<p>I’m currently in the process of registering for my high school freshman courses [don’t worry, I’m not usually on CC] and I am having a very difficult time deciding between two foreign languages to study: French or Spanish. I only have room for one. I have studied Spanish for 3 years throughout middle school, because that was the only language offered, but I’m glad I have that background now anyways. I’ve always dreamed of learning French since I was little because it’s very beautiful to me and the literature, etc., but I feel obligated to study Spanish mainly because “a lot of people speak it and it’s more useful.” How useful is French nowadays and what about in the future? I want to learn French, but I feel like I shouldn’t spend time studying a language that won’t be useful to me in the future [not that I’m saying French isn’t useful, I don’t know whether it still is or not]. Or does the practicality of studying a certain a language even matter? What is your suggestion, and/or what do you think?</p>
<p>I think that you should study the language that you have always dreamed of.</p>
<p>Here are some statistics on languages spoken:</p>
<p><a href=“KryssTal : The 30 Most Spoken Languages in the World”>http://www.krysstal.com/spoken.html</a></p>
<p>You already speak the second-most spoken language in the world: English.</p>
<p>Therefore, you are already very practical.</p>
<p>You also already know Spanish and can take it up again at any time if you need or want to. That includes any time in high school when you have an extra course or change your mind, as well, obviously, as in college or on your own.</p>
<p>I believe that it is very important to pursue your dreams. If French is your dream, then I say go for it!</p>
<p>It would be a very dull world if everyone followed the “practical” path. I’m in 100% agreement with ADad.</p>
<p>French is still considered a diplomatic language and is widely spoken in Africa and the Middle East. Where I live, French trumps Spanish. Just depends on your location.</p>
<p>Latin not spoken anywhere but at Vatican councils, but that’s what my S chose to study, and he had a blast. He’d also studied Spanish in k-8 and continued to do so in high school because he had room for it in his schedule, but he did not enjoy it as much as Latin. Who would have thunk it?</p>
<p>I think that you should study what you are interested in, but let me throw my $.02 in for the other side
I doubt that taking a language for a few years in middle school gave you the same depth of language that you will need to be fluent.
My daughter for example, took the same language for one year in middle school ( after two years of Latin) and 4 years in high school, and although she is pretty good, still does not feel she is “fluent”.</p>
<p>If you want to be practical, take the Spanish. You see all those people on the news broadcasts marching in those immigration reform demonstrations? They are not French speakers.</p>
<p>However, on this point there is no need to be be practical if you don’t want to. Thus if you prefer French, take the French. You could even go with Latin. Latin is not dead - it’s immortal. Just stay away from Klingon and Elvish.</p>
<p>My son has been taking Spanish for years and years and years. He is good enough now that he strikes up conversations with Spanish-speaking people everywhere (and there are many in our area). They are often surprised when he just naturally responds in Spanish, and they often compliment him on his excellent accent. It’s cool that he’s able to converse so easily… but he will probably always regret not taking the option to learn Japanese when he had the chance four years ago.</p>
<p>You study a language for far more than just being able to speak to others. If you’ve been yearning all your life to learn French, I suspect you know your answer.</p>
<p>Here’s another twist: </p>
<p>Selecting one language does not mean you need to abandon the other.</p>
<p>You will find more individual opportunities to continue learning Spanish than French. You could build on the foundation you acquired in middle school by reading a few magazines or newspapers in Spanish. Pick subjects that interest you and try to find similar subjects in written Spanish. Occasionaly, tune in to one of the Spanish TV stations to reinforce your knowledge of spoken Spanish. All of this would be harder for French. </p>
<p>In some ways, taking four years of French during high school will help you with Spanish by illustrating some of the commonalities and variances in Romance languages. </p>
<p>I’d go with French in high school and continue to self-study Spanish.</p>
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<p>As a parent, I would advise you to study French because you are interested in it. It will be more fun for you, and you will probably be more successful in French because you are motivated to learn it.:)</p>
<p>My question is this? Do your middle school Spanish courses earn you high school credit? If they do, I would suggest continuing Spanish till you complete 4 HS credits. That will finish language requirements for colleges; then (or at the same time), you can begin French. If you decide there are other electives you’d prefer to pursue, or you find you do not really like French, you can be done.</p>
<p>As other posters have pointed out, there are practical arguments galore to justify signing up for either Spanish or French. As Overseas wrote, the practicality or importance of converstional fluency and a mastery of either language depends on your location. It seems from your post that you want more than just converstional fluency. The literature of both French and Spanish (the Quijote is a delight) will yield great rewards. </p>
<p>If you decide to start a new language adventure and choose to go with French, as Xiggi pointed out, you don’t have to give up Spanish, indeed you ought to pursue it with self-study or summer school courses. You never know what life might throw at you and knowledge both French and Spanish would be tremendously useful and practical - if you continue both, one fine day you will realize that you can also read and understand quite a bit of Italian and Portuguese. </p>
<p>Folllow your heart on this one- you probably already know the answer.</p>
<p>D took Spanish in Jr. High, then through AP in HS. But she really wanted to learn German. So, jr. year, her last year of Spanish she started German. Now, in college, she is taking both! No need to give up one or the other. Finish the Spanish (the practical side of the argument) then start French, and you will have the best of both worlds. Quite frankly, as a Spanish teacher, you will not be truly fluent in either language after high school - you can have rudimentary conversations, but you won’t really be fluent. Continue or start the French in college - the courses should be more in depth anyway. Just because you don’t take French in HS, doesnt’ mean you won’t have 4 years in college do do so. Even if you don’t major in it, you need to fulfill elective hours. Having 2 languages will serve you better than just one any day.</p>
<p>If you desire fluency, it may depend somewhat on the particular teachers at your high school. One language may produce more fluent speakers than others.</p>
<p>There may be more Spanish speakers in your area, but I think French comes in handy frequently as well. For example, if you’re thinking about studying literature, obviously you’ll be able to read all of francophone lit in the original (but you’d be able to do the same with Spanish), but even in works in English or translated to it, there are frequently phrases in French. For example, my class just finished Crime and Punishment (obviously originally Russian) in which characters frequently spoke in French phrases. Plus, one thing to consider is travel: would you rather travel extensively (and in the vernacular) in Paris or Madrid? the French Riviera or the South America? (both are spoken in the Carribean) Vietnam or Mexico? West Africa or Barcelona?</p>
<p>Son’s roommate last summer in Marseille at a summer music festival was from Brazil. Their common language was Spanish. Son was representing a Greek speaking country and the roommate a Portuguese speaking nation. They both were learning some French for the first time and in their spare time, son taught his roomie, English via Spanish. I think he had more fun doing that than playing the oboe. 
Ah, the wonderful world of languages.</p>