Being able to speak another language can be hugely helpful in today’s global marketplace. More companies are looking for candidates that are bilingual to help build international relations. On top of helping to support and market to customers in other countries, knowing another language can help when managing international staff or working with foreign suppliers. Knowing another language could also give you the freedom to move abroad and get a job in another country.
But just which languages are most useful? There are thought to be over 7000 languages in the world – but some of them are much more widely spoken or more influential than others. This post lists 7 of the most useful languages today.
- English
Native speakers: 373,000,000
Global speakers: 1,350,000,000
Countries spoken as official language: 67
It’s likely you’re reading this in English. But for those who might be using Google Translate it’s still worth noting. English is regarded as the ‘lingua franca’ of the world. It may not have the most native speakers, but it is spoken in more countries than any other language – including influential countries like the USA, the UK, Canada and Australia. It is the most common second language.
- Spanish
Native speakers: 486,000,000
Global speakers: 600,000,000
Countries spoken as official language: 21
Spanish is the official language of 21 countries around the world including Spain and most of South and Central America. It is also the second most spoken language in the USA. Learning this language with the help of an online Spanish tutor could open up many career opportunities around the world. As with English, Spanish has many different dialects, which can be important to consider when learning this language.
- Mandarin Chinese
Native speakers: 941,000,000
Global speakers: 1,140,000,000
Countries spoken as official language: 3
Mandarin Chinese has more native speakers than any other language on Earth. While it is only an official language in 3 countries – China, Taiwan and Singapore – it is a hugely influential language due to China’s growing prominence in the world. In fact, China is the biggest exporter in the world – accounting for 14.2% of all global exports. Mandarin can be a difficult language to learn as it is quite different to most other languages. However, there are many resources to choose from online that you can try.
- Arabic
Native speakers: 380,000,000
Global speakers: 491,000,000
Countries spoken as official language: 25
Arabic is spoken throughout North Africa and the Middle East and is the official language of 25 countries. Huge amounts of Arabic speakers also live around the world in non-Arabic speaking countries. As countries like UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar continue to become more influential, the demand for Arabic speakers is thought to increase in decades to come. There are many Arabic courses you can take online.
- German
Native speakers: 96,000,000
Global speakers: 155,000,000
Countries spoken as official language: 6
German is an official language in 6 countries – Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy and Poland. The most influential of these countries is Germany, which is the richest country in Europe and a major global exporter. Although many Germans speak fluent English, being able to communicate in German can allow for more nuanced conversations. This makes it very useful when getting a job in Germany or doing business relations with this country. There are many ways to learn German online. French and Portuguese are other influential European languages that could be worth learning.
- Hindi
Native speakers: 576,200,000
Global speakers: 609,000,000
Countries spoken as official language: 1
Hindi could be a useful language worth learning too. Technically, it is only the official language of one country, India (you could also count Fiji – although Fijan Hindi is slightly different). However, India happens to have the largest diaspora in the world. This means that there are millions of Hindi speakers born in India now living in other countries. As a result, many companies are hiring recruiters and marketers that can speak Hindi in order to connect with these Hindi speakers – both inside and outside of India. You can find Hindi tutors online.
- Japanese
Native speakers: 123,000,000
Global speakers: 126,000,000
Countries spoken as official language: 1
Japanese is also only spoken as an official language in one country – Japan. However, it is considered a hugely useful language as a result of Japan being so influential. The fact that very few Japanese people speak English also makes it necessary for companies to have Japanese-speaking staff when communicating with customers, employees or suppliers from this country. There are many useful apps for learning Japanese as well as various online courses you can try.
