If you are contemplating to learn Spanish or you are presently studying this fascinating language, you may like to know some facts about Spanish that makes this language one of the most studied and spoken in the world.
Spanish is One of the Dominant Languages
Spanish is spoken by 420 million people (the most spoken language in the world after Mandarin Chinese) and it’s growing quicker than many other languages. By the year 2050 Spanish will reach 600 million speakers.
The 2nd Most Studied Language
In the year of 2015, the number of people studying Spanish as a 2nd language was more than 21 million. Within 3 generations, 10% of the population will be able to speak in Spanish.
Not Spain, it is Mexico Which is the Largest Spanish Speaking Country
Having over 129 million people. The U.S boasts the world’s 2nd-largest Spanish-speaking population with nearly 41 million people, followed by Colombia, Spain, and Argentina.
It is the Official Language of 22 Countries
Across 4 continents Spanish is the official language of 22 countries. They include some of the prominent countries like Spain, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Cuba.
Spanish is the 2nd Largest Native Language in the World
Besides being the 2nd largest native language, It is also a preferred second language used for international communication, and the 3rd most used language on the web. 7.9% of web users communicate in Spanish, but Spanish is the 2nd most used language on the 2 main social media platforms in the world Facebook and Twitter.
Two Terms for Spanish
Certain countries use the term “Español” and others use “Castellano” to refer to Spanish. Both terms are used for Spanish as they are synonyms, but Español is less ambiguous; so it is preferable to use “Español” for “Spanish” and “Castellano” to refer to the Spanish spoken in the Spanish part of Castilla.