Learning a new language can take up to 1,000 hours. This makes sense considering schools have figured out the need to start language learning at a young age.

According to Pew Research, approximately 92% of European students are learning a second language in school. Yet in the United States, only 20 percent of K-12 students are taking foreign language classes.

Europe appears to understand the time one needs to learn a new language.

With so many options available and over 6,000 languages in our world, how does one know which language to start with? What is the best language to learn for business?

Keep reading to learn more about which language to begin with for success in business.

Why Learn Another Language?

Before you dive in with the top language, understand why language acquisition matters. Knowing the good of language acquisition will help you power through learning when you’re attempting to conjugate verbs in a foreign tongue.

1. You Will Do Business With People

Businesses will always be done with people. We may have a difficult time believing this concept with increasingly more AI technology. But ultimately people lie behind the computers, and they make decisions in business.

So if you want to truly communicate with people, you need to know their native tongue.

2. Your Company Will Value You

When you know a second language, you can land a job more easily. Your company will ultimately value you more than if you had just one language.

Value translates into salary increases. You will receive an estimated 2% return on your investment for learning a foreign language.

Different languages yield different returns. Spanish has a return rate of 1.4 percent while German offers as high of a return as 3.8 percent.

Some would argue that 3.8 percent really isn’t that much money. If you earned $50,000, a 3.8 percent return is only an extra $1,900 a year; but.

However, that’s just the return yield on your salary. Knowing another country’s language means you have a better chance of garnering business as a whole. You show that you care.

3. You’ll have a Broader Perspective

Language learning consists of more than just understanding a translation of words. It means learning another culture. When you learn a second language, you immerse yourself in another culture.

This, in turn, gives you a broader perspective on life. You see beyond your own culture’s borders, and you can relate better to all kinds of people. This makes you a better business person.

The Best Language to Learn for Business

What is the best language to learn for business then? Most would say, automatically, Spanish, of course. After all, that’s what most high schools in the United States are offering.

However, Spanish does not top the list of the most important languages to learn for business. It’s on the list. It’s just not at the top.

Here are five languages worth learning to experience success in business.

1. German

While Japan and China may have the highest gross domestic product, their languages do not top the list. A high GDP does not correlate to higher earnings necessarily.

Think like a business person. Consider the open economies of the world and which powerhouses have the most open economies.

Germany makes up one of the three economic European powerhouses. So learning German will benefit an outside more economically than the language of a closed economy.

2. French

About 300 million people in 29 countries speak French. You can easily see why it ranks second among the languages you need to learn to succeed in business.

Initially, you may think that only French people in France speak French. However, when you know French, you can work with French companies in France and the many other French-speaking countries. Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, and North and sub-Saharan Africa all boast of this language as one of their main languages.

Furthermore, France has the fifth-biggest economy. You would do well to partner with a French company.

At first glance, French may appear to be spoken by only those living in France. But it happens to be the second most widely learned language after English. Knowing how to speak French opens the doors to French companies in France, and other French-speaking countries such as Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, and North and sub-Saharan Africa. As the world’s fifth-biggest economy and number-three destination for foreign investment, France is a key economic partner.

If you’re looking to earn your Master’s degree, learn French. Students who can speak French are eligible for scholarship opportunities at some of Europe’s most renowned universities.

3. Spanish

One of the easiest languages to learn, Spanish has graced the American school curriculum for decades. Twenty countries have Spanish as their primary language. So knowing Spanish will expand your business opportunities.

Over 400 million people speak Spanish worldwide. Furthermore, countries like Mexico, Chile, and Columbia heave healthy, growing economies. You will want to have the ability to do business with companies in these healthy economies.

Courses like Lingvist’s Spanish course will help you master Spanish quickly and thoroughly.

4. Mandarin

China has the world’s new dominant economy. Plus, it has over a billion people you can work with. Learning even the basics of Mandarin will help you conduct basic communication with Chinese business partners.

Unfortunately, Mandarin is a complicated language to learn. Thus, if you plan on tackling this language, plan on spending some time mastering it.

5. Arabic

The 2018 gross domestic product of the Arab world was over $2.7 trillion. The Middle East hosts an abundance of market opportunities. Thus Arabic speakers carry a big advantage over those who cannot speak this difficult language.

Like Mandarin, Arabic takes time to learn. It has inflections much different from English which may be why so many English speakers do not tackle it. But from a business perspective, learning Arabic makes sense.

Learn a Language and Succeed

Knowing the best language to learn for a business depends on where you want to do business. As you consider your future, consider taking on the challenge of learning a new language. You will not regret it.