With 41 million speakers according to the Census Bureau, Spanish is by far the most popular language to learn in the United States. After English, it is the second most spoken language in the 47 states. California alone has almost 10.5 million Spanish speakers. Only in Alaska, Hawaii, Maine and Vermont the second language is another one rather than Spanish.
This isn’t surprising given that there are 58.9 million Hispanic people in the US, comprising 18.1% of the population. It explains why 13.4% of the total population speak Spanish at home. These facts make clear that the chances of interacting with Latinos at some point, even if you live somewhere far from Florida and Texas, are pretty high.
The everyday life itself implies the increasing need of communicating in more than one language. Why? Because a US-born citizen will not only interact with workers from informal sectors. In fact, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, the percentage of industry employment of Hispanic ethnicity includes:
- 16% professional and business services
- 11.5% education and health services
- 11.4% public administration
- 11.3% financial activities
- 10.5% information
But, besides all these pretty impressive national statics, there are many more reasons why you should learn Spanish. In both Europe and the US, Spanish is the most commonly spoken language after English. It is also the officially spoken language of four continents. This makes learning Spanish very beneficial.
The Cervantes Institute estimates that there are 21 million Spanish students worldwide. The United States ranks first in a number of Spanish speakers, followed by Brazil and France.
Going global
If you are involved in the business world, whether by owning a company with plans of expansion or by working on customer service, it is certain you will be communicating with a Spanish-speaker sooner or later.
- Latin American countries are the most important US trading partners.
- There are 577 million Spanish speakers in the world, being the second language spoken worldwide after Chinese. Lots of international business opportunities!
- The Cervantes Institute estimates that there are 21 countries that have Spanish as an official language, besides the over 20 countries where is the second language.
- The purchasing power of Hispanic Americans increases every year, especially in countries such as Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, and Chile. This contribution to GDP (Gross National Product) is 9.2%.
Indeed, for those who want to do business, Spanish skills can be an asset for communicating in Spain and throughout Latin America. The considerable size of the Spanish-speaking population of the United States makes it even more attractive on a resume. Americans who plan on working domestically in law, social services or in business can truly stand out by being proficient in Spanish.
In plain English, being able to speak Spanish greatly enhances your resume. If you are bilingual you are more competitive in the workplace.
The truth is that the Spanish-speaking population continues to grow in quantity as well as economically, socially and culturally importance (especially in the US).
In other words, if you know English and Spanish you will have access to the political, social and cultural panorama in the whole American continent.
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