If you plan on doing international business, then it is going to be highly beneficial to be able to speak a language that the majority of people you interact with will understand. It will reduce the need for translators, and often you will appear a bit more trustworthy.
So, what are the best languages to learn for international business? Let's take a look.
English
This is the language for international business. Nearly everybody that you interact with within the international business world will be able to speak English. Thankfully, this isn't one of the languages to learn for international business if you are reading this article. You already know it!
Mandarin
Next up is Mandarin.
It is safe to say that a lot of imports come from China. If you are interested in the import/export business, then Mandarin is a 'must learn' language. While many of the people in China that deal with trade should be able to speak English, you will find that a whole lot less gets lost in translation if you speak Mandarin. As we said before, it also allows you to properly establish a rapport with people. This will result in you being a lot more trustworthy which, ultimately, is going to lead to a whole lot more business for you.
German
In the past, German wouldn't really have been a language for international business. However, Germany is fast becoming one of the biggest economies in the world. Therefore, it is going to become a hotbed for international trade. Sure, a lot of people in Germany will speak English. However, once again, this isn't really the point. The point is that by speaking German, you will have access to a lot more trading opportunities than somebody who speaks only English.
French
French is the official language of the European Union. The EU is the largest economy in the world. Yes. It is larger than the United States. This means that a great way to get into the EU is to learn how to speak French. Of course, knowing French will also provide you with access to certain trade opportunities in Africa, particularly in some of the developing nations.
Spanish
Spanish is spoken more widely than English as a first language. This means that it is a fantastic place to enter international markets. Obviously, knowing Spanish is going to be great for dealing with Spain. However, that isn't where the bulk of business is. Instead, you will need to use your Spanish to enter South American markets. Many of these nations are growing rapidly, and this means business.
Arabic
It is no secret that Arabic nations are a great place to trade nowadays. They have a lot of money kicking around. Knowing Arabic can open you up to all sorts of superb trading opportunities.
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What are the best languages to learn for international business?
English, Mandarin, German, French, Arabic, Spanish
