Speaking in his third Ask Me Anything question-and-answer session for online forum¹ Reddit, the Microsoft founder² revealed that he wished he spoke³ French, Arabic or Chinese.

 

He said: 'I took Latin and Greek in high school and got A's and I guess it helps my vocabulary.'

 

'I keep hoping to get time to study one of these - probably French because it is the easiest. I did Duolingo for a while but didn't keep it up.'

 

Gates, who is worth $79.3billion, praised Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for stunning⁴ an audience in Beijing when he spoke fluent Mandarin⁵.

 

He said: 'Mark Zuckerberg amazingly learned Mandarin and did a Q&A with Chinese students - incredible.'

 

Owner of a mansion⁶ worth more than $120million in his hometown of Medina, Washington, Gates' admission over language is not the first time he has given insight into his domestic habits and personal insights.

 

Last February, Gates said he likes to do the dishes himself - to his own exacting⁷ standards every night and shared the eyebrow-raising revelation that his wife, Melinda, would likely want Samuel L Jackson to play her husband in a biopic.

 

He also admitted that he would pick up a $100 bill if he found it on the street.

 

As he took the top spot on Forbes 28th Annual Billionaires list last year for the fourth time, he said he is pretty basic when it comes to spending on clothes and food, but that he enjoys investing in shoes and racquets for when he plays tennis.

 

When asked a life lesson he had to learn the hard way, the generous philanthropist said staying up too late is a habit he is still trying to break.

 

'Don't stay up too late even if the book is really exciting. You will regret it in the morning. I am still working on this problem,' he said.

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