Reasons for learning Chinese

1. Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world

Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world with approximately 1,197,000,000 people speaking Chinese, of which 873,000 million speak Mandarin, according to infoplease.com therefore 14% of the global population speaking Chinese.

2. Countries that speak Mandarin

As well as China, Mandarin is spoken in countries such as Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei, Phillipines and Mongolia so if you do business in these countries then it would be beneficial to converse in their language.

3. Learn about history and culture of China

Chinese history and culture is one the richest and certainly the oldest in the world. China is renowned for producing beautiful novels, short stories, poetry and more recently excellence in film. Reading great Chinese biographies and watching short films about the history of China provides a greater understanding of the language.

4. Make friends with different cultures

China has the biggest population in the world with approximately 1.28 billion people so learning the language gives you access to communicate with many people and connect on a deeper level. Get a Chinese pen pal to improve your writing and understand family life in China.

5. It is good for business.

Mark Zuckerberg is wowing audiences across the world with his new Chinese Skills, especially those important business executives in China. Infact, there are many top CEO's that speak Chinese as a second language.

So why would a man already highly successful learn to speak Mandarin and then deliver a 30 minute presentation in a language he is just getting to grips with? Well he could just be learning the language to communicate with the in-laws as his wife is Chinese, or this is part of a business strategy to move Facebook into China then truly become Global.

6. Learning Mandarin is easier than you think

You do not have to worry about verbs! there are no verbs, no plurals, no tenses, no subject-verb agreement, and no conjugations. There are over 80,000 chinese characters but generally only 3,500 are used in converation. Infact, it could be regarded as a more logical language.

7. Improve your artistic skills.

Chinese symbols and characters require a steady hand. The written words are actually iconographic characters rather than letters. These symbols and characters are created using 'strokes' rather like painting.

8. Improve your brain power

We know we need to keep are brains well oiled and studies have shown that Mandarin speakers use both sides of their brains! This will certainly keep brains motoring.

9. Travel to beautiful countries knowing you can communicate.

If you can speak Mandarin "the world is your oyster" as you travel across Southeast Asia you will have the confidence to speak with the locals in Chinese, you might even be invited into their homes for home cooked food experiencing real Chinese life. Travelling around the world is always more enriching when you make friends with local people.

10. Eat great food

Sizzling food markets across China offer some unique dishes not found anywhere else. Chinese cuisine is a joy to behold so the language will aquaint you with the types of food not found in our local Chinese Take Away.

Chinese is important for your career!

1. International businesses prefer to hire people who speak more than one language. China has become a huge market, and business leaders are looking for people who can speak Chinese and operate successfully in a Chinese cultural context.
2. Knowing Chinese may give you an edge when competing for an important position.
3. China will play a major role in world affairs in the future. As China now has opened up to the West, there are opportunities for employment in all areas.
4. China is a wonderful country in which to teach English while developing your language and cultural skills. The experience is great, and it's something you will never forget.
5. Teach in China A program offered through the Council on International Education Exchange.
6. China Employment Center at China Online.
7. Greater China Job Listings from Wang & Li Asia Resources.
8. Job Information Journal: China ESL Cafe's journal of various job experiences in China, including places you should avoid when looking for employment.

Mandarin Chinese is Asia's future lingua franca (common language)

Although English is still the most commonly used language for business communication in Asia, this is slowly but surely changing. As China replaces the US as the main trading partner of most East and Southeast Asian countries, Mandarin Chinese will play an increasingly important role as a language for business communication. Especially in countries like Japan and Korea, and also in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia, Chinese is slowly becoming the most popular foreign language. If you take up the challenge to learn Chinese, you will not only be able to communicate with Chinese natives, but more and more with other Asians who decided to learn Chinese as a foreign language themselves. .

11. It's Good Exercise For Your Brain

Studies suggest that learning Chinese utilizes areas of the brain that learning other languages does not. As there are many differences between learning Chinese compared with English such as tones and characters it is said that learning Chinese takes more brain power! Whereas English speakers only use the left temporal lobe, speakers of Mandarin use both. If you choose to learn Written Chinese, learning to write characters can help with motor skills and visual recognition will keep the mind sharp. Bilingual people, in general, are also said to be better at prioritizing and multitasking than monolingual people.
So if you want to keep your brain on the ball, be a maths genius (Chinese children have a great understanding of maths than English-speaking children) or keep yourself organised, Chinese is the language for you!