When choosing a foreign language to learn, quite a few people opt for the most widespread ones, like English or Spanish. After all, the more popular a language is the more opportunities there are for practicing it and the more opportunities it will open for you in the future.
Swedish may not be in the world’s top 10 most spoken languages. However, it doesn’t mean that learning Swedish isn’t worth your while. In this article, we will take a look at some of the great reasons for learning Swedish.
It is not that hard to learn
Swedish is not a terribly hard language, especially for speakers of English and other Germanic languages. There are many similarities between English and Swedish in terms of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. It may take some time to get used to the unfamiliar letters (å, ä, and ö) and tune your ears into the language’s melodic pronunciation, but you can learn Swedish relatively quickly.
It is a key to other Scandinavian languages
Some people even go as far as to say that by learning Swedish you get three languages for the price of one. There is a high level of mutual intelligibility between Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian, meaning speakers of one language can understand speakers of the others without too much difficulty. If you master Swedish, learning Danish and Norwegian will be much easier for you.
It will help you understand Swedish culture
A language is a gateway to the culture of the countries that speak it. Even though some things can be translated, to truly enjoy a culture you need to speak its language. And Swedish culture is an exciting one to learn! There’s Viking history, great music, wonderful books.
By learning Swedish, you can discover what Sweden’s culture has to offer. You can learn about their holidays, celebrations, and mindset. And best of all, you can use Swedish to talk to real Swedish people about these topics.
It is good for your career
Many companies nowadays value bilingual employees. That’s because having such a skill in-house is extremely beneficial. Whether it is talking to Swedish investors or negotiating deals in Swedish, your fluency could be the deciding factor. And that’s very valuable to a company. Speaking Swedish will look amazing on your CV and enhance your career opportunities.
Sweden is a wonderful place to live
Have you ever considered moving to another country? With amazing healthcare, attractive salaries, and a generally high standard of living, Sweden is one of the best places to move to. It is also a country of great natural beauty that will take your breath away again and again.
It offers great educational opportunities
Sweden offers scholarships and financial benefits to high school students. And it is one of the few countries in the world that actually pays students to learn. And college in Sweden is just as enticing. Higher education in Sweden is free and the quality of teaching is great.
So, if you have the chance to study abroad in Europe, Sweden is an amazing choice. You can get a work class education for a fracture of the cost. And the best way to secure your Swedish education is through speaking Swedish.
It makes you smarter
Learning a foreign language is a challenge for your brain that improves your overall brain health and increases your cognitive abilities, according to some research, actually making you smarter. And although it may be true for any foreign language, why not choose Swedish, a beautiful language that will offer you some great opportunities?