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There's not exactly a list of best languages, it depends on your preference, what field you're working in, etc. But learning C# and C++ is a pretty safe bet, high in demand and powerful. Maybe add some web development to the mix, JS, PHP, and the likes, that can be pretty useful nowadays. Aside from that, try as many languages as possible and find the ones that suit you and your needs the best. For me, right now, that's C#. I started with Visual Basic 6. It was relatively easy to start with, and gave fast results. For me that was the way to go, though there are people who say you should start with something low-level like C, to learn what's going on behind the scenes. However, I think it's important to hook the newbie first, before showering them with facts about compilers, linkers, memory management, pointers, etc... While you will have to learn those things at some point, I actually think it's easier after you saw them in action ("Ah, so that's how my strings work behind the scenes!").