LEARNING SPANISH AS AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TOOL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

The Spanish speaking world constitutes a huge and rapidly growing population group, and one that has been growing in importance in places like Europe, where Spain plays an important economic and political role; and the United States, where the Spanish speaking population is projected to reach over 100 million (25% of the country's population) by 2050. The decision to learn Spanish can serve both to enrich you personally and to gain a valuable skill for use in the job market.

View of Malaga

Knowledge of a second language is becoming increasingly important in today's globalizing economy, and Spanish is the language of choice after English in this arena. Many employers offer a premium for bilingual employees and some even require knowledge of multiple languages when hiring.

At a personal level, speaking Spanish will help you open the door to a rich world of art: literature, music, film, theatre … some of the world's most profound works - both historically and In current times - have been produced in Spanish.

Travel to Spanish-speaking countries will also become much easier when you can communicate easily with locals in Spanish. Spain and Latin America are beautiful places to visit, and your experience there will be infinitely more enriching with your knowledge of Spanish.

Where to start?

Taking the first step towards learning an unknown language can seem daunting, but learning Spanish need not be a drawn-out, painful process. The speed at which you learn Spanish will depend on how often you study and how much you practice. Theoretical study can be done anywhere, but if you really want to put what you learn into practice, the best option is to study Spanish in a Spanish-speaking country like Spain.

Granada Alhambra

Surrounded by a Spanish-speaking culture, the potential for progress far surpasses what can be achieved by class-time alone. One becomes accustomed to hearing it in the streets, using it in the market, watching it on TV.

While taking Spanish courses in Spain may seem like an expensive venture upon first consideration, it really isn't so if you consider that you'll learn the language in less time than if you would have taken classes in your home country.

You can also find special deals with online agencies such as UniSpain, which is based in Spain and provides discounts on Spanish courses in universities and private language schools all over Spain

If you're more concerned with a high level of service and support than with price, you can use a quality agent such as Go Study Spain that offers first class packages to learn Spanish in Spain. The Go Study Spain! package offers a truly comprehensive service, focusing on Spanish universities.

An added benefit to studying Spanish in Spain is that the country is a deeply enjoyable place in which to live, so your experience there will be educational and entertaining at the same time. A deep history, beautiful artistic heritage and fun-loving culture are some of the characteristics that make Spain one of the most attractive destinations in Europe.

If you decide to book a Spanish course in Spain, it's a good idea to make use of Spanish language resources you can even sign up for services such as 'Word of the Day' that get delivered to you free of charge.

Many sites where you can learn Spanish for free are not the greatest in terms of the quality content, but sites like the one listed above do a good job of presenting information in an entertaining way. At www.living-spanish.com you can even sign up for services such as 'Word of the Day' that get delivered to you free of charge.