With 41 million native Spanish speakers the US is one of the largest Spanish speaking countries in the world. It goes without saying that knowing how to speak Spanish can increase your work opportunities in the US. Many companies hire bilingual positions if they run joint ventures with Spanish language companies or have Spanish speaking clients, and with so many Spanish speakers in the US, these positions keep growing. Employees who are bilingual are simply more marketable. Increased globalization means multilingualism makes someone more attractive for varied jobs in varied locations.
Many jobs that interact with the public at large in the US have opportunities for practicing Spanish. Whether you work part time as an Uber driver, in a restaurant, bank or grocery store you are bound to run into someone needing help in Spanish. If you are looking for work in any of these industries your resume will rise to the top if you speak Spanish.
Often the biggest challenge of learning a language is when you can not be immersed in it. In the US it is easy to find Spanish speakers to speak with, who also might like to practice their English with someone who can empathize with them. You can go to language exchanges, or find people through school, friends or online. In most places in the US, you will be able to find native Spanish speakers easily to make friends and form language exchanges.
Even though the US is one of the most diverse countries in the world, people can still get stuck seeing the world from within their bubble of culture, creed, class, and language. Learning Spanish and pushing yourself out of your social circle by making new friends, and learning different perspectives might help you see your country in a whole new way. The US is highly polarized politically in this moment. Learning to understand the lives and realities of those around you could change perspectives and American politics for the future.
Worldwide, Spanish is spoken by over 420 million people (some estimates suggest that up to 500 million people may speak Spanish). Spanish is commonly spoken in more than 20 countries and is the 2nd most spoken native language after Mandarin Chinese. Therefore Spanish is a great choice if you are interested in learning another language. Motivation is really important to learn a second language, so choose one of the reasons above to push yourself over the initial hurdle to start learning. If more job opportunities and easy immersion aren’t enough for you, then seeing your own world with new eyes could be your inspiration. So jump in. Find a class, buy a book, or find a tutor to start studying Spanish today!
~I’m a Spanish teacher based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since 2007 I have been teaching Spanish to people from all over the world. Whether looking for an online Spanish tutor, or in person while visiting Buenos Aires, please reach out to me with any questions you might have!~
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