Emotions play a determinant role in all learning and must be taken into consideration when making teaching decisions. Indeed, the Quebec Ministry of Education has recently emphasized the importance of emotions in learning with the addition of a new professional competency requiring teachers to “support students’ love of learning” (Competence 8). Yet the complexities of the second language (L2) classroom contribute to a dynamic emotional landscape that poses challenges for both teachers and students. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to provide interested readers with an introduction to research on emotions and their role in L2 learning and to encourage a reflection on ways to create affective conditions in the classroom that are conducive to learning. After proposing a definition of emotions and examining their role in learning in general, we turn to research on emotions in L2 learning and a discussion of the practical implications that follow.