Nowadays, knowing a language is of great importance in many areas and English is the first foreign language preferred due to its global nature. However, with the increasing language awareness in most of the world, learning a third or even fourth language besides English has become a necessity.
The biggest motivation for learning a language is usually our job and we turn to languages that will allow us to develop in our jobs. For example, if the company you work for works with China, of course it will be to your advantage to learn Chinese as a third language. However, if there is no condition that restricts you such as your job, it will be beneficial for you to first evaluate the following questions when choosing the language you will learn.
1. How close is the language I will learn to my native language?
The fact that the language you will learn is close to your native language is a factor that will significantly speed up your learning process.
2. How interested am I in the culture of this language?
A language is learned together with the culture it belongs to. Since you will use texts, music or videos belonging to that culture in your language learning process, being interested in the culture will make this process more enjoyable.
3. How much will it benefit my goals in life?
Even if you have not started working life yet, you may have plans about which sector you want to work in in the future. Focusing on the dominant language in that sector will give you an advantage in many areas such as business, education and immigration. In addition, you will have access to more resources in a foreign language in the subjects you want to improve yourself.
4. What are the job opportunities?
It is possible to see how widespread your job opportunities are by looking at the prevalence of the language you prefer to learn in the world.
In the light of these questions, we can list the languages that are most advantageous for you to learn under three headings as follows;
SPANISH
1. The Spread of Language
Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world. Today, more than 430 million people speak it, and Spanish is used as the official or national language in at least 20 countries. The fact that the language is so widespread makes it very easy for you to practice the language because of the number of people you can reach. In addition, Spanish is the language you are most likely to hear after English in many environments you travel.
2. Difficulty of Learning
Spanish is a phonetic language; that is, words are pronounced as they are written in Turkish. For the same reason, the Spanish alphabet is almost identical to Turkish. This similarity allows you to learn pronunciation rules quickly and without any problems while learning the language.
Since both Turkish and Spanish are influenced by Latin, there are common words in both languages;
banyo = baño
kamyon = camión
balina = ballena
Thanks to these common words, both your vocabulary studies will be easier and your reading comprehension skills will improve more quickly.
Its grammar is different from English. However, since the person and tense suffixes are agglutinative, they are similar to Turkish rules. This is why many students find Spanish easier than English.
3. Business, Education and Culture
Of course, since it is the most spoken language after English, you are much more likely to use Spanish in many sectors than other languages. For example, Spanish is one of the 6 official languages used in the United Nations. It is also the 3rd most used language in the media sector.
In terms of economy, the Economists magazine published an issue in America that people can earn $51,000 in additional income just by learning Spanish, while Forbes announced that Latinos have a market purchasing power of $1.5 trillion. In Britain, Spanish has become the most recommended language for citizens to learn, leaving behind French, Arabic and Mandarin.
The top 5 sectors most focused on in Spain are Tourism, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Energy and Electricity, Import and Export.
FRENCH
1. Prevalence of Language Speech
French is the 5th most spoken language in the world with 300 million (3rd Mandarin, 4th Hindi)* and is the only language spoken on all 5 continents after English.
2. Difficulty in Learning
French is also a Latin-based language like Spanish. However, since French is not a phonetic language, one of the most difficult issues for students is pronunciation. Despite this, due to the interaction between French and Turkish, many words you know will appear in French. Also, if you know a Latin-based language like Spanish, studying vocabulary will be much easier.
Its grammar is not very similar to Turkish or English. However, this does not make French a difficult or impossible language to learn. It has its own language rules, and when these rules are learned without comparing them to other languages, students can improve very quickly.
3. Business, Education and Culture
French is a cultural language. French is the language of fashion, theater, cuisine, visual arts, dance and architecture. If you want to work in these sectors in the future or are currently working, I strongly recommend that you learn French. Knowing the language will not only help you develop in your field, but will also provide you with the opportunity to advance where you work and even opportunities abroad.
Like Spanish, French is one of the official languages used in the United Nations. Organizations such as the European Union, UNESCO, NATO, the International Olympic Committee, or major brands such as Citroen, Dior, Lacoste, L'Oréal, Hermés, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Lancôme, Cartier and Carrefour are French.
ITALIAN
1. Prevalence of Language Spoken
With an average of 63 million, Italian is the 20th most spoken language in the world. But why is Italian 3rd on this list, you may ask. Italian is the 4th most learned language in American high schools and universities, and enrollment in Italian classes is increasing 20% faster than others.
2. Difficulty of Learning
Italian, like Spanish, is a phonetic language. In other words, it is a language that is read as it is written, with minor differences. In terms of vocabulary, it has many words in common with English and other Latin-based languages. For example;
English - Italian Turkish - Italian
Concerto - Concert (Konser) Fiasco - Fiyasko
Poeta - Poet (Şair) Macchina - Makina
Problema - Problem Flanella - Fanila
Melodia - Melody Vaso - Vazo
Another example is the commonality of the word meaning "singing" in four languages;
Spanish: cantar
Portuguese: cantar
French: chanter
Italian: cantare
3. Business, Education and Culture
According to UNESCO data, 60% of the world's art treasures are in Italy. Therefore, Italian serves as a key in studies and research on art history, literature, archeology and philosophy.
Also, according to KPMG research, the most recognized brand after Coca Cola and Visa is the "Made in Italy" stamp. Benetton, Barilla, Ferrari, Fiat, Lavazza, Armani and many other Italian brands are known for the quality of their products. More than 7,000 American companies do business with Italy and thousands of American companies such as Chrysler, General Electric, ExonMobil, IBM and Citibank have offices in Italy.
We can also say that Italy is the center of the world in fashion and design. Knowing Italian gives you the opportunity to work in big brands such as Versace, Gucci, Dolce and Gabanna, Armani, Benetton and Prada.
BONUS: GERMAN
Although I do not personally recommend it, I think we should also examine this language on our list, especially since German is the most preferred second foreign language in our schools.
1. Prevalence of Language Speech
German is ranked 11th on the list of most spoken languages in the world and is spoken by approximately 130 million people. The countries that use German as a native language are Germany, Austria, Belgium, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg.
2. Difficulty of Learning
The reason why German is considered a difficult language is that it is not similar to Turkish, as it is a Germanic language. It is most similar to English in terms of grammar, but still, German's grammar is 90% different from English. Again, although there may be similar words to English, this rate is as low as 20%; German - English Maus - Mouse Haus - House Foto - Photo Studieren - (to) Study Lampe - Lamp Although you will need to spend more time on grammar and vocabulary studies than the other languages I recommend, if you know English, this process will be easier for you.
3. Business, Education, Culture
German is the second most used language in science. Therefore, we can say that German has an important place in academia. Of course, knowing German allows you to access many resources in the field of science, especially resources that have not yet been translated into another language.
If you have plans for a master's degree or doctorate, you have the opportunity to enroll in a university in Germany with very low or zero tuition fees. The reason for this is that the rate of studying at the university is as low as 27%, and these fees are covered by taxes.
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