It is the third most commonly spoken language in the world (after English, Chinese and Hindi). There are more native Spanish speakers than native English speakers. Spanish is the official language on four continents and is historically important on others.

Spanish is spoken by a significant population in the following countries, if not as an official language: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela.

All these make Spanish a popular choice for those who are interested in learning a foreign language.

There are other reasons why to learn Spanish…

Spanish is one of the easiest languages to learn. Many Spanish words share similarities with those of English and written Spanish is almost totally phonetic as opposed to other European languages.

Even if you pick any Spanish word randomly, it is easy to tell how it is pronounced. While mastering the grammar of Spanish can be a challenge, basic grammar is simple enough that you can achieve meaningful conversation after only a few lessons.

Although you can still visit many Spanish-speaking countries like Argentina, Mexico, Spain or even Equatorial Guinea without knowing a word in Spanish, you will miss some fun that basic Spanish proficiency allows you to experience.

Being able to speak in Spanish when you are traveling around in Spanish-speaking countries will not only allow you to express yourself easily, but also to see and do many things that other visitors cannot experience.

There are over 30 million Spanish speakers in the US. According to the 2010 American Community Survey conducted by the Census Bureau, over 35.5 million people in the US use Spanish as their primary language at home. Not only can learning Spanish help those seeking career development in the US, it can also prepare students who are planning to study there.

According to a 2010 study conducted by an American higher education institution about students’ foreign language learning preferences, a majority of students chose Spanish as the language to learn. In the United Kingdom, Spanish is the second most-learned language among students. Therefore, learning Spanish at an early age can greatly enhance a student’s chances with pursuing higher education both locally and abroad.

Since the start of the new millennium, China has become one of Latin America’s key trading partners, the most important partner for Brazil, Chile and Peru. Trade between China and Latin America has multiplied 22 times since 2000. A host of new opportunities open between the 2 regions, especially with the launch of the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) by Chinese president Xi Jinping in 2014, which also includes Latin America projects.

Many English words have a Latin origin, and many of which are derived from French.

Since Spanish is a Latin language, these similarities and connection are very helpful in learning Spanish.

Spanish gives you a head start in learning other Latin-based languages like French, Italian and Portuguese because of the shared root.

The Spanish World is filled with cultural, ethnic and geographic diversity.

This great mosaic of countries, music (salsa, flamenco, tango…), cuisine (Spanish, Mexican, Argentinean…), artists (Goya, Velazquez, Botero, Rivera…) and the way of life have one common root: Spanish.

For many people, Spanish is considered as the foreign language that offers the most with the least amount of time and effort spent. It’s never too late to start, so why not start learning today?