You have probably found out that speaking foreign languages is obviously very important when looking for a job. Nowadays, almost all major companies require you to be able to speak at least basic or even intermediate English with foreign partners (English is the common “world language” everywhere in the corporate world or at institutional level in Europe and mostly in Asia), but also, for example, in the hospitality industry, you are required to be able to take a table service order in a foreign language.

Of course, it is also important to note that a language exam is not the same as language proficiency. If you have a certificate, but you cannot use the language, it will not help you in a job interview in, say, English, because if you apply for a position for which language skills are a must, the employer will probably interview you in English (too). On the other hand, of course, if they are looking for someone for a position that does not require you to speak a foreign language, the employer is unlikely to ask if you have a certificate.

We recommend that you learn another language on top of English, if possible at a higher level, one that is less widely spoken. Of course, before you start, check what is useful and relevant in your field of work! You will be a valued employee of the company if, for example, you can speak Czech, Polish, Slovak or Finnish fluently on your own and the company has partners in these regions. In the long run, this could even lead to a promotion.

Language skills are not only useful for finding a job. For example, who wouldn’t like to spend more time outside Hungary on vacation or traveling? And if you’re already embarking on such a trip, you’ll want to get to know the culture and the landmarks of your chosen country.

A Hungarian-speaking tour guide is usually only organised for group trips (although some people pay a tour guide to show them around a country, but it costs a small fortune, or they download an app). It’s much more convenient to just pick a country and explore it on your own or with your friends (maybe your partner), and you don’t need anyone’s linguistic assistance, you can basically understand everything on your own.

Speaking of choosing a partner… You may as well miss out on the love of your life if you can’t speak the same language. Festivals, for example, attract a lot of foreigners, but on a perfectly normal Thursday morning you might find that after swiping someone right on Tinder, they’ll text you in English… It would be a shame to miss out on getting to know this person just for language reasons!

We hope we have made you realise how important it is in today’s world to understand and speak foreign languages, or at least English.