- 19 Apr 2021
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Countless reasons why learning Russian makes sense
Why should a Swiss person learn Russian? There are actually very many reasons to learn Russian. In this post, we would like to mention just a few. This language is the eighth most spoken language in the world with around 200 million speakers in 16 countries. It is also learned and spoken as a second language in large parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
To put that into perspective, French – the sixth on the list – only has around 20 million speakers left. You can speak with a lot of people if you learn Russian! Russia, officially called the Russian Federation, is geographically the largest sovereign nation in the world.
It spans nine time zones and covers around ⅛ of the world's land surface. Around 150 million people live in Russia. This makes Russia the ninth-largest country in the world. So we know that Russia is big and there are many people in the world who speak Russian.
What other reasons are there to learn Russian?
Few Russians speak English
English is the global language, and you can find English speakers almost anywhere in the world if you need help. In Russia, it’s different. In that country, only 5% of the population speak English, so it’s an advantage to learn Russian.
With Russian you have far fewer competitors
Many of us learned a second language at school. These include French, Italian and Spanish. Many universities offer Russian, but not as many students choose it. That is probably also down to the alphabet. Even so, you will be a big fish in a small pond if you are one of the few who know Russian.
Learning Russian is not as difficult as people think
Many have always wanted to learn Russian, but the Cyrillic alphabet scares them. However, this language is an Indo-European language and is not so difficult to learn. Learning the Cyrillic alphabet is also not that difficult! With a little practice and commitment, you can learn the 33 letters and take on the real challenges!
Discovering an amazing culture
If you have ever learned another language, you know that it is connected to the culture. A language is influenced by the culture that speaks it and vice versa. If you learn Russian, you can truly appreciate the culture. You will be able to read great Russian literature and gain a deeper understanding of it and the culture. Of course, this also applies to Eastern European and Central Asian culture.
Russian is a beautiful language
Russian is very similar to German in that many people think it is a harsh language, but it really isn't. Listen to the person speaking Russian as a second language in this video to get an idea of what it sounds like. In fact, Russian poetry is considered to be some of the most beautiful in the world.
Open doors to learn other Slavic languages
Russian is a Slavonic language. Learning the Russian language can help you to learn Ukrainian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Polish, Czech and Slovak. These languages use either the Cyrillic or the modified Latin alphabet.
Russian enhances your career prospects
Russia has a resource-based economy. It is estimated that 50% of the natural gas used in Europe will be controlled by Russia by 2030. On the other hand, the country is renowned for its scientific research. Even NASA relies on Russia to transport astronauts to the International Space Station. This offers entrepreneurs and scientists excellent career opportunities.
Learn Russian now at SLA Basel
Have we convinced you? If so, you should consider whether you can dedicate time to this important language. As SLA Basel we would be happy to help you further with our Russian courses. Drop by and take the first step towards a new and fascinating language. Our partners include KulturLegi, Tutor Academy, temptraining and edoqua.