# Germany--is English language a required subject in high schools?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-is-english-language-a-required-subject-in-high-schools/768826>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 17, 2016, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-is-english-language-a-required-subject-in-high-schools/768826 "2016-10-17T12:39:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![NBYodo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9a28c/32.png) [@NBYodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NBYodo)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-is-english-language-a-required-subject-in-high-schools/768826/21 "2016-10-22T09:08:10Z")

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> [@hogarth](#):
>
> Speaking as someone who learned French in Saskatoon (including one year in university), I think **even sven** ’s explanation is more likely; if you don’t practise speaking a foreign language at all, you’ll be very rusty in a conversation (perhaps to the point of being unable to communicate).
> 
> On my first wedding anniversary, my wife and I went to Paris. I told her that I knew how to speak some French, but once we were there I stumbled and fumbled so much in all of my attempts at conversation that she accused me of greatly exaggerating my proficiency. Eventually I just gave up and spoke in English whenever possible. But nevertheless, I would have no difficulty reading a French newspaper, for instance.

In BC in the 80s there was no requirement to learn French in school. A second language, minimum 1 yr I think in high school, but it didn’t have to be French.

Is French now mandatory? (I haven’t lived in Canada since 2000).

NB

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**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-is-english-language-a-required-subject-in-high-schools/768826/22 "2016-10-22T11:52:22Z")

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> [@NBYodo](#):
>
> In BC in the 80s there was no requirement to learn French in school. A second language, minimum 1 yr I think in high school, but it didn’t have to be French.
> 
> Is French now mandatory? (I haven’t lived in Canada since 2000).

You could check the [BC Curriculum website](https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/) yourself, but it’s structured so poorly that it’s impossible to tell which subjects are required and which are elective. Core and immersion French are clearly on offer, but that’s about all I can tell you.

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