What Is The Best European Language To Learn?
Welcome to Europe, one of the most multilingual continents in the world. I know it might get pretty confusing when it comes to choosing a language to learn. Europeans speak different languages in every single part. This article will give you the answer to what is the best European language to learn. It will explain why it is the best language to learn and give you insights into where the most common European language is spoken. So let’s dive in.
The Best European Language To Learn Is…
The best European language to learn is German. Simply because German is the official language of 3 countries. These are Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Also, many people in Central Europe and Balkan countries learn German. This is because they seek career opportunities and better life in German-speaking countries. Therefore, they often learn German as their second foreign language. So you’ll be able to speak German in countries such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, North Macedonia, and even Albania.
Why Is German The Best European Language To Learn?
German is the best European language to learn thanks to the 3 main reasons:
- It is the only language that is official in 3 countries. There is no other European language spoken in so many countries. Other European languages are official only in one or a maximum of two countries (French).
- Many Central and Eastern Europeans learn German as their second foreign language. They often go to German-speaking countries to work and live. So even if you don’t want to visit a German-speaking country, you’ll still meet many people that speak German.
- Germans travel a lot. You will most probably meet them anywhere you are in Europe. It happens to me on every single trip. Whenever I meet travellers, they are often from Germany. And so I can speak German.
In Which Countries Can I Speak German In Europe?
Here is a list of European countries where you can speak German:
- Germany
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Czech Republic
- Slovakia
- Poland
- Hungary
- Serbia
- North Macedonia
If you are interested in German dialects and where these dialects are spoken, read my article about the best language to learn to travel Europe.
Is Learning German Difficult?
Perhaps I will slightly disappoint you here. But yes, German is a very difficult language to learn. It is one of the most difficult European languages to learn. This is because it uses 3 different definite articles. Its verbs come with a preposition. And German words are long and sometimes difficult to pronounce.
Each noun has a different article, which you have to memorize. Moreover, these definite articles change their form in every single person when you conjugate them. Another challenging thing in the German language is prepositions. Each German verb comes with a preposition, which you also have to learn by heart. Also, some words are very long and difficult to pronounce for some people.
These are the main reasons why the German language is very difficult. But I don’t want to discourage you from learning it. I learned it on my own and now speak it fluently. Thanks to Germany, I was able to work in Salzburg and after Swiss hotels as a receptionist. So you can definitely make it. Just be patient and practice speaking a lot.
How To Approach Learning German Definite Articles?
One of the best and most efficient ways to learn definite articles in German is to associate each article with one colour.
German has 3 definite articles: DER, DIE, DAS. As I mentioned above, there is no rule for which noun has which article. It is random, and you’ll just have to remember this article for each noun. This is one of the most difficult things to learn in German. But it doesn’t have to be. I have a great trick for you to learn these definite articles.
Associate Each Definite Article With A Colour
Associate each article with one colour. For instance, DER will be blue, DIE will be yellow, and DAS will be red.
Now, whenever you need to learn a German noun together with a definite article, just look at which article the noun has and then imagine this noun in your head with the colour of the article.
Example Of German Nouns & Colours
For example, let’s say we have a noun: ‘Apfel.‘ ‘Apfel’ in German means ‘apple,’ and its definite article is DER. Since we attributed the blue colour to the article DER, you must imagine that an apple is blue. So if you imagine in your head that an apple is blue, you’ll automatically know it uses article DER.
Or, let’s say, a car (das Auto in German) uses the article ‘DAS.’ We attributed red colour to the article DAS. So now, imagine that a car is always red. This way, you’ll know that car uses DAS as an article.
A Few Examples Of German Nouns With Definite Articles (& Colours)
an apple = DER APFEL
honey = DER HONIG
a cat = DIE KATZE
a church = DIE KIRCHE
a car = DAS AUTO
a book = DAS BUCH
So whenever you’re learning nouns in the German language, always associate them with the colour of a respective article. This way, it will make it much more fun and easy for you to remember definite articles.
If you want to keep learning German, check out the best way to learn German vocabulary.
German Is The Best European Language For Career
Apart from German being spoken in many European countries and being the best European language to learn, it is also the best language for your career. If you’re planning to move to Europe for work and wonder which language you should learn, the answer is to learn German. Of course, it also depends on the country you want to work in. If you want to only work in Spain, learn Spanish. Or if you want to move and work in Italy, work in Italy. It also depends on the job position you’ll have.
Even if you want to work in Spain, there are thousands of opportunities to work in the German language. Many companies in Spain or Portugal look for German speakers. So that is why German is the best European language for a career. It is in demand a lot.
With German, you have the highest opportunities to get employed in Europe. You’ll also have a great chance to earn a good salary if you speak German. Only if you think about it… Switzerland has an average salary rate of 6,538 CHF per month, according to Swissinfo News. As a foreigner, you can easily make between 4000 and 4500 CHF per month (Brutto), which is my own experience.
So if you speak German, not only have you thousands of career opportunities in Europe. You’ll also be well paid for your work.
German Is The European Language In Demand
All in all, German is also the European language that is most in demand. As I mentioned above, with German, you’ll have many career opportunities in Europe. Many people in Central European countries such as Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Serbia, learn German to live and work in German-speaking countries.
I used to teach German online and registered on a language website to look for students. Even though I don’t teach German anymore, I keep receiving at least 3 emails every day from students looking to learn German.
The German language is highly in demand, and it will give you many opportunities in Europe. Whether you want to move to Europe and find a job, or you just want to travel Europe and visit many European countries, the German language will be your big asset.
More Tips On German Learning
Now that you know German is the best European language to learn, it’s time to get round to learning it. First, check out my article about the best language learning method for adults and start learning German with my step-by-step guide. Also, I highly recommend you read about what to learn in a new language as a complete beginner. It will guide you through the topics and vocabulary you’ll need to learn as a beginner in German. Then, once you learn the basics, check out the best way to learn a language independently.
Best Language Learning Method For Adults
Basic Vocabulary To Learn In Any Language
Also, my article about how to learn a language fast will give you ideas for fun and exciting activities to learn new vocabulary.
Best App To Learn German Language
I’ve discovered the ultimate best app to learn the German language. It’s the Lingopie Platform. Lingopie gives you access to thousands of movies and TV series that you can watch in the German language (with English translations & subtitles). So even if you feel tired after your exhausting day, you can just watch a movie in German and listen to the accent.
When you feel like it, you can also select the vocabulary you want to learn from the movie and add it to your flashcard section. Lingopie also enables you to record yourself pronouncing words in German and then evaluates, whether you said them right.
If you want to learn more about Lingopie benefits, check out my article.
Or try a Lingopie 7-day free trial and watch movies in the German language. This way, learning German comes naturally. I use Lingopie myself and my Spanish has improved significantly.
Incorporate More Language Resources
If you want to get to the intermediate level of learning German, incorporate more resources. So once you learn the basics, start reading a book in German. I recommend 101 Conversations in Simple German. It is a great book that uses simple and everyday life vocabulary in short dialogues.
Learn German with the best language learning app. Or listen to some podcasts in the German language. For example, choose CoffeeBreak podcats, and you can listen to German stories when commuting to work or school. Also, check out some of the best German audiobooks for beginners.
After all, you can also read language magazines such as Deutsch Perfect. These will help you to learn new vocabulary and learn more about German countries, their culture, traditions, and give you some fun facts.
Check out the best app to watch TV shows in different languages. It’ll help you to learn new vocabulary in context, which is the best way to learn any languge.
Go to my language blog to learn more about effective ways to learn the German language. Check out my language resources page to get more ideas for language tools to boost your language learning.
If you want to know the most useful language to learn for Eastern Europe, check out my article about it.
I wish you a happy learning. Let me know if you have any questions or doubts.
