Spanish vs French

[rufio]

School related question!

I'm signing up for classes and I have to decide if I want to stick with Spanish or switch to French. Yes, I live in America, but I honestly hate learning Spanish. I've never had a use for it, and though I may have a use for it one day, I just don't enjoy it. I plan on visiting France (hello, DLP!) in 2015, so French would be useful. My fiance and I are dying to see Europe and plan on making multiple trips in the future.

I've taken a semester of Spanish, though that was nearly a year ago and I don't remember anything, nor did I save my notes because I didn't plan on taking another semester. However, I was told by my advisor that I'll need two foreign language courses in the future anyway so I should knock it out now. Anyway, I've heard that French is easier to learn. I think I'd enjoy it more... Anyone here that's learned one or both of these? Opinions are appreciated!

 

[luv]

French is not easier to learn. They are both equally easy/hard. Learning French is very similar to learning Spanish.

Spanish will come in more handy in the U.S., but it sounds like you'd rather take French, so do that...just don't do it thinking it'll be easier, lol.

 

[Sans Souci]

I don't know if there is any truth to it, but I always heard that French was more difficult than Spanish. I definitely think Spanish is more practical, but sometimes it's nice have something "fun" in your class schedule, you know?

If French is something you really want to take and you feel you get more utility out of it, definitely take it. For the most part, it's memorization and learning rules and their exceptions. It's much easier to learn something when you are keen on doing it. If you want to be fluent and retain it, try to find some native speakers or some super-fluent speakers and practice with them. I am kicking myself. I took 4 years of French in HS and I really can't remember it, other than the really basic stuff I learned 1st year. I loved it and I seriously considered becoming a French teacher. Then, I lost it all.

 

[WDWmazprty]

Spanish is definitely the language spoken more and will be of use to you in the future. That is unless you plan on moving to France. Being hispanic, I can tell you speaking another language is always a plus, but spanish is the one you want to learn being that its going to surpass english very, very soon in the US; if it hasn't already. And as someone said above, the BEST way to learn it is to be around people who natively speak it. High school classes just teach you the mechanics and grammar and you wont really learn to 'speak' the language like you should. Anyway, I hope you have fun and learn well whatever language you choose. Que te vaya bien!

 

[Joseph Robinson]

I'd go with Spanish personally since you live in the US. The portion of the population that speaks Spanish as a first language is growing all the time. The point is going to come in the not so distant future (and you can see it starting now) where bilingual job applicants who have both English/Spanish down pat are getting all of the good jobs.

 

[Master Yoda]

I have taken both French and Spanish and found the challenge to be about the same. For living in the US, Spanish is much more practical.

 

[Nemo14]

I took French through high school and college and have hardly ever had to use it. Spanish would have been much more useful for me.

 

[rsoxguy]

I took French classes in Junior and Senior High School. I have been to Paris. I found that the French people generally hated an American's take on their language. I would say more about my stay in Paris, but I would hate to offend any French members of this forum.
I am of the opinion that Spanish is more practical to the needs of someone living within this country. Usted debe estudiar.

http://audio1.spanishdict.com/audio?lang=es&voice=Ximena&speed=25&text=Usted debe estudiar

 

[WDWmazprty]

Hay tantas cosas que uno puede estudiar pero el espanol es lo mas logico a estudiar. Creeme, vas a gozar y aprovechar de este idioma y tambien disfrutaras aprendiendo de la cultura y la gente!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I have taken both French and Spanish and found the challenge to be about the same. For living in the US, Spanish is much more practical.

I took French & Spanish in high school and found them about the same in the challenge factor.


That said, I say take what you want. We had this very debate 2 years ago when selecting foreign language for our boys. We homeschool. Living in Texas Spanish is pretty prevalent and everyone takes that. Neither of my boys wanted to take Spanish, though. Hubby still pushed for Spanish. I pushed for them to choose for themselves because retaining something you don't want is less likely to happen. Besides, everyone takes Spanish. Why follow the flock? Set yourself apart by being the person who has a more unique skill. The boys chose German and I appeased the old man by promising we'll all do Spanish together once the kids finish their 3 years if German.

Spanish is an obvious practical choice in places like Texas, Florida, etc. In the northeast French makes perfect sense with the proximity to Canada/Quebec. My sis-in-law from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada speaks English & French fluently. Weigh practicality with your wants. Always keep in mind that you can always learn more languages down the road even after you're done with school. Rosetta Stone's homeschool products can be purchased by anyone and give you the benefit of a well-rounded curriculum (listening, speaking, & writing) that you can customize to your needs.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Also, no matter what you choose keep in mind that most languages have numerous dialects. Like Mexican Spanish has differences from like Puerto Rican Spanish. The German my boys are learning is what my grandmother refers to as "High German" because its more proper than what she grew up speaking, "Low German" or more of a slang dialect because her parents were Hungarian & Austrian immigrants from poor families. She enjoys trying to recall the words the boys speak with her and they enjoy picking out words from the little songs she remembers. It's basically the same language but a bit different dialect.

 

[WDWmazprty]

Well, its not really a different dialect, there are just certain words that are different. Its all spanish. If a mexican and a puerto rican and a dominican we're talking together, we would all be speaking spanish and would understand each other perfectlt. I would liken it to a person from Boston, from Chicago, from California and from Alabama speaking to each other. Its all english and they all understand each other but there would be certain words that would be different for certain things. Spanish would be the most practical language to learn since you could easily use it in everyday life if you had to and wanted to. French is not as spoken here in the US. Of course, choose whichever you feel is best for you.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I dunno, some of my really countrified relatives in Alabama are hard for me to understand. It's not just a difference in words, its a huge difference in pronunciation of the words. Ever watch the show "Swamp People"? They have to do subtitles for bits when the speaking is fast and strong with the accent. I understand it perfectly having lived in Louisiana but my mother can't. Then there's the portion of the population in South Louisiana who speak in drifts back and forth from English to French back to English again all in one sentence. If you don't know their words & how they use them you won't have a prayer of understanding. It all happens so fast.

 

[PUSH]

I've taken both Spanish and French courses. One year of Spanish and four years of French. I was terrible at Spanish, and wasn't all that interested in the culture. Yes, Spanish is easier to learn since it doesn't have a lot of "just because" rules. By "just because" rules I mean that there are rules that are put in the French language just because people (French Academy) wanted them in there.

I found that my one year of Spanish helped quite a bit in French since many of the words are the same or similar. I've found that French helps me with my English too. Some of the words that we use in English are just French words with an American accent. Regarding the people who say that French people hate when Americans try to speak French, it could be that they are not putting much effort into pronouncing the words correctly, and are using no accent whatsoever.

I love French and hope I never forget how to speak it (not that I'm fluent by any means). My years in French and my knowledge of French and the French culture are things I will treasure forever. I say go for French, as I find that I've used it more than I've ever used Spanish.

I am done with my ramble. Merci beaucoup!

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Learn Chinese it will be compulsory within a decade

 

[Dad 2 M & M]

This is THE subject I am the most ignorant (some might argue!). I can tell you from a financial perspective it would be wise to consider Chinese, German, or Portuguese, followed by French; in that order.

I have heard that any of the Romance languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, or Romanian) is equally easy/difficult and they are very similar.

Again, I am ignorant on this subject!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Learn Chinese it will be compulsory within a decade

You laugh. I seriously took that very thought into consideration when we were making the foreign language curriculum choice a few years ago.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Perhaps I need to start Urdu or Punjabi.