Here in the United States, it's well-known that the most commonly spoken second language is Spanish. But what about in other countries? Depends on where you go. In Africa, for example, there are a mix of tribal languages spoken in certain areas, while French, Italian and English dominate in others.
The Middle East also features a varied set of second languages, including Cantonese, Turkic, and Tagalog.
Overall, English is the most popular second language, with 55% of the world speaking English as their second language, followed by French (14%), Russian (13%) and Spanish (8%).
Even in primarily English-speaking countries, children are encouraged to learn another language at a young age, due to the cognitive benefits of learning languages and the globalization of our economy. Given that language acquisition is easiest when kids are young, starting early is key.
Check out the infographic below from Movehub to learn more about second languages in other countries, and check out our foreign language programs to start your child on the path to learning a second, third or even fourth language.
