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Five most useful business languages after English

As business is becoming more and more international it?s more important than ever to be able to communicate in different languages. If you can do so you?re potentially opening up new employment opportunities and the chance to move into new markets.

English is still the most useful language in business but other languages including Chinese, Arabic and French are also very important. If you plan to go into business or to travel frequently, have a serious think about where you?d want to go and then you can choose a good language course that suits your needs.

You can read about the five most useful business languages after English in the guide below.

Mandarin Chinese

Mandarin Chinese is considered to be the most important language in business, after English. It?s spoken by more than 845 million people, making it the most spoken language in the world and obviously very useful in business.

China has the second largest economy in the world, after the USA, which is another important reason why it can be key to international business communication.

French

French follows Mandarin Chinese as being the next most important language in business. It?s spoken by approximately 68 million people and is the native language in 27 countries. French is spoken in more than five continents and is often used as the language for diplomacy and administration, as well as being widely used in business.

French is a common second language too, which makes it a good back up to have if two parties can?t converse in a native language.

Spanish

Spanish is another very important language used in business. It?s the official language of around 20 countries and is spoken by an estimated 329 million people around the world. With figures like that you can see how important this language is.

It?s also a very commonly spoken language in America, which offers huge opportunity for international business development.

Arabic

Arabic is fast becoming a commonly used language in business, particularly for anyone looking to move into new markets in Arabic speaking regions. It?s spoken by more than 200 million people and is the national language in over 20 countries.

One thing to take into account is that different regions speak with different Arabic dialects, so make sure you know what you?re learning ? as with any language, do a little research before you undertake a course, as the importance of a particular language will depend on the industry you work (or want to work) in.

Japanese

Japanese is spoken by more than 132 million speakers, mainly in the homeland. However, it is spoken in countries around Europe and in America too.

The Japanese business markets are very important in a number of industries, especially in developing new technology. If you ever have to deal with Japanese businessmen the fact that you are even attempting to speak to them in their native tongue will be warmly received.

Being able to speak different languages is always an advantage in both business and travel generally. One way of doing this is to learn a language on your gap year so you can put what you learn into practice. As previously mentioned, specific industries will require different languages, so do check before you get started.

If you are considering learning a new language, you?ll find a range of courses at www.esl-languages.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by José Calvo .