In 2022, being able to speak a second language is an increasingly sought-after skill. The world has never been more connected than it is today. This has opened communication between countries, making it easier to travel, conduct business, and experience new cultures.
For those who wish to take advantage, multilingualism is a key that unlocks dozens of different doors. It means you can live, work, and thrive in many other places and be confined to none.
Choosing a second language isn’t always easy. With so many to pick from, you must consider what new tongue you’d like to master and why. However, for an increasing number of people, Arabic is an obvious choice. In this article, we consider why.
It’s one of the most widely spoken languages.
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While it’s not as widely spoken in the West as some other languages, Arabic proficiency is a valuable skill career-wise. If you look for Arabic classes near you on Google, your search is sure to return lots of results, and that’s because there’s no shortage of speakers. Using websites like Preply, you can pick a tutor based on various criteria, from location to price, specialties, experience, and more.
All these resources are out there because Arabic is the sixth most widely spoken language in the world, with 274 million total speakers. That means it’s excellent for opening doors, allowing you to communicate with many people. For this reason, it can look great on CVs and come in handy if you want to travel or relocate to another country to work.
It’s a niche skill
Learning a second language will always be handy, whether it’s French, German, Spanish, or Arabic. However, if you’re hoping it will open doors career-wise, the latter could be the best option. That’s because there are fewer Arabic speakers in the West, but many companies are looking to break into Eastern markets.
What these businesses want is marketing or other business professionals who can speak the native tongue, so if you have Arabic under your belt, you’ll immediately seem like an attractive candidate. Moreover, as you’ll be able to bridge the gap between these companies and overseas audiences, suppliers, and partners, you may also be given opportunities above your pay grade because you’re the only one who can do the job.
You’ll be able to appreciate another culture fully.
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Some nations are known for their high standards regarding foreigners speaking their language. In Germany, for example, you may be faced with disdain over your accent and less-than-impeccable grammar. However, this is not the case in Arab countries, which are famed for their hospitality.
Native Arab speakers tend to be very proud of their language and are happy to help tourists and visitors improve their grasp of it. Once you are willing to learn, they’ll likely give you lots of opportunities to practice with them, only gently correcting you when you get it wrong.
Once you speak their language, they’ll also be pleased to introduce you to other aspects of their culture, from religion to literature, art, and music. In this way, you’ll be able to experience another culture much deeper and more meaningfully, which is especially important if you want to travel, live, work, or even study abroad.
When it comes to learning a second language, Arabic is perhaps a more niche choice than options like German or French, but it can nonetheless come in handy. It’s also a beautiful language to speak and can put you ahead of the competition regarding professional opportunities with ambitious and enterprising companies.