7 of the Best Languages to Learn for Business

It’s no secret speaking multiple languages can improve the odds of success in business. If you aspire to do business internationally or work on a diverse team, being conversational in more than one language can lead to stronger relationships that will benefit your career.

Some languages are more practical than others, however. So what are the best languages to learn for business? This post will explore seven of the most useful languages in the business world.

What are the best languages to learn for business?

It’s true that learning multiple languages can benefit your career. But learning to speak an obscure language such as Pawnee isn’t likely to get you very far. 

So which are the best languages to learn for business? Here are seven of the most practical:

Mandarin

Mandarin is the predominant language in China. Approximately 879 million native Mandarin speakers and 193 million speak Mandarin as their second language. Mandarin is one of the best languages to learn for business since 1.05 billion people worldwide speak and comprehend the language. China has one of the largest global economies by nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Many multinational companies like Alibaba may offer great opportunities if you comprehend the language.

French

Approximately 77 million native French speakers and 203 million people speak French as a second language. Learning French will enable you to work in more than 29 more nations and international organizations like the World Trade Organization and the United Nations that include it as one of their official languages.

Spanish

Approximately 436 million people use Spanish as their first language. Five hundred twenty-seven million people worldwide speak Spanish. Their principal languages are the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Spain. Therefore, Spanish is essential for worldwide business and daily life communication.

Arabic

Learning and comprehending Arabic can lead to many great opportunities in the Middle East, considering its ever-rising economy. With the expansion of oil and gas enterprises in the Middle East, the Arabic language has become more important for doing business. Due to the expanding tourism and fashion industries in the Middle East, learning Arabic may lead to many career opportunities in those nations.

Japanese

Japan is renowned for its advanced technologies and the prosperous lifestyle of its citizens. With 129 million native Japanese speakers residing mainly in Japan, it is one of the most technologically sophisticated countries in the world and the home ground for innovations in education. Japanese is one of the best languages to learn for business due to its significance in various technological global companies.

German

Germany is the world’s second-best nation for entrepreneurship. It also has the best rankings for quality of life and corporate openness. More than 100 million people speak the German language in Central Europe. Learning it will allow you to sell your company skills in other German-speaking nations such as Austria.

Italian

Italy has the second-largest industrial economy in Europe, making the Italian language highly worth learning for commercial purposes. Due to its Latin origins, Italian is closely related to other critical business languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Approximately 64 million people use it as a first language, extensively used outside Italy in countries like Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia, and Malta.

Discover the Best Instructor for These Languages

Expanding your language repertoire can provide a considerable advantage regarding career advancement. If you’re interested in learning one of the languages mentioned above, contact LanguageBird today and learn about the benefits of enrolling in one-to-one lessons with a native-speaking instructor.