It’s clear the world is becoming increasingly connected and businesses need employees who can communicate with clients and customers worldwide. Many global companies focus on producing content that serve audiences with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds because to successfully engage audiences, you should do it in their preferred language. Having bilingual or multilingual skills is slowly becoming more of a requirement than a benefit for employers with international customers and partners.

To remain competitive and increase your career opportunity and job prospect, you have to communicate smoothly to pave the way for unfettered business connection flows. That is, being able to use multiple languages.

Here is a list of top 11 languages you should consider to initiate global growth:

English

1. ENGLISH

English is the most widely spoken language in different contexts in the world. It is the one language that the majority of the population in almost every region of the world can speak and understand. Furthermore, the language enjoys worldwide acceptance and usage by every nation of the world.  It’s spoken in 94 countries by 339 million native speakers and is the official language of the 20 most relevant international organizations, making it a very widespread language. In most countries, it’s also the primary foreign language taught in schools and can be understood by one third of the world’s population. The language also retains the number one spot as the most commonly used language among internet users with 949 million users and as the most used language by 52.3% of websites using various content languages. English is, therefore, crucial for anyone who wants to thrive on the global stage.

2. CHINESE

Chinese refers to a group of Sino-Tibetan languages with collectively over 955 million native speakers, accounting for 14.4% of the world’s population, and it’s by far the most widely spoken language in the world with a momentous 1 billion speakers worldwide. In recent years, the Chinese language has become one of the most popular to learn due to the huge variety of opportunities it presents. The Chinese economy has experienced astonishing growth in the last few decades making it a noticeable source of business opportunity. Mandarin is also the second most popular language among internet users. If there’s one language in the world that’s worth learning, it’s Mandarin Chinese. It is now considered as an important language worldwide because of its increased presence in the business world as Chinese are involved in many businesses throughout the world including Hollywood.

3. SPANISH

Though not perceived as a language of business, Spanish language has a total of about 405 million native speakers. Due to the popularity of Spanish culture, arts, and music, it is one of the most popular and favourite languages to be learned. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language after Mandarin and is spoken in about 30 countries. Having your business content available in Spanish opens doors not only in Spain, but also in booming Latin American countries like Mexico, Peru, Paraguay and Ecuador, and even the United States. The US has a significant number of Spanish speakers who contribute to its position as the world’s second-largest economy, which makes Spanish an extremely important language. Spanish is also important for business purposes in the UK. Mexico has some of the most open trade policies in the world which makes it a key area for investment. If you want to do business in the US, or anywhere in the Western hemisphere, Spanish needs to be one of your chosen localization languages. You can learn this language for travel, business, and international studies.

4. FRENCH

French is an official language in 29 countries and is the native language of some 28 to 38 million people. French is the international language of cooking, fashion, theatre, the visual arts, dance and architecture. A knowledge of French offers access to great works of literature in the original French, as well as films and songs. French is the second most useful language in the world for business. Studying French makes you smarter. French is one of the top ten majors most likely to lead to less unemployment and higher earnings.  It’s also a working language in organisations like the United Nations, International Olympic Committee, and World Trade Organization.

5. ARABIC

Arabic is a Semitic language that has 32 varieties with Modern Standard Arabic as the standard form. It is a widely used language. Most Arabic speakers reside in the Middle East, North Africa, and 26 other nations of the world.  It is one of the most popular languages besides English and French. It is amongst the six official languages of the United Nations (UN). Six Arabic speaking countries appear among the UK’s top 50 export market in goods, with a combined value to the economy that surpasses that of Spain, China or Italy. The Middle East represents a fast-growing market of eager consumers; there is a lot of wealth in the area and there are plenty of governments attracting tourism to their countries, especially for shopping. The internet is also rising in the Middle East, and with many Arab speakers only speaking Arabic. It is a global language with a vast population that uses it.

6. SWAHILI

Swahili has over 200 million speakers and is one of the most widely used African languages after Arabic. It is mainly used in East and Central Africa by majority of speakers who are native speakers of other African languages.  It is the official language in Tanzania and Kenya, and is also used in Uganda, Somalia, Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, and Congo. The UN proclaimed 7 July of each year as World Kiswahili Language Day making it the first African language to be recognized in such a manner. Of all the sub-Saharan African languages, Swahili has the highest online presence by far. Africa in a global marketplace, Swahili is poised to become the language of commerce in Africa. Its usefulness for research and travel is one of the most cited reasons given for studying Swahili.

7. PORTUGUESE

 It’s spoken in Portugal, Brazil, and some African countries. Portuguese is set to become the second language of the European Union after English by 2025. It’s also the second most spoken language in Latin America (behind Spanish). Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America and also the most widely cited science base outside the G8, making it a very resourceful country.  The demand for Portuguese in the US is also increasing as it has been recognized as an important language for business and international relations. Portuguese is also gaining popularity in Asia due to the region’s great diplomatic and economic relations with Portugal and Lusophone countries. Portuguese is a useful language to unlock business opportunities located across the four continents.

8. GERMAN

German has 95 million native speakers and a total of 210 million speakers worldwide. It remains today a leading language in science, art, philosophy, and literature and also the fourth most used language online. German is the most widely spoken language in the entire European Union (far more than English, Spanish, or French). German is a useful language for business as Germany itself is the largest economy in the European Union and an economic powerhouse on the world stage. Those who are an expert in this language have job opportunities in many big German companies such as Volkswagen, BASF, Daimler, BMW, Bosch, Siemens, etc. Learning German can be of great benefit for all individuals.

9. RUSSIAN

It is the largest native language in the world with more than 300 million people who speak it. It is spoken throughout central and Eastern Europe and in Russia and is the eighth most common language in the world and the second most used in website content, after English. Russian is one of the official languages of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Russia is one of the major economic powers of the world and Russian is a global language with so many speakers.  Learning the language could be a great step for anyone’s career and business deals.

10. JAPANESE

Demand for the Japanese language has increased as Japanese companies are expanding and growing globally. Japanese are known for value and quality products and with an expansion in their industries there is need to learn their language. Japan has made great strands in scientific research and it is one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world. Japanese is also the third most spoken language on the Internet, allowing for vital business communication. Learning one of the main languages of the Internet will set you apart in the near future.

11. HINDI

Hindi is the fifth most-spoken language in the world, with 260 million native speakers. In terms of size and population, India is the seventh largest country by area and the second most populous nation. It is one of the fastest growing economies. Learning Hindi is very useful for building your career and connecting with Hindi-speaking communities around the world.

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