Learning Spanish
¿Por qué aprender español (Why learn Spanish?)
Speaking Spanish is handy (and not just because you avoid embarrassment when ordering food at your favorite Mexican restaurant). The big deal about Spanish is that it is hands-down the second most common language in the United States, and spoken in over 20 other countries across the world.
Why Learn Spanish?
- Nearly 500,000,000 other people worldwide are speaking Spanish— think of the conversations you’re missing out on!
- The United States is home to over 44 million Hispanic people, almost as many as Spain*. That’s a lot of neighbors, clients, customers, bosses and friends that you could connect to more easily by learning a new skill.
- The Pew Hispanic Research Center estimates that by 2050 about a quarter of the United States population will be Hispanic.
- Speaking Spanish and English can be a major plus to your job skills.
- Being bilingual can help you get promoted.
- Speaking Spanish can make it easier to learn other “Romance” languages that share common grammar and style (Italian, French, etc).
- You’ve already started learning it. (Say “fajitas.” Did you pronounce the “j”? Didn’t think so.)
How to learn Spanish:
Classes: If you’re still in school, sign up for Spanish class. If you’re not in school, chances are good a nearby community college offers a Spanish language course.
Free Resources: There are muchas (many) ways to learn almost any language for free online.
The fourth most-spoken language (after Chinese, English and Hindustani), Spanish can open up social, travel and employment opportunities that you may otherwise miss.
