Why Learn Spanish?
1. Spanish Is the second most spoken language in the world
When we talk about the number of native speakers, Spanish is the second most spoken language, with 460 million people. It is also the third most used language on the Internet and the second most used one when publishing scientific texts.
In addition, it is the most popular second language choice for people in the United States and is spoken as either a first or second language by 15 percent of all residents in the European Union.
2. 21 countries have Spanish as an official language
Spanish is official in 21 countries across Europe, Africa, Central, South and the Americas, so it’s a true global heavyweight. It’s the primary language in Latin America.
While English is spoken in 112 countries, French in 60, and Arabic in 57, Spanish takes fourth place.
3. Spanish is a Romance language
Spanish is part of the Indo-European language family, including French, English, and others across Europe, South Asia, and beyond. The term “Indo-European” marks its range from India to Europe.
Spanish is a Romance language, like Catalan, Italian, French and more. The intercontinental connections make Spanish stand out.
Interesting Fact
Just like French, but unlike English, Spanish has formal and informal forms
In Spanish, knowing when to be casual or formal is a big deal. We’ve got “tú” and “vosotros” (in Spain) for hanging out, and “usted” and “ustedes” for being polite. It’s all about showing respect. When you mean business or talk to new people, being formal is the way. But with pals and family, being chill with the informal stuff works. Getting this balance right is like a secret handshake for good Spanish conversations.
4. Spanish Is the second largest language spoken in the United States
Just as Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, it is also the second one in the United States! And that is probably one of the most important reasons to learn Spanish in the US. There are approximately 53 million people who speak Spanish in the United States.
5. Spanish Is relatively easy to learn
Because Spanish is a romance language, which are those languages that derive from Latin, like Italian and French, there are many words are already using in everyday life that share its roots and pronunciation in Spanish!
Compared to many other languages, Spanish is fairly straightforward for an English speaker to pick up, because it is a phonetic language and most words are pronounced as they are spelled.
The language does not require students to learn a completely new alphabet and there is less emphasis on tone than many of the Asian languages.
Interesting Fact
The longest word in the language is 23 letters
The longest word in Spanish is “esternocleidomastoideo,” which is a muscle in the neck. It’s a mouthful with 23 letters, showing how Spanish can really go the distance with these big words.
6. The Spanish language has a bright future
In terms of its popularity, Spanish shows no signs of slowing down, with the total number of speakers increasing steadily over the past decade. A recent report published by the British Council ranked Spanish as the most important second language for British citizens to learn, placing it ahead of French, Arabic and Mandarin.
Moreover, analysts are estimating that the Latino population of the United States will reach close to 130 million by the year 2060. It is predicted that this will make the U.S. the largest Spanish speaking country in the world, overtaking Mexico in the process and further increasing the language’s global standing.
