French vs German, which language is easier to learn? 18 French tenses or 4 German cases? Which language is more promising? What is easier to learn? The European languages German and French have been popular among the new language learners for several decades.
French Vs German Popularity
About 130 million people speak German as a native or foreign language. It ranks 10th in popularity and has the official status in 6 countries. German is primarily spoken in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and in some small European countries and some parts of Africa. Though German is the major language in Germany, there are other languages spoken in Germany.
French is spoken by more than 275 million people on 5 continents. It ranks 9th in the most widely spoken languages on the planet. French is both writing and speaking the working and official language of the United Nations, the European Union, UNESCO, the International Olympic Committee, the International Red Cross, as well as in international legal instances.
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French is the language of about 50% of Belgium and about 20% of Switzerland. Large groups of people speak French in Morocco and Algeria. In the Western Hemisphere, French is the language of the inhabitants of Quebec in Canada and of the people of French Guiana and Haiti.
French is recognized as an official language in 29 countries around the world.
French vs German popularity winner: French
French Vs German Reading (Pronunciation)
German has a simple pronunciation, much easier than French. Reading German is quite easy, you only need to learn a few combinations that are read differently. Everything else reads as written.
The grammar is quite difficult. But it has a clear and quite logical structure. Everything is tied to specific rules. Once understood, it is even said that German can be learned by those who do not have linguistic talent.
The German language has excellent word-formation. If you forgot a word, you can make it up: die Arbeit (work) + das Buch (book) = das Arbeitsbuch (workbook).
Pronunciation in French is more difficult than in German. Words are not read the way they are written. French has a lot of nasal sounds that are very unusual for English speakers.
French vs German reading (pronunciation) winner: German
Speaking (Oral communication)
Speaking German is harder than French. You need to be good at grammar first. Despite the presence of only 4 cases, the different declensions of adjectives, nouns, and articles make speaking the language a challenge for non-natives. This is not the case in French.
There are more genders in German than in French (there are 2 genders in French – male and female).
French is spoken very fast and needs a lot of practice to get your ears tuned to French. Also, the spellings are complicated. The same sound can be written in different ways. However, once the pronunciations are mastered, the speaking part is relatively easier with French.
The French can pretend that they do not understand you at all, although they know English.
French Vs German: Final Verdict
Every language is beautiful in its own way. And if you start to dive into its study, you will encounter many difficulties anyway. And believe me, there will be enough of them everywhere. But these are not a big deal, as the knowledge of languages opens up global opportunities to study / work abroad, make new acquaintances, and expand business.
The British royal family does speak French and German. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Prince William are fluent in both French and German. There are about 150,000 French immigrants in the UK, making the French language one of the top 10 immigrant languages of the UK.
In the battle of French Vs German, I would like to add that it all depends on your goals. However, here are recommendations,
- for professional activities – German
- for general development – German
- for arts & travel – French
- for immigration (change residence) – French
Unlike French, a few countries in the world speak German. Due to the limited availability of German-speaking professionals, German is the best choice for career growth and for students planning to pursue higher education in Germany.
Read also: Learn French in Bangalore
FAQs
You would encounter many difficulties in both French and German, but in different ways. It all depends on the efforts you put in to learn the language. Both are equally difficult.
For professional activities – German
For general development – German
For arts & travel – French
For immigration (change residence) – French
