What language should I learn?

[Connemara]

I have numerous options. I am leaning towards German. Looking for something that is not overly difficult.

• Arabic
• ASL
• Bulgarian
• Chinese
• Czech
• Dutch
• French
• German
• Greek
• Hebrew
• Hindi
• Hungarian
• Italian
• Japanese
• Korean
• Latin
• Persian
• Polish
• Portuguese
• Romanian
• Russian
• Serbo-Croatian
• Spanish
• Swahili
• Swedish
• Turkish
• Ukranian
• Urdu
• Uzbek
• Yiddish
• Zulu

 

[adversity04]

If I were to go back I would learn ASL/sign because we have 3,000 deaf students on campus and that opens up some opportunities with women

Spanish would probably be the most useful though.

 

[kwilkinson]

How about you learn the language of manning the **** up and just stay in the class you're signed up for.

 

[dah328]

German is relatively easy for English speakers with a decent understanding of grammar to pick up. If you completely suck at grammar, you might tire of its multiple cases, etc.

 

[grimslade]

Latin.

 

[ysc]

Keep clear of Arabic - I know a few people that study this, and a lot more who started studying it and dropped out, fascinating and hard. Same probably goes for all the non-romance or Germanic languages, unless you are really going to commit to learning them they will be really hard and you will reach a level where the language is useful much more slowly.

Spanish is probably the easiest, Italian is prettier but the grammar is harder and if you speak some Spanish you can usually make yourself understood to an Italian anyway.
Even I managed to learn some Spanish and I am quite, quite marsupialed when it comes to learning languages.

 

[edinatlanta]

I'd say most of the ones below will be hard as balls because the characters will be completely different, making you double down on what new stuff you have to learn. Most are pretty useless too. Urdu would be good if you are going to study it enough to become a translator for the Army but it doesn't sound like that's your plan.

Originally Posted by Connemara

I have numerous options. I am leaning towards German.

Looking for something that is not overly difficult.

• Arabic
  
• ASL
  
• Bulgarian
  
• Chinese
  
• Czech
  
• Dutch
  
• French
  
• German
  
• Greek
  
• Hebrew
  
• Hindi
  
• Hungarian
  
• Italian
  
• Japanese
  
• Korean
  
• Latin
  
• Persian
  
• Polish
  
• Portuguese
  
• Romanian
  
• Russian
  
• Serbo-Croatian
  
• Spanish
  
• Swahili
  
• Swedish
  
• Turkish
  
• Ukranian
  
• Urdu
  
• Uzbek
  
• Yiddish
  
• Zulu

 

[Slopho]

Is Klingon available?

 

[redcaimen]

Spanish. Its the easiest and most likely to be used.

Chinese might come in handy but I hear it is very difficult.

Any german you run into is going to speak english far better than you will manage to learn german.

 

[dave]

I'm learning Japanese. not in a class but I'm too old for that anyhow.

Everything Japanese is better.

 

[musicguy]

I would recommend sticking to european languages to start. Spanish is relatively easy to learn, and can be useful in the US, depending on where you live.

Italian and German are also good choices as they are phonetic languages.

I'm learning Russian through rosetta stone and the hardest part seems to be the pronunciation. I wouldn't recommend the language as a beginner.

 

[freefinancialadvice]

Think: Where's the money at?

Of your list: Hindi, Mandarin, Japanese, Russian. Maybe Spanish if you're going into construction or farming.

It really depends on what you're trying to do for a living.

 

[Connemara]

Wow, my would-be Italian instructor is really hot.

 

[grimslade]

Italian.

 

[Bradford]

Originally Posted by Slopho

Is Klingon available?

LOL - I have a friend who's an official grammarian for the Klingon Language Institute

Seriously though - I'd learn Chinese.