# Useful languages in Italy



## Tiziana26 (Jun 28, 2016)

Hi guys,
I am a newbie here and I apologize if this is not the right place for my question.
Here it goes - I'm a Bulgarian and I currently live in Sofia (Bulgaria). However, I've had my heart set on living in Italy for quite some time now and I was wondering which languages might make me stand out among the other people looking for jobs there (or which languages offer more options in general).
I was thinking about Spanish/French but I guess quite a lot of people in Italy speak those languages as they are sort of easy ones for an Italian. Then again, an exotic one like Indonesian, let's say, probably won't be too useful if one tries to find a job in Florence. So I am kinda at a loss here.
The thing is that right now I have a great job in Bulgaria and I am happy with what I do (I actually love my job). However, in a few years time - let's say 6-8 - I might decide to go for it and follow my dream of living in Florence and I would like to be as prepared as possible so I might actually stand a chance. Besides that, we live in a rapidly changing environment so I would like to be prepared in case my current job no longer satisfies me. 

I speak Bulgarian and English, I have studied Italian and right now I have dedicated my free time to improving it (the goal is to reach level C2 within one year from now). The question is what is the next language I should take up in order to be competitive at the Italian job market? I hold 2 bachelor's degrees (in journalism and sociology) and a master's in an unrelated field. However, right now I work as a support and copywriter for a few international online casinos (if that information is of any help). 

Thanks for the help, I would appreciate any thoughts on the matter. :juggle:


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Depends on the job and area but

Russian
Chinese
German


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## ilario (Jun 30, 2016)

chinese language is better.


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## Tiziana26 (Jun 28, 2016)

Thank you both. I was sort of hoping for a language with a more familiar alphabet as I fear studying Japanese and Chinese but then again, in for a penny, in for a pound, I guess. I will make sure I have the Italian secured under my belt before I undertake any other linguistic adventures but I must admit that Chinese makes sense (unfortunately). 
I was thinking about studying Russian but I thought there were plenty of Russians living in Italy as it is and hence Russian would not be as useful. And as for the German - I have actually studied a bit in high school so I have some idea of the language and I might as well give it a shot. 
Thanks! Any other comments will be much appreciated, too.


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## Arturo.c (Aug 15, 2010)

What about Bulgarian?

Seriously, you should give some consideration to the fact that Bulgarian is your mother tongue, and that there are not many persons in Italy who can speak it fluently (not to mention reading, writing and translating to and from it).

Maybe the market for Bulgarian speakers is somewhat small for now, but Bulgaria is now an EU member country, and I have seen on TV some programs about British people investing in some real estate developments in Bulgaria (such as vacation homes).

I also know that there are some Italian companies that import foodstuffs (such as fruit preserves and yogurt) from Bulgaria, therefore I am assuming that there must be a need for persons who can communicate both in Italian and in Bulgarian.

If I were you, I would invest in studying one year in Italy to perfect my grasp of grammar and pronunciation, and in the meantime trying to get job interviews with companies that trade with Bulgaria.

You should inquire at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria to see if you could obtain a list of local firms trading with Italy and Italian firms trading with Bulgaria, and go from there.


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## Tiziana26 (Jun 28, 2016)

Wow, that is useful, indeed. It is just that I know a few Bulgarians who work in Italy and they are all doing menial work (in agriculture and stuff like that) or provide care for elderly people. These are the main fields in which Bulgarians are employed in Italy and I am not particularly interested in them. 
The other thing is that I will probably be 36-37 years old (I am 30 now) by the time I decide to actually go for it because my job here is quite safisfying in terms of... well, everything. So I am just thinking for what's to come after that because of the fast pace of the changes around here and in our field. And by the time I am 36, I don't know if I will be up for spending another year just studying (although I hear what you are saying and it does make perfect sense, indeed). This is why I am thinking of ways to kinda get a head start from where I am now. 

I am actually quite aware that my query might seem ridiculous given the time frame (like... 6-7 years in the future seems quite absurd) and the fact that I don't really know the field I will be aiming at when the time comes, so the fact that you actually took it seriously is much appreciated. It is nearly impossible to plan so far ahead but I know I want to do it someday and doing nothing in the meantime is not going to take me anywhere.


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## Arturo.c (Aug 15, 2010)

I am sadly aware of the fact that many immigrants from Eastern European countries who work in Italy are employed in jobs well below their qualifications. That should however not put a damper on your ambition.

If you feel able to improve yourself, I think you should go for it. Watching Italian TV programs and films on YouTube could do a lot to improve your listening ability, and reading news on Italian websites could keep you up to date with current topics.

All it takes is some good will and perseverance. The results will surely come.

Good luck!


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Quite a few programs and articles on poorer Italian retiring in Bulgaria. There might be a market in Bulgaria to help these people. I doubt many of them speaking Bulgarian.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

NickZ said:


> Quite a few programs and articles on poorer Italian retiring in Bulgaria. There might be a market in Bulgaria to help these people. I doubt many of them speaking Bulgarian.


"Poorer" Italians perhaps because their pensions have been cut to pay for accommodations for illegal "refugees"? We see many poor pensioners in my city. I have even seen some of them trying to steal fruit and other foods. Our grocery stores have had to resort to heavy security and it's very undignified for formerly prosperous pensioners to be accused and questioned as they're leaving the store. But that's how severely their lifestyles have been affected by the current policies of Italy and the EU. Any wonder Great Britain voted to leave. If Italy had good leadership, it would give the people an emergency referendum to at least vote to leave the Euro currency for the time being and then concentrate on leaving the EU at a later date.


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