Great Reasons To Learn German
Without a doubt, learning German is an excellent investment in both your personal and professional life. Some of the most popular reasons to learn to speak German are to communicate with relatives, to prepare to travel in Germany or to study in Germany as an exchange student. But there are in fact so many other great reasons to learn to speak German that people never consider. These are some that come to mind:
Germany is the most populous European nation and German is the most widely spoken language in Europe. German is the third most popular foreign language internationally and by learning German you are able to connect with 120 million native German speakers. So German will not only allow you to build relationships with people in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein but also German speakers all over the world.
Germany has one of the strongest economies and is one of the world’s top export nations. The competitiveness and desirability of German products is indicated by the country’s substantial trade surplus. Knowing German creates many business opportunities, not just in Germany itself but also internationally. The Germans are great innovators and Germany is on the frontline of new technologies.
With ample disposable income and an average of 6 weeks of vacation a year, German’s have both the time and means to travel. In 2007, the Germans spent a record 91 billion euros on international travel. Travel agencies, tour companies, hotels, airlines and car rental agencies that can communicate with Germans in their own language will win German business.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that the German language is dying. 1 in 10 books in the world is published in German, which is further proof that German is a country of researchers and scholars. Since only a small percentage of German books are translated into other languages, only if you learn the German language will you enjoy access to the vast majority of these titles.
German speaking countries have a very rich cultural heritage. The Germans are well known for their poets, classical musicians and great philosophers. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Thomas Mann, Franz Kafka and Hermann Hesse are just a few authors whose names and works are well known internationally. The philosophies of Kant, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche and numerous others have had lasting influences on modern society. Anyone interested in any of these fields automatically expands their knowledge and skill by knowing German. Even if your not so interested in Germany on an intellectual level the high quality of life in German speaking countries may well be of interest to you.
You might be thinking that this sounds good in theory but the German language is too difficult to learn. Well you’re wrong! If English is your native language then you already have a huge advantage when it comes to learning German. Due to their common heritage, German and English share many similarities in both vocabulary and grammar. Also convenient is that German words are spelled phonetically. Also learning German can be really fun when you use resources like this free learning German podcast..
