Current events in the world have brought Russia to the forefront of World News, and it may have left you wondering about the Russian language. With everything going on, what does this mean for the future? Is it worth learning Russian? If so, why?
It’s one of the most spoken languages in the world
Russian is the 7h most spoken language after English, Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish, French, and Arabic.
There are more than 260 million people worldwide who speak Russian.
It’s the official language of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. You will also encounter Russian speakers in Israel, the Baltics, China, Ukraine, Armenia, and even the United States.
By learning Russian, you will be opening yourself up to a whole new world of countries and people you have never visited or met.
Knowing the Russian language improves employment prospects
Russian is an asset to have if you are in the world of International Trade and Business as Russian has the 5th largest economy in the world and is number 6th in terms of a country’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per capita (I.e per number of people).
This means that Russians are getting wealthier and as a result can afford to travel. Being able to speak Russian if you are in the tourism industry will be invaluable.
Russian is quite a challenging language to learn so employers will be impressed with your dedication, resourcefulness and perseverance in learning the language and make you stand out from other candidates applying for the same job.
The number of private tutors, classes and Russian teachers around are growing in number every day. It shouldn’t be too difficult for you to find a Russian teacher near you and get started on learning a key language to improve your employment prospects.
Not Many Russians Speak English
Despite having a roaring economy both domestically and internationally, there isn’t a great number of people who speak English in Russia. This is especially true of the older generations. A recent statistic suggests that only 5% of Russians speak English and English proficiency in the country is categorised as low. So, if you visit the country and you can speak the language, you will be making your life a lot easier and impressing locals right, left and centre.
Russia has a fascinating culture
Language and culture are closely tied together and Russian culture has some amazing facts to it. Are you into literature? Translations from one language to another when it comes to great works of literature often result in cultural aspects, tone and register being lost. Speaking Russian means you can read the classics from Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky and Pushkin exactly as they were intended.
The Russian language carries a lot more meaning and is a lot more detailed and specific than English. Russian allows you to get to the point quicker and express yourself more clearly. This says a lot about the culture and speaking Russian will give you a greater insight into the Russian psyche.
Russian music, TV and film are also important aspects of culture and identity. Not being able to understand the language means missing out on a lot that makes Russian, Russian and Russians, Russian.
Russian has a complicated history and this is something that has been passed down through the generations and seeped into Russian culture. Being able to have simple conversations in Russian will allow you a greater understanding of how the history of the country has impacted the culture and people today.
Experience the real Russia
Being able to speak the language of a country allows you to experience the country the way the locals do. The Russian people are not always the most welcoming so being able to say anything in Russian helps warm people to you. Speaking the language also means you can have conversations with locals and find out about little gems that tourists aren’t usually privy to. You can attend the cinema, concerts, shows and exhibitions that are truly part of Russian culture. Of course, you could attend these even if you don’t speak the language, but is it really that much fun if you have no idea what’s going on?
Another great thing about speaking the language of any country is not getting ripped off, falling for tourist traps or being taken advantage of in other ways during your travels. Being able to speak the language changes people’s views of you and will make them behave differently towards you. The fact that you have taken the effort and time to learn even a little bit of Russian will result in getting lower prices in markets, taxis and for certain trips.
Russian Opens Up A World of Languages
Russian is a member of the Slavic languages family, so learning it will open up doors to languages like Ukrainian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Polish and Slovenian. So, really when you learn Russian, you are learning a gateway language that opens you up to lots of other languages, cultures and people.
Whatever Your Reasons…
Start learning Russian today and experience an increase in career choices, a deeper understanding of the world around you and a larger library of books , TV shows and films for you to choose from!
