Did you know that Hindi and Bengali are among the top 10 most widely spoken languages in the world? This is because this study is done on the basis of the number of people speaking a particular language. Since the population of India is increasing day by day, therefore, regional languages are also on an all-time hike.

Apart from this, learning languages exercises the creative faculty of our brain and we tend to be more creative when we learn a new language. Our comprehension skills, analytical skills, memory retention, creativity, and overall approach to problems is positively influenced by the process of learning languages.

Now when the world has become a global village, people have begun to take a keen interest in the culture of the people they come across on a daily basis. In India, English, a foreign language is used so exhaustively that nobody realizes it as a second language. It has been fully imbibed into our culture.

Keeping in mind, the number of people speaking, flexibility, geographic conditions, versatility, and career opportunities available; the 5 languages to learn in 2020 are:

Mandarin Chinese

塞翁失马，焉知非福。

"Blessings come in disguise."

With 1 billion speakers, the significance of Mandarin Chinese is fast growing due to the emergence of China as a center for trade and commerce in the international market. Though there are certain stereotypes regarding the difficulty level of the language, anyone interested in learning the language must also know that there is no agreement of the verb with the subject, no plurals or tenses. Apart from this, the language employs comprehensible prepositions.

Spanish

No existe gran talento sin gran voluntad.

"There is no great talent without great will."

Every year the number of tourists to Spain is increasing. Another factor responsible for the popularity of this language is that a major portion of the population residing in the US has Spanish as their lingua-franca. This language has a distinct musical quality to it. Mexico has the highest number of Spanish-speaking people, a total of 360 million people speak Spanish as their first language.

German

Anfangen ist leicht, Beharren eine Kunst!

"Starting is easy, persistence is an art."

Germany is among the strong economies in Europe, hence the significance of the German language increases. They have amicable policies regarding the education of international students. If you are planning to pursue your higher studies in Germany, learning the colloquial tongue will make your stay easier and your chances at better scholarships will also open up.

French

Écoute les étoiles!

"Listen to the stars!"

Until the 14th century, French was the language of the aristocracy. English was considered a common tongue. It even borrows most of its vocabulary from this language. Now, French is considered la langue d'amour or the language of love and it has the panache to it. Fairly easy to learn as it has similarities with the grammar of certain Indian languages, French adds grace to your diction with words beautifully resonating with your tone.

Arabic

ما هو آت هو أفضل من ما ذهب


"What is coming is better than what is gone..."

Arabic is a language that sparks the intrinsic Occidental mystery which still attracts the world. It emerged around 4th Century B.C. and is the official language of the 22 nations that are a part of the Arab League, at present. To name a few, Jordan, Morocco, UAE converse in Arabic. It is rapidly gaining the fame it deserves as more attention is diverted to the cultures still unknown to the West.

Every language is unique in itself as it is not just a combination of syllables and a parade of grammar. It is a reflection of people's beliefs, their culture, and the lifestyle of the country as a whole. It also bridges gaps between the two cultures. Hence, learning a language, irrespective of its international importance is always an engaging activity.