2020 will be the year of languages. The world is becoming a more globalized place with every minute that goes by.
While learning any language will be beneficial for your career and your personal life, some are more important than others. There are several aspects that determine how important is a language globally:
1. The number of potential speakers
2. The growth of native speakers
3. The economic power of countries that speak the language
Top 5 Languages To Study in 2019
Chinese
Mandarin Chinese is not the easiest language to learn yet once you do, you get a possibility to communicate effectively with billion people in the world.
The number of companies looking for Mandarin speaking employees has grown by 35% when compared to the previous years and the experts predict that China will become an economic powerhouse in the globalized economy. It’s likely that there will be Mandarin speakers wherever you go so you’ll be able to communicate easily.
Spanish
This language has spread widely across Europe and the Americas making it a number one language to learn in 2019 after Mandarin Chinese. This may have something to do with its popularity in music and other media but there is a growing number of non-native speakers.
It already has 470 million native speakers and the numbers are only rising.
With Spanish-speaking countries being among the leaders in the globalized economy, you definitely need to take this opportunity.
Arabic
Arabic may sound like a strange choice at first but today 300 million people speak this language in 57 countries all over the world. The Arabic language is especially appealing because of the economic wealth of the Arabic countries.
The Middle Eastern economy has increased by 120% over the years and it’s an enormous growth rate. If you want to enter that economy, you need to learn the language, even though it may be slightly difficult.
German
Germany has the highest GDP in Europe and it’s another economic powerhouse where people will find new careers. Knowing German in business will offer you the highest bonuses over the other languages.
It’s one of the three official languages of the European Union and it’s the most popular language in Europe, especially in Central and Eastern Europe.
French
French is a language of romance with 80 million native and over 153 million non-native speakers. Because of France’s colonial past, more people speak this language outside France than in France.
People learn it for pleasure and business alike.
We have created another list. It contains top 7 languages for English speakers to learn by 2020. It’s not a secret that learning a language takes time. We want to help you enjoy everything you do. This is the list of languages you better know before 2020 comes!
1. Mandarin
You can reach more than a billion people once you learn how to speak Mandarin. It’s not the easiest language for English speakers to learn, but the upside is worth the effort.
The number of multinational companies that are looking for executives who speak Mandarin has risen by 35% from previous years. China has all the chances to be the world’s #1 economic powerhouse by 2020. Beyond the major benefits learning Mandarin could provide for your professional life, it’s likely that wherever you go, there will be native Mandarin speakers you can build relationships with.
2. German
Germany has the highest GDP in Europe, and many are flocking to the country seeking new careers. 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.
Spanish — 1.5 percent bonus
French — 2.3 percent bonus
German — 3.8 percent bonus
3. Portuguese
People speak Portuguese not only in Portugal but also many people speak Portuguese in Brazil, one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Not only that, it’s spoken in 10 countries from South America to Africa, making it a handy language to know by 2020.
Today Portuguese is the 5th most spoken language in the world. Trust the experts who predict that there will be plenty of people you can practice with once you get going. We should note that Portuguese skills aren’t in demand as much as Spanish skills are, but the demand is definitely growing. Depending on where you plan to travel or the reason for learning it, you need to make a note of the difference between Portuguese from Portugal versus Portuguese from Brazil.
4. Spanish
Speaking Spanish is quickly changing from “nice-to-have” but into a “must-have” skill. From entertainment to the number of native speakers and career demands, learning Spanish is one of the best investments you can make as an English speaker.
Today, over 400 million people speak the language. By 2020, this number will easily rise to 500 million or more. It’s up to you to take advantage of the opportunity.
5. Arabic
Arabic is popular among over 300 million people throughout 57 countries around the world. What makes Arabic especially important is the economic wealth that Arabic countries hold, with over $600 billion in GDP.
Knowing how to speak Arabic is the golden key to entering the Middle Eastern economy, which has increased by over 120% in the past five years, an enormous growth rate. Fair warning though, Arabic is one of the most difficult languages to learn for English speakers.
6. Russian
Russia has one of the largest economies in the world. It’s a major economic player in Eastern Europe, and you’ll be able to find many people speaking the language wherever you go around the world, including the United States.
7. Hindi
Even if you don’t have the desire to go live in India, the number of speakers alone (500 million plus) should convince you to learn the language. By 2020 we’ll see a surge in economic growth as more and more jobs become outsourced to India and as Hindi entertainment (like Bollywood) catches on in western countries. This is a language you’ll want to gain as an investment into the future of India.
However, since many people in India also speak English, it’s not a necessary language to learn, unlike Russian, because most people in Russia don’t speak English.
Choosing which language you should learn can be a daunting task and a big decision since you will invest your time and possibly money into it. Whatever you choose, make sure you are enjoying the study process and that you truly invest yourself in studying.
This article first appeared on Agato Translation Blog we find it worth sharing with you: agatotranslate.ae/a-list-of-languages-that-will-conquer-the-world-by-2020/
References:
