Why learn Spanish?

The Spanish teachers at Edufire would like to share with you some of the top reasons why you should learn Spanish. We hope you enjoy.


Who's learning Spanish these days? For starters, residents of the United States , a bunch not known for conquering monoligualism, are studying Spanish in record numbers. Spanish, too, is becoming of greater importance in Europe , where it often the foreign language of choice after English.

With over 400 million speakers, it's the fourth most commonly spoken language in the world (after English, Chinese and Hindi), and according to some counts it has more native speakers than English does. It is an official language on four continents and is of historical importance elsewhere.

Better understanding of English: Much of the vocabulary of English has Latin origins, much of which came to English by way of French. Since Spanish is also a Latin language, you will find as you study Spanish that you have a better understanding of your native vocabulary.

Travel: While traveling in Mexico , Central America and South America doors will be opened to you simply because I speak Spanish, allowing you to see and do things that many other visitors do not.

Cultural understanding: While most of us can't hope to learn the languages of more than one or two cultures other than that of our own, those that we can learn help us to learn how other people learn and think. Reading Latin American or Spanish newspapers, for example, you will gain a sense of how other people think and feel

Learning other languages: If you can learn Spanish, you'll have a head start in learning the other Latin-based languages such as French and Italian. And it will even help you learn Russian and German, since they too have Indo-European roots and have some characteristics (such as gender and extensive conjugation) that are present in Spanish but not English. And I wouldn't be surprised if learning Spanish might even help you learn Japanese or any other non-Indo-European language, since intensive learning the structure of a language can give you a reference point for learning others.

It's easy: Spanish is one of the easiest foreign languages to learn. Much of its vocabulary is similar to English's, and written Spanish is almost completely phonetic: Look at almost any Spanish word and you can tell how it is pronounced. And while mastering the grammar of Spanish can be a challenge, basic grammar is straightforward enough that you can have meaningful communication after only a few lessons.

Employment opportunities: If you're in the United States and work in one of the helping professions including medicine and education, you'll find your opportunities expand by knowing Spanish. And wherever you live, if you're in any occupation that involves international trade, communications or tourism, you'll similarly find opportunities to use your new language skills.

It's fun: Whether you enjoy talking, reading, or mastering challenges, you'll find all of them in learning Spanish. For many people, there's something inherently enjoyable about successfully speaking in another language.

For many people, Spanish offers the most rewards with the least effort of any foreign language. It's never too late to begin learning.

Thanks to Gerald Erichsen, @ About.com for most of this information!