Five Surprising Reasons Why You Should Learn German
Jawohl!
Like many people, you might find learning a new language a bit daunting. German, in particular, has a reputation for being hard to learn (although this isn’t really the case!). But don’t let that put you off because there are several unexpected reasons why you should seriously consider cracking out the German dictionary and signing up for a course today.
Geography
German is the most widely spoken language in Europe. Over 200 million Europeans speak German — that’s an impressive 30%! German is the official language of Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and parts of Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg as well as the South Tyrol region in Italy. So being fluent in German will open up a large part of the European continent to you.
Economy
Germany is a true economic powerhouse in more than just the automotive industry (think Audi, Porsche, BMW, VW and Opel). Learning the language will open doors and create valuable business opportunities for you or your company. After all, as Nelson Mandela famously put it,
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”
Education
Higher education in the English-speaking world is expensive. Tuition fees are very high, and students often take out loans to afford to go to university. In Germany, on the other hand, higher education is free. Yes, you read that correctly: German public universities are tuition-free! Not only do Germans believe higher education should not be commercialised, they also want to attract the brightest minds to the country.
Movies
You might just be hired as the bad guy in the next Hollywood blockbuster! There’s no denying that there’s a long history of German villains in feature movies. So, show off your new German skills and potentially say hello to your new acting career!
Love
Today’s world is more connected than ever. Many couples are international with children growing up speaking two or even three languages. You might just get married to a German — and what better way to score brownie points with the in-laws than communicating with them in their own language?!
So don’t waste any time and sign up for German lessons now! Your future self will thank you.
