Have you got some really good reasons to learn German? Maybe you want to be able to communicate with relative or travel to Germany or prepare to study in a German speaking country or maybe you just like the way the language sounds? If you've been studying German and you are looking for reassurance that you're not wasting your time, here are 7 compelling reasons why learning German might be the right choice for you.
1. German is the most spoken language in Europe
More people speak German as their mother language than any other language in Europe. Not surprisingly, Germany's 83 million inhabitants make it the most populous European country. But it's not only Germans who speak German. It is also the official language of Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. And it is the native language of most populations in northern Italy, eastern Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, eastern France, parts of Poland, the Czech Republic, Russia, and Romania, as well as in other parts of Europe.
While learning German can put you in touch with 120 million native speakers worldwide, keep in mind that many people also learn German as a second language. It’s the 3rd most popular foreign language taught worldwide and the second most popular in Europe after English.
2. German is an important language in academia
With a large number of award-winning scientists from their home countries, it’s perhaps not surprising that the German language is so important in the academic community. In fact, it rank number two as the most commonly used scientific language.
One reason is the German book market is the third largest in the world, after the Chinese and British publishing industries. Since the percentage of these books translated into other languages is pretty limited, only knowledge of German will give you access to them.
3. German companies are global market leaders
Germany is home to a large number of global economic players such as BMW, Daimler, Siemens, Lufthansa, SAP, Bosch, Infineon, BASF and many more. Meanwhile, German capital city, Berlin, is turning into a hub for innovative start up.
Some has been even dubbed it "Europe's Silicon Valley." As the result, knowing German has the potential to increase your career opportunities greatly.
4. Oktoberfest is more fun if you can speak German
You can live in Germany as a tourist without speaking much German, and of course, wearing a Dirndl or Lederhosen and holding the Maß of Helles might make you look Bavarian, but without understanding the language, you can't fully interact with any place you're visit. Talking to people in their language, and meeting them halfway, culturally, is the only real way into their world.
5. German culture is part of the world heritage
It is the language of the famous written works of Goethe, Kafka, Brecht and Mann. It was the original language of composers Mozart, Bach, Schubert, Beethoven and Wagner. Revolutionary philosophy was poured into pages in German when the pen was first raised by Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, and Heidegger.
Learning German gives you the opportunity to appreciate the work of these artists in their original form. It lets you tap into part of the world's cultural heritage directly and without filters. Goethe's "Faust" alone, written entirely in rhyme, is well worth checking out. Wouldn't it be cool to take some of your favorite works in German and find out for yourself the true meaning of the original text?
6. Germany is the biggest tourist in the world
While German workers are highly productive, it is clear that they know how to play as hard as they work. With a sizable income and an average of 6 weeks of vacation a year, German people have pretty much time to travel. If you're a world traveler, you must be found German people everywhere you go because almost 3 out of every 4 German vacations are spent in another country. In 2007, they spent a record 91 billion euro on international travel. Year after year, residents of German spent more money on overseas travel than residents of other countries.
7. German is not as difficult as you think
If you already know or fluent in English, then you already have an advantage when it come to learning German. Because modern German and modern English both evolved from a common ancestor language, the Germanic language, the two languages have much in common in vocabularies and grammar.