German is a language spoken by 129 million people in several European countries – Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Lichtenstein, Holland, Denmark, and Luxembourg.  It is similar to Dutch and Afrikaans.

German also has many vocabulary similarities to English, because English is a Germanic language with Latin influences. While the vocabulary may be easier to guess for English speakers, the grammar is much more complicated, and is a perfect challenge for language nerds. German has three genders and lots of declinations you have to wrap your head around.

Don’t forget to think of this as a good thing – learning a new language is like an exercise for the brain. The more strenuous the exercise, the better shape you will be in. Clearly then, learning German will keep your brain young and healthy while allowing you to make new friends and impress everyone while you travel. 😊

All joking aside, learning German can be surprisingly practical decision for a young person. Germany is the biggest economy in Europe. Its stability and robust growth even during the recent recession is famous and that has attracted employees from all around the world. If you want to work in Europe, knowing English is taken for granted, but knowing German in addition will immediately make you stand out in a job interview.

Even before you get to the job interview though, German can be very useful, as Germany offers more scholarships for international students than any other country (according to the Goethe Institute). Even without the scholarship, many excellent universities in Germany have no tuition.

This could be a great opportunity if you (or your child) would like to study Kant, Nietzsche, or Goethe in original form, while excelling in their business career working for world famous German companies like Siemens, Porsche and Adidas.