In the rugged mountains and sprawling plains of northern and central Spain, Castilian Spanish finds its origins. The romance language grew out of Latin after the decline of the Roman Empire. In the 13th century, King Alfonso the Wise ordered his scribes to begin writing new works in Castilian, leading to the standardization of the written language. As Spanish speakers spread across Europe and to the Americas, so did the language.Today, over 580 million people speak Spanish. Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, beating out even English. 21 different countries recognize Spanish as their official language. The romance language influences our world's culture and is the native tongue of millions. Why wouldn't you want to learn it?Having even a basic understanding of Spanish can open new doors for you. It can lead you to new ideas and perspectives, as well as allow you to communicate with people you never could before.THE AUTHORDomingo Borrego is a native Spanish speaker. He loves teaching Spanish to English speakers.