Which is the best language in the world? Is there really one better than the other? In this new Lebloo blog post we want to tell you about three great reasons why it can be said that Spanish is one of the best languages ​​in the world. Yes, Spanish, one of the most widely spoken languages, with around 460 million native speakers and 74 million non-native speakers globally. What are those peculiarities that makes Spanish to be among the best languages? What categories are considered for this statement? Join us today and find out.

From Latin to a universal language

Spanish, like a few other great languages ​​such as Portuguese, French, Italian and Catalan, has its origin from the ancient Latin of Rome. Its development as a standard language for large cities dates back to the year 1200 under the reign of Alfonso X in Toledo. The grammar of Antonio de Nebrija was the first book with an official agreement defining this language and its grammar rules in Europe.

From then on, Spanish spread throughout the world to position itself as one of the most widely spoken languages across the different continents.

The data speaks for itself: today Spanish is among the top of the most widely spoken languages ​​in the world after English and Mandarin Chinese, and is the third most widely spoken language ​​on the internet. The beauty of Spanish as a language is that it is not only limited to Spain and its regions, but many countries have adopted it as their official language. Its variations by country, the regionalisms and unique properties, those that make a language richer, are a whole world to explore.

But what is this language like? What is it about its structure that makes it stand out from the rest? Here are the top 3 reasons for it to be viewed this way.

1- In general, Spanish is written as it is pronounced

Broadly speaking, Spanish is written the same way it is read and pronounced. This is a great advantage for its use in different regions of the world, since there is no difference either in Spain or in the Spanish-speaking countries of South America. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule and that’s where misspellings are made.

We speakers of the language are so used to pronouncing it exactly as it is written that when we find words with B or V, with H, with C, S or Z, we tend to write it as similar to how it sounds, but the exceptions are clear and that is where we must be more careful. Like any language, Spanish also has rules and an academy that regulates them year after year, the Real Academia Española (RAE).

2- Syllables and Vowels: easier than it seems

The vowels of Spanish are only five and both its pronunciation and its writing match. What does this mean? That there are no variants that must be learned for different combinations with consonants or rules that regulate their pronunciation according to specific parameters.

An example of a language where there are variations in the pronunciation of vowels is French.

Regarding syllables, these units in Spanish have at least one vowel and the consonants it contains are not difficult to pronounce either. This simplicity and structural ease make the language easier than others and homogenizes it in practice. There aren’t a bunch of rules to learn when pronouncing vowels and syllables that make learning difficult, which is another great advantage for non-native speakers.

3- Accentuation and intonation system

In Spanish, intonation has a lot to do with accentuation. The accentuation rules for this language are only four, that is, there are four categories of words where the accent falls and it is clearly indicated where the syllable is located and where the voice should be recharged.

These rules leave no doubt about how intonation should be and that, again, is a great advantage for learning and practicing Spanish as a homogeneous language that can be spoken in radically different regions. However, once more it is necessary to note that outside of these four rules there are exceptions that must also be learned to improve both the writing and pronunciation of this language.

Have you heard about diphthongs, triphthongs, and hiatuses?

Yes, these also have to do with Spanish accentuation and grammar rules. To learn to accentuate words correctly, it is necessary to learn both rules and exceptions, therefore never leave them aside – they are not too many!

Much is said about learning Spanish as a second language or even as a native language in childhood. Surely you have heard that this is a very complex language to learn, write and speak. Its grammar is very complete and more than one seemed to have found that it has a higher complexity than other languages, especially speakers who do not have a native language within the family of Romance languages ​​or from Latin.

This is how a person who speaks Italian, or another who speaks Portuguese, can learn Spanish much more easily than one whose native language is Mandarin Chinese or Russian, two languages ​​with totally different roots from the roots of the Spanish language.

Despite the difficulties, more and more people are choosing to study Spanish as a second or third language, thus confirming that Spanish is a fascinating language for speakers from all over the world.

The Cervantes Institute carried out a study that highlights that in recent years the number of students of Spanish as a foreign language has increased considerably. This is due, in large part, to the existing commercial exchanges between Spanish-speaking countries and the rest of the world.

In countries like the United States and England, whose mother tongue is English, Spanish is the most studied foreign language and the language with the highest demand for learning.

It is believed that the expansion of Spanish as a language will continue to advance by leaps and bounds in the years to come, increasingly including itself in commercial exchanges, business, technology, science and other areas that did not reach years ago.

Due to its great versatility, expansion and constant evolution as a language, we can say that Spanish is one of the best languages ​​in the world.

Spanish has proven to be a language full of vitality and with a lot ahead to offer to global speakers. The richness of its grammar can be a challenge while learning it, but once you put away the fear of learning a new language whose most widespread myth is that it is difficult to tackle, it is possible to appreciate its beauty in all its glory.

And you, what do you think about Spanish? Are you a native speaker or are you learning it as a foreign language?

If you are part of the last group and you are still learning, surely you must have some anecdote with this very interesting language and its variants around the world. Rest assured that each Spanish-speaking country has a contribution to enrich and make the Spanish they speak their own, which is a very curious factor that we must also know at some point in our trip.

(Source: Cervantes Institute)