Communicating in Europe

If you can speak German, you can communicate with about 100 million people in their own language, for German is spoken not only in Germany but also in Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg, as well as in areas of Northern Italy, Eastern Belgium and Eastern France. In fact, German is one of the ten most frequently spoken languages in the world.

Reading texts in the original

If you're interested in literature, German is a must. Over 60,000 new books (18% of books publications world-wide!) are published in Germany each year, making German the third largest publisher of books in the world. And translations never do complete justice to a literary text.

Doing business with Germans

Germany is the most important trading partner for almost all European and many non-European countries. If you know German, you'll improve your business relationships with what is the third largest industrial nation and one of the most important exporting countries in the world.

Experiencing success

Contrary to common myth, German is really not such a difficult language to learn. After all, German and English are closely related languages. With diligence and good study habits, you can achieve success.

Finding advantages for tourism

In many countries, visitors from Germany, Austria and Switzerland make up the largest and most important tourist groups, so knowing German can be an advantage for people working in the tourist industry.

Gaining opportunities in the job market

Being able to communicate improves your chances on the job market, and knowing more than one language is a good indicator of your ability to communicate effectively with others. Many German companies abroad, many foreign companies in Germany, and companies with close business connections with the German-speaking countries all recruit workers with language qualifications. Within the European Union it is not only specialists but also students and scientists with a knowledge of German who can find many interesting training, study and job opportunities.

Preparing for Europe

Learning another language always broadens your intellectual and professional horizons. Those who learn German gain access to an intellectually, economically and culturally significant area of Central Europe.

Keeping up with research

A knowledge of German is important for students of science, since the use of German is second only to English in scientific publications. If you can read German, you have access to a whole world of research findings in all areas of modern science. This is why 40% of scientists in the US recommend that students learn German. In Poland and Hungary, the figure is over 70%.

Exploring Germany in depth

Germany lies in the "heart of Europe," and each year millions of tourists from all over the world visit Germany. Being able to speak and understand German enables you to know the German people better and gain a deeper insight into their history and culture.

Encountering cultural riches

A knowledge of German—the language of Goethe, Nietzsche and Kafka, Mozart, Bach and Beethoven, Freud and Einstein—opens the door to one of the greatest cultures in Europe.