There are several of the of the best languages to learn in the world if you want to succeed in life. Learning a second language, especially as it concerns your specific goals, is the smart thing to do. And that is regardless of whether you are looking to study abroad at a tuition-free university, want to work overseas, or just want a professional edge in the market.
For instance, if you can speak German, you will have a better chance to study at a tuition-free university in Germany. Again, if you can speak French, you may be able to study at a less expensive university in France. That also goes for working or doing business overseas. This is why you should make efforts to identify one of the best languages to learn that would help your academic and career pursuits.
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Factors that determine how important a language is
While learning any language is going to be beneficial for your career and your personal life, some languages are more important than others. Some of the factors that determine how globally important a language is include:
- Number of potential speakers
- Growth of native speakers
- The economic power of countries that speak the language
- And more…
So today, we bring you the 7 best languages to learn to increase your chances of exploring opportunities. They will equally help you stay competitive in the job market.
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Table of Contents
1. Mandarin
When Mark Zuckerberg publicly showed off his Mandarin skills for 20 straight minutes, some were wowed, some were amused, and others were cynical. Whatever the reactions were, learning Mandarin is one of the smartest moves you can make for your career or business. It’s the most popular language in the world and the second most popular online. Once you learn how to speak Mandarin, you can speak to an additional one billion people on the planet. The number of multinational companies that are looking for executives who speak Mandarin went up by 35% from previous years. China is also becoming a major study destination for international students. Most importantly, China is a world economic powerhouse. Therefore, Mandarin is among the best languages to learn.
2. German
Technically, German is only officially spoken in six countries. These countries include Germany, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein. Besides, it is spoken as a native language by around 100 million people. As one of the best languages to learn, it is the most widely spoken native language in Europe. Germany is an academic, economic, and political powerhouse, with the largest GDP in Europe. As such, many are flocking to the country seeking educational and career opportunities. According to The Economist, knowing how to speak German will offer the highest reward in bonuses compared to learning how to speak Spanish or French.
3. Spanish
Argentina, Mexico, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela, and Spain are just a few of the countries where you’ll be able to practice with more than 480 million native speakers across the globe. Equatorial Guinea is the only African country that has Spanish as one of its official languages. From entertainment to the number of native speakers and career demands, learning Spanish offers exceptional career advantages.
4. Portuguese
Portuguese is not only spoken in Portugal but also in Brazil. Most importantly, Brazil has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Not only that, but it’s spoken in 10 countries. That is, from South America to Africa, and that makes it a handy language to know. In fact, the British Council added Portuguese to the top 10 most important languages for the UK’s future. This is a clear indication that it offers a world of opportunities for education, diplomacy, and, of course, foreign investment. Without a doubt, Portuguese is one of the best languages to learn, which will guarantee you the opportunity.
5. Arabic
Arabic is one of the top countries in the world where you will enjoy speaking. What’s more, it is spoken by over 300 million people in 57 countries around the world. Knowing how to speak Arabic is the golden key to entering the Middle Eastern economy. Moreover, this has increased by over 120% in the past five years. According to the World Economic Forum, it is the 5th most powerful language in the world. Speaking Arabic also provides ample opportunities for work and travel. Hence, it is recommendable if you want to know the best languages to learn.
6. Hindi
Even if you don’t have the desire to live in India, the number of speakers alone (500 million or more) should convince you of the potential of learning the language. More importantly, it brings about a surge in economic growth. This results in more and more jobs being outsourced to Indians, and Hindi entertainment (like Bollywood) catches on in western countries. However, since many people in India also speak English, it’s not a completely necessary language to learn, unlike Russian, because most people in Russia don’t speak English.
7. French
The World Economic Forum listed French as the third most powerful language in the world. France offers affordable higher education to international students. Whether you want to travel to France, Quebec, or any of the 11 sub-Saharan African countries where French is the sole official language, it’s worth thinking about learning this lingua franca. The reason is that it could open some serious doors for your future. So, you can see that French is one of the top languages to learn if you want to excel.
There are a number of reasons you might want to learn one of the best languages in the world aside from your official language. Whatever reasons you have, we believe these languages will open more of the world to you. They will, undoubtedly, help you achieve your professional and personal goals too. The only question is: which of these languages will you learn next? Let us know in the comment section.
