World Business Languages
Throughout the world, there are some languages that are predominantly used when companies are dealing with business interactions. Here is a list of the top five languages used for international business.
5. Mandarin
As the official language of China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Taiwan, Mandarin is a commonly used language for international business. For China, where Mandarin is most widely spoken, major trading partners include Australia, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and the USA.
4. Spanish
For Spain, among many other countries worldwide, Spanish is an international business language, with the major trading partners of Spain including China, France, Germany, Italy and Portugal.
3. English
For the United Kingdom, English is most commonly spoken among international business partners. Many of their major trading partners are China, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA.
2. French
In France, they often trade with Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. French is spoken in many different languages. French is predicted to be spoken by almost 80 percent of the world’s population by 2050.
1. German
The final most commonly used language in international trade is German. Used most commonly in Germany, it is also an official language in countries including Austria, Belgium, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg and Switzerland. Major trading partners for Germany are China, Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom and the USA.
While these are the languages that are most commonly spoken, it is important to understand each countries culture surrounding business transactions. Without knowledge of their culture, you could embarrass yourself or your company, and in worst-case scenario, ruin any opportunities on the horizon.
References
http://www.thelanguagefactory.co.uk/5-languages-international-business-infographic/