With languages, you are at home anywhere.

Wanderbug. A bug that everyone would love to be bitten by!

This is what the current generation believes in. They love to travel to new places, are much interested in trying new cuisines and curious to explore the culture. Thankfully English is the universal language which makes us all connected. But leveling up the curiosity game for the love of culture with the help of their respective languages makes you more connected to them. If you and your teen also love to study and experience different cultures then how about learning new languages which will help you to understand the music, culture, geography, cuisine and community value.

There are almost 7100+ languages in the world and it is next to impossible to learn all of them. How about taking a smart approach and learning those languages which are the most spoken across the world? Here are the top 5 languages spoken at a high volume worldwide that you and your teen should learn:

1. Spanish: There are 500 millions natives that speak Spanish worldwide. Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Spain, US and many other countries (Official count 18) do have speakers whose first language is Spanish. Check the stats here. Imagine learning one language and experiencing the culture of 18+ countries. Having fluency in Spanish language also opens doors for many exciting opportunities and sets your CV up for success.

2. German: 130 million people worldwide speak German & 42 countries have their mother tongue as German. As Germany is one of the top destinations for students pursuing their higher education, many international students come to Germany to further their education. Hence, Germany is a world class higher education hub. The German education system offers A class education and takes minimal or no fees for education (provided you know the language) Additionally, German companies are global market leaders. Learning German can help a being to get the most out of Germany.

3. French: French is the official language of 39 different countries. A count of 98 million people have French as their first language. French is also known as the love language because of its beautiful, rich, melodious vocabulary. French is an analytical language which also helps in structuring thought and developing critical thinking. It is also known as a foundation language, which means if you can learn French, you can easily learn Spanish, Italian, Romanian and more similar languages.

4. Arabic: If you often like to challenge yourself then Arabic is the language you must learn. This language has an alluring combination of the old dialects of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Phoenician which makes it vast. This language opens the gate for you to learn about the second largest religion of the world. If you are planning to settle down or grab an opportunity in the middle east sector of the world, then it is highly recommended to learn this language as this will make your life easier.

5. Chinese: Chinese is the most widely spoken language across the globe. It has over 1 billion speakers. Having proficiency in Chinese will open numerous opportunities for you. Research shows that learning chinese is a kind of mind exercise which requires all your attention and hacks. One interesting fact about the Chinese language is it has no plural, gender or conjunction.

With languages, you are at home anywhere. - Edmund De Waal.

Now that we have a fair idea on what languages are popular worldwide, the next question that arises in our mind is how to make your teen learn them. Don’t worry, we have got this sorted for you.

1. Sets teens apart: Okay, this is a fact. We all as humans, want to possess a different quality from our circle. Something that uplifts us as a persona and for that you need to have a mastered skill set which puts you a class apart. Portray exactly this to your teen and throw the idea of learning a new language, having the goal of acquiring a great proficiency. Tell them that if they start now, by the time they will be seeking a job or a higher education course, this skill set would make the possibility more likely.

2. Offer them a reward: Bribing teens the most wonderful hack of getting something done from your teen. If they are learning Spanish, promise them that you will take them out to a Spanish restaurant which has authentic Spanish food and desserts. Likewise, for other languages. If they complete the basic level of the language, watch a Spanish movie or series together with their favorite set-up.

3. Make it an integrative learning: If you have a tutor or an online course, whatever they learn, ask them to teach the same to you. This way they will be feeling more accountable and responsible, which automatically boosts the willingness of doing something. Using these tactics, they will be looking forward to learning the next step if they know that they have to teach the same to you as well.

4. Get indulged into a language assignment: Only getting a tutor or an online course is not sufficient. There are plenty of fun assignments over the internet which you could pick up and do it together with your teen. As they are the ones teaching you the new language, doing an assignment together - with discussions - will make more sense and will make the learning stay in the teen mind for a long time.

5. Design your travel guide together: Now that your teen has an intermediate level of understanding of a certain language, how about diving deep into the songs, lyrics, food, speech, literature, lifestyle, cost of accommodation and other important factors in a scrapbook. Frame the dialogues with each other in some of the mind created situations and bring the communication in the language learnt only. Even if in the long run you fail to make a travel plan to the country, your teen now knows what charms this country has to offer.

Wish you a happy learning :)