What's the best language to learn?

I read another Blog the other day which was advocating a certain language was the best to learn. This got me thinking...what is the best language to learn?

I don't think there is a simple answer to this question if we are talking about all people in the world or even in Australia or even just NSW. It's not possible to generalise like this when we all have our own motivations, beliefs, interests and cultural backgrounds that could and should influence our decision.

One strong belief I do hold very close to my heart is, that if your family has a heritage in a country that is not an English speaking one -  then this is a great language to learn. It is a part of who you are and you should embrace it. My Grandfather came to Australia after the war in the 1940's and never spoke German with my mother. Therefore, she never taught me. But I love learning it because I know it is still a part of who I am and gives me a stronger sense of identity. So please, don't lose your language, culture and heritage.

However, if you are motivated by work or money then another language might be the go. Asian languages are very popular for this reason. In saying that if you live in the United States you might want to consider Spanish.

If you want to learn a language to travel - well learn the language of the place you are going - obviously!

If you are motivated by your partner - learn what they speak. They will be an invaluable teacher.

On that note I do still strongly advocate learning Spanish for a few simple reasons:

• It's probably the easiest language for English speakers to learn. It's a phonetic language with a relatively small alphabet.
• More people speak Spanish as their first language than English making it the 2nd most spoken in the world in terms of native speakers. Imagine all the people you could befriend!
• Latin America is the largest growing market in business. Therefore, Spanish is a growing language for business. Aka employability.
• 50 million people (more than double the population of Australia) in the USA speak Spanish. SO if you want to go there, you might need more than just English.
• It's one of the most culturally rich languages you can find. And that's not surprising considering it's the main language in over 22 countries. From the Incas in Peru, the colourful streets in La Habana or to La Tomatina in Spain there is so much to see and learn.
• There are a lot of resources available. From grammar to free music and TV shows, there is something on the web to help with your Spanish in a fun and exciting way. In comparison to German I find it ten times easier to find both teaching and personal resources for Spanish.

Macchu Picchu, Peru

La Habana, Cuba

La Tomatina, Spain

What do you guys think is the best language to learn? Or at least for you what is or would be the best? And what are your motivations? Maybe I will have inspired you to learn one today :)