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Why should I Learn Spanish? Solid Reasons will motivate you!
If you speak Spanish you can communicate with almost 500 million people worldwide. Imagine how many friends you could make, think about how many more employment opportunities that could give you! And if you are traveling in Latin America or Spain, a little knowledge of Spanish will go a long way. And of course, if you are planning to retire or relocate in a Spanish speaking country, Spanish is a must in order to get the most out of your new life.
The wonderful thing about learning Spanish is that it is never too late. Whether you come out here as a teenager, as a young professional, as a parent or as a retired person... you can learn Spanish. In fact the beauty of attending a class here is that you get to meet people from all walks of life and of all ages, and swapping stories is a great way to get information about traveling in Panama as well as making Panama your new home.
More importantly the natives love people who are attempting to learn their language, and it does not matter how silly you feel trying to speak, because all Spanish speaking people will help and encourage you in whatever way they can.
Apart from all this, learning Spanish is an incredibly fulfilling experience. Once you start to get a grip of the language you begin to appreciate its beauty and its roots and discover that many of the words are indeed similar to your own language.
Many of us have memories of learning languages at school. The fact is that methods have changed enormously. These days, learning a language can be a lively and upbeat experience.
It is not that hard. If you are learning from scratch, it is the sort of language that you immediately start to see results with.
Here are some facts about Spanish:
- Spanish is the 3rd most widely spoken in the world, used by 500 million people, after Mandarin Chinese and English.
- 25 different nations speak Spanish either as the official language or as a primary language.
- Spanish Literature & Film: A large body of literary work is written in Spanish and Spanish language films continue to receive praise from the film industry and viewers.
- Studying and practicing Spanish increases problem-solving skills, improves memory and mental sharpness.
- Increase your educational opportunities: knowing a foreign language will enable you to take advantage of significant educational opportunities, such as spending a summer or a semester abroad.
- Prepare you for graduate school: Students who have studied foreign languages score better on entrance exams. Foreign language is an important research tool in many disciplines, and reading knowledge of a foreign language is usually required for completion of a doctorate.
- Many languages have Latin origins. Since Spanish is a Latin language, you will find as you study Spanish that you have a better understanding of your native vocabulary.
- Cultural understanding: While most of us (Pope John Paul II may be an exception) can not hope to learn the languages of more than one or two cultures other than that of our own, those that we can learn help us to learn how other people learn and think. When you read Latin American or Spanish newspapers, for example, you often find that you gain a sense of how other people think and feel, a way that is different than your own.
- If you can learn Spanish, you will have a head start in learning the other Latin-based languages such as French and Italian. And it will even help you learn Russian and German, since they too have Indo-European roots and have some characteristics (such as gender and extensive conjugation) that are present in Spanish. And you will not be surprised if learning Spanish might even help you learn Japanese or any other non-Indo-European language, since intensive learning the structure of a language can give you a reference point for learning others.
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