What is the best language to learn after English?

Answer 1

It really depends for what purpose you are learning the language.

If you want a really popular language, I believe that Chinese Mandarin is the second (if not most) spoken language in the world. Although, if you want to go on a holiday somewhere, i highly suggest you learn the language most commonly spoken there. If your doing it for a study score or such, then the government/organisation scoring your education should have a website about what languages are most highly scored. (although, over here in Australia, Most languages have a high study score, or something similar.)

If it's for personal interest, I really can't help you. Although, there are several "Free" start up lessons for most subjects. Try some of them and see which one you like, and base your decision off that.

My research shows German and French are the most useful for British people followed by Spanish, these three are also the best for Americans to learn.

The figures only show native speakers, so, Putongua-Chinese is first and Spanish second, but that doesn't mean they're the best for you to learn. It's obvious English is generally the most useful. It has millions of 'second language' speakers, usually the people you're likely to need in, say, India, but the official stats.

German is the most useful for British people, then French, they too have business etc, importance far beyond their native speaker base.