Top 5 business languages
The business world is becoming a tougher place every day for monolinguals. We know for sure that doing business in the language of your client is one of the keys to international business success. Learning languages is a time investment, for sure. However, it will pay you dividends if you learn a little of the languages most relevant to your field. It is useful for exporters to know how much business is done in the world in each language, since English is just not enough as a communication tool. The following are the major languages to consider learning nowadays if you aspire to make it big in international business.
Chinese
With more than a billion native speakers, Mandarin Chinese is the world’s most widely spoken language (representing more than 14% of the world’s population) and the second most popular language used among internet users. China is the second-largest economy on the planet. And Forbes predicts it will overtake the United States as the world’s largest economy by the end of 2018. So, if you plan for your business aspirations take you there, then now is the time to start practicing your Mandarin!
Arabic
Spoken by almost 300 million people worldwide, Arabic is the official language for 28 countries, most of which are growing, dynamic economies in Africa and the Middle East. Six Arabic speaking nations are ranked among the top 50 export market in goods in the UK. The combined economy of this six countries exceeds that of Italy, Spain or China. Arabic is the fastest growing language on the internet– its use has increased by 2500% in the last ten years. It is predicted to be one of the most widely spoken languages in 2050, so a little practice now will pay off in the long run!
Spanish
One of the most widely spoken first language in the world, with more than 400 million native speakers, Spanish has long been at the top of the list of languages for businesses to learn. With an increase in those working in the financial industry expected to relocate to Spain, Spanish is a crucial language for businesses to learn. Of course, it not only opens doors to Spain, but the vast majority of Latin America. For instance, as a result of an extensive network of bilateral trade agreements, Mexico offers some of the open trade globally. Spanish is the second language of the USA and the British Council recognizes this language as being useful for 34% of businesses in the U.K.
Hindi
India has become one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, and is one of the globe’s most populous, second only to China. It is the only country in the top five fastest-growing economies of 2017 to already have a trillion-dollar economy. Indians speak several languages, depending on the region, although Hindi is the official language. Hindi is the fifth most-spoken language in the world, with 260 million native speakers, and there have been proposals to add it to the United Nations’ list of official languages.
German
Germany is a European economic powerhouse, so it’s no surprise that mastering the language can help boost your professional worth. Businesses that take the time to learn German will find themselves at an advantage in the future. With opportunities opening in Amsterdam for those working in finance, it therefore makes sense for businesses to start learning Dutch sooner rather than later.
Germany has one of the most stable economies at the moment. It is also a relatively easy language for English-speakers to learn. It has the same alphabet and is pronounced in a way that makes sense to Anglophones - 80% of the 100 most common English words are actually Germanic in origin.
