In my opinion, everyone who has a basic understanding of the English language should also try to have a basic understanding of Spanish.
Why?
It's simple really, Spanish is spoken in so many countries worldwide, 21 countries to be exact, have Spanish as their official language. Surprisingly 18 of those countries are nowhere near Spain, in fact, they are all located in South America.
Spanish is the second-most popular native language in the world, with 450 million people who consider it their “mother tongue”. It’s only behind Chinese and it boasts 90 million more speakers than English!
Need more reasons to learn Spanish? Keep reading...
The Trip of a Lifetime!
If I said Florida Mexico and Argentina. Wouldn't you just picture some of the most beautiful parts of the Americas?
Experiencing breathe taking sunsets, the chance to swim with dolphins, exploring theme parks and having wild nights out?
There is something else these places all have in common, Spanish is spoken as much, if not more than English in each location! If this sounds like your dream trip or any of the 18 countries that speak Spanish in the Americas, it might be worth learning some basic Spanish.
Florida
Spanish is the most common non-English language spoken in Florida. 22.5% of the overall population of Florida are native Spanish speakers. That means that more than one out of every 5 people you meet in this magical place is a native Spanish speaker, and that doesn't even take into consideration all the people who've learnt Spanish as a second language!
Mexico
Many languages are spoken in Mexico, however, Spanish is the de facto official language of the government and the first language of 90% per cent of the population. It is the national language because of its historic and legislative functions and because it acts as a lingua franca for indigenous language speakers.
Argentina
Though there is no official language in Argentina, its population of around 45 million people almost all of which speak Spanish as a first language. At 1.4 times the size of Mexico, it is the largest Spanish-speaking nation in the world, unofficially.
See the World and Connect with Other Cultures
Let's stick with the travelling vibe for a minute.
The majority of people want to travel, get to know the world and its cultural diversity, and experience what other peoples and nations are like. However, this task is challenging to accomplish if you do not speak more than one language. By learning Spanish as a second language you open yourself up to new experiences and new cultures.
The Spanish language will enhance the experiences you will have during your journeys abroad. Native Spanish speakers love when people learn to speak Spanish, it shows respect to the visiting country.
Also when you know how to speak more than one language, you are more easily able to navigate outside the tourist bubble and connect and interact with the place and its people. Being able to communicate in another language exposes us to and fosters an appreciation for the traditions, religions, arts, and history of the people associated with that language.
Not only can you submerge yourself in "la Fiesta y la Comida" you can also have a deeper appreciation of the culture and history.
Spanish is One of The Best Languages to Speak When Travelling
As we have already mentioned, the number of Spanish speakers worldwide is really large. We are talking about 17% of the world's population.
Being able to use a basic level of Spanish when travelling can really help when it comes to things like ordering food and drinks, making friends, asking for directions and shopping in a Spanish-speaking country.
There's a really handy "Cheaters Guide" it's basic Spanish for beginners created by Happy Hour Spanish, I highly recommend checking it out if you're travelling soon but don't have any Spanish yet. It will help you reach conversational fluency faster by focusing on the most effective things to learn.
Essential Spanish Phrases for Travelling
- ¡Hola! – Hello/Hi
- ¡Buenas! – Hello!
- Mucho gusto! – Nice to meet you.
- Sí – Yes
- No – No
- Gracias. – Thank you.
- Muchas gracias. – Thank you so much.
- Por favor. – Please.
- De nada. – You are welcome.
- No hablo español – I don’t speak Spanish.
- ¿Hablas inglés? – Do you speak English?
- No entiendo. – I don’t understand.
The secret to getting better without feeling overwhelmed is to practice at least 15 minutes a day, so why not try downloading an APP like Babbel or better yet try free on Duolingo, maybe even get a few lessons with a tutor?
However, you start your Spanish lessons we wish you the best of luck and happy holidays!
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