Why I Want to Learn Spanish.

Due to rapid immigration, Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States. Most of the immigrants learn to speak English quite rapidly, but it does take time. Learning how to speak Spanish would help me better communicate with this growing segment of the community. This is just one reason why I want to learn Spanish, but it’s not the only reason.

As the Hispanic population grows, more and more prospective employers are asking the question "Can you speak Spanish?". Smart companies know that they service, and will be servicing a large segment of the people who’s primary language is Spanish. The Hispanic community is a very large consumer group, and some of them would just be more comfortable with a Spanish speaking salesperson, clerk, or marketer. Knowing how to speak Spanish would give my resume greater precedence over a resume of a person who doesn’t have a second language. It might even give me equal footing with someone who has a little bit more experience in the field in which I am applying. In today’s poor economy, one should utilize any possible advantage that presents itself.

However, it’s not just the Spanish speaking people in the United States that I could communicate with. Everyone who knows anything about the economy knows that it is a global economy. Most large companies deal with other companies on a daily basis. Some companies are worldwide, and have factories located in Spanish speaking countries. Knowing Spanish would make me a greater asset to these companies, and it would only strengthen my job security.

There are reasons other than employment purposes why I want to learn Spanish. I like to travel, and being in a non English speaking country can be difficult and frustrating at times for a person who doesn’t speak the language. Being able to communicate with the local people is of great importance. I might want to ask someone where a good restaurant is, or what would be good, fun activity for me and my family. It is also important to be able to ask someone in a store how much a particular item costs.

An even better reason to learn Spanish is that it will help you better understand a culture. Spanish music is some of the most beautiful music in the world. I enjoy it without understanding the words, but understanding the words would only enhance the listening experience. It would also be great to watch a Spanish movie and be able to know what the characters are saying. I remember one time when I was in a Spanish speaking country and there was a program on the television. It was interesting to watch, but I had no idea what was happening in the plot. It would also be of great enjoyment to me to be able to read and understand Spanish literature. I enjoy reading, but sometimes translated books lose some of their intended meaning. Being able to read and understand Spanish would let me get a better experience from the literature, because I would be reading it as it was originally intended.

These are the main reasons I want to learn Spanish. Perhaps after reading them you will decide that you would like to learn Spanish as well!