Spanish or German?

[ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88]

Hey all,


I am taking Spanish 1 for school right now, but I'm more intersted in taking German then Spanish, but I hear SPanish is easier. However, When I use this Program Called Rosetta stone, I used a demo of it (you made have heard of it), I learn more phrases of German in One day, then I did with Spanish in a week. So I don't know what I should do. Any Advice? :wall:

[Ice]

Hey all,


I am taking Spanish 1 for school right now, but I'm more intersted in taking German then Spanish, but I hear SPanish is easier. However, When I use this Program Called Rosetta stone, I used a demo of it (you made have heard of it), I learn more phrases of German in One day, then I did with Spanish in a week. So I don't know what I should do. Any Advice? :wall:

Took 3 years of German in high school then switched to Spanish in College.

I thought German was easier in some aspects, but Spanish easier in others.

It's really a mater of preference. Just go with what you like rather than level of difficulty.

[Marshal Murat]

German is somewhat closer to English than Spanish.

Spanish is more organized that English.

Take what you like. I took French, and while it was informative, I switched to Latin, and haven't regretted the switch. Latin is much more fun than French was, and I can use Rome Total War and EB for 'educational' purposes.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

It depends on where you're planning to go, and what you're planning to do. In the Americas, Portugal, and Spain, Spanish is better, but anywhere else, you'll want German.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
I took German for three years back in HS too but almost completely forgot it then. ~:mecry: I'd love to resurrect it somehow.

I like hearing Spanish (as well as Portuguese and Italian) spoken very much. So I wouldn't miss the opportunity to learn one or more of them. :book2:

However, when it comes to languages, I'm a maniac. Not that I really know any, but have studied German, Arabic, Kurdish, Persian, Greek and Latin in varying -small- degrees. :shrug:
.

[Drisos]

Also depens, what is your native language?

Mine is dutch, which 'looks like' german. So it's probably a lot more simple then spanish for me. (I had 5 years of german class, and went there on holiday pretty often. I'm fluent in it, I guess.. I don't know any spanish. :embarassed: )

[woad&fangs]

I'd recommend taking Spanish. I took German for two years but, correct me if I'm wrong, everyone in Germany learns English in highschool so you'll probably get more use out of Spanish. If you are looking for the easier of the two then I would reccomend taking German.

[Caius]

Spanish will be useful in more countries. And its easy, here even childs speak it easily :bounce:

Being serious, its hard, since it have a lot of grammar rules, you have to use accent(acentó) and the Ñ letter.

[Strike For The South]

You live in America take spainish

[Gaius Scribonius Curio]

If English is your native language then German is easier. But as has been said Spanish is of more use to you.

Did German for three years at high school, and was going to do it as a GCSE, then moved to Australia where they didn't teach it... sigh. Forgotten most of it now. Also did french, which I'm fairly sure is more related to spanish than English (romance languages), and found it to be fairly easy, but harder than German.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

I've taken both and lived in Germany for a year, and I'd say German vocabulary is much easier to learn since there are far more cognates (words that look/sound similar), but Spanish grammar is probably easier since you don't have to deal with the different articles and cases on the same level as in German. Spanish is probably a lot more useful in the US, but German is quite useful, even in Brazil of all places where German is sort of the language used for engineering and business as far as I've heard.

I think I'm going to stick mostly with German. Primarily because I spent a year there, and now that I've started actually taking a German course my technical skills should get much better. I never had as much fun with Spanish, and it doesn't sound as cool to me, plus German makes you somewhat more unique. Still a lot of people like Spanish more, and I think it was a far easier language to start, though learning new vocabulary is probably a bigger challenge.

Don't let other people impose a language upon you. Choose whichever one inspires and motivates you and go for it!

[CaesarAugustus]

Hmmm well Spanish is like the third-most-spoken language on Earth IIRC, and it would give you a strong base to learn the other Romance languages (and is even mutually intelligible with some), so that is what I would choose.

[Caius]

Hmmm well Spanish is like the third-most-spoken language on Earth IIRC, and it would give you a strong base to learn the other Romance languages (and is even mutually intelligible with some), so that is what I would choose.
Indeed, if you speak Spanish very well, you will understand Italian, as it have similiar words.

[Husar]

Well, personally I find German easier... :hide:

[Csargo]

Pick what you're more interested in. Tends to be easier to learn something if you're interested in it.

[Zim]

I took both (Spanish for a long time, and a semester of German to meet my requirement hours-wise to graduate from College). German was definately easier insofar as having more cognates, easier vocabulary, and even being easier to pronounce (my first language is English). Spanish was a little easier when it came to grammar, and much more useful since I was living in Texas at the time. I also had an opportunity to intern with the State Department partly because I knew Spanish.

I'd say just take whichever one interests you more.

[ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88]

Also depens, what is your native language?

Mine is dutch, which 'looks like' german. So it's probably a lot more simple then spanish for me. (I had 5 years of german class, and went there on holiday pretty often. I'm fluent in it, I guess.. I don't know any spanish. :embarassed: )



English. I'm American. I know they say Spanish would be more useful to me here, but it doesn't intersted me as much as German Does. It all depends what you want to do and like to learn, and I like to learn German :clown:

[English assassin]

I think, faced with a question like this, its important to cut to the most fundamental issue. Which is, which will impress girls more?

As you live in America I assume the answer is Spanish. Also, can I point out, Penelope Cruz exists.

Problem solved :yes:

[Martok]

:laugh4:


Trust EA to cut to the heart of the matter. Well said! :bow:

[Good Ship Chuckle]

Iacta ea et capi matrem languarum omnium.
Throw them both out and take the mother of all languages! :ave:

Take Latin. It was good enough for the Romans, and they conquered the world. Basically, what I'm saying is if you want to conquer the world, you should take Latin.

Don't be surprised if chicks come up to you a say "Talk Nerdy to me." in a seductive voice. Conquer the world and get leid...What more could you ask for.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Or learn Mongolian maybe? :inquisitive:
.

[Good Ship Chuckle]

Yeah, but what chick is going to say "Oh please, baby, say something dirty in Mongolian"? That's never going to happen.


Then again, they did invent yogurt...:tongue3:

[Viking]

Iacta ea et capi matrem languarum omnium.
Throw them both out and take the mother of all languages! :ave:

Take Latin. It was good enough for the Romans, and they conquered the world. Basically, what I'm saying is if you want to conquer the world, you should take Latin.

Don't be surprised if chicks come up to you a say "Talk Nerdy to me." in a seductive voice. Conquer the world and get leid...What more could you ask for.

Why would anyone want to learn an extinct language? :inquisitive:


(and at high school even :dizzy2: )

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I think, faced with a question like this, its important to cut to the most fundamental issue. Which is, which will impress girls more? :

My girlfriend (Canadian, can't speak a word of German) always wants me to speak German to her. I think it's a matter of personal preference to the individual woman.

[FactionHeir]

I found German considerably easier to learn overall. It also is useful if you want to go on an learn French, Latin or a central/northern European language later on.

Spanish is spoken more commonly overall, but I found it a rather confusing language and never bothered with it again. Inverted speechmarks and all :tongue2:

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Spanish is spoken more commonly overall, but I found it a rather confusing language and never bothered with it again. Inverted speechmarks and all :tongue2:

German is also much more useful in "the wide world" than Spanish is.

[Strike For The South]

German is also much more useful in "the wide world" than Spanish is.

Not in my hemisphere

[Louis VI the Fat]

French.

Much more useful in America. If you picked up Spanish, this means you have spend your teenage summers sweeping the floor at McDonald's. If you picked up French, it means you that you have spend your summers vacationing in France, reading Zola and Camus in your spare time.

The latter will impress far more people.

Spanish will help you pick up a few hot Latinas. French will get you that rich hot blonde.

Prestige, people, prestige. ~;)

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Not in my hemisphere

Hence "in the wide world".

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
German is great. What else has the ß?
.

[Caius]

Spanish is great. What else has the Ñ?

[Viking]

What is an alphabet without æøå at the end? :shrug:

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
ا ب پ ت ث ج چ ح خ د ذ ر ز ژ س ش ص ض ط ظ ع غ ف ڤ ق ك گ ڭ ل م ن و ه ی (Arabic + Persian + Turkish + Kurdish)

Олл ёр бейз ар билонг ту ас ~;p

Ιορς αλφαβέτικηλι :bow:
.

[English assassin]

Iacta ea et capi matrem languarum omnium.
Throw them both out and take the mother of all languages! :ave:

Take Latin. It was good enough for the Romans, and they conquered the world. Basically, what I'm saying is if you want to conquer the world, you should take Latin.

Don't be surprised if chicks come up to you a say "Talk Nerdy to me." in a seductive voice. Conquer the world and get leid...What more could you ask for.

Roman poetry is really filthy too. That Catullus, eh?

HOWEVER, while Latin has its uses (there is no other way a room full of 14 year old boys are going to be allowed to discuss lesbian masturbation in class,) it isn't going to get you girls now.


My girlfriend (Canadian, can't speak a word of German) always wants me to speak German to her.

How does she KNOW you are speaking German then? So long as you sound bad tempered enough* you could be fobbing her off with Dutch, or Hungarian, and she would never know.

*Jk. Germans are lovely really. :clown:

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Hungarian sounds nothing near German. Beautiful, as far as I could hear in a couple of movies. :yes:

PS: I'm aware you're joking EA.
.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

How does she KNOW you are speaking German then? So long as you sound bad tempered enough* you could be fobbing her off with Dutch, or Hungarian, and she would never know.

Knows a few basics that I've taught her. But sometimes I'll actually slip in the occasional Russian word. :laugh4:


Hungarian sounds nothing near German.

Sounds more like Finnish.

[Louis VI the Fat]

I rather like the sound of Hungarian. It is very gentle on the ear.

[Strike For The South]

Hence "in the wide world".

No its really not. I can tell you right now about ten times as many people speak spainish than German, not to mention spanish speaking is growing at unbelivable rate.

[Riedquat]

Some numbers for you in the wide world, Top 20 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_languages_by_number_of_native_speakers#Top_20)

:creep:

[edyzmedieval]

Damn with Spanish, German and all that European stupidity...

Kids, more Chinese = more money = get laid 24/7. ~D

I'm doing English, French and Spanish. Used to do German and Japanese. Want to ressurect both but they won't let me take a 5th language at school because I already have 4 (all those + Romanian).

[Kralizec]

No its really not. I can tell you right now about ten times as many people speak spainish than German, not to mention spanish speaking is growing at unbelivable rate.

By the same token you're better off learning Chinese :shrug:

I do agree that for Americans Spanish would be more useful, though.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

No its really not. I can tell you right now about ten times as many people speak spainish than German, not to mention spanish speaking is growing at unbelivable rate.

Spanish is spoken by more people in the world as a whole, but when it comes to international business, you need English, German, and/or Mandarin Chinese. For example, Bengali is also more widely spoken than German, but in most of the world, which one would you prefer?

[Quid]

German is a piece of cake but a ****** to teach...

Quid


(Language please - Beirut)

[Good Ship Chuckle]

Go for the best: Latin. :rtwyes:

[Tachikaze]

I took German first than Spanish (then Japanese). I disagree with many of the posts here. I found Spanish to have many more cognates (due to its relationship to French, no doubt) and to have more similar grammatical structure than German. Even though German is more closely related historically, English has changed a lot since the Saxons, Jutes, Frisians, and Angles invaded England, and is far less inflected than German and has a different sentence structure.

I also think Spanish is more useful, except in central Europe. It is spoken all over the Americas, and is similar enough to Italian, Portuguese, and French that I can partially read those languages. It gave me a better understanding of Latin, which helped me with unfamiliar English words.

Therefore, I recommend you learn Mandarin.

[King Jan III Sobieski]

Learn a useful language, like Polish...or Latin. :book:

:laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4:

[The Wandering Scholar]

Spanish is more widly spoken. I studied French and Spanish and found them rather similar to learn. Also German would be easier if you already have a rather... harsh voice while Spanish and French are much more fluent and gentle.

[Beirut]

Priceless!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Bic0pTTXeNw

[The Wandering Scholar]

It is rather funny.

[Mouzafphaerre]

It is rather funny.
.
:yes:
.

[Fragony]

Spanish is more widly spoken. I studied French and Spanish and found them rather similar to learn. Also German would be easier if you already have a rather... harsh voice while Spanish and French are much more fluent and gentle.

Why do people consider german to be so harsh, any language is harsh when you shout it. If I had to describe the german language in a single word the word would be 'courtious'. Take a word like 'Entschuldigung', the melody perfectly complements the intention, 'Mein liebe', simply beautiful. It's a gentlemen's language imho. Dutch and Danish, those are harsh.

[Viking]

Bah, every language has its own class.

Beat this, I am forced to learn two languages in addition to my mother tongue. In stead of excellent English skills, I end up with semi good English and a German not really usable. The irony.

[ELITEofWARMANGINGERYBREADMEN88]

Why do people consider german to be so harsh, any language is harsh when you shout it. If I had to describe the german language in a single word the word would be 'courtious'. Take a word like 'Entschuldigung', the melody perfectly complements the intention, 'Mein liebe', simply beautiful. It's a gentlemen's language imho. Dutch and Danish, those are harsh.


I guess because of the big words it has :wall:

[Caerfanan]

I guess because of the big words it has :wall:
Well that what makes this language powerful (german, that is). An american living there explained me how "powerful and practical" it was. Precise. An as Fragony said - the sounds in german words explains more of the emotions


Bah, every language has its own class.

Beat this, I am forced to learn two languages in addition to my mother tongue. In stead of excellent English skills, I end up with semi good English and a German not really usable. The irony.

I agree with the first part, but I think you made a typo in your second, a double "o" which should be a single, neh? :laugh4:

I learnt two languages in addition to my mother tongue, english and spanish, and as for every language, you have to use it a lot for a while before really be able to live with it... While my english is ok, my spanish slowly fades away.... even if actually I can still sort of manage to be understood (I remember a funny episode with a swedish old man who spoke only swedish and spanish, in front of a alcohol shop in Göteborg!!)

[ReiseReise]

I took 4 years of German in High school and 4 semesters in college. Spanish is probably more 'useful' in the US, but I have German ancestry and was generally more interested in it. I never regretted it. Reading 20th century German literature was my favorite experience of college. Obviously a lot of the authors were influenced by the world wars and it was an incredible experience learning about "the other side". For example we had a guest speaker in one of my German Lit classes who was a young child in Dresden when it was firebombed.

Everybody of our generation has taken Spanish class at some point. Dare to be different - the chicks dig it :beam: .

[macsen rufus]

I took French and German at school, and picked up some Spanish in later life - don't know if it was inherent, but the Spanish came easiest of all. Maybe because I was immersed in it, maybe because it was (mostly) in Latin America where the "Castillian lisp" doesn't exist, it's a lot more phonetic - the easiest place for English speakers to learn the language and its variations IMHO. (Yeah, I spent some time in Spain too, but ended up learning Andaluz rather than Spanish ~D)

But really, though, go for what's going to grab your interest. Do you want to go for long, in-depth technical discussions about engineering and chemistry, or engineer some long, in-depth chemistry with hot young Latinas :laugh4:

:2cents: