Today

Women are much more open than men to learning a new language, according to a survey by language software provider Rosetta Stone.

While 97 per cent of women would learn a language to better communicate with a partner, only 71 per cent of men would do the same, the poll found.

The sample of 132 men and 98 women in their twenties and thirties revealed further discrepancies along gender lines.

A whopping 87 per cent of women would like to learn a new language as a fun activity to do with a partner, compared to only 60 per cent of men.

However, the results tell a different story when it comes to impressing a partner on a romantic getaway - 64 per cent of men would learn a new language for this reason, compared to only 22 per cent of women.

When asked whether they would learn a new language to communicate with a partner's family if they didn't speak English, 97 per cent of respondents answered yes.

But 44 per cent of men and 27 per cent of women would expect their partner's family to learn English to communicate with them.

Immersion was considered the most effective language-learning method by 90 per cent of respondents, followed by evening classes (8 per cent).

Sixty-two per cent said that a lack of time was the most difficult aspect, followed by pronunciation (10 per cent).