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The Most Important Languages to Learn in the 21st Century

By: Shahzad Bashir Posted on Wed, 09-06-2021

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It is very difficult and tricky to define the most important languages on the globe today. It is because countless languages are being used for international businesses. Additionally, a large number of internet users from around the globe have covered the gap in the universal communication system. In short, many factors are causing difficulties in determining the most important languages to learn in the 21st century. Therefore, we can say that the languages which are in use by the majority of the public are currently the most popular in the 21st century. 
For instance, large numbers of people speak the Chinese language. Furthermore, there are more than 1.1 billion Mandarin speakers in the world today. Therefore it is essential to learn Mandarin if you want to run a successful business on an international level. Above all, China can maintain its financial position in the global market for decades. Meaning thereby, you can provide an economic boost to your business or company just by learning the Mandarin language.

However, English is very popular because it’s the official language of many states. Currently, it is a leading language of many fields and industries. Like media, finance, and business, etc. Additionally, a large number of data is available online in the English language. So, English has made its place in the list of most important languages to learn in the 21st century. 
There are certain other languages such as Arabic, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, German, French, Russian and Hindi without which international businesses cannot take place nor be successful. It is because all of these languages have more than millions of speakers around the globe.

Significance of most important languages of 21st century

It is true that in today’s world, the young generation prefers to speak, study and learn their language. But it is also true that in the world of globalization working, knowing, or carrying on business in a single language is not enough. In short, knowledge of multilingualism is a demand of the 21st century. Now the question is which are the most important languages to learn in the 21st century?
We can get the answer to that question, just by observing the requirements of the professional network, traveling, transport, and academic associations. And we will notice that all of them are forcing us to learn different languages which are commonly spoken by the public at large. Meaning thereby, out of more than 7,000 different languages one should pick those which consist of the most speakers. 
However, if you want to evolve or boost your creativity, business, employability, and enhance your international communication skills, it is wise to learn foreign languages. Additionally, learning multiple languages may help in many different aspects of your life. Learning languages can improve your multitasking abilities. Besides, it is important to learn multiple languages because people are strongly connected in this world of globalization and technology. As a result, the demand for learning more than one language is sky-high.
Anyways, coming back to the point, which are the most important languages of 2021? The answer to that is quite simple. There are only 23 languages that are being used by half of the global population today. Out of which only 11 languages consist of the majority of speakers. Therefore, we give you the list of the most spoken languages in the world. They are discussed below.

List of most important languages to learn in the 21st century

  1. English
  2. Great Britain
  3. Spanish
  4. Chinese
  5. Japanese
  6. German
  7. French
  8. Korean
  9. Russian
  10. Italian
  11. Hindi
  12. Arabic
  13. Portuguese
     

This list of the most important languages is based on the number of speakers and their influence in the modern world. But to decide what language to learn, you need to consider both the issues of practicability and likability. Remember the key to learn or master any language is to truly enjoy it, so choose carefully which language is suitable and easy for you to learn. 

English:

Whenever we talk about a comparison of languages you will find English at the top of all the lists. There are more than 1.5 billion English speakers on the globe. Additionally, it is also known as one of the most powerful languages today. Furthermore, most multinational companies prefer using it for their products. In short, English is helpful as well as useful everywhere. Above all, English is famous because it is used in technologies and computers in the 21st century. It enjoys the status of an official language in many states. Like the United States, Canada, and

Great Britain:

There are about 375 million English native speakers in the world. Some say that English is the leading language of today. This makes it one of the most important languages to learn. Above all English is the universal language in the 21st century. To sum up, for doing a successful international business, English is the key to the door you wish to open.

Spanish:

There are more than 330 million native speakers of the Spanish language. More than 420 million people take it as a second language. Furthermore, it is one of the most widely spread languages around the globe. Additionally, 20 plus states say that Spanish is their primary language. Above all, there are almost 35 million Spanish speakers who live in the United States and use it in homes. And the U.S is a king of the economic world. This is the chief reason why we should learn the Spanish language. 

Chinese:

One of the most advanced and developing languages in the world today is Chinese. There are approximately 982 million native speakers of this language around the world. Although this language is primarily spoken in China, it is the most powerful language in terms of acceptability worldwide. More than 1.1 billion Chinese speakers use the Mandarin dialect today. Additionally, it is not only limited to China. But it is one of the international communicating languages of the 21st century.
In short, after English, Chinese is a global language. While gaining fluency in the Chinese language is not easy for everyone, one can always learn a few greetings and sentences in the Chinese language. In addition, learning Chinese is important as it is the language of the country which is advancing rapidly. According to some estimates, China is likely to become the world’s leading economy by 2050.

Japanese:

Japan is financially a very strong state. Therefore, you need to learn the Japanese language. There are more than 127 million native speakers in Japan. Out of which, more than 1million use it as their first language. Additionally, it is not easy to learn Japanese. It is because some of the terms and characters of the Japanese language are very difficult to understand. Indeed, it is mostly spoken in Japan. But at the same time, it is the most popular language in the latest and modern technologies. In short, if you learn Japanese you will make several contacts in the Japanese market. It is a great challenge but for a good cause. To sum up, Japanese is a beautiful language overall and is worth learning.

German:

German is mostly spoken in Germany. By learning the German language, you can enhance your work and business in Europe at the same time. Additionally, to run an international company or organization, you should at least have one German business partner in the company. In short, for multinational companies, especially in the technology and car industry, the German language holds great significance.
There are more than 105 million native German speakers. Out of which 80 million people use it as their second language. Most of the high-ranked officers and government departments use this language. There are some tricky parts to this language. Like German grammar. However, it is not difficult to learn the German language. English speakers can learn it quite easily. Furthermore, it is famous in Europe. Because Germany used to be Europe’s leading economy for many years. This is the main reason why it is so important to learn the German language today.

French:

The French language is widely spoken in France. France is known as one of the top financially strong countries of the globe. There are more than 79 million native French speakers in the world. French is one of the best languages to learn in the 21st century. It is because the French language was known as the “Language of Love '' for decades. In short, it is a romantic language. Additionally, it was once a global language as well. And today more than 277 million speak French. 
Furthermore, French is also known as the fourteenth most common language of the world. In short, a person who wishes to do business in developing countries must learn this language. Recently, the French language has been quite beneficial in historical and academic fields. It used to be a diplomatic language. But now the English language has taken its place. But we can’t underestimate the French language as France is still financially very strong. So it will be wise to learn French for carrying out international business.

Korean:

It is wise for a businessman to learn the Korean language in the 21st century. This is an ancient language. Korean is a fun, interesting, and easy language to learn. Moreover, it has a unique writing style and phonological terminology. In short, it is not hard to read, write and understand the Korean language. It is true that when you speak Korean it resembles the shape of your mouth. Therefore, owing to its unique writing system Korean should be learned.

Russian:

The Russian language is one of the best languages to learn in today’s time. The Russian language has a great impact on the people of European Asian and Eastern European states. There are more than 258 million Russian speakers in the world. Russian is the eighth most common language of the globe. Additionally, it helps in fulfilling the worldwide communication gap. Furthermore, it is supportive in economy, polity, and literature. Above all, the Russian language is one of the 6 official languages of the United Nations in the 21st century. It is an extremely significant language. After English, the Russian language is known as the internet language. 
According to the reports currently, this language holds the 2nd highest percentage of internet content. Therefore it is very important to learn the Russian language.
There are more than 150 million native Russian speakers in the world. Out of which 110 million use it as a second language. Furthermore, it is the official language of at least 38 different regions today. Russia is indeed a huge market that focuses on opening doors for doing global businesses. Therefore, if you intend to enter your organization to this market, you are on the right track. 

Italian:

Another important language to learn is the Italian language. This language is mostly spoken in Italy. It consists of limited speakers around the globe. But it is still a significant language to learn. Additionally, it is rich in culture, history, and art. Furthermore, the Italian language is very common in tourism and travel. This enhances its importance. In short, this language is quite helpful for a trip to Italy. There are countless global heritage sites in Italy as well. Above all, several historical texts are written in Italian. In short, learning Italian is very important and one should not be looking at the number of its speakers but should know its worth. However, some languages are identical to Italian such as French, Portuguese and Spanish. Meaning thereby, learning one language will help in learning all these languages.

Hindi:

It is best to learn the Hindi language in the 21st century. It is a significant language as Hindi the 4th most spoken language in the world. There are more than 637 million Hindi speakers on the globe. It is easy to learn and understand. Additionally, Hindi is very common in India. Furthermore, there are many languages in India. But Hindi enjoys the status of an official language in Hindustan. Moreover, India contributes greatly to international business. This is the main reason why Hindi is so important. India is indeed the 7th biggest economy in the world today. Furthermore, it has the potential of becoming the second-largest economy in the world in 2050. In short, today India is a huge part of the world’s economy and is worth learning.

Arabic:

The Arabic language is one of the most important languages to learn. It is because Arabic is a widely spoken global language of today. Additionally, it is common in moving tribes and nomads. Currently, the Arabic language is the official language of more than 22 states. Some of them are Jordan, Morocco, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, etc. There are more than 274 million speakers of the Arabic language in the world. Moreover, it is the fourth most common language in 20 plus states. Hence it consists of huge scope in International NGOs, national security, journalism, etc. 
Furthermore, the speakers of the Arabic language can master engineering, sciences, business, and architecture, etc. Meaning thereby, students of this language can specialize in several other dialects. Above all, Arabic is known as the language of the whole Muslim civilization and all of its texts as well. There are more than 1.8 billion Muslims on the globe. Therefore, it is very important to learn the Arabic language. Plus it is an official language of the Arabic League. More than 100 million people are nonnative Arabic speakers in the world. Additionally, 205 million Arabs speak Arabic on their land. Above all, it is a religious language for the entire world. For Muslims, it is the language of “Allah (GOD)”. Hence, Arabic is one of the most significant languages in the world.

Portuguese:

One should learn the Portuguese language. There are more than 252 million Portuguese speakers in the world. It is very common in states such as South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Additionally, it is very beneficial for travel and tourism. Moreover, Portuguese is known as a business language because of the large number of its speakers. It consists of many professional uses. The Amazon rainforest is indeed in Brazil. Also, this language can benefit biologists and scientists as well. Brazil is going to become the world’s latest economic power. Moreover, tourism in Brazil is evolving. International corporations are planning to do business in the area. In short, it is very important to learn the Portuguese language. 

Conclusion:

To sum up, learning a language is a very powerful idea not just to have a successful business but in every field of today’s world. Through different languages, we can communicate with one another, and share our ideas with others as well. Currently, younger generations prefer to learn multiple languages. So, we can say that there are several significant languages among different states of the globe. It’s on you to decide which language to learn depending on the number of its speakers and your interest. Moreover, you should talk to native speakers on a daily basis. Small talks help in big times. Additionally, read articles, newspapers, books, and novels to learn quickly. Also, watch movies and listen to local music. Do all the things you love, in the language you are keen to learn. The good news is that you can even come up with something new while learning it.
Selecting a language from above will lead you and your business team to become internationally successful. These languages have millions of speakers and the public at large prefers them today. But do remember, choose wisely because miracles will not take place overnight. All you need is a little determination, clear goals, and practice.