German is a West Germanic language. It is one of the world's major languages and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union (EU). Its current importance is due partly to Germany's economic status: the country has the leading and most influential economy in the EU.
Worldwide, German is spoken by around 105 million native speakers. These are mainly in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. It is also spoken by about 80 million non-native speakers.
Why learn German?
- German is a language of immense economic value: Germany has the fourth largest economy in the world.
- It is one of the most important cultural languages : for example, every 1 in 10 books in the world is published in German.
- Knowledge of German increases your job opportunities with German and foreign companies in your own country and abroad
- After English, German is the most commonly used language in the world of science.
