The German language is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is also a co-official language of Luxembourg, Belgium and parts of southwestern Poland, as well as a national language in Namibia. German is most similar to other languages within the West Germanic language branch, including Afrikaans, Dutch, English, the Frisian languages, Low German, Luxembourgish, Scots, and Yiddish. It also contains close similarities in vocabulary to some languages in the North Germanic group, such as Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish. German is the second most widely spoken Germanic language after English.

 

Why learn German? Instead of the candid reply: ‘why not’, let us break down the irresistible benefits of learning German. While the reasons for learning German are clear for those who live in Europe, it’s not as vivid for those living elsewhere. That’s why today we’ll share with you the 10 major benefits of learning German.

 

These benefits apply to you if you’re an avid traveler, an ambitious professional, a friend/family member of a German speaker, and more. After going through this article, hopefully, we’ll convince you to go from ‘should I learn German?’ to ‘how can I learn German?’

1. German is the most spoken language in Europe

Most people think that Germany is the only country that speaks Germany. The facts are, German is the most spoken language in Europe. It is the official language of Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein. In addition, there are many other parts around Europe that speak German as a non-official language including Romania, Russia, eastern France, and more.

 

Some have said that Italian is a fast-growing language to potentially take over German in the next decade, but that would be underestimating the power of German. Whether you plan to travel to Europe, live there, or go there for business, German would be top on the list of languages to prioritize.

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2. English and German are in the same language family

Both English and German are part of the same language roots: Germanic family. While they separate out eventually, most people are surprised that German is more similar to English than French, or Spanish.

 

What does that mean?

 

It means learning German should technically be easy for English speakers like you. ‍

 

3. The go-to language in academia

If you identify yourself as an intellect of any kind, learning German should be top of your list. Not only are some of the greatest innovators from German, but it’s also the second most commonly used language in the Science community. Who are some of these great innovators?

 

To start, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, and Max Planck. In addition, you have the greatest composers like Mozart and Bach who spoke and composed in German. If you want to appreciate the works of these innovators in their original form, learning German would be step one.

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4. Make more money by learning German

BMW, Benz, Volkswagon. These are just some of the globally recognized brands that are originally from Germany. As an economic powerhouse of Europe (and around the world), there are more career opportunities opening up in Germany.

 

Perhaps more relevant, businesses in the US are craving to hire and promote German speakers as they seek to make a bigger footprint in Germany and the rest of Europe. As one of the few people that will likely speak German in your office, it’s one of the best skills you can invest in to differentiate yourself from the crowded job market.

 

5. Tap into a new Internet community online

Apart from English and Russian, the Internet is dominated by German as the third most used language online. Over 6% of the entire Internet is comprised of German. Sure you can stick with just using English, but there’s a whole new world that you have the opportunity to discover when you can speak German.

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6. Expand your career opportunities like never before

As we mentioned before, new opportunities in the job market are popping up in Germany and around the world. As a country with one of the highest GDP’s around the world, who wouldn’t want to serve consumers that have money and resources to spend? This is why you’ll see many offices expanding overseas or divisions dedicated to serving European customers. In a world where people are able to purchase or consume nearly anything online, you’ll be gaining an advantage by speaking this popular language.

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7. Berlin is one of the hottest cities for entrepreneurs

Virgin has recognized Berlin, Germany as one of the best startup hubs for entrepreneurs and job seekers. As one of the most international cities in Europe, Berlin is diverse, multicultural, and full of talented, creative, and ambitious talent. It also helps that the city is not majorly packed with 3.5 million residents, and it’s much more affordable than other hotspots like San Francisco.If you’re an existing business owner looking to expand to Europe or a job seeker seeking new opportunities, learn German.

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8. Gain the confidence needed to learn more languages (or anything)

Beyond the direct benefits of learning German, the indirect benefits maybe even more important. There’s a feeling of internal confidence and even external validation that comes from learning any new language. But a seemingly unique one like German will give you the self-confidence to help you learn just about any new skill moving forward.

 

The next time you decide to learn guitar, start a business, or handle any difficult task, you’ll remember: I’ve been through this before, and I succeeded.

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9. One out of ten books are written in German

Based on the praise we gave in #3, it should come as no surprise that Germans love sharing knowledge. In terms of revenue alone, Germany is the top 3 publishing market, and for a country with a much smaller population compared to the USA and China, this is very impressive.

 

10. Live in a country with one of the highest standards of living

Looking to improve the quality of your life either now or for the future? When you combine the diversity, affordability, and thriving economy of Germany, it’s no wonder that it’s one of the top places to settle in the world. You have art, creativity, business, technology, and more all available in one place.

 

Also remember that a fellow German-speaking country, Switzerland, is also ranked one of the top places to live in the world.

I hope you found this roundup useful to decide whether you should learn German.

Foreign languages like German gives people a competitive edge in a high and ever-increasing competitive world.

Whether you are contemplating building a successful business career or just trying to add more firepower to your resume, a course in the German language can do the magic.

As a result of these job prospects, German is regarded as a full-fledged career and not merely a sideline profession.

It is never too late—evidence suggests that you can do it and make a sound investment off it.

 

ALL THE BEST:)