Ready to embark on a language learning journey but are not sure which language you should choose? Read this article to get some ideas. Remember, however, that you should consider your learning goals, the time you want to dedicate to mastering the language, your needs, and the way you want to use it!
Spanish
If we consider only native speakers, Spanish is the second most-spoken language, right after Mandarin Chinese. It is similar to Italian, Portuguese, and French, as they all are Romance Languages.
This language is considered one of the easiest to learn for English speakers. It has a very straightforward pronunciation system. However, it has grammar that might be hard for English natives to understand.
As there are so many people speaking Spanish, you can practice a lot in real life. It is handy to know it for traveling in some parts of the world. Spanish can also open new doors when it comes to work.
German
English has a large Latin influence, but it is considered a Germanic language. This is why some of the vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammatical rules might be easy for you to learn. What can make you a bit confused are compound words, three genders, and declension.
If you have enough patience, you can learn German relatively quickly. It is a good language to know in business situations, but you should be aware that Germany has a huge non-native English-speaking population, so knowing German doesn't have to be a deal breaker for your boss.
Mandarin Chinese
This language is very complex and can scare off many new learners. Don't give up on it, though! It is not as hard as it seems! What scares people the most is that instead of an alphabet, there are around 50,000 different characters. However, an educated Chinese person knows, on average, 8,000 of them. And you will need only 2,000 to read well.
If you know Mandarin, you can easily travel through China and many other countries in Asia. Mandarin is also a great language to know for the world of business. As this country is constantly growing in economic power, you give yourself a great start on the job market if you speak Mandarin.
Arabic
Arabic is a very interesting language to learn. It has a different alphabet, which can be very challenging for English speakers.
If you are up for a challenge, try to learn Arabic. Knowing this language can be useful when traveling in the Middle East or Northern Africa. These parts of the world are becoming more and more important in global business, so if you master the language, you can increase your chances of getting a great job.
Portuguese
Portuguese might not be an obvious choice when it comes to learning a new language. However, it is an interesting language that is spoken in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, and many other countries. It is also similar to Spanish, so it can be a handy choice if you are planning to visit South America. Trade between Brazil and the rest of the world is on the rise, so knowing Portuguese might be a great boost for your career.
