Lately I made an observation that a lot of people are opting to learn easier languages such as Spanish as a second language. So, here are a few reasons why I think you should pick another when taking up a new language.
In the United States, you hear a lot of Spanish everywhere and that you should learn Spanish.
1. Offer and Demand: You want more chances to get a job? There are plenty of Spanish speakers around you, especially if you live in the USA or in a country where Spanish is your second language or perhaps it was mandatory in school. You might see lots of job offers for Spanish Speakers but they’re more like to choose a native Spanish speaker over you. Meanwhile, when you see a job offer requesting, for example: French or Chinese speaking individuals you’re less likely to have a fight or any competition especially if you’re fluent in the language.
2. If you speak English, learning French should be easy. Why? It’s often said that French is one of the harder languages to learn when compared to languages like Spanish but I beg to differ. Why? English owes a great deal of its vocabulary to the French language, making the French vocabulary much easier to learn. Memorizing lists of vocabulary will thus be reduced while learning French, then the grammar and lexical similarities between “les languages latines” (latin languages) will make it easier for you to take on Spanish some time later if you haven’t already.
3. Similarities: If you really want to learn Spanish, here’s why I think you should learn French first. English is closer to French (for native English speakers) and French is closer to Spanish. At the end of it, you won’t just have a second language but you’ll be fluent in two languages apart from your native language – now that’s a win-win!
4. French is the language of International Relations: If you’re into Relations Internationales (International Relations), learning French is a pretty great idea because French is both a working and an official language of the United Nations, the European Union, UNESCO, NATO, Francophonie, the International Olympic Committee, Red Cross and international courts. Proficiency in French is essential for anyone considering a career in any of these international organizations.
5. Travel Options: If you’re someone who likes traveling overseas then learning French is a good idea. You can use the language as your passport – French opens up your travel options like crazy. Of course, you can still travel to a country or countries where you don’t speak the language or don’t speak it well, but being able to communicate and understand will definitely enhance your experience, trust me. You’ll be able to get around not only in Paris and the rest of France, but other lovely destinations like French Polynesia, Quebec or Switzerland.
6. Love: Did you know that French is the language most often used to translate romantic expressions, ahead of other European languages? This was discovered in a survey by Google Translate. If you’re a romantic, you’re romanticizing someone or looking to be romanticized by someone you sure know that French is considered as “langage de l’amour” (language of love).
Feel free to share your own personal opinions on why it’s better to learn French over Spanish or why you should learn French first if you want to learn Spanish.
