German is West Germanic language from the Indo-European language family. It is the language spoken by most of Germany, where around 95% of the population uses it as their first language. German is also used by the greater part of the population of Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. Indeed, German is spoken in many regions of Europe. It is estimated that there are 100 million native speakers of German.

The sheer number of German speakers is a good enough reason to consider learning the language. If you think that German is not useful enough, especially if you are not living in one of the German-speaking countries in Europe, then you thought wrong. German is a good choice for learning a foreign language. Here are some of the main reasons.

1. Business and career advancement

Germany is one of the largest and most admired industrial countries in the whole world. In fact, it is ranks third in the global economy next to the U.S. and Japan. This makes Germany the most influential and biggest economy in Europe. Among the countries across the globe, Germany is one of the countries with the highest salaries for its workers. It is one of the leading exporters of products which are considered to be top-quality and very reliable.

All these mean that doing business in, or with, Germany is a good investment decision. Knowing German makes it easier to deal with German-speaking counterparts. And though many Germans are known to be fluent in English, conversing with them in their native tongue will earn you more respect and confidence from your German colleagues.

Furthermore, many firms in the U.S. are owned by German companies. And many of them require their employees to speak German. Whatever your profession is, knowing German will help you advance in your career.

2. Academic advancement

Whether you are planning to pursue a post-graduate degree at a German institution or not, knowing the German language is very useful to study some of the most important and influential figures and times in history such as the Cold War's Berlin Wall, the Reformation, World War II's Hitler, the Nazi party and Holocaust. When you can understand German, you will gain better insight to significant and famous literary, music and art pieces, ideologies, beliefs, theories and scientific studies. Think of Philosophy (Marx, Nietzsche), literature (Goethe, Kafka), music (Mozart, Beethoven), psychology (Jung, Freud), science (Einstein, Kepler), art (Friedrich, Kokoschka) and many others.

3. Unforgettable travel experience to Germany

Of course you know that Germany produces some of the best beers and sausages in the world. But Germany offers much more than that. Its cultural heritage is remarkably rich. It has plenty of wonderful places to see such as the awesome castles of Ludwig II, the gracious regional capital of Munich and the picturesque Bavarian Alps. You can also venture to the big and buzzing metropolis of Hamburg or Berlin. Knowing German makes your visit more memorable and enchanting.

Knowing the German language definitely has many benefits. Whether it is for practical or personal reasons, learning to speak German is worth the effort and time.

Daniel C Howard is a language teacher living in Asia. He has over a decade of experience teaching all ages a variety of subjects. For free info and lessons on German, please visit his blog here.

You can also sign up for a newsletter full of free language tips from Daniel's many hours in a class. And as a bonus, stay updated on all the new information on www.learngenuinegerman.com.