[Bhoomika Saini]

Mandarin Chinese

With over one billion Mandarin Chinese speakers in the world, of course it tops the list of most important languages to learn in 2020.

Most speakers are located within China, however, so is it still one of the most important languages to learn? The answer is yes — with China emerging as a global power, it becomes increasingly more important for businesses to have team members that know Chinese.

Arabic

Arabic started as a nomadic language, spoken between moving tribes. Today it is the official language of the Arab League, consisting of 22 countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates. These popular travel destinations make it worthwhile to learn Arabic. Not just that, it is the language of the entire Muslim civilization and all of its texts. With over 1.8 billion Muslims around the world, no wonder Arabic made the list.

Portuguese

Portuguese is spoken all over the world — it is the official language of countries in Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa. If that wasn’t enough to prove that this language is one of the most important languages to learn, here’s more: Brazil is emerging as one of the world’s newest economic powerhouses. Tourism in the country is growing and global companies are setting up shop, so the demand for Portuguese speakers is growing.

Hindi

With some of the highest numbers of speakers in the world, Hindi is one of the most important languages to learn without a doubt. But like with other languages, it’s not just the sheer number of speakers that should entice you to learn the language, but the global power of where the language comes from. India is a huge part of today’s world economy, and as Hindi is the most spoken language in India, it’s the one to learn.

Italian

Italian may not have the most speakers on this list, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an important language to learn. Italy is steeped in arts, culture, and history. Many world heritage sites are located in Italy, and many historical texts are written in Italian. This country is a popular travel destination, and knowing Italian will help you on a trip. Plus, knowing any of these similar romance languages — Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese, will make it much easier to learn the others in the group.