. But for those of us who speak several languages, things get a bit more complex. Languages are more than just words; they’re bridges to different cultures, allowing us to build connections across borders. As we cross those bridges, we might find ourselves adapting in ways we never expected, embracing different cultural mindsets and ways of expressing ourselves.
Superpower
When I was a teenager, one of my biggest dreams was to speak different languages and use them daily. It influenced my future career choices: at the university, I studied linguistics and joined an international student organisation to meet people from different countries and get to know other cultures better. Back then, I wasn't thinking how it would affect my personality. Or rather transform it into a completely different one.
Living in a multicultural space
My native language is Polish. I speak English and German fluently, and I have been trying to level up my Spanish. I live abroad, and using foreign languages is my daily life now.
Very recently, I had an informal conversation with my colleague in Spanish. I understood everything. I was using phrases and gestures that showed understanding and were a sign of listening. When it came to answering, I found it really hard to express what I had in my head and the emotions I wanted to share. It even gave me a feeling that I might have been perceived as not empathetic or cold in my response because I couldn't find better words. But then, in another setting in which both of us needed to switch to English, I was much more keen on saying more, even making jokes, and I realised I could not do that in another language.
Things you cannot translate
Ever felt that frustration when a phrase in your native language just doesn’t translate well into English, even with an explanation? Somehow it loses that special spark, leaving you tempted to change the subject altogether. If I can't express something in another language, what does that say about language and my identity? My instinct is to rephrase it, to try to explain it in other words – but even then, something feels missing. It feels like a part of your personality that you want to reveal in the new language you speak is missing. The reverse situation is when you make a kind of self-discovery: the language that is not your mother tongue makes you shine, and you feel proud of yourself. I have noticed that I can sound more polite in English, extremely expressive in Spanish and direct in Polish.
Chameleon in the jungle
Imagine a situation: you learn a new language and you want to start speaking it fluently. The way to do it is by immersion – you listen to native speakers, podcasts, videos, etc. You absorb the way of pronunciation, common phrases and even filler words, and start mimicking them.
At the same time, does it mean I am like a chameleon and I can switch and adjust to the circumstances I find myself in? It is the cultural, friendship and immersion settings that allow different parts of your personality to be more or less vivid, depending on the situation and language. It might be striking that languages embedded into certain cultures make your various personality traits more visible than others.
The science way
Referring to a more tangible proof, there is a term called ‘Cultural Frame Switching’ that explains how the perspective of an individual might change depending on the language used (introduced by Hong, Chiu & Kung, 1997). This phenomenon shows the power of language – it can influence you as an individual and the way you interact with your peers.
According to another researcher, Spencer-Oatey, culture shapes not only how people within a group interact but also how they interpret others’ actions (What is Culture? A Compilation of Quotations for the Intercultural Field. GlobalPeople Consulting Ltd, November, 2–3, 2021). Following this belief, we can assume that culture is something we can learn as we connect with others. It also means we can adapt our behaviour when engaging with those from diverse cultural backgrounds. It could also explain how one’s personality evolves and adjusts to a culture.
Your personality result
Speaking different languages keeps your mind open. It also shaped my personality and actually keeps shaping met. What was once a tricultural mindset has now expanded to include a fourth culture. The way I express myself now is because of the people I've encountered and the influence they've had on me.
Does our personality really switch? This is work for researchers and psychologists–but I know one thing for sure: I’ll keep exploring who I am, and what I can convey with words.
