Spanish is the official language of about twenty countries, one of the three languages generally regarded as the official language and working language of numerous international organisations and the second universal language of communication in the world today. Its growth was constant for four centuries, but has increased at exponential rates in the last century.

 

At the end of the 19th century, approximately 60 million people spoke Spanish.

Today, with almost 400 million speakers, it is the fourth most spoken language in the world, after Chinese, English and Hindi.

It is the mother tongue of people on four continents, although the majority of Spanish speakers, nine out of every ten, live in America.

Taking into account the countries in which Spanish is an official language- approximately 6 per cent of the world population, compared to English speakers who account for 8.9 per cent and French speakers who make up 1.8 per cent of the world population.

The most moderate projections forecast that in the year 2050 there will be approximately 550 million Spanish speakers only in countries where it is an official language.

Therefore, this does not include Hispanics in the United States -currently the fifth Spanish-speaking country in the world- nor those who speak Spanish as their second or third language.

In recent years, the demand for teaching Spanish as a foreign language has at least doubled.

 

The Cervantes Institute is the institute responsible for the dispersion of the Spanish language and Spanish culture throughout the world and has centres in 25 countries, to which we must add the Cervantes lecture rooms in universities and the Network of Associated and Accredited Centres.

The number of enrolments to study Spanish in the Cervantes Institute rise between 15 and 20 per cent every year.

Spanish is probably the most homogeneous language of all the important international languages today, a factor that makes it easy to understand and learn.

It is also a prestigious, first-rate language that for centuries has contributed some of its most splendid works to world culture, such as the creation of the modern novel with el Quijote.

The cultural aspect is without a doubt one of its greatest qualities, as demonstrated by the thousands of Hispanists who for two centuries have studied the Spanish language and culture.

 

Spanish is the official language of about twenty countries, one of the three languages generally regarded as the official language and working language of numerous international organisations and the second universal language of communication in the world today. Its growth was constant for four centuries, but has increased at exponential rates in the last century.

 

At the end of the 19th century, approximately 60 million people spoke Spanish.

Today, with almost 400 million speakers, it is the fourth most spoken language in the world, after Chinese, English and Hindi.

It is the mother tongue of people on four continents, although the majority of Spanish speakers, nine out of every ten, live in America.

Taking into account the countries in which Spanish is an official language- approximately 6 per cent of the world population, compared to English speakers who account for 8.9 per cent and French speakers who make up 1.8 per cent of the world population.

The most moderate projections forecast that in the year 2050 there will be approximately 550 million Spanish speakers only in countries where it is an official language.

Therefore, this does not include Hispanics in the United States -currently the fifth Spanish-speaking country in the world- nor those who speak Spanish as their second or third language.

In recent years, the demand for teaching Spanish as a foreign language has at least doubled.

 

The Cervantes Institute is the institute responsible for the dispersion of the Spanish language and Spanish culture throughout the world and has centres in 25 countries, to which we must add the Cervantes lecture rooms in universities and the Network of Associated and Accredited Centres.

The number of enrolments to study Spanish in the Cervantes Institute rise between 15 and 20 per cent every year.

Spanish is probably the most homogeneous language of all the important international languages today, a factor that makes it easy to understand and learn.

It is also a prestigious, first-rate language that for centuries has contributed some of its most splendid works to world culture, such as the creation of the modern novel with el Quijote.

The cultural aspect is without a doubt one of its greatest qualities, as demonstrated by the thousands of Hispanists who for two centuries have studied the Spanish language and culture.