6 Most Useful Languages to Learn

“One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.”
‒Frank Smith

The world is becoming more multicultural than ever before. Learning a new language can open doors and create endless opportunities for you. You can increase your chances of being successful by knowing a second (or even a third!) language.

So, if you’re thinking of learning a new language and can’t decide on which one, wonder no more! We’ve picked some of the most useful foreign languages to learn in 2019. This list is in no particular order.

1. Arabic

Arabic gives you a leg up in the Middle East; if you’re interested in broader business opportunities in this region then Arabic leads the way. Learning Arabic means learning a language full of cultural heritage. It is the 5th most widely spoken language in the world with over 420 million speakers. Arabic is the dominant language of most fast-growing markets in the GCC.

• Native Speakers: 290 Million (2017)
• Non-native Speakers: 132 Million (2017)
• Official Language in: Egypt, Algeria, Sudan, Iraq, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Libya, Lebanon, Palestine, Mauritania, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.
• Unofficially Spoken in: Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan.

2. English

English is one of the most commonly studied and spoken language in the world. It is the official language in 67 countries and certainly wears the gauntlet for the most potential. Learning English is important as it enables you to communicate with literally anyone on earth!

Since English is spoken in so many different countries, people from all over the world decide to study it as a second language. Proficiency in the English language is essential for personal as well as business purposes.

• Native Speakers: 370 Million (2017)
• Non-native Speakers: 600 Million (2017)
• Official Language in: USA, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and over 55 other countries.
• Unofficially Spoken in: UAE, Germany and over 40 other countries.

3. French

Did you know that there are more French speakers outside France than in France?

France’s colonial history played a big part in making French the second-most widely spoken language in Europe. It is also taught as a foreign language in schools in many countries across the globe, which makes French the second most widely learned foreign language in the world.

• Native Speakers: 80 Million (2017)
• Non-native Speakers: 153 Million (2017)
• Official Language in: France, Canada, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Chad, Guinea, Rwanda, Belgium, Burundi, Benin, Haiti, Switzerland, Togo, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Comoros, Luxembourg, Vanuatu, Seychelles and Monaco.
• Unofficially Spoken in: Algeria, Albania, Andorra, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Dominica, Egypt, Greece, Laos, Lebanon, Morocco, Macedonia, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Romania, Saint-Lucia, Tunisia and Vietnam.

4. German

The German language ranks as the most widely spoken native language in Europe and is one of the three official languages of the European Union. In addition, it is the lingua franca of Central and Eastern Europe.

Germany has the largest and strongest economy in Europe and it just keeps on powering on. Learning German has huge potential advantages from finding new jobs to boosting your university career. If you’re interested in studying abroad, you can study for free at any public university in Germany!

• Native Speakers: 110 Million (Est.)
• Non-native Speakers: 52 Million
• Official Language in: Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein.
• Unofficially Spoken in: Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine.

5. Mandarin Chinese

Mandarin Chinese is by far the most spoken language in the world. Besides being the official language of China with more than 1 billion native speakers, it is also one of the official languages of the United Nations. Since China is forecasted to be the world’s strongest economic center, more and more companies are on the lookout for Mandarin speakers. Believe it or not – you’d encounter Mandarin speakers wherever you go considering 1 in 6 people in the world speak it!

• Native Speakers: 1 Billion  (2017)
• Non-native Speakers: 200 Million (2017)
• Official Language in: China, Taiwan, and Singapore.
• Unofficially Spoken in: Indonesia, southern Vietnam, and Malaysia.

6. Spanish

Spanish has approximately 470 million native speakers and the numbers are increasing every day. The popularity of the Spanish culture, arts and music has always made the Spanish language a popular and favorite one to learn. It is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world after Mandarin Chinese. Spanish is spoken in Spain, South and Central America. It is also spoken largely used in the United States.

• Native Speakers: 470 Million (2017)
• Non-native Speakers: 100 Million (2017)
• Official Language in: Mexico, Colombia, Spain, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Cuba, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Paraguay, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Panama, Uruguay and Equatorial Guinea.
• Unofficially Spoken in: Andorra, Belize, Gibraltar and the United States.

Have you been thinking about studying a language for a while? Start your course