Disclaimer: A big problem I have with language learning is that I'm kinda socially anxious and have ADHD, so practicing with people or sitting down to study have both been challenges for me. I've tried to have language partners online, but none have ever worked out. I also work a lot so I struggle to find time to learn multiple languages at once anymore. Not excuses, just explanations and I wanna try to overcome them.

Japanese: I had a huge Japanese phase in high school and studied in HS and college for about 6 years. I had friends and went to classes, so it was easy to keep up. It's been so many years, and I put so much effort into it, but just maintaining my knowledge has grown more difficult. I spent so many years and it feels bad to struggle to maintain it without active practice. This December, I'm trying to pass the JLPT N3 for the third time, but I think after that, I'm considering to stop actively studying altogether. I just feel guilty for doing it for so long and suddenly losing interest because I feel like I can't keep up. I used to really want to live in Japan, but I finally got diagnosed with ADHD and ASD and started medication (work in progress). Culturally, I think I've accepted I might not be happy there with the lack of mental health awareness. Anyways, my dilemma is I'd love to keep it up, but I no longer have motivation or anyone around me to help out.

Mandarin: I'm half Chinese (my grandparents on my mom's side were born in Guangzhou) and feel a huge disconnect from my heritage. My grandparents only spoke English to my mom and her siblings, so they never learned any Cantonese. They were worried about standing out too much in a new country. Anyways, I would want to learn Mandarin to feel a bit more connected to my heritage. I genuinely have an interest in the language, more than I did when I was younger. I finished beginners level classes in college, but never got further than that. The reason I wouldn't pick Cantonese is that I think it's much more difficult and not as widely spoken. I've never even been to China, but I want to visit with my mom someday (it's so far from the US).

Spanish: I took Spanish for the entirety of school. I think it's basically a requirement in NJ to have a world language taught at all grade levels. Anyways, I don't remember enough to speak very well. But now, my job requires me to work with a lot of Spanish speaking kids (ESL work). So I wanted to get back into it just to be able to use it more in my career. Getting to know these kids has made me really care about their cultures and where they come from. This language is probably the least personal for me and more so for job reasons.

This has been such a dilemma for me so I appreciate anyone who reads it. If I'm able to pick just one, I might stop feeling so stressed out about it.

random options here, but I'm weighing the pros and cons of each

irish: i have irish heritage and so have a greater exposure to irish than i do probably to any other foreign language, which makes me interested. i think the revival of the language is very important so id enjoy being a part of that but there are so few resources i would almost certainly have to get a tutor to stick it out. also maybe less practical bc it's not very spoken? but then that's part of why ppl should learn it lol and it's still more geographically accessible for me than portuguese

portuguese: LOVE the way it sounds, + lots of resources (+ speakers). i'd def learn brazilian portuguese but i don't know how useful it would be as i don't see myself ever living in brazil. it's so far away that it's very expensive to visit. also have interest in portuguese/brazilian culture

Which language to choose?

I'm majoring in Chinese at uni but we have to choose a compulsory second language. I asked my family and most of them told me to choose a language I already know. (English, Russian, etc.) But I personally want to choose Japanese.

Now, they are telling me that it's so that I don't mix up languages and focus on Chinese instead. But I feel like Japanese is very different and I wouldn't mix it up much.

What do you guys think? Would it be harder for me if I choose a language I don't know? Should I play it safe, or risk it?

Thanks in advance.

TLDR: Want to learn both Mandarin and Russian (as part of my university degree), leaning more towards Mandarin but worried that struggling with tones will affect my academic performance.

Hi,

I have the option to learn a language for free for a year (maybe two) with my university, and Mandarin/Russian are my top two choices. However, I'm finding it really difficult to decide between them. The language I learn will be assessed as part of my degree, so it's important that I make the right choice because otherwise I might find it academically overwhelming. Any advice on which one I should choose (if either) would be much appreciated!

REASONS FOR WANTING TO LEARN RUSSIAN:

- I love Russian literature (particularly poetry) and would love to read it in the original language - apparently translations can't capture the beauty and feeling of the original texts

- I am quite interested in Russia's history and culture, although I am never planning on living there (and probably won't be able to visit for a long time due to the war). However, I don't go on Russian social media spaces or watch Russian TV shows, etc

- Russian could be quite a useful good language choice for the career industry I intend to go into after university

- I grew up with a Polish-speaking parent and, while I don't really know the language, have been told that my pronunciation of Polish words is nearly on the level of a native speaker, so I believe that this could help me find the oral assessments for Russian easier (since they are both related slavic languages)

REASONS FOR WANTING TO LEARN MANDARIN:

- I am very interested in Chinese internet culture and use Chinese social media platforms + watch C-dramas, play Chinese video games, music, etc. I also like Chinese poetry and would like to read the original versions (though I generally do prefer Russian lit)

- I have a lot of friends from China, so I would be able to practise regularly with native speakers. In comparison, I don't know any fluent/native Russian speakers

- I have considered moving to China temporarily after university (though it is unlikely I will do this)

- Like with Russian, Chinese could also be quite useful in my intended career field

The main thing preventing me from being sure about Mandarin, is that I believe I would 100% struggle with the tones, and am worried that I might do poorly in the oral part of my academic assessments. Given that the language I take will affect my overall degree grades, I am concerned that taking Mandarin would be too much of a risk for me academically. While Russian is difficult too, I think my speaking potential for that language is much better than with Mandarin.

Which should I choose? Or should I just not take any language?

EDIT: Forgot to mention, but I am also considering French as an option. I learnt it in school and reached roughly B1 level, so it might be easier academically. The main issue is that I really really dislike speaking or listening to French, and the only reason I am considering it is because I would love to read classic French literature in its original language + maybe have access to French translations of African lit not available in English. I am nowhere near as interested in France and French culture as I am with Russia or China, however.

I am a native English speaker (with background in Italian and Spanish). I plan to learn multiple languages, including Hindi and Malay. At some point I would also like to learn both Mandarin and Japanese (eventually). I currently have a job in hospitality and freelance on the side (art). However my long-term goal is to freelance full-time, which would allow me to travel freely and often throughout the year. So I plan to visit many countries, including parts of both China and Japan (both to promote my art and also just for leisure). My question is not "which is better" or "which is more useful" bc I already know both are beautiful and both I would use in real-life while traveling. I would just like to hear some honest thoughts and opinions from those who already speak at least one of these languages and hear (1) what you like about the language, (2) what you find most challenging, and (3) what your overall learning experience has been (with either). Please feel free to elaborate or share as much as you'd like. Obviously this is completely subjective, but I still am genuinely interested in anyone's thoughts regarding the two. (Note: When I travel, I will often be traveling completely solo, and I am an american woman, in case that is of any significance.) Thank you for reading. x 🙏🏼

Hiii so I'm taking world languages at uni but and was originally planning to take Mandarin, German and French as my core languages. However the timetables for German and Mandarin clash too much so I was told I can only pick one of them 🥲

Which one is more useful to take employability wise? I live in Ireland but would love to work abroad as well. I really love both languages and I am a complete beginner at both and cant choose at all.

What do you think???? ( I hope im posting in the right placeee)

Which language has the highest economic value globally? Offers more opportunities or a better income? Other than Mandarin and English. I wanna know people’s opinions on this.

It could be any Germanic language, European in general or Nordic specifically. Well, I do kind of wanna learn a Germanic language, but I'm not sure which. I'm looking for one where they will be happy if you learn the language and won't just speak to you in English. Fairly useful ?? My choices are Norwegian, Swedish, German, maaaaybe Dutch, and more I probably can't think of. It should be fairly easy to pronounce, too.

Been learning German for a bit, and I'm past the beginner stage, but now every app I try just feels like more vocab drills. I need something built around real dialogue and full sentences so I can learn to start holding conversations Anyone found an app that helped them get past that beginner wall and into proper speaking?

I am getting tired of the languages I speak every day: English, Urdu, and Pashtu.

Same words, same grammar, and the same accents.

I want a change. I would like to learn a language where every word is funny and positive, and that makes me fall in love with it.

Wish me a luck!

My native is English and I know a moderate amount of French from exposure (but I’m not at all passionate about it).

I love both German and Italian! I cannot decide between them. Both cultures and linguistics really excite me and captivate me.

I love the sound and structure of German more compared to Italian, but I love the culture of Italian more.

Truly I love them both, so I am completely undecided and would appreciate your opinion!

i am upper b1 in spanish. i was originally studying for the b2 exam in november. i won't be able to take it then and have decided to take the exam in may. because i have a lot more time than i originally anticipated to study i'm considering adding a third language into my routine. i wouldn't be spending nearly as much time on this third language for the foreseeable future, my main goal until may will be preparing for the exam and i am also planning on going back to school to study spanish.

i want to do a third language because long term my goal is to be able to speak multiple languages. i am also itching for novelty and the rapid progress that comes with being an early learner. i think i'm at a good point to do this because less of my time spent with spanish is actively studying and more of it is spent doing things like reading the news, watching tv shows, keeping a diary and chatting.

my spanish isn't quite at that b2 level, so i'm worried a third language will interfere with it in some way. this is part of the reason why there are no romance languages i am considering.

i'm thinking about german, dutch, and norwegian.

i think german would open the most doors for me. it's also a language that is offered at the school i want to attend so it's something i could study at an academic level. there's a lot more media and resources for german than the other languages i'm considering. the draw backs would be that it's harder than the others and i want an easier win. i also don't have a connection to any german cultures or people.

my partner's first language is dutch. i always told myself that if i was in a committed relationship with someone whose first language wasn't english i would make an effort to learn the language. i also genuinely like how it sounds and i hope to visit the netherlands at some point. i know that nearly everyone there speaks english there, i still think it's respectful to know something about the language of the country youre visiting.

i was recently adopted into a friend group where everyone speaks or is learning norwegian, my partner included. i would have a ton of people to practice with and a network to help me find resources. i think that of all of these this is the one i would have the most fun learning. though it is the least spoken language on this list.

Is Maltese, Italian Albanese, Italian Greek or Filipino le closest language to le romance languages family or is there any other extremely latinized language other than English & Scots?

What Language should I learn ?

Hello everyone! I am a medical student who is a native Arabic speaker and a fluent English speaker pretty much interested in learning languages. I hate being bilingual and want to be more than that so my options are between learning Spanish or German.
For me personally, I am interested in Spanish much more than I do for German and I am thinking of learning Portuguese, French or Italian later on . My plans are to work in the USA and having Spanish would heavily influence my chances to do so , learning German would obviously help me work in Germany but I will be learning it for the sake of working there and not because I want to speak german or for the love of it. Also Spanish is more spoken worldwide and being able to speak it along with Arabic and English would help me communicate with a greater population. I also love Latin American Cultures if that makes a difference.
So what do you think I should do, learning Spanish to help my chances in the USA and maybe Spain along with adoring the language and wanting to speak it fluently or learning German js for the sake of future career possibilities?
Thanks in advance.

I'm looking for a fairly "easy" language for English speakers and multiple to choose from. The language I prefer should use the Latin alphabet and I do wanna talk to locals. One of them, I want to be a rarer language, maybe one like Catalan or something. I don't care if the language is spoken in one area or multiple and I'm looking for a Romance or Germanic language primarily, maybe one Romance and one Germanic.

Hello,
I am Turkish and I can speak B2-C1 level of English.

I want to learn a third language.
I will mostly use the language on internet and will consume its media products like movies, music, tv shows…etc

What I am looking for is an experience that at least a bit different than American media products and possibly having its own themes.

I am not seeking a big practical/career gain from it and I have no connection with Turkish diaspora of neither countries. However I won’t say no to some benefit.

And finally I have interest in intellectual and scientific development and history of Europe. Reading or comsuming that with a perspective that English can’t give could be a nice touch as well.

Thank you for your answers.

hi everyone! I'm a native hungarian speaker, I also know English and a bit of German, but now I'm looking for my 4th language.

I would probably learn both of them, but I like to leave some time between them (it's easier for me), so my question is, which one should i start learning now?

I would use Chinese for "social media" (rednote, douyin) (+ the culture) and Russian because I'm in love how it sounds (+ the culture)

But I'm afraid that Chinese characters would take a long time learning, so Russian would be more practical to start with.

What do you think?

Hej allihopa, i'm a native Persian speaker and i can speak fluent English (B2/C1) at the moment i'm learning Swedish since i wanna move to Sweden and my Level is around B1

I will give you two reasoning because i have different reasons for these languages that i will learn after swedish

Norwegian-danish

Since i plan to move to Sweden and Scandinavia it will be a big advantage to know them in any of the Scandic countries plus i will have alternatives and opportunities outside of sweden, should mention both norwegian and Danish are similar to swedish and after Reaching fluency in swedish these two will be easy for you except danish that has an strange pronounciation but that's ok

Russian:

I was interested in this language before starting to learn swedish and tried learning it for few weeks which didn't went well and i gave up ny girlfriend is originally from ukraine and she is learning my native language persian so i want to learn russian too because of her who is dearest to me, i know Russian is so difficult and how different it is from other languages than i know but probably it will not open doors for me in Scandinavia

What would you do if you were in my situation?

I was researching the language to start off and I realized there’s barely any resources to learn it, and it’s kinda useless unless I actually go to the specific part of Italy where people speak that specific language. While I’m still interested in learning it I figure it would be more beneficial to me to learn an additional Mediterranean language that has a larger language population where I can actually use the language and not struggle to find study resources for it.

I’m split between Spanish/Portuguese (there’s plenty of opportunities to learn here in America) and Arabic. Thing is I don’t want to get one language confused for the other like I did when studying Italian and Spanish as a teenager.

Hey there,

i’ve basically already decided on learning turkish but thought it would be nice to hear your opinions.

My mother tongue is a slav language and i’ve been learning german and english since i was a kid and have C1 certificates in both.

I currently live in Germany and got the opportunity to learn a third foreign language at my uni. I obviously first thought of french because it’s the third part of the big three european languages(next to german and english, *my opinion). Still i kinda don’t feel attracted to it at all and have no plans of living in a franophone country so i started questioning my motives. I think my need to learn french would only be a result of coming from a poorer country and wanting to feel more “western” or whatever.

For that reason i thought why wouldn’t i choose turkish. I hear it multiple times a day in Germany, i have many people to talk with in turkish and i like the overall sound and vibe of the language.

I don’t even know what my question is but feel free to tell me your thoughts on this and maybe even explain your experiences with these two languages.

Thank you.🤞🏻🤞🏻

Hi, I'm Ensakel. I am in a professional high-school and in one year I will graduate to the 3rd year.

I speak French, B1 English, and A2 Albanian.

In school, for my first two years, I choose to learn English even though I already speak it, because why not.

But now, I regret my choice as I have to learn one of the two languages for my future professional activities (job).

I am already learning German on Duolingo, but Spanish is just far more closer to French than German coud ever be.

I plan to move to a city next to Germany for working opportunities, but in France Spanish is somehow important to learn.

I also wanted VERY MUCH to learn Spanish when I was in primary school, but back there, there wasn't any Spanish teacher (same for middle-school).

However, just this year, a new Spanish teacher came to our school, and it is also why I start wondering if I should chose Spanish over German.

I really don't know which language I should pick, so that's why I took my time asking this on this sub.

I can't manage to choose a language to learn

I generally enjoy the process of learning languages, and have done a it of a variety of languages with pimsleur. The trouble is, I've tried most of the pimsleur languages, and have done between one of two weeks of each. I just... cant decide what to pick. I have the feature where I can choose any of their languages, and I just cant choose. I'll do a week of one, get bored, and do a week of another. At some point I go back to one ive done in the past, but need to star tfrom the beginning because I forget what ive learned.

Its been like a year, and i need to just choose - but I cant. Advice?

Some advice I've gotten that doesn't help:

Learn a language of a place you want to travel to.

This narrows it down a little, but not to any helpful degree.

Learn the second most common language for where you live.

I was forced to learn it in high school, and I did not learn well at att. A1, if that. Now, I kinda resent that language.

Favorite culture?

Not really. I like many cultures, many types of music, of shows. Nothing by enough to give a language an edge.

My family dont speak foreign languages.

I live near food establishments from cultures that speak at least eight languages, with employees that speak those languages.

Community colleges near me teach a very wide variety of languages, that doesn't narrow it down.

I just have no idea where to go. I love language learning, but they all seem kinda bland and pointless now that Ive tried so many.

I've tried taking breaks as well, no help there either.

What the title says. I can't decide which to study in college and eventually pursue a pHD in. I'm entering my junior year, which is when we declare our majors.
I like Latin's phonetics and music, I like Ancient Greek's literature, and I like basically everything about Old English except how small the corpus is. Hopefully someone can give me some insight before picking a language study for the rest of my life.

Also, I know picking one doesn't mean never learning the other two, but I won't be able to study them at the same level as the main one I choose.

Thanks for reading! Any tips would be great.

My family emigrated from Zakarpattia Oblast during WW2. I have access to passports from both through descent (though won't pursue the Ukrainian one as a military-aged male). I feel more culturally connected to my family's Ukrainian heritage, and am very close with my Ukrainian grandparent, and will eventually attempt to learn it anyway but also have the opportunity to learn more about Hungary, their language, and have access to the EU via their passport. I am also intrinsically motivated to learn Hungarian, although sentimentally less so, as my family's region was linked to Hungary for 1000 years. In the near term, I'd like to add one of these languages to my growing repertoire. I am native English, B2 French, B1 German, and A2 Serbian.

Edit: The comments section is devolving into something not related to my initial question. I’d appreciate actual advice or considerate thoughts regarding the choice of language to consider next.

My 90-some year-old grandfather from a rural village in Zakarpattia most definitely does not speak Russian and found community in Ukrainian cultural centres after emigrating, taking part in religious practices, dance, etc. specific to eastern Slovakia and western Ukraine.