The Importance of Learning Spanish

Now is not the time to be a monolingual. People are learning Spanish in numbers which were once considered unimaginable. Spanish has gained importance as being one of the most widely spoken languages of the world. In the West, Spanish is considered secondary to English.

As a result, many native Spanish speakers have moved to other countries. They learn the language of that land but remain loyal to Spanish. This is true of the Hispanic population in the US. There are over 40 million Hispanics in the United States and there number is always on the rise. The dilemma is that they have shorn monolingualism while the Americans haven't. Most of the Spanish people are able to speak English but a majority of English speakers don't understand even a word of Spanish.

There is no doubt that Spanish is the best choice for anyone who is looking to add to his repertoire an exotic language with a rich history. Not only is Spanish of cultural importance, but is the official language of four of the seven continents.

Easy to Learn

The phonetics and vocabulary make Spanish probably the easiest language to learn for an English speaker. Spanish is written in a way that an English speaker will be able to read a word and ascertain its pronunciation easily. Even basic grammar of the Spanish language is simple and clear-cut. When you begin to learn it, you will be able to converse fluently in Spanish in just a few days.

Understand English Better

Did you know that a large portion of the English vocabulary we commonly use is derived from Latin? Well, this was a gift from the French, but the interesting thing is that Spanish is a Latin language as well. So, what I am trying to say is that you can understand English grammar and language better when you start to learn Spanish.

Become a Linguist

He who learns one language can learn a hundred! Got a bit of the Schindler's List hangover! Seriously speaking, learning Spanish can be the first step on your journey to picking up the important languages spoken in the world today. Spanish is one of the easiest to learn, and is therefore a good one to start off with. Once you have learned Spanish, you can move on to French or German or any other language which you prefer.

However, learning Spanish isn't a walk in the park. You will have to put in much effort and time to be able to master it.

Spanish Learning Factory can help you learn Spanish in a way that you will be speaking it like a native in no time at all.

SpanishLearningFactory Provides Online Spanish Courses and Spanish classes from beginner, to intermediate, to advanced. for more details visit website SpanishLearningFactory.com

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What Is the Importance of the HSK Test?

If you want to study or work in China, you need to pass the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) accreditation exam. The HSK is a certification of language proficiency that is the Chinese equivalent of the TOEFL. The HSK certificate is accepted without limitation within mainland China for students applying to Chinese colleges and universities as well as being used as a reference standard for those who are being recruited for job positions in China and other countries where proficiency in Chinese is a necessity. While application online is now permitted, the test itself must be taken in person at an authorized testing site; at present over 120 countries worldwide have participated as regular host sites for HSK testing. Taking Chinese lessons online can be a great advantage in helping you meet the HSK test requirements.

The HSK test is divided into three categories.? Each category tests for listening comprehension, reading comprehension and grammar, with writing and oral tests given to those testing at the advanced levels.

The Basic test is for those who have an elementary grasp of the Chinese language, with a working vocabulary of 400 to 3,000 common Chinese characters and who have had 100 to 800 hours of formal education in the language. The test has three grading levels: those ranked Level 1 can handle basic communication in Chinese with the ability to express simple ideas and understand simple spoken sentences; Level 2-ranked students can undertake a certain level of social interaction and study; Level 3 students have the minimum level of proficiency to allow them to be admitted to a university as a undergraduate student.

The Elementary-Intermediate test is graded from levels 3 to eight and has intermediate skills in Chinese, with a working vocabulary of 2,000 to 5,000 characters and 400 to 2,000 hours of formal education.? Those who pass levels 3 to 5 are deemed to have basic competence in Chinese ranging from low to high while passers at level 6 to 8 have intermediate competence ranging from low to high.

The Advanced test is for those who have a vocabulary of more than 5,000 Chinese characters and over 3,000 hours of formal education. There are three grading levels in the test with those who pass Level Nine seen to have advanced competence at the low level while Level Eleven passers have the highest level of proficiency.

Those who have successfully been graded at Level Eleven are exempted from the requirement of taking the relevant Chinese course requirements and can apply for jobs anywhere in the world for a position that requires high Chinese language proficiency.

In addition, there are more specialized HSK tests like the HSK for Young Learners for students below the age of fifteen as well as Vocational tests such as the HSK for Business, HSK for Secretaries and HSK for Tourism.

Those who pass any of the vocational tests are also exempted from taking the required Chinese courses and are qualified to apply for jobs in the relevant sector that require high Chinese language proficiency. The HSK for Young Learners may be used as an enrollment reference for children who want to study in China.

Working, studying or Doing business in China requires a good understanding of the Chinese Language or Mandarin. HSK or Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi provides an edge over your competitors and hence, HSK certification is essential if you want to be leaders in Chinese business. Head over to http://www.chineseonline.sg/ to learn more about learning Chinese online.

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