C++ and C are common ground-level languages that run quickly once compiled into machine code (basic 1's and 0's). I learned it for arduino, which is a little microcontroller that can execute some compiled C++ code and control electronic circuits with it.
Python is a language used a lot in linux, which is the operating system a $30 computer called a raspberry pi plus a lot of other computer systems use. That's why I decided to learn it.