Most people have ambitions to learn a new foreign language, but many get stuck on the question: "Which linguistic communication should I learn?" If you're asking yourself that question, it probably means you don't have a strong interest in learning any linguistic communication in particular. We recommend picking ane of the most useful languages. But which 1 is the best? And if you want to pick upwards more than one, which should you learn first? Hither are the almost important languages to larn for native English language speakers or people who take already mastered English language.

Final Updated: 04/28/2021

most useful languages

Autonomously From English language, What Are the Most Useful Languages to Learn?

English has been established as a sort of lingua franca, and then people all around the earth speak it. However, English does not suffice to be able to communicate in all work sectors (particularly tourism and international business). There are endless reasons why you should learn whatsoever of these peak vii near useful languages. That beingness said, for virtually people, the biggest motivation to learn ane of the about useful languages is professional. Being able to speak 1 or several strange languages has become one of the almost sought-after skills for recruiters.

This video and article are for:

  • anyone who wants to learn some other strange language besides English
  • and native English speakers who want to main a strange language, but who don't know which language to learn.

All languages are useful, and there are plenty of reasons to learn each one, but the key is finding the nearly valuable languages to learn for you.

It'southward Personal: Figure Out the Best and Most Useful Language to Learn for YOU

I identified ii main criteria that you tin can use to determine the most useful languages:

  • The number of speakers throughout the world
  • Relevance in economical and political contexts

According to Ethnologue , the top 10 well-nigh spoken native languages in the world consist of Chinese (or the ensemble of its 12 variants including Mandarin), Castilian, English language, Arabic, Hindi, Bengali, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, and German. (Come across the complete list.)

For the second criterion, I based my conclusions on official statistics from the U.S. Census that highlight the U.S.'s global business partners. U.Chiliad. trade partners are similar to those in the U.S.

Here are the seven about useful languages to learn after English language:

  1. Spanish
  2. French
  3. Chinese
  4. German
  5. Japanese
  6. Arabic
  7. Portuguese

Height seven About Useful Languages to Learn for English Speakers

Every bit nosotros said, many people larn a new language to get a new job, to motility up the ladder, or to earn more money at their current job. In our stance, these are the most interesting languages to learn if your language goal is professional in nature.

one. Spanish

most useful languages

Spanish is the 3rd most spoken linguistic communication in the world after Chinese and English. It's also the native language of more than than 400 million people across 44 countries, which makes information technology one of the most useful languages to know.

For those who want to do business, Spanish skills can be an asset for communicating in Spain and throughout Latin America. The considerable size of the Spanish-speaking population of the United States makes it even more attractive on a resume. Americans who plan on working domestically in law, social services, or business can truly stand out by being expert in Spanish.

Spanish is often said to be an easy language to learn. For example, Castilian is phonetic (you read words every bit they are written). Still, the tenses and verb irregularities are more complicated in Spanish than in a language similar French. It's too important to realize that as a non-native learning Spanish, you'll be competing for piece of work with native Spanish speakers.

Why information technology's such a useful language: It's quite obvious why learning Spanish has huge fiscal benefits for job seekers. In both Europe and the U.s.a., Spanish is the most commonly spoken language after English language. Information technology is also the officially spoken language of four continents. This makes learning Castilian very beneficial, especially for those in business simply due to the number of people who speak it.

How to learn it: Best Resources to Learn Castilian

2. French

With Canada beingness the number one trade partner of the U.S., learning French can majorly boost anyone's professional worth. Spoken by more 290 1000000 people worldwide, French has truly become a global linguistic communication. It is the official linguistic communication of 29 countries including France, Canada, Switzerland, Monaco, Luxembourg, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire,Haiti, Belgium, Rwanda, Togo, Mali, and more.

louvre museum

France dominates in pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, aeronautics, energy production, and more than. In addition, with global initiatives to promote development in areas of Africa, French is key. Many countries throughout West Africa, Fundamental Africa, and E Africa apply French equally 1 of the official languages. Being able to communicate in French tin can country you consultant, non-profit, assistants, and tons of other jobs.

French is also an official language of NATO, the Un, the Olympics, the Red Cantankerous, and other international organizations. For Americans, since nigh people learn Spanish in school, speaking French gives youan edge over other jobseekers.

Why it'due south such an important linguistic communication: Due to the wide usage of the French linguistic communication as the second nigh learned linguistic communication after English, learning French is extremely valuable. Knowing how to speak French opens the doors to positions in businesses all over the earth, from Kingdom of belgium to Switzerland to Canada.

How to learn it: Resources for Learning French

3. A Chinese language, such as Standard mandarin

most useful languages

China has become an unavoidably massive presence in the world (recent statistics show that 36% of the world'southward population either lives in Prc or Bharat). In improver to its growing population, Prc has a stronghold on exports to the U.South. and the U.K., making it a valuable merchandise partner. Considering of this, Chinese is an incredibly useful language to learn.

If yous want to work in international business organization or banking, learning a Chinese language is one of the about useful languages to know if you want to beef up your resume. The tricky office is that there are 12 different Chinese languages, the most common being Mandarin (845 meg people speak Mandarin, out of a total population of roughly 1.4 billion).

Learning Mandarin is an excellent idea considering it is such a prized skill set for the business sector and 1 of the extremely of import languages in the world. Diplomatic and military professionals also will observe Standard mandarin helpful. The minor percentage of people who manage to main Mandarin has an incredible advantage over their monolingual peers.

Mandarin is known to be difficult to larn how to write since there are multiple moods and registers to conquer. However, its grammer, conjugation, and tenses are infinitely easier.

Why it's such a valuable language: If you're in the business industry, learning Chinese will open upward a world of opportunities for you due to the more than a billion people who speak it.

How to Learn it: Resources to Larn Chinese

four. German

Germany's economy has been steadily growing, reaching far beyond the Rhine. Such growth has propelled the country into one of the world'south strongest economies. It's in the meridian 10 for import and export partners for both the U.Due south. and the U.K. Information technology'south besides an official language of Austria and Switzerland, both of which boast potent economies, too.

most useful languages

German language isthe nigh common native language.More than than xc million people in the world speak it.

However, many learners of German claim it is not the easiest to acquire. High schoolers, for example, tend to have difficulty communicating in German, fifty-fifty after years of study (as opposed to a language like Spanish). This could be due to a lack of interest and motivation. If you're going to larn German, it'due south best to practise and so when you take the time and can buckle down with your German lessons several times a week.

Why information technology's such a valuable language: German is the language to learn if you lot want to earn the big bucks! In fact, you can earn up to 125,000 extra euros just in bonuses! Y'all may be surprised past this as most people would assume a more mutual language such as Spanish or Mandarin would permit them to exist more prosperous. However, knowing German as a second language puts y'all in a special niche and thus is more economically valuable. Additionally, Germany is a European powerhouse and then yields higher financial benefits than other languages.

How to larn it: Resources to Learn German language

v. Japanese

japan

Although surpassed past China in contempo years, Nippon's economy is remarkably strong. 122 meg people speak Japanese as their native linguistic communication, making it 1 of the nigh spoken foreign languages in the world.

Japanese is ane of the virtually useful languages to know for those who work in the automotive, communications, and fiscal sectors. Japan is the third biggest producer of automobiles and makes up i of the biggest producers of mobile applied science. Co-ordinate to Forbes, Nihon is domicile to some of the world's nearly powerful companies including Mitsubishi, KDDI, Softbank, and NTT.

Japanese people love to travel. So, if yous want to piece of work in the tourism industry, Japanese is a dandy skill to have.

Why information technology's such an important linguistic communication: Due to the increasing global role of the Pacific Rim and Asia, as well as the economic ties between the United states and Nihon, Japanese is one of the best languages to learn.

How to learn it: Resources to Learn Japanese

six. Arabic

The global importance of Arabic is clear: it's the 3rd well-nigh common language, with more than 300 meg native speakers spread throughout 57 countries in the world.

Many Arab countries provide the West withvital resources (similar oil). It goes without maxim that geopolitical events of recent years take also forced the Western world to become more familiar with the Arab earth.

most useful languages desert middle east camels

As noted in a annotate made past Solal, written Arabic follows a standardized system mutual in the many places where it is spoken. Notwithstanding, the richness of Arabic is apparent in the different dialects or variations of the spoken linguistic communication. A Moroccan may non necessarily sympathise a Lebanese person. Egyptian Arabic is a practiced dialect to learn. Some people say it's the most universal dialect (due in part to the Egyptian motion picture industry).

Standard arabic has been classified by the U.South. Land Section as one of the hardest languages to acquire, forth with Korean, Japanese, Mongolian, and Mandarin. In other words, you need to be super motivated!

But knowing how to communicate in Arabic is a plus for U.S. government and military jobs, so it'southward one of the best languages for Americans to learn. It's also great for people who want to work in the journalism and tourism industries.

Why it'south such a useful language: The Center East, considered one of the wealthiest regions in the world, has a Gdp of over $600B. Knowing Arabic allows entry into the Middle Eastern economy, which has grown past 120% in the terminal 5 years.

How to learn it: Tips For Quickly Learning Arabic Vocabulary

7. Portuguese

portugal

Co-ordinate to Wikipedia, Portuguese is the 5th most spoken language in the world (although these statistics are always estimates). Portuguese is spoken not only in Portugal but also in the booming economy that is Brazil. People also speak Portuguese in several African countries like Angola, where natural resources grow.

The 8th strongest economy, Brazil has experienced rapid growth and get a major trade partner with the U.S. and Europe. Its strongest exports are minerals, iron, steel, coffee, and grains. While Spanish has become the de facto linguistic communication to learn for many, Portuguese is rise in importance. Business organisation, logistics, and agriculture professionals are sure to observe Brazilian Portuguese a handy language to know.

Why information technology's such an important linguistic communication: Although Portuguese isn't as in demand as Spanish, it is currently on the rise. That'southward because Portuguese is the official language in Brazil, an emerging economic system.

How to learn it: Resource to Learn Portuguese

Bonus Video and Infographic Most the Virtually Useful Languages in the Globe

Here'south a quick recap of the most useful languages and why they're so beneficial.

If you liked that video, subscribe to our channel for more language facts and tips.

Nonetheless Can't Decide Which Language to Learn? This Infographic of the About Useful Languages Can Help

Which Languages to Learn

Conclusions

The three best languages to learn (after English) are: Castilian, French, and Chinese.

Naturally, if you're going to work in a specific land, you don't demand to think twice about what linguistic communication to larn next. The decision is already made for you! Learning the language of the country or region where you'll be living is the nigh practical solution.

If you lot do have a choice, the listing beneath can give you an idea of the most mutual languages spoken. This chart is meant as a general guideline since it'due south non easy to estimate. Hither are the ten most spoken languages:

Language Countries/Regions Spoken Number of Speakers (in millions)
Mandarin Chinese China, Singapore, Taiwan ane,080
English United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, several African countries 508
Spanish Kingdom of spain, Latin American 382
Hindi India, Islamic republic of pakistan 315
French France, Canada, Kingdom of belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, several African countries, Oceania, Antilles, Southward East asia 290
Russian Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyz republic, Republic of kazakhstan 285
Indonesian Malay Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Negara brunei darussalam 260
Arabic North Africa, Middle East 230
Portuguese Brazil, Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, Guinée Bissau 218
Bengali Bangladesh, Republic of india 210

(Note: These statistics vary according to the criteria used)

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