Header Image Attribution: "Austria - Admont Abbey Library - 1407" by Jorge Royan is an image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0This post contains affiliate links. Our Extraordinary Planet may be compensated for any purchases you make.German is an incredible language that rewards its learners in a variety of ways. It’s one of the easiest languages for native English speakers to learn and can be used to explore countries like Germany, Switzerland, Poland, and Austria. Whether you’re looking to amplify your career with this in-demand language or just want to take a personally fulfilling language learning journey, you won’t be disappointed with learning to speak German.
There’s no shortage of reasons to learn to speak German, from how easy the language is to learn for native English speakers to how useful it is when traveling. A huge portion of websites on the Internet are published in German, and nearly a fifth of books are, too! Beyond that, deciding to learn to speak German will unlock incredible opportunities for you professionally, since Germany is one of the world’s economic powerhouses.
In this article, I’ll be giving my twelve best reasons that you should learn to speak German. Aside from providing tried-and-true insights on how learning German can transform your life, this article will also include practical tips on how you can use your new second language skills. With that, here are the twelve best reasons you should learn to speak German.
The 12 Best Reasons To Learn To Speak German
1. Learning German Can Boost Your Career
Whether you’re planning to work within the country or find a fulfilling role within a German company’s international office, you’ll enjoy plenty of new opportunities if you learn to speak German — and it will help you impress in job interviews, too! Even if you’re not directly applying with a German company, having fluency in the language will make you attractive to employers because your skills will be immediately available if and when needed.
Beyond other languages like French or Dutch, you’ll enjoy some extra professional advantages when you learn to speak German. Germany is a powerhouse of international trade, as one of the largest European trading partners with many countries around the world. The country is home to internationally famed brands like Volkswagen and BMW. When you learn to speak German, you have the opportunity to work with these incredible companies.
2. German Is Easy To Learn
If you’re a native English speaker, you’ll find that it’s much easier than you’d expect to learn to speak German. The reason why is simple: English and German are both West Germanic Languages (as are Frisian, Dutch, Afrikaans, and Yiddish!) In fact, over 26% of the English vocabulary is related to the German vocabulary, meaning that you won’t have much trouble at all if you decide to learn to speak German.
Of course, taking the right approach to learning German can make the process even easier. You should make sure to use a variety of study resources, including reading German books and articles, practicing with German workbooks and vocabulary books, studying with German apps and flashcards, and using memorization tricks like mnemonics.
And while German is sometimes rumored to be hard to learn, it’s safe to say that the rumor is just a myth — with one caveat. Learning any language is a difficult journey, but compared to languages like Russian or Arabic, native English speakers will find it much easier to learn to speak German. The similar grammar and abundance of cognates (related words) makes German a manageable language for English speakers to learn.
3. Germany Has Incredible Exchange Student Programs
It’s safe to say that one of the most compelling parts of transitioning into adulthood is the freedom to travel and explore. One of the best ways to enjoy this newfound privilege is joining one of Germany’s international exchange student programs. While you’ll need to have reasonably developed German language skills to become a student, you’ll come home with a masterful grasp on the language.
Germany’s universities offer plenty of qualities to love. Their prowess could easily compete with many of the famous universities of the United States and United Kingdom, and best of all, many of the universities have little to no tuition fees. Rather than charging students and scholars for the privilege of contributing to science and the humanities, Germany actively supports its learners throughout the entire process.
There’s no doubt that Germany has some of the most distinguished and prestigious universities in the world. And since the country ranks third in enrolling the highest number of international students, you’ll feel right at home among your peers. Whether you choose to study in Berlin or Hamburg, you’ll have plenty to explore and learn — and it won’t be long before you have lots of incredible stories to take home, too.
4. German Is One of Europe’s Lingua Francas
If you’re looking to learn a language that you can use almost universally, it’s not a bad idea to learn to speak German. The language could actually be considered one of Europe’s lingua francas! German actually outranks English, French, and Spanish as having the most native speakers in the European Union, and is the third most widely learned second language in the EU.
In fact, it’s not just European Union countries where you’ll reap the benefits of learning German. German is one of the ten most commonly spoken languages in the world, and whether you’re conversing with native speakers or using it as a common medium, you’ll quickly find that speaking German opens up plenty of opportunities to converse that you wouldn’t have had otherwise.
If you’ve decided German is the right language for you, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised by how well it lets you explore Europe. Paired with the right Europe travel package, you’ll have a blast practicing your new language skills.
5. Experience German Culture As It Was Originally Created When You Learn To Speak German
There’s no doubt that Germany is one of the most cultured places in the world. Across history, Germans have made many famous contributions to science, art, and the humanities. Whether you’re looking to familiarize yourself with one of the 92 Nobel Prizes awarded to German citizens or want to experience the films of Rainer Werner Fassbinder in their original glory, you won’t get bored with everything that Germany has to offer.
There’s no end to the contributions of Germans, either. Some of the country’s most famous philosophers, scientists, musicians, writers, and artists include Kant, Mozart, Nietzsche, Beethoven, Bach, Goethe, Freud, and Wagner. The country is responsible for nearly a fifth of the world’s book publications, and is home to many incredible contributions to music, art, and philosophy that are never translated into other languages.
6. You Can See The Internet From A Whole New Perspective
You might have never thought about this, but with a few exceptions, almost every website you’ve ever visited was created for English speakers. Websites for German speakers or Mandarin speakers don’t even show up in your search results, because you never search the necessary keywords in an entirely different language that would return them!
And it’s safe to say you’re missing out on a large portion of the Internet if you don’t learn to speak German, considering the huge presence that the language has on the internet. Germany’s top-level domain, .de, is the fifth most popular top-level domain in the world, just after .com, .ru, .net, and .org. In fact, a whopping 6% of websites are written in German!
7. Germany Is An Incredible Place To Live
From Paris to London, it’s safe to say that all of the capitals of European countries are incredible in their own ways — but one of the best is Berlin, without a doubt. This fantastic German city welcomes innovation, youth, and exploration. And it isn’t just Berlin that’s incredible — whether you’d like to live in Cologne or Munich, you’ll find that every city has a unique and spectacular character.
You won’t be alone in moving to Germany, either: from Berlin to Hamburg, the country’s spectacular offerings continue to attract talent from across the world. In fact, the country ranks the third highest in the world for all of the economic and career opportunities you’re able to access by learning the language, just below English and Mandarin.
And unlike the cities of other countries, German cities are affordable and comfortable to live in. Berlin in particular is known for its reasonable cost of living and high quality of life. It’s no wonder that the city is home to startups like SoundCloud! And when you factor in the worker-supportive professional environment Germany is known for and the tuition-free prestigious universities, the case for living in this incredible country only becomes more compelling.
8. Improve Yourself As You Learn To Speak German
Language learning is a journey in multiple ways, and the knowledge and abilities you gain aren’t the only benefits. Actually, many language learners find that learning a new language allows them to discover an entirely new side of themselves — one that relishes in the unique tones and patterns of their new language.
German tends to be an extremely direct language with its own unique gestures and intonations, so as you learn to speak German, you’ll gradually adapt to speaking in a new way that combines the patterns of the language with your own personality. Eventually, your speaking style will become organic and relaxed — and you’ll be amazed with the way you feel speaking your second language.
9. Connect With Your Heritage Or Discover An Entirely New Culture
The United States has an incredible mixing-pot culture, and it shows in a lot of ways. One fun (but often unknown) fact about Americans is that over 15% of Americans have some level of German heritage! While this fact might not be commonly known, it’s safe to say that it does show when you visit German-inspired cities or attractions like Helen, GA — or even live near one of the U.S.’s German-speaking enclaves!
Whether or not you personally claim German heritage, it’s safe to say that you’ll have plenty of new experiences if you decide to learn to speak German. These experiences can even connect with your ancestry or the culture you’ve witnessed by growing up in America’s unique mixing-pot environment. There’s a lot of wonderful culture that German-Americans have to share, so why not give the language a try today?
10. Visit Other German-Speaking Countries
If you don’t find Germany to be particularly compelling to visit, you’re not alone. Vacation time is rare, and having the money to go abroad can be even rarer, so it’s important to stay in-tune with your own interests and have an idea of what seems most interesting to you. When you learn to speak German, it isn’t just Germany that you unlock the ability to fully experience — plenty of other European countries use the language, too!
In fact, if you learn to speak German, you’ll have the ability to visit Austria, Belgium, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and Luxembourg without any bumps in the process — after all, almost all of the citizens of these countries speak German, too! And beyond that, German is an incredibly common second language in Europe, so even if you visit a country like France, there’s a good chance that you’ll be able to connect with other German speakers.
11. Experience Oktoberfest In An Entirely New Way
Compared to enjoying local German events or even visiting the country with only a cursory grasp on the language, experiencing things like Oktoberfest with a full understanding of German allows you to enjoy them in entirely new ways. After all, you won’t just be stumbling through the interactions and fun — through talking with vendors and people you meet around the event, you’ll be vividly experiencing every second of it!
It isn’t just the new opportunities to meet people that you’ll be enjoying, either. German speakers and English speakers share many things in common, but they have plenty of new perspectives to share, too. When you socialize with your newfound language skills, you’ll quickly find yourself fascinated by everything your new friends have to share — and they’ll love hearing about your experiences, too!
12. You Can Meet German Speakers Anywhere In The World
Compared to the rest of the world, it’s safe to say that German citizens are incredibly fond of traveling — and with how supportive their work environment is of vacation and leave, they have plenty of opportunities to do so! If you decide to learn to speak German, you can meet native speakers anywhere you choose to travel. In fact, there are local German speaking communities around the globe — even in countries like French Guiana!
If you’re looking for a language you can use casually around the globe (that also makes a great lingua franca, or common second language between two people who couldn’t ordinarily communicate), German is one of the best choices. There’s a huge probability that you’ll run into other German speakers as you travel or do international business, and when you do, you’ll be delighted by the opportunity to practice your skills!
Should I Learn To Speak German?
Whether or not you should learn to speak German ultimately depends on your own interests. Learning any language offers plenty of incredible benefits, but learning German does have a few distinct advantages that you should consider when deciding whether or not to learn to speak German. German is a lot easier for English speakers to learn than other languages, since the two are related, and it’s definitely one of the best professional languages, too.
Aside from that, it’s safe to say that you’ll draw a lot of joy from speaking German. German culture can be experienced locally and abroad, so whether you decide to enjoy a local Oktoberfest or even fly across the world to explore Belgium, you won’t find yourself short of opportunities to use the language. No matter why you decide to learn to speak German, as long as you apply yourself to accomplishing your dreams, it’s safe to say you won’t regret it.
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