Why learn Chinese? Because you won’t regret it (especially if you start with 1to1PROGRESS!) In addition to having over a billion speakers, Mandarin can open many doors for you, whether it’s to boost your career or to satisfy your curiosity for the Chinese culture. In this article, we give you 6 good reasons to learn the language of the great Chinese Empire.
1. Join the 2nd largest community of speakers in the world
You probably know that the most spoken language in the world is English. This is not surprising, as it is the official language of more than 50 countries.
Mandarin, on the other hand, has the status of an official language in only 3 territories:
- China,
- Singapore,
- and Taiwan.
However, this does not prevent it from being the second most spoken language in the world! According to the website Ethnologue, which specialises in language statistics, there will be 1.118 billion Mandarin Chinese speakers in 2022.
If you speak French, English and Chinese at the same time, it is estimated that you will be able to communicate with almost 3 billion people. Not bad, right?
👉 To go further: How many languages are there in the world?
2. Why learn Chinese? To give another dimension to your career!
Imagine that a recruiter has to choose between two almost similar profiles. The only difference between the two candidates? The “languages spoken” section. While the first only mentions “fluent English”, the second mentions “English B2” and “Chinese B1”. Which do you think will be more attractive to a potential employer?
Speaking Chinese proves your ability to learn one of the world’s most difficult languages and your open-mindedness!
✨ Also find out the best way to indicate a language level on your CV.
Moreover, if your company works (or has the intention to work) with Chinese clients or suppliers, there’s no doubt that your language skills will help boost your career.
3. Take advantage of the economic opportunities offered by China
You can learn to speak Mandarin and put your skills to good use for an employer… or for yourself! For example, if you want to start importing manufactured goods, mastering the language will be a definite advantage. In 2020, imports from China to France represented a staggering 56.4 billion euros.
Chinese can also be useful if you work in the following sectors:
- logistics;
- tourism;
- education;
- culture…
Also note that as a Chinese speaker, you could also consider moving to China. More and more French people are starting to do business with China… successfully! So why not you?
4. Speak Mandarin to boost your brain power
To keep your brain healthy, it is important to train it. What better way to do this than to learn Mandarin? Although this language is reputed to be difficult, it is a challenge worth taking, and will allow you to exercise your brain efficiently.
Learning Sinograms (the famous Chinese characters) will be excellent for boosting your memory. Chinese phonetics will stimulate your auditory cortex with sounds that are new to you. As for grammar, it will act as a brain gym.
🔎 🔎 Also read: Learning a new language makes your brain perform better!
5. Travel to China more easily
English is the first foreign language spoken in the People’s Republic of China. However, outside the major cities, it is very rarely spoken by the people. It is estimated that there are “only” 10 million English speakers in the country. Although this figure seems high, it is actually less than 1% of the total population.
If you want to travel outside the big cities and discover all the treasures China has to offer, it is best to have a good knowledge of Mandarin.
It is worth noting, however, that the level of English among Chinese people is on the rise. Considered “low” before 2019, according to the EF English Proficiency Index, it is now indicated as “moderate”.
6. Broaden your knowledge and immerse yourself in an ancient culture
The Chinese civilisation is considered one of the oldest in the world. Its crafts, traditions and artistic achievements have spanned the millennia and still fascinate and intrigue everyone.
From ceramic creations to acupuncture, Kung Fu and Feng Shui, Chinese culture is one of the most important and diverse cultures in the world. Learning Chinese is therefore a real gateway to incredible artistic, spiritual and historical riches.
Celebrating the Chinese New Year in Beijing, playing Go in a park in Shanghai or visiting the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City, are all activities that will be even more enriching if you do them in their native language!
With the blended learning courses available at 1to1PROGRESS, you can learn Chinese easily and enjoy all the advantages that this language can offer you.