Spanish is a widely studied language, both as a language in its own right and as a subject of study because it is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world. What is the exact number of people who can speak Spanish? How many countries have Spanish as their primary language, and in which countries is Spanish an official language? These questions and others are answered below. Spanish is a Romance language, which evolved from Vulgar (Common) Latin in the same way that French, Italian, Romanian, and Portuguese did. It was first documented on the Iberian Peninsula, located in the southwestern corner of Europe and is home to both Spain and Portugal today. Castilian, the continuation of Vulgar Latin and originates from the Castile region of Spain, mingled with the Arabic dialect of the Moors. They had previously conquered parts of the region. By the 1200s, the language had evolved into what is now known as standard Spanish after being influenced by a variety of languages for centuries. Castilian is not, however, the only variety of Spanish spoken anywhere in the world. Around the same time, a distinct variety of Spanish known as Andalusian emerged and is still used in certain regions of southern Spain. In the following centuries, specifically the 16th century, Spain expanded its empire into the Americas and brought the Spanish language. Today, Spain is home to fewer than 10% of the world’s population that speaks Spanish as their primary language. There are many countries in the world that speak Spanish. In addition to Puerto Rico, the following 19 countries and Puerto Rico all have Spanish as a first language: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela. In addition to being widely spoken in the United States, Spanish is also a widely used language in Belize, Andorra, and Gibraltar, which are not countries where Spanish is an official language at the national level, but speak Spanish as a first language as well as having a population are able to speak English or Catalan natively. Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, after Chinese, with over 450 million native speakers, making it the second most spoken native language overall. Chinese is the most spoken native language in the world. The number of native English speakers is close to that of Spanish, with approximately 360 million people. After English and French, Spanish is the language that receives the third most classroom time worldwide. In addition to the 450 million people worldwide who speak Spanish as their native language, there are close to 75 million people who speak Spanish as a second language. Over 43 million people in the United States currently speak Spanish as their primary language, accounting for approximately 13 percent of the total population. This number is expected to continue to rise. In addition, the United States is home to nearly 12 million people who can speak both Spanish and English. This makes it the second-largest country in the world that speaks Spanish (after Mexico), but one study predicts that the United States will be the largest by the year 2050. Many people in the United States who do not already speak Spanish are attempting to learn the language. Spanish is the language that is studied the most in the United States. More than seventy percent of K-12 students and fifty percent of college students in the United States choose to study Spanish. This is a significant increase compared to the percentage of college students (12%) and K-12 students (15%) who choose French as their second language of study. Mexico has the world’s largest population of native Spanish speakers, with 121 million people able to communicate in the language. In addition to being the official language in many countries in Central and South America, Spanish is the language spoken in Mexico. Colombia, with its population of approximately 46 million Spanish speakers, and Argentina, are two of the largest Spanish-speaking countries in South America (about 41 million Spanish speakers). Spanish is spoken by approximately sixty percent of the people living in Latin America. A small percentage of the population can communicate in French, English, and various Mayan languages; however, most of the population can communicate in Portuguese (approximately 34 percent). Since Spain is the country where the Spanish language was first developed, it should come as no surprise that Spain is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in Europe. However, Spain has fallen behind the United States and is now the country with the third largest Spanish-speaking population. This is because Spain has 46 million people who can speak Spanish. Even though Catalan and English are the official languages of Andorra and Gibraltar, respectively, Spanish is widely spoken in both of these European countries as well. Approximately 150,000 people speak Spanish in Switzerland, which accounts for 2.2 percent of the total population. In addition to being one of the 24 official languages of the European Union, it is also spoken in isolated communities across other European nations, such as Italy, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Some people speak Spanish all over the world, not just in the Americas and Europe, where most Spanish speakers live. However, the majority of Spanish speakers live in these two regions. The Philippines is a country that stands out due to the fact that Spanish was an official language in the country from the late 16th century until relatively recently. Even after the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, Spanish remained a co-official language in the Philippines alongside English until 1987, when it was designated as an optional language. This was despite the fact that the Philippines were under Spanish rule from 1565 until 1898. Approximately three million people in the Philippines are fluent in Spanish or Chavacano, a Creole language that has its roots in Spanish. Nearly 68 percent of the population in Equatorial Guinea, located in Africa, is fluent in Spanish, one of the three official languages spoken there. Additionally, Spanish is spoken in the regions of northern Africa under Spanish control and in Morocco, which is located geographically close to Spain. Last but not least, in both Angola and South Sudan, there are pockets of bilingual people in Spanish and English. The number of people who speak Spanish is increasing worldwide, 20 countries worldwide (except Spain) have Spanish as an official language. According to projections made by the Cervantes Institute, the population of officially Spanish-speaking nations is expected to reach 750 million people speak Spanish natively by the year 2050. These projections are based on the findings of the Pew Research Center, which found that the number of Spanish speakers in the United States has increased by an astounding 233% since 1980. This, of course, is ignoring the hundreds of millions worldwide who have picked up Spanish as an additional tongue or are in the process of picking it up as an additional tongue. After the English and French languages, Spanish is the third most studied language in the entire world. It ranks right after the English and French languages. Therefore, for private or professional reasons, many people are inspired to learn Spanish, and Rosetta Stone has taught millions of people with our ten-minute, bite-sized lessons that help people feel confident when they speak conversational Spanish in the real world. Today, the Americas can lay claim to having the greatest number of native speakers of Spanish anywhere in the world. The following is a list of facts: And as we speak, a growing number of people are becoming interested in the concept of learning Spanish because of the benefits they believe it will provide them when travelling, working, or simply going about their daily lives. They are an indigenous modification of the primary language that is spoken. The Spanish language and the empire created during the age of exploration by the dominant power have had a significant impact on the development of Creole languages, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean. Other languages, such as French, Dutch, and English, have also impacted creole languages. This has everything to do with which empire ruled a particular region for an extended period and exerted its influence there. 1. Download an app on your phone There are a lot of apps that can teach you the fundamentals of a new language on your smartphone. The well-known application Duolingo makes learning Spanish a way that is not only cost-free but also entertaining and interactive. The most exciting part? You can use these applications for a short period each day at a time that is convenient for your schedule. You won’t believe how much you’ve learned until you’ve gone through a few more sessions. 2. Subscribe to a Spanish-language podcast Even though it is possible to learn a new language on your own, it is beneficial to listen to the rhythms and inflections that are inherent in the speech of people who are native speakers of that language. Downloading a few podcasts, such as News in Slow Spanish, and subscribing to them can significantly impact your ability to pronounce Spanish words correctly while you are learning the language. 3. Watch the news from a country that has Spanish as the official language Is it true that watching Spanish-language television helps one learn the language? Sí. You probably picked up some basic skills in English and mathematics from watching Sesame Street. The same rule applies in this situation as in the previous one: the more you get used to hearing Spanish words and phrases spoken aloud, the more likely it will be that you can trust your brain to string it all together in a conversation when you need to. A number of television shows, such as Destinos, are created expressly for individuals studying the Spanish language. Because viewers can see what’s happening on the screen, they often find watching TV more convenient than listening to podcasts or the radio. A helpful piece of advice is to begin watching things in Spanish with the subtitles turned on so that you can read and listen. 4. Start a conversation club Why not organize a conversation group once a week for any members of your family or circle of friends who are also trying to improve their Spanish language skills? (If coordinating a location proves difficult, you can even carry this out through video chat.) Because you may not have a large vocabulary at first, it is important to choose a topic of conversation for each session related to the words you are learning (e.g. weather, household items, cooking, school). Select a situation you will most likely face when using Spanish and act out a role to improve matters. If you want to study abroad in Argentina, you could pretend to order some traditional Argentinian asado from a restaurant that a friend frequents to save money. Find a way to incorporate food into your conversation group as an extra effort to go the extra mile because, you know, food makes everything better. Additionally, if you bring snacks to each session, your friends will be more excited about participating. 5. Carry a Spanish-English dictionary with you…everywhere Carry a compact Spanish-English dictionary with you throughout the day to expand your Spanish vocabulary as you go about your daily activities. Right then and there, look up the word you don’t know in Spanish and try to commit it to memory so you won’t have to look it up again later. There is a wide range of sizes and formats available for Spanish-English dictionaries; the most compact versions are small enough to fit in the back pocket of a pair of jeans. If you drive a car or always carry a bag with you, such as a purse, messenger bag, or backpack, it should not be difficult to have one close by at all times. 6. Sign up for a language class There is no getting around the fact that enrolling in a Spanish class will keep you responsible and committed to your goal of becoming fluent in the language. Having an instructor who can guide you, a group to practise with, and homework that reinforces what you have learned is extremely beneficial. This is true regardless of the level you register for: beginner, intermediate, or advanced. Because prices fluctuate according to the level of frequency, location, and quality of a course, you must conduct adequate research before investing your hard-earned money in one. 7. Spend time in on of the many Spanish-speaking countries Travelling to on of the Spanish language’s home countries is one of the most effective ways to learn the language. Even if you are starting, participating in a study abroad program or taking an extended trip can be the most effective way to incorporate real-world scenarios into your second-language education. Of course, as well as the official language of Spain with all it's wonderful beaches, there are many beautiful and exciting countries to explore while studying your language of choice - Equatoguinean Spanish is a great dialect to learn ;) In addition to the advantages of acquiring a new language, spending time in a foreign country can provide you with some of the most unforgettable experiences of your life. You will be surrounded by people who speak Spanish if you participate in certain programmes, which may involve living with a Spanish-speaking host family or attending a Spanish-speaking school. many Spanish are very friendly, so you will have fun! 8. Work with a private native Spanish teacher A Brief History Of Spanish Language | History of the Spanish Language
Where In The World Is Spanish Spoken? | Spanish-speaking Countries | Where in the World Spanish is the Official Language | Spanish-Speaking Countries | How Many Countries Speak Spanish as a Native Language? | 21 Countries with Spanish as an Official Language
What percentage of the world’s population speaks Spanish?
How Many People Speak Spanish In The U.S.? | population of Spanish Speakers in the US
How Many People Speak Spanish In Latin America?
How Many People Speak Spanish In Europe? | Countries in which Spanish is spoken in Europe
How Many People Speak Spanish In The Rest Of The World? Countries Where Spanish is an Official or National Language | Countries of the World that Speak Spanish
Where Do People Speak Spanish? What are the Spanish speaking countries?
Which Country or Continent Is Home to the Most Spanish Language Speakers?
Creole language
Why Learn Spanish?
7 of the Best Ways to Learn Spanish