The majority of commerce and tourism is conducted by English speakers. But after you master English, which language gives you a corporate competitive advantage? Being multilingual gives you an advantage whether or not travelling is a part of your job—or something you want it to be.
Speaking another language improves your ability to communicate with clients, partners, and coworkers around the world. Reading books and watching movies will help you learn while erasing cultural barriers. There is no quicker method to establish trust and camaraderie when business is all about connections than via language. The most useful languages for students with a business mindset are listed below.
Spanish (400 million+ speakers)
Nearly 30% of Americans are Hispanic, and Mexico is one of the US’s biggest trading partners. Spanish is a commonly spoken alternative or official language in more than 40 nations worldwide. Learning Spanish can advance your career internationally for all of the aforementioned reasons.
Spanish has been ranked among the most requested languages in US job postings. After English, it is by far the most valuable language to speak in America. According to experts, its significance will only increase as a result of the growing number of native Spanish speakers employed by American businesses.
Mandarin (1 billion+ speakers)
China is the second-largest economy in the world, and it is the most widely spoken language in the world. The desire to study the language of the future motivates a lot of people to learn Chinese. Mandarin Chinese will increasingly be used in business dealings as China becomes one of the world’s top economic powers.
The plus side of Mandarin being one of the hardest languages for English speakers to learn? Once you understand it, it’s quite astounding. For international hiring managers and potential clients, learning Mandarin will make you stand out.
Russian (200 million+ speakers)
The UN recognises Russian as one of its official languages. Russia is a political and economic powerhouse that has produced a sizable part of the world’s billionaires in recent years. For both Eastern and Western nations, Russia routinely ranks as one of the most significant international trading partners. It also ranks well among the world’s oil and natural gas producers.
In contrast to other European nations, English is not widely spoken or understood in parts of Russia and the former Soviet Union. It may be essential to understand Russian in order to travel and speak effectively if you intend to conduct business with these nations.
Arabic (420 million+ speakers)
Arabic is the fifth most spoken language in the world. Arabic is the official language of wealthy nations like Dubai. Over the past few decades, there has been an increase in demand for Arabic speakers among governments, nonprofit organisations, and for-profit businesses. Arabic language proficiency is essential for those working in the building and real estate sectors in the Middle East and North Africa. Additionally, a significant chunk of the European and American markets are now driven by investments from the Arab world.
Arabic is a very difficult language for native English speakers to master, much like Mandarin. But what it really means is that once you can hold a conversation, you’ll be different from most other English-speaking natives.
French (275 million+ speakers)
More than 29 nations have French as their primary language. It is one of the UN’s official languages and the second most spoken language in the European Union. Although it is no longer the world’s primary language, many nations that speak French still favour conducting business only with firms who share their language.
Ready to hone your business language skills in Arabic? Have a look at our Coorporate Courses in Levantine Arabic now!