Learn German

5 Great Reasons Why You Should Learn German

 

There are many reasons for you to learn German. Some students want to be able to communicate with their relatives, others would like to work for a German company or move to Germany for university studies.

I decided to put this list together, just in case you need some reassurance in your decision to learn German or the final push towards taking the plunge. So here are the 5 reasons why you should start your learning adventure today:

 

1) German is the most widely spoken native language in Europe

Germany is the most populous nation in the European Union with more than 80 million inhabitants. In addition, German is an official language in Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. It is also the native language of a significant part of the population in northern Italy and eastern France. In total, knowing German connects you to about 120 million native speakers.

 

2) Germany has the 4th largest economy in the world

Germany is among the world’s most important export nations. From cars to machinery and industrial equipment, from pharmaceuticals to household goods, you can find it all. Its economy is comparable to that of all the world’s Spanish-speaking countries combined. Germany is also home to numerous international corporations (e.g. BMW, Siemens, SAP) that are constantly looking for international partners.

 

3) Knowing German creates business and employment opportunities

From an employer’s perspective, you will have a competitive advantage over candidates who have the same professional qualifications but don’t speak German. If you are in international business, you should know that many Germans are very successful in doing business worldwide, but when it comes to business at home they prefer their native language. As the saying goes: “Germans sell in English, but they buy in German.”

 

4) German and English are similar

Many words in German sound or look the same as equivalent English words. Both languages have evolved from a common ancient language and there is a similarity in vocabulary and grammatical structure. For example, look at these words: Haus = house, Finger = finger, Hand = hand, schwimmen = to swim, kommen = to come, alt = old. There are many more examples like these, which helps a lot when you learn German.

 

5) German-speaking countries have a rich cultural heritage

Germany is often referred to as the land of poets and thinkers. German is the language of Goethe, Nietzsche and Kafka, of Mozart, Bach and Beethoven. Einstein, Kant and Freud spoke and wrote in German. Nowadays 18% of the world’s books are published in German and with 8 million Internet domains, Germany’s top-level-domain .de is second only to the extension .com. A high percentage of Japanese students learn German. What do they know that you don’t?

 
 For more tips and tricks and to boost your German please feel free to check out my online video courses.

 

Related Posts

5 Recommended Websites to Watch German TV Online
3 Free Websites to Help You Brush up on German Grammar
5 German Pronunciation Tips That Will Help You Sound like a Native
5 Useful Websites You Need to Know If You’re Learning German

 

Comments

  • Caroline Machin

    I am a German teacher and have been making these comments for years. I have even written to the PM and Minister of Education about this. However, I am getting nowhere with my argument.

    Today it is more likely for me to teach my 2nd and 3rd languages (Spanish and French) rather than teach German in my area (Portsmouth, Hampshire)

    • Ingo Depner

      Hi Caroline, I once read a very interesting article about the 10 languages vital to the UK’s future prosperity and global standing; German is definitely among them but it really looks like Spanish and French have higher priority: http://www.bbc.com/news/education-25003828

  • Fotini Kara

    Auch ich unterrichte Deutsch an einer griechischen Schule. Ich sage zu meinen Schülern:
    Englisch ist ein Muss, Deutsch ist ein Plus.
    Englisch kann jeder in meiner Heimat. Wer noch zusätzlich Deutsch kann, ist natürlich besser dran.

    • Ingo Depner

      Hallo Fotini, ich stimme dem absolut zu, jede zusätzliche Sprache ist ein Plus. Vor allem in der heutigen wirtschaftlichen Situation bringt es viele Vorteile.

  • Annette Murphy

    I have been laughed constantly for keeping up my German. Ever time I tried to speak it with others they had no interest. Sadly my fluency is not what it was and my level of Academic writing in German has gone down. Can anyone suggest how to get it back as I was a C1 (Advanced Level) now I am being told my Level is B2.1 or 2. Suppose that’s not terribly bad, but when I applied for a Masters in German recently I was turned down over my written and not my spoken German.

    Danke,
    Annette

    • Ingo Depner

      Hi Annette, many thanks for your comment. I would recommend enrolling in a DSH or TestDAF preparation course or buying an exam preparation textbook (e.g. “Prüfungstraining DSH: B2-C1″) that will help you improve your academic writing.