It would be hard to travel without being able to communicate with those who we encounter, wouldn’t it? Thousands of languages are spoken all over the world, and travelers that leave their native lands to go to visit other countries will find that knowing a second language or two is very helpful.
If you want to learn a language that will help you communicate globally, here are your top options.
English
The most widely-spoken language in the world, with nearly 1.3 billion people around the world (nearly 17% of Earth’s population) speaking English as a first or second language. While it will obviously help you to communicate in places like the UK and the United States, its role as a global lingua franca will help you communicate with others around the world.
Spanish
¿Hablas español? Thanks to a powerful empire hundreds of years ago, the country of Spain spread its native language across the Americas and into some parts of Asia and Africa. Mexico, Colombia, and Spain are now the most populated countries to speak this language.
French
The French language also has a large global expanse due to its colonial history. The native language of the world’s most-visited country, France, is also spoken throughout the Middle East and Africa to this day.
Mandarin Chinese
While Chinese might be contained to one geographical area in Asia, the sheer number of speakers of this language make it very useful for traveling. China is the world’s biggest country, and you’ll also find its language spoken in places like Taiwan and Malaysia.
