Why Learn Spanish?
1. Learn to speak Spanish and you'll learn to speak to over 400 million people worldwide.
Well, may be not all at once! But it's a serious point, and the advantages are plain to see. It is estimated that there are now more than 400 million Spanish speakers spread across the globe --some studies suggest more than 450 million and growing! How many other languages can open so many doors in so many locations? What kind of doors? Read on...
2. So you love to travel? Learn Spanish to enhance your travel experiences.
You will find countries who speak Spanish as their official language in Europe, North, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Africa. There are many others, such as the US, the Philippines and even Australia who have large Spanish speaking communities. Learning a little of the language of the country or community you visit will help you gain more of an understanding of the people and the culture than a non-Spanish speaker could ever achieve. If you can spare the time to learn a little Spanish before you leave, so much the better, and of course we can help you there. Depending on where you travel you may well find yourself with Spanish speakers who know little if any English. Whether you want to order some food in a restaurant, take a taxi home afterwards, or book a room in a hotel or a hostel, or you simply want to meet the locals and chat, your travel experience will be so much more enjoyable when you can communicate even at a basic level. And the locals will love you for it!
3. Mix a little work with pleasure. Use Spanish to improve your employment potential.
It stands to reason that with a global Spanish speaking population of between 400 and 450 million people, a not insignificant proportion of whom may speak little or no English, there are many advantages to be gained from having some knowledge of Spanish. Whether you are a self employed entrepreneur forging a business on the web, or you simply wish to get ahead in your current job, the ability to speak and understand Spanish can make all the difference. Without a doubt there are competitive advantages to learning Spanish. In the US for example, the Hispanic population is growing rapidly, in fact, some studies suggest that the population will triple by 2050 from where it stands today. As a result an ability to speak some Spanish is rapidly becoming a requirement or a distinct advantage in jobs in both the private and public sector. Jobs such as businessmen, doctors, engineers, technicians, diplomats, architects, entrepreneurs, translators, teachers, social workers, salespeople, civil servants, the list goes on.
4. Enjoy your gap year.
So you've studied hard, you've got your grades, and now you want to have a change of scene for a year or so. Whether you just want to travel around South America, or volunteer for one of the many voluntary projects that exist on this wonderful, fascinating and diverse continent, a prior knowledge of some Spanish will change your experience beyond all recognition and may even be a necessity for some of the voluntary schemes that are on offer.
5. Make friends for life.
It's a fair bet that if you love to travel, you love to meet people. Even having an interest in other languages demonstrates an interest in other people and cultures. Travel brings you into contact with many people. Wouldn't it be great if you could get to know the people you meet through more than a few awkward gestures, signs, and perhaps speaking to them very slowly and at the top of your voice...in English? Uttering just a few words of Spanish can be a great conversation starter in itself. Many native Spanish speakers are truly interested and delighted to hear your reasons for having studied Spanish and it is so much easier to get to know someone at a much deeper level through understanding what they have to say in their own language. Learning Spanish really can and in many instances does lead to lifelong friendship. It's all about communication.
6. Open up a world of Spanish films, music, art and literature.
Have you ever watched one of those dubbed or subtitled films and wondered how much more enjoyable it would be if you weren't listening to strange badly synchronized voices not being spoken by the actors, or desperately trying to keep up with the subtitles? As your understanding of Spanish deepens you can enjoy films such as All about my mother, Y tu mamá también, Amores perros, Mar adentro, Nueve Reinas, the fantastic Pan's Labyrinth, and the hilarious but poignant La suerte está echada to name but a few.
Listening to Spanish music is not only fun, but also a great way to practice your listening comprehension and really crank up your language skills. Solo artists such as Christina Aguilera, Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez and great bands such as Maná, Jarabe de Palo, the Gypsy Kings and many more, will all provide you with plenty of opportunities to listen and enjoy, and of course, improve your Spanish.
Why not branch out and pay a visit to the theatre? If you are spending time in Argentina, you'll find a thriving and passionate theatre scene in Buenos Aires. The famous Corrientes Avenue, right in the heart of Buenos Aires, is littered with theatres.
What about literature? The Argentineans are passionate readers and there are literally thousands of book shops in the capital alone. Enjoy delving into the minds of authors such as Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote, and read the literature of Jorge Luis Borges, or read some of the more contemporary fiction, the choice is yours.
7. Understand and appreciate the Spanish speaking culture.
Even if your literary ambitions are more modest than reading Cervantes or Borges, sit down in a cafe with a Spanish language newspaper or a magazine, order your "lagrima" (milk with a dash of coffee) or "cortado" (coffee with a dash of milk) and the chances are the waiter will be delighted by your efforts to speak and read the language. Often a conversation will start, and if the café is fairly quiet, it might even spread amongst tables. On many occasions after a short pause the question will come: "¿De dónde eres?" (Where are you from?). And you're off and running on your way to making some of those new friends we mentioned earlier and getting the low down on what really makes the country and its people tick.
8. Better understand your language.
Spanish is a "Romance" language, so called because it is based on Latin, the language of the old Roman Empire. English too has many words of Latin origin and therefore you'll recognize a lot of words and you'll find vocabulary building and enjoyable experience. "¡Ojo!" (Watch out!) There are some "falsos amigos" (false friends) meaning that some words which you might think have the same meaning as a similar sounding English word, in fact may have a completely different meaning. But that is part of the fun --the mistakes can be hilarious-- and we deal with "false friends" on all of our courses just to make sure you really don't embarrass yourself!
9. Expand your mind, expand your world, join in the conversation.
Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein once said:
"The limits of my language are the limits of my world."
He also observed:
"What we cannot speak about we must pass over in silence."
We agree. Don't be lost for words in business or leisure. Experience the fantastic sense of achievement of speaking and understanding a second language. We'd like you to open up your world to more than 400 million new friends and customers, and we'd like to be the people to help you do it.
10. Last and MOST importantly: You'll have great fun!
Without a doubt we believe that to really learn something well, learning has to be fun. That's no problem when you decide to learn Spanish with 121 Spanish in Buenos Aires.Com. Throw yourself into the course, enjoy the challenge, enjoy the lively lessons, enjoy the games we play, and if you're fortunate enough to be studying in Argentina enjoy Buenos Aires and everything else that Argentina has to offer. Enjoy the one on one attention and as you progress, enjoy the films we watch or, for those of you studying online, enjoy the films we recommend. Then enjoy the sensation that inevitably comes, of suddenly realizing that things are "clicking" and that what once seemed like a world of frustrations and meaningless noises is suddenly opening up into an experience of understanding the newspapers, enjoying some of the TV shows, chatting with the waiters at restaurants, talking about the weekends football match between Boca and River and making new Spanish speaking friends, many of whom will likely end up being friends for life. It's happened for many students before, and, if you study with us, it can happen for you.
Well, may be not all at once! But it's a serious point, and the advantages are plain to see. It is estimated that there are now more than 400 million Spanish speakers spread across the globe --some studies suggest more than 450 million and growing! How many other languages can open so many doors in so many locations? What kind of doors? Read on...
2. So you love to travel? Learn Spanish to enhance your travel experiences.
You will find countries who speak Spanish as their official language in Europe, North, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Africa. There are many others, such as the US, the Philippines and even Australia who have large Spanish speaking communities. Learning a little of the language of the country or community you visit will help you gain more of an understanding of the people and the culture than a non-Spanish speaker could ever achieve. If you can spare the time to learn a little Spanish before you leave, so much the better, and of course we can help you there. Depending on where you travel you may well find yourself with Spanish speakers who know little if any English. Whether you want to order some food in a restaurant, take a taxi home afterwards, or book a room in a hotel or a hostel, or you simply want to meet the locals and chat, your travel experience will be so much more enjoyable when you can communicate even at a basic level. And the locals will love you for it!
3. Mix a little work with pleasure. Use Spanish to improve your employment potential.
It stands to reason that with a global Spanish speaking population of between 400 and 450 million people, a not insignificant proportion of whom may speak little or no English, there are many advantages to be gained from having some knowledge of Spanish. Whether you are a self employed entrepreneur forging a business on the web, or you simply wish to get ahead in your current job, the ability to speak and understand Spanish can make all the difference. Without a doubt there are competitive advantages to learning Spanish. In the US for example, the Hispanic population is growing rapidly, in fact, some studies suggest that the population will triple by 2050 from where it stands today. As a result an ability to speak some Spanish is rapidly becoming a requirement or a distinct advantage in jobs in both the private and public sector. Jobs such as businessmen, doctors, engineers, technicians, diplomats, architects, entrepreneurs, translators, teachers, social workers, salespeople, civil servants, the list goes on.
4. Enjoy your gap year.
So you've studied hard, you've got your grades, and now you want to have a change of scene for a year or so. Whether you just want to travel around South America, or volunteer for one of the many voluntary projects that exist on this wonderful, fascinating and diverse continent, a prior knowledge of some Spanish will change your experience beyond all recognition and may even be a necessity for some of the voluntary schemes that are on offer.
5. Make friends for life.
It's a fair bet that if you love to travel, you love to meet people. Even having an interest in other languages demonstrates an interest in other people and cultures. Travel brings you into contact with many people. Wouldn't it be great if you could get to know the people you meet through more than a few awkward gestures, signs, and perhaps speaking to them very slowly and at the top of your voice...in English? Uttering just a few words of Spanish can be a great conversation starter in itself. Many native Spanish speakers are truly interested and delighted to hear your reasons for having studied Spanish and it is so much easier to get to know someone at a much deeper level through understanding what they have to say in their own language. Learning Spanish really can and in many instances does lead to lifelong friendship. It's all about communication.
6. Open up a world of Spanish films, music, art and literature.
Have you ever watched one of those dubbed or subtitled films and wondered how much more enjoyable it would be if you weren't listening to strange badly synchronized voices not being spoken by the actors, or desperately trying to keep up with the subtitles? As your understanding of Spanish deepens you can enjoy films such as All about my mother, Y tu mamá también, Amores perros, Mar adentro, Nueve Reinas, the fantastic Pan's Labyrinth, and the hilarious but poignant La suerte está echada to name but a few.
Listening to Spanish music is not only fun, but also a great way to practice your listening comprehension and really crank up your language skills. Solo artists such as Christina Aguilera, Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez and great bands such as Maná, Jarabe de Palo, the Gypsy Kings and many more, will all provide you with plenty of opportunities to listen and enjoy, and of course, improve your Spanish.
Why not branch out and pay a visit to the theatre? If you are spending time in Argentina, you'll find a thriving and passionate theatre scene in Buenos Aires. The famous Corrientes Avenue, right in the heart of Buenos Aires, is littered with theatres.
What about literature? The Argentineans are passionate readers and there are literally thousands of book shops in the capital alone. Enjoy delving into the minds of authors such as Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote, and read the literature of Jorge Luis Borges, or read some of the more contemporary fiction, the choice is yours.
7. Understand and appreciate the Spanish speaking culture.
Even if your literary ambitions are more modest than reading Cervantes or Borges, sit down in a cafe with a Spanish language newspaper or a magazine, order your "lagrima" (milk with a dash of coffee) or "cortado" (coffee with a dash of milk) and the chances are the waiter will be delighted by your efforts to speak and read the language. Often a conversation will start, and if the café is fairly quiet, it might even spread amongst tables. On many occasions after a short pause the question will come: "¿De dónde eres?" (Where are you from?). And you're off and running on your way to making some of those new friends we mentioned earlier and getting the low down on what really makes the country and its people tick.
8. Better understand your language.
Spanish is a "Romance" language, so called because it is based on Latin, the language of the old Roman Empire. English too has many words of Latin origin and therefore you'll recognize a lot of words and you'll find vocabulary building and enjoyable experience. "¡Ojo!" (Watch out!) There are some "falsos amigos" (false friends) meaning that some words which you might think have the same meaning as a similar sounding English word, in fact may have a completely different meaning. But that is part of the fun --the mistakes can be hilarious-- and we deal with "false friends" on all of our courses just to make sure you really don't embarrass yourself!
9. Expand your mind, expand your world, join in the conversation.
Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein once said:
"The limits of my language are the limits of my world."
He also observed:
"What we cannot speak about we must pass over in silence."
We agree. Don't be lost for words in business or leisure. Experience the fantastic sense of achievement of speaking and understanding a second language. We'd like you to open up your world to more than 400 million new friends and customers, and we'd like to be the people to help you do it.
10. Last and MOST importantly: You'll have great fun!
Without a doubt we believe that to really learn something well, learning has to be fun. That's no problem when you decide to learn Spanish with 121 Spanish in Buenos Aires.Com. Throw yourself into the course, enjoy the challenge, enjoy the lively lessons, enjoy the games we play, and if you're fortunate enough to be studying in Argentina enjoy Buenos Aires and everything else that Argentina has to offer. Enjoy the one on one attention and as you progress, enjoy the films we watch or, for those of you studying online, enjoy the films we recommend. Then enjoy the sensation that inevitably comes, of suddenly realizing that things are "clicking" and that what once seemed like a world of frustrations and meaningless noises is suddenly opening up into an experience of understanding the newspapers, enjoying some of the TV shows, chatting with the waiters at restaurants, talking about the weekends football match between Boca and River and making new Spanish speaking friends, many of whom will likely end up being friends for life. It's happened for many students before, and, if you study with us, it can happen for you.
Without doubt you'll already have sufficient reasons for wanting to learn Spanish. Perhaps you need to use Spanish at work, perhaps you believe that being bilingual will improve your career prospects, or maybe you want to visit a Spanish-speaking country and you feel that being able to communicate and understand the culture will make the trip a unique experience. Perhaps you want to be able to communicate with Spanish friends you have met or maybe part of your extended family is Hispanic, or maybe you just like the way the language sounds.
In case you need more reasons to reinforce your decision or an incentive to take that final step and decide, below we offer in more detail 10 great reasons why deciding to learn Spanish could be one of the best decisions you have ever made.
In case you need more reasons to reinforce your decision or an incentive to take that final step and decide, below we offer in more detail 10 great reasons why deciding to learn Spanish could be one of the best decisions you have ever made.
10 great reasons why you should start learning Spanish today