What is the Most Common Business Language in 2024?

Language Services Direct Team

The ability to speak more than one language is incredibly useful for driving expansion and minimising miscommunication in today’s global business network. (If you need further convincing, read this article about why language learning is important in business.) 

Despite the current business climate being rocked by geopolitical turmoil and economic uncertainty, businesses continue to innovate and expand, and learning a second or third language can be instrumental in increasing your reach overseas.

Last year, English topped the charts for being the best business language to learn. But is that still true today? The short answer: yes, English is still the most common business language in 2024. 

This guide will explore the top 5 most common languages in 2024, as well as the top in-demand languages to learn according to the 2024 Fortune 500 list.

What is the Most Common Business Language?

Before looking at the top businesses of 2024 and where they originate, what do the language statistics themselves say? Well, according to recently published stats from Statista:

• English remains the most widely spoken language, with around 1.5 billion speakers, including both native language and second-language speakers. English is the dominant language of international business, science, and technology, making it indispensable for global communication.
• Mandarin Chinese is the second most spoken language worldwide, with 1.1 billion native speakers. Its prominence is driven by China’s vast population and the country’s significant role in global trade and manufacturing. Businesses looking to enter the Asian market often prioritise Mandarin for communication.
• Hindi ranks third in the most common business languages, with approximately 609 million native speakers. As India’s economy continues to expand, proficiency in Hindi can be valuable, particularly for businesses focusing on the South Asian market.
• Spanish comes in as the fourth most common global language, with 559 million speakers globally. The Spanish language is a dominant language across Latin America and Spain, making it a crucial foreign language for businesses targeting these regions, especially given the growing economic influence of Latin American countries.
• French ranks next, with around 274 million speakers. As a widely spoken language across Africa, Europe, and parts of Canada, French is key for businesses with interests or international relations in these diverse regions.

These statistics highlight the importance of language in international business. While English is undeniably the global lingua franca, understanding and speaking other major languages can unlock new opportunities, foster stronger relationships, and enhance market access.

Which Languages are in Demand in 2024 For the World’s Biggest Companies?

American business magazine Fortune recently released its Global 500 list of the world’s biggest companies by revenue.

We thought it would be interesting to not only look at global language statistics, but also see which countries house the corporate juggernauts named on this list, and aim to answer the most important question: which languages are the most useful and in demand for growing businesses right now?

Here’s what we found.

English Tops the List Again

The world’s biggest company for the tenth year running is the American retail giant Walmart. And in line with that, the world’s most popular language in business is still English, according to Statista. 

Nearly 1.5 billion people speak English, either as their first or second language, and nearly a quarter of the world’s countries boast English as their official language. In addition, English is the predominant language of technology, medicine and international business.

English is also often the ‘lingua franca’, or bridging language, that enables fluent communication between business associates from different countries. 

This article explains in further detail why English is the language of choice for commerce, and still holds the crown for being the best business language to learn today.

The Advantages of Arabic

Second in the Fortune 500 list is Saudi Aramco, the country’s oil giant. Although Arabic only comes in sixth place in the Statista list of most spoken languages, it is a very popular language to learn because of Arabic’s importance in business, especially in industries relating to energy, construction and finance.

 And perhaps we should add sport to the list after Saudi Arabia’s recent acquisitions of and investments in various sports, including cycling, golf and, of course, football!

The Middle East is currently welcoming rapidly increasing numbers of global investors, and learning Arabic could be a smart move for your staff if this is an area of the world that your business is looking to expand into.

Checking Out Chinese

Third on Fortune’s list is the Chinese state-owned electricity company State Grid, the largest utility company in the world, with nearly 2 million employees. Mandarin Chinese is second only to English in terms of the number of speakers, coming in at 1.138 billion according to Statista. 

That’s 1 in 6 of the global population! China has the second largest economy in the world (after the United States), with a GDP of US$19.37 trillion. So, it is no surprise that Mandarin Chinese is in high demand as a language to learn for international business.

If you are interested in gaining a competitive edge by learning Mandarin, this article can help you get started.

Germany & Spain

English, Arabic and Mandarin are not the only languages useful for business, of course. Let’s consider a couple of the runners-up.

Germany boasts two of the top 20 biggest companies by revenue in the Fortune list (Volkswagen and Uniper in case you were wondering). 

Although not as widely spoken as other languages we mention in this article, with around 130 million speakers, German is a useful second or third language to learn because Germany is such a powerhouse both politically and economically, especially in the manufacturing industries.

Spanish may not be front of mind when thinking about the language of business, but consider that the United States is the world’s largest economy, one in five Americans identify as Hispanic and the US is now the second-largest Spanish-speaking country in the world.

Not to mention the potential business opportunities in South American countries, such as Argentina, Peru, Venezuela and Chile, all of which claim Spanish as their official language. Perhaps learning Spanish could benefit your company after all.

Closing Thoughts

If you are looking to grow your business in any of these countries, or perhaps to attract the attention of such record-breaking corporate giants, contact us today.

We can help you achieve your goal of enabling your staff to communicate more fluently with business associates around the world – bringing your business the potential to develop new opportunities for growth and international success.

Most common business language FAQs

What is the most spoken language in 2024?

English remains the most spoken language globally in 2024, with around 1.5 billion speakers, including native and second-language speakers. It continues to dominate international business, science, and technology.

Which languages are most in-demand for business?

In 2024, English, Mandarin Chinese, and Arabic are the top in-demand languages for business. English is essential for global communication, while Mandarin and Arabic are crucial for businesses targeting the Asian and Middle Eastern markets.