Why Learn Spanish?

Who speaks Spanish?
Currently, Spanish is spoken by approximately 400 million people world-wide! It is an official language of 21 countries, spanning 4 continents, with significant populations of speakers in other countries as well.  Here at home, native Spanish speakers make up 12.5% of the total U.S. population.  Furthermore, the percentage of Spanish speakers in the U.S. is rapidly increasing as Hispanic consumers have been declared the fasted growing market segment.  Speaking Spanish can open the door to a wide world of professional and person opportunities.  Read on!

Below is a list of all the official Spanish speaking countries. Globally there is an official Spanish speaking country in North America, South America, Central America, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean Islands.
Mexico	Costa Rica	Cuba	Dominican Republic	Puerto Rico	El Salvador	Guatemala	Honduras	Nicaragua	Panama
Argentina	Bolivia	Chile	Ecuador	Paraguay	Peru	Uruguay	Venezuela	Spain	Ecuatorial Guinea

Professional Benefits
With the ability to communicate with an additional 12.5% of the total U.S. consumer population, Spanish-speaking professionals prove themselves to be invaluable assets to the institutions that they serve.  Whether you are in the field of health care or law or journalism or hospitality or business or virtually any field, you are highly likely to encounter native Spanish speakers.  Many of the Spanish speaking countries around the world have expanding economies, transforming themselves into important business partners in an ever more global economy.  Fluency in Spanish will provide you with a competitive edge distinguishing you from other qualified applicants.  Aside from professional benefits, learning Spanish can enhance travel experiences, provide broader social networks and increase cultural appreciation.

Travel Benefits
Knowing the language of the land that you visit will give you insights into the people and culture to which a non-Spanish speaker would never have access. Imagine taking tango dance lessons in Buenos Aires, Argentina or visiting Peru’s Machu Picchu, the amazing lost city of the Incas that is currently one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.  Spanish speakers are welcomed in a way that would never happen if they spoke only English.  Spanish speaking abilities transform simple observers into active participants.

Social Benefits
Knowing Spanish is slowly but surely becoming a necessity.  The Hispanic population continues to increase, meaning that there is a greater chance that you might marry into a Spanish speaking family, have Spanish speaking neighbors or encounter Spanish speaking people in your daily rounds.  Knowing Spanish allows you to form a variety of meaningful relationships and friendships with people that you otherwise may not have had the pleasure of knowing.

Cultural Benefits
The Hispanic population has continuously made marks in the realms of literature, art and entertainment.  In the realm of literature, Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes remains the second most translated book in the world, following the Bible and impressively enough, the most expensive painting ever sold was a Picasso.  In the popular world of entertainment, coveted Grammies and Oscars have been awarded to Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan and Pedro Almodovar.  Subtitles, translations or uncontextualized experiences all imply one degree of separation between the observer and the original work of art.

Learn Spanish now!
Considering the vast presence of the Spanish language globally and locally along with the professional, travel, social, and cultural benefits, it’s easy to see why learning Spanish is a great investment and will certainly prove to be beneficial.  From small group classes to individual classes to cultural immersion trips, Alta Language Learning is here to help you learn Spanish.