Best Languages to Learn for Travelers

You are an adventurer. You love to visit new places, but not just as a tourist. Your goal is to get to know the real culture of the places where you visit, to hang with the locals. To accomplish this goal, you often must speak at least basic phrases in the local dialect. If you love to travel, it may be worthwhile to learn a new language. But which language is the right choice?

Spanish

There’s a reason Spanish is taught in many high schools and colleges. Two reasons, actually. It is spoken in many countries, and it’s easy to learn. Spanish is not only used in Spain, but in Mexico and throughout Central and South America. Even where it’s not the official language, it’s often a secondary language more popular than English. If you want to visit any of these places, a basic course in Spanish is a good investment.

French

Another popular choice in schools, French is beautiful to listen to and fairly easy to learn. It’s also spoken in France and many other regions. You’ll find it on numerous islands and in places where the French colonized at one time, like Switzerland, parts of Belgium, Quebec and many other places. It’s heard throughout Africa, including the Ivory Coast and Senegal. If your future adventures will take you to any of these regions, it’s a good idea to learn some basic French.

Chinese

Though not as widespread as Spanish and French, Chinese is spoken by a large number of people right in China. If you would like to visit this beautiful country, a basic knowledge of the language would be helpful. It also helps with the recognition of the unique alphabet since signs will be written in Mandarin.

Arabic

If you choose to spend time traveling through the Middle East, you’ll find Arabic an important language to know. It’s spoken in areas like Turkey, Palestine and Israel. You won’t feel so lost if you have at least a small knowledge of common words and phrases.

Other Languages

If your goal is to learn a new language, the one you choose should represent your interests for traveling even if it isn’t spoken widely. For instance, Italian and German are two popular languages to learn because so many people like to visit these areas.

How Much Do You Need to Know?

The next question for you may be how long do you have to study or how fluent do you need to be before you travel to the area of your choice. The answer depends on your goals. All you need to know are a few basic phrases if you just want to get by. Phrases such as "Do you speak English?" will help you communicate with people as you travel.

However, if your goal is to get to know the people where you’re traveling, you will want to learn a new language more in-depth. Plan to take a full course or maybe even two to help you understand what people are saying and to hold a conversation. Find a good language learning school in Vancouver or near to where you live and get started on your next adventure.

Berlitz provides English learning classes in Vancouver with private or group lessons. English and French classes and courses allow students to learn a new language in 10 days.

Berlitz provides language classes in Vancouver with private or group lessons. English and French classes and courses allow students to learn a new language in 10 days.