# What foreign language should I take? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 29, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985 "2003-03-29T05:42:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/21 "2003-03-29T22:45:56Z")
This thread is better suited for **IMHO**. I’ll move it for you. * * * **Cajun Man** ~ SDMB Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/22 "2003-03-29T23:11:11Z")
You should take Arabic. ---
**Author:** ![MaryEFoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MaryEFoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaryEFoo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/23 "2003-03-29T23:43:36Z")
For ease, start Spanish again. To open up your future, German ( **maybe** Russian). Your second language is a lot easier than your first, and German gives you a 3-D perspective on how languages might work. As to the future, if you ever spend time anywhere other than for brief tourism, your 2-1/2 languages will make you much more willing & able to just start picking up words and short sentences, so you can hook in to the scene. ---
**Author:** ![Contrary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/db5fbb/32.png) [@Contrary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrary)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/24 "2003-03-30T01:00:30Z")
I took German in college – I’d lived there for three years so that choice was a no-brainer for me. However, I wish I would have taken Mandarin. I’m in China ATM on business and life would be a lot easier if I could speak the language. I know you didn’t list Mandarin as one of the choices but you may want to consider taking it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Trucido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@Trucido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trucido)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/25 "2003-03-30T03:16:07Z")
Take French, we’ll be needing translators and interrogators soon for the occupation. I kid, but French is a good one to consider. More widely spoken than you would imagine, especially in diplomatic circles. French, Spanish, and German are all good choices for a second language that won’t stress you too hard. Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, or maybe Russian will be harder, but you might be able to find gainful employment just by being able to speak them. If you’re going to bet on the language that will let you speak to a lot of economically important folks, go with Mandarin. I, however, am partial to dear old Russian, because knowing even a little bit means you can be a menacingly cold villain in a bad spy drama. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/26 "2003-03-30T03:43:08Z")
I remembered an amazing amount of my high school Spanish last semester, and I hadn’t taken Spanish in ten years. I started in a beginning class, since I didn’t think I could possibly place out of it. I might have been able to pull that off, in retrospect, but it sure helped that I had some prior exposure. I can’t roll Rs either. I took a year of Russian in high school. A large part of the first semester was simply learning to read – phonetically – and write. It was a LOT of fun. I’ve forgotten just about everything, but I loved that class. Knowing how to write in a different alphabet is pretty cool. Based on sheer coolness factor, I’d go for Russian. I wish I could take more of it! ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/27 "2003-03-30T12:30:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by severin \* > \*\*I speak english, deutsch & un poquito espanol (et latin). > 😉 \*\* Yo tambien! (somebody please tell me I said that right!) ---
**Author:** ![Deadly\_Nightlight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Deadly\_Nightlight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deadly_Nightlight)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/28 "2003-03-30T13:39:38Z")
If you have any backround in spanish, Italian is alot of fun, because they are alike- I found italian very easy to pick up and it sounds so sexy even if you are saying " I eat cat poo and love it" a side note- I took beginners spanish in college after having 4 years of spanish in school(needed a refresher) ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/29 "2003-03-30T13:51:09Z")
If you know Spanish, go to Portuguese. Close to Spanish, but maybe too close to create confusion. In terms of international usefulness, more people speak it than Italian. Gouda, except for ¡ (!) and é, it was right. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/30 "2003-03-30T16:32:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sperfur \* > \*\*Not one of the ones you mentioned, but: > > I recommend American Sign Language (ASL).\*\* Also recommend this… For me, it required an entirely different way of thinking, but was very cool once I started to get it. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/31 "2003-03-30T17:42:02Z")
Well, which country (literature, culture, etc.) do you feel most drawn to? Your answer to that would make a big difference. (You mentioned opera. Italian is the biggie language for opera, but there certainly operas in other languages.) Of the three you mentioned, I would think Russian would be the hardest, since it uses a different alphabet and is least closely related to English. I’m guessing Italian would be easiest for you, since you’ve had some Spanish. Another thing to consider: it might be worth finding out about the reputations of the people who would be teaching you, and take a language that’s taught by a good teacher (or avoid a horrible one). ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/32 "2003-03-30T17:44:50Z")
I took years of French in junior high, high school, and in college. I have NEVER had a patient who spoke only French. I had one whose english wasn’t so hot, but it was still better than my French. I have had THOUSANDS of patients who spoke only Spanish. I wish I’d taken Spanish. ---
**Author:** ![OJGuzzler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@OJGuzzler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OJGuzzler)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/33 "2003-03-30T18:36:55Z")
Asian language - hard. Um. I lived in Thailand starting from when I was 4 for 11 years. I never managed to learn Thai. Now that I actually really want to learn Thai, I’m in the U.S. Great! (Also, it’s really embarrassing 'cause I am ethnically Thai. Well, at least partly. The other part’s Chinese and I’ve never set foot in China so…) If you’re not Asian, it’ll be great because you can listen to Asian people gossip about you. Many a time have I seen an unknown white person go into a room, and heard the accompanying gossip - sometimes the white person would proceed to say something like, “Pood Thai dai (I can speak Thai),” and all would be nervous laughter. Italian is fun. I tried learning it using CDs, and it was pretty simple. (Then again, when my Italian was put to the test in its mother country, I sometimes had problems understanding people’s directions to the bathroom - but they all spoke English anyway!) It’ll be even easier for you because you’ve taken Spanish. German is the first language I’ve taken in a classroom and even though I’m only in German 100 (complete beginner course, since that’s what I am) I already know I love it. It really makes you think about grammar that English doesn’t force you to think about, even though the same grammar concepts are in English too, and you see all these cool connections between the languages. Plus a whole lot of people speak it. I think. I hope, since I’m learning it. ---
**Author:** ![severin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@severin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/severin)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/34 "2003-03-31T20:00:50Z")
> [@](#): > > Yo tambien! (somebody please tell me I said that right!) Don’t wanna brag but: Preciso! Richtig! Verus! 😉 (sorry for being off-topic) ---
**Author:** ![PublicBlast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/779978/32.png) [@PublicBlast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PublicBlast)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/35 "2003-03-31T23:58:57Z")
I posted a rant about German in another thread. The gist of it was that German is both tougher than people let on and also more useless. Learn Spanish instead. Link to the other thread:[What is an easy language to learn?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=124093) ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/36 "2003-04-01T17:56:37Z")
Spanish and Italian both come from latin, so Italian is very easy to learn for people familiar with Spanish, especially since you’ve already gotten past the concept of masculine and feminine nouns and adjectives. German would be second easiest, because English sentence construction is very similar to German, so a lot of it would simply be vocabulary. Russian would be the most difficult. Different alphabet, different sentence construction than anything you know. ---
**Author:** ![Medea\_s\_Child](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Medea\_s\_Child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Medea_s_Child)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/37 "2003-04-01T18:04:28Z")
Latin, you want to learn Latin. “Intro” classes in college may not always start from the beginning, especially for the ‘normal’ languages like French, Italian, German, etc. I guarentee you that the Latin class will start from absolute square one. This was important for me because while I can repeat sounds very well, I really suck at redefining them as new words. My understanding of grammar is worse than that. I had a blast with my semesters of Latin. Other than that, ASL has been mentioned and is quite fun too. ---
**Author:** ![Space\_Vampire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Space\_Vampire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vampire)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/38 "2003-04-01T19:50:26Z")
Since it seems you mostly just need the credits, I’d say take Spanish as it is the path of least resistance and actually somewhat practical. If you had enough interest to bother with harder languages that are less practical in the US, you wouldn’t need to ask. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/39 "2003-04-01T21:29:47Z")
It doesn’t sound like you are planning any major travelling or living in a foreign country, so it would be Spanish for practical purposes. Speaking some French can be a help if you travel there. Of course they all speak English, but they go out of their way to be nice if they see you are an American who tries and has reasonable pronounciation. Definitely one of the romance languages, they just sound sexy. Being able to talk to your lover in French or Italien while lying in bed just adds another layer of sensuality to things. Take French and memorize a little Baudelaire. Or Spanish and some Pabo Neruda. I don’t even speak Spanish but a few memorized lines from one of his Sonnets: Desnuda eres azul como la noche en Cuba, tienes enredaderas y estrellas en el pelo works wonders. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985/40 "2003-04-01T22:30:51Z")
I have to disagree with an earlier poster about Russian, most English speakers find it a very challenging language to learn. Although the tenses are very simple, the whole way of putting sentences together is different, and some of the grammer is quite complicated (expect to spend most of a semester deciphering the intricasies of “verbs of going”). Learning the alphabet itself – which seems like such a big task when you start – it actually relatively simple and fun. That said, it is really fun, and my experience is that Russian classes tend to be very friendly and social. When I signed up for Russian 1, the chair of the department came over to me and said “welcome to the team” and shook my hand, LOL. I am still in touch with my college Russian professor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foreign-language-should-i-take/164985.md?page=3)