7 Most Popular Languages to Learn in 2023

Foreign language proficiency is now recognized as a valuable talent that can improve a resume. Choosing which language to learn might be difficult for some people due to the diversity of languages spoken throughout the world. A number of things can be taken into account, from job needs to the necessity for language fluency for scholarship applications.

Aside from these individual causes, there are several languages that have been very popular to learn in the recent year. These languages may still be in high demand in the next year, despite the fact that 2021 is coming to a close.

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1. French

This year, the Romance language has seen significant growth in popularity. On a list of the languages that are spoken the most around the world, French comes in fifth place. Its users are dispersed over the globe, from France to some regions of Canada to many African nations including Senegal and Madagascar. Another factor is that France is well known for having a wide variety of alluring tourist destinations that draw visitors from around the world.

If you want to continue your studies in France or apply for a job in a French-speaking company, you must be fluent in the language. The majority of native French speakers and locals favor using their native tongue over the more widely spoken English.

Numerous advantages of learning French might improve both your personal and professional lives.

The following are some benefits of learning French:
1. Widely Spoken Language: French is one of the most extensively spoken languages in the world, with more than 75 million speakers. 29 nations, including Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and a number of African nations, have adopted it as their official language.
2. International Language: The International Olympic Committee, the International Red Cross, the United Nations, and UNESCO all recognize French as one of their official languages. Learning French can lead to a variety of chances abroad
3. Career Opportunities: Learning French can improve your job opportunities. In fields like tourism, hospitality, international trade, diplomacy, translation, and education, it may provide you an advantage. French-speaking career prospects are created by the strong presence of French businesses in industries like fashion, luxury products, and gastronomy.
4. Cultural Appreciation: French is the language of literature, art, food, and fashion. By studying French, you may dig into French literature, take in renowned French films, and enjoy delectable French cuisine. You can also explore the rich cultural heritage of French-speaking nations.
5. Enhanced Travel Experiences: France is one of the most visited countries in the world. Knowing French can help you navigate around French-speaking areas with ease, communicate with locals, and make your travel experiences more pleasurable and immersive.
6. Cognitive Benefits: Learning French can help with cognitive aspects including memory, problem-solving, and multitasking. Additionally, it can improve your overall linguistic abilities and facilitate studying other Romance languages like Italian or Spanish.
7. Personal Enrichment: Acquiring a second language broadens your worldview, encourages cultural understanding, and stimulates personal development. It broadens your horizons, fosters new friendships, and heightens your understanding of various cultures

Read also: Why is proficiency in French important?

Overall, studying French is a worthwhile undertaking that provides a wealth of useful, beneficial, and personal advantages. It gives you access to a wealth of cultural heritage, professional opportunities, and a worldwide community of French speakers. Learning French can be a worthwhile time and energy investment, regardless of whether you’re motivated by travel, professional development, or personal growth.

2. Spanish

There are 22 nations that have Spanish as their official language, spread across 4 continents. Spanish is now the fourth most extensively used language in the entire world. Additionally, Spanish is widely spoken in Spain and most of Latin America. Therefore, learning Spanish can be a terrific decision for individuals who want to travel, study, or work there

Learning Spanish has a number of advantages, including:
1. Communication: With over 460 million native speakers, Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world. Being able to speak in Spanish gives you access to a substantial section of the world’s population and opens doors to relationships with individuals from many nations and cultural backgrounds.
2. Travel and Tourism: Twenty-one nations, including Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia, have Spanish as their official language. Knowing the language will significantly improve your experience if you enjoy visiting Spanish-speaking nations because it will enable you to communicate with locals, get around the country’s various regions, and fully immerse yourself in the culture.
3. Business and Career Opportunities: Knowing Spanish can improve your employment prospects because of the expanding importance of the Spanish-speaking community across a variety of industries. To facilitate business relations with Spanish-speaking nations, many multinational corporations look for workers that are bilingual in English and Spanish.
4. Cultural Appreciation: 4. A deeper understanding and respect of the rich and varied cultures of Spanish-speaking nations are provided by learning the language. It enables you to investigate their writings, music, visual arts, films, and traditions, enhancing your understanding of their cultures.
5. Academic Advantages: Spanish is one of the languages that is most frequently taught in schools and colleges around the world. Your ability to study abroad, do academic research, or participate in cross-cultural exchange programs will all be improved by learning Spanish.
6. Cognitive Benefits: Studying a second language, such as Spanish, has been found to provide cognitive advantages. It enhances memory, analytical thinking, and multitasking skills. Learning Spanish can improve your linguistic proficiency and make learning other Romance languages like French, Italian, or Portuguese simpler.
7. Personal Development: Learning a new language encourages development of the self, self-assurance, and adaptability. It develops empathy and understanding by stretching your mind intellectually, broadening your perspectives, and enabling you to interact with others from various backgrounds.

In conclusion, learning Spanish has many real-world, career, and personal benefits. Effective communication is made possible, and traveling and doing business are made easier. Cultural awareness is also increased, and cognitive capacities are improved. Learning Spanish may be a wonderful and enjoyable experience, whether it is for a profession, school, travel, or personal development.

Read also: LPDP Scholarship: Opportunity to Realize Dreams of Studying Abroad

3. German

The education system in Germany is regarded as one of the greatest in the world. Additionally accommodating and accessible to overseas students is its university system. German language proficiency is a must for applying to study in Germany. The German language has increased significantly in popularity and demand as a result of the large number of people who want to study in Germany. Interestingly, statistics show that there are not a lot of people who speak German around the world.

Germany is Indonesia’s third-largest exporter of goods besides education. Chemicals, the automobile industry, and other industries are among its business sectors. There are numerous branches of German businesses in Indonesia.

The following are some advantages of learning German:
1. Career Opportunities: Germany’s economy is strong, and the country is renowned for its engineering, automotive, and technology sectors. You can improve your professional prospects and gain access to employment opportunities in German-speaking nations by studying the language.
2. Education Opportunities: Germany is known for having a top-notch educational system and provides several scholarships for students from other countries. You can pursue further education in Germany and get into prestigious universities by learning German.
3. Cultural Exploration: Literature, music, art, and philosophy are just a few examples of Germany’s rich cultural legacy. You may interact with German culture more intimately, appreciate its contributions to the globe, and establish relationships with native German speakers by studying the language.
4. Travel and Tourism: Germany is a well-liked travel destination, noted for its stunning landscapes, important historical monuments, and energetic towns. Your vacation experience can be substantially improved by knowing German, as it will make it easier for you to communicate with locals, get around the country, and become fully immersed in the culture.
5. Language Learning Skills: Learning German will help you become more proficient at learning new languages. It is a complicated language with rules and grammatical structures that are different from those in English. Learning German can improve your memory, problem-solving ability, and cognitive capacities, making it simpler for you to learn other languages in the future.
6. Access to Literature and Media: Many important literary works, like those by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Franz Kafka, were written in German. You can read these works in German and have a better understanding of the subtleties and cultural context behind them by studying German. Without using translations, you can also access German movies, music, and other material.
7. Personal Growth and Cognitive Benefits: Learning a foreign language, such as German, expands your mind’s capabilities. It enhances your capacity for concentration, memory, and critical thought. It also encourages cultural understanding, adaptability, and a global viewpoint, which helps you grow as a person and broaden your outlook on the world.

Tips for Fluent German: Easy Ways to Master the German Language

Overall, learning German can open up a wide range of professional and personal prospects for you. In the increasingly globalized world we live in, it enables you to interact with German-speaking communities, discover foreign cultures, and extend your horizons.

4. Arabic Language

The Middle Eastern countries Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), both of which are well-known for their oil industries, speak Arabic as their native language. Learning Arabic can increase your options for employment and higher education in several fields. knowledge Arabic better can aid Muslims in their knowledge of the Quran and Hadith (prophet Muhammad’s sayings).

Arabic has a rich cultural past and is one of the most frequently spoken languages in the world. Over 420 million people speak Arabic as their primary language, and 26 nations have made it an official language. Arabic is a distinctive language with a beautiful writing system that is written from right to left in a calligraphic style.

Arabic also plays a vital role in areas like international diplomacy, trade, and politics because of the influence of Arab countries in these sectors. Speaking Arabic can provide you a competitive edge and open doors to a variety of job prospects in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Overall, learning Arabic is advantageous to your time and effort because it not only has linguistic advantages but also cultural, intellectual, and professional ones.

5. Korean Language

The globalization of the Korean entertainment industry in recent years has contributed significantly to the rise in popularity of the Korean language. People are suddenly interested in learning Korean for a variety of reasons, from work and education to fun. The commercial and technological sectors in Korea are also expanding quickly. Learning Korean can be an excellent option if you enjoy Korean entertainment or are thinking about attending a Korean university.

There are several advantages to learning Korean, both personally and professionally. The following are some benefits of learning Korean:
1. Career Opportunities: Korea is well-represented across a range of sectors, including technology, entertainment (K-pop and K-drama), automotive, cosmetics, and more. Learning Korean might lead to job chances in Korean businesses or in foreign firms with connections to the Korean market. Additionally, it can be useful for careers in translation, interpreting, teaching Korean to speakers of other languages, and tourism.
2. Cultural Engagement: With its distinctive customs, music, cuisine, and literature, Korea has a rich cultural legacy. By learning Korean, you may interact with Korean culture more intimately, enjoy Korean movies, TV shows, and music, and comprehend the complexities of Korean society.
3. Travel and Exploration: If you’re going to Korea, learning the language will make your trip much more enjoyable. You may interact with people, use public transportation, read signs and menus, and get fully immersed in the culture. It provides opportunities for genuine and significant interactions with Koreans while you are traveling.
4. Academic Pursuits: Knowledge of the Korean language might help with academic goals. There is a rising demand for Korean studies, and several universities offer Korean language programs. Research on several Korea-related subjects, including history, literature, politics, and economics, can be facilitated by learning Korean.
5. Brain Stimulation and Cognitive Benefits: Learning Korean includes acquiring a new alphabet (Hangeul) and comprehending a distinct grammatical structure, which stimulates the brain and has cognitive advantages. This mental exercise can improve your memory, focus, problem-solving skills, and general brain health. Additionally, it increases your language learning ability and multitasking skills.
6. Personal Connections and Friendship: Being able to communicate in Korean enables you to make friends with Korean speakers. It offers chances to have deep discussions, engage in cultural exchanges, and form bonds with individuals from various backgrounds.
7. Global Popularity: In recent years, Korean popular culture, including K-pop, K-dramas, and Korean films, has experienced an increase in popularity outside. Learning Korean lets you to engage with the lively global community surrounding Korean culture, interact with international admirers, and better understand and appreciate Korean entertainment.

Tips for Fluent Korean – Easy Ways to Master Korean Quickly

Learning Korean provides a variety of benefits, from travel chances and cultural involvement to professional opportunities and personal development. It broadens your horizons, promotes intercultural communication, and gives you the chance to interact with a diverse group of Korean speakers all over the world. Learning Korean may be a wonderful and gratifying adventure, regardless of your goals—whether they are related to professional advancement, personal enlightenment, or simply discovering a new culture.

6. Japanese

In recent years, the Japanese language has become incredibly popular all around the world. This can be linked to Japan’s allure as a nation. Japan provides a variety of attractive tourist attractions, a rich culture of anime and manga, and growing automotive and technical sectors. Learning the Japanese language could be a useful ability for people who are thinking about working in Japan or for Japanese-language businesses.

The following are some advantages of learning Japanese:

  1. Cultural Understanding: Learning Japanese gives you the opportunity to get fully immersed in the complex and intriguing culture of Japan. It offers a deeper understanding of widely-known cultural elements including anime, manga, and J-pop music as well as traditional arts like tea ceremonies, calligraphy, and origami.
  2. Travel and Exploration: Japan is a well-liked tourism destination that combines traditional culture with cutting-edge advancements. By helping you interact with locals, get around the country more quickly, and appreciate the subtleties of Japanese customs and etiquette, knowing Japanese can improve your travel experience.
  3. Business and Career Opportunities: Japan has a booming economy and is home to numerous multinational companies. Japanese proficiency can lead to job prospects in a variety of industries, including technology, automotive, finance, tourism, and more. It proves your dedication to intercultural communication and can distinguish you on the job market.
  4. Education and Research: The esteemed universities and research facilities in Japan are world-renowned. Learning Japanese can open up options for academic pursuits, such as the chance to study at Japanese universities, take part in research projects, or have access to important materials in the humanities, sciences, and technology.
  5. Personal Development: Learning Japanese tests your cognitive talents, sharpens your problem-solving ability, and boosts your memory and focus. It encourages self-control, tenacity, and flexibility. Additionally, studying a difficult and distinctive writing system like kanji can improve your ability to learn languages in general.
  6. Media and Entertainment: Japanese pop culture has become increasingly well-liked abroad, including anime, manga, and motion pictures. By learning Japanese, you may interact with various entertainment mediums in their native tongue, gaining a greater appreciation for the themes, narratives, and cultural allusions.
  7. Connection and Friendship: Being able to communicate personally with Japanese speakers is made possible by learning the language. It promotes interpersonal relationships, cultural dialogue, and intercultural understanding. Speaking Japanese will help you establish rapport and forge deep connections with individuals from Japan and the Japanese-speaking communities around the world.

In conclusion, learning Japanese has many advantages, including opportunities for travel and cultural understanding as well as improved professional prospects and personal development. It enables connection, opens doors to diverse professions and experiences, and grants access to a distinctive and powerful culture. Learning the language can enhance your life in a variety of ways, whether you’re interested in Japanese history, looking for business prospects, or simply love Japanese entertainment.

Why is it important to learn the Japanese language?

7. Mandarin Chinese

Mandarin Chinese is the last language on the list. In China, Taiwan, and Singapore, Mandarin Chinese is the major language used. Additionally, it is the second most extensively used language worldwide. For people who are interested in working in China due to the country’s rapidly expanding commerce and economy, studying Mandarin Chinese can be an excellent move.

  1. China’s official language is Mandarin Chinese, which is spoken by over a billion people globally. It features a sophisticated character-based writing system that gives it a distinctive visual style and a diverse cultural background. Learning Mandarin Chinese presents an interesting challenge because of the language’s well-known tonal character, in which different tones denote different meanings.
  2. Mandarin Chinese ability can open up a wide range of job options in industries including commerce, banking, international relations, and tourism as China has grown to be a significant role in the global economy. Mandarin Chinese is an intriguing language to learn for cultural appreciation and personal growth due to China’s rich cultural legacy and its growing worldwide influence
  3. Additionally, as more foreign businesses establish operations in China, having a strong command of Mandarin Chinese might give job seekers a competitive edge. It exhibits cultural awareness, flexibility, and a dedication to comprehending the Chinese market and society

A universe of opportunity for business, career progress, cultural discovery, and personal development can be unlocked by studying Mandarin Chinese, in conclusion. Mandarin Chinese has a lot of value and importance in today’s connected world because of its broad usage and China’s expanding worldwide impact.

Why is learning Mandarin important?