Good day to you all nairalanders. I am interested in learning a language. l am planning to start with French then later on German or I can pick just one of the two(speaking, listening & writing).
I am an undergraduate, presently in my final year and I plan on immigrating sometimes in the nearest future ,I have not really picked a place but I want to start learning a language the will be of benefit when the time comes. pls your view will be highly appreciated and if u have any site or YouTube channel that can enhance the learning.

i wouldnt recommend any of these languages and instead would recommend to learn SPANISH... because:
- apart from being in Germany, learning German is useless away from Germany and around the world.
- French is a widely spoken language in many countries around the world (France, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium and all the former French colonies) but there are way more countries/people that speaks Spanish around the world than French/German.
- also, if you learn Spanish, it would be easier for you afterwards learn Italian/French/Portuguese etc
- in terms of number of population who speak the language, learning Chinese/Arabic would make more sense than German.

as for apps to learn foreign languages, try Duolingo or Babbel to get the basic, and then go for a language course.

Thankyou @Mr brown I will look in Spanish language

If you can learn German very well at make it to Germany na gateway to endless possibilities be that. Cos getting a job won't be difficult.

Tho I respect the opinion of the guy that made reference to popularity of language, but how many Spanish speaking countries have stable and vibrant economy ready to absorb immigrant apart from Spain

The opportunities alone in Germany for German speaking individuals will make u forget about any country and lets not forget countries like Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein all speak German. And these are rich countries with vibrant economies...

Op i know a guy here that can help through that German language he has some insight on it,,his Hadamson you can ask him few questions about it

Ge0grapher:
If you can learn German very well at make it to Germany na gateway to endless possibilities be that. Cos getting a job won't be difficult.

Tho I respect the opinion of the guy that made reference to popularity of language, but how many Spanish speaking countries have stable and vibrant economy ready to absorb immigrant apart from Spain

The opportunities alone in Germany for German speaking individuals will make u forget about any country and lets not forget countries like Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein all speak German. And these are rich countries with vibrant economies...

as much as you are right about Germany's vibrant economy, the reality is that most people in Germany speak English so you dont really need the language (per se) to get a job... also dont forget that speaking Spanish will help you greatly in the US (especially if you move to Texas, Florida or California), let alone places like Mexico, Argentina, Colombia etc depending on the job you are looking for. English teachers in South America earn quite a good salary.

@MrBrownJay1 please get your facts right and do not mislead people. You need to speak good German to land a good job in Germany! The only exception is IT-related careers. My advice to the poster is to learn German first, then other languages can follow. Germany (and other German-speaking countries) has one of the most stable economies in the world. Several jobs, free education, safe country, etc. If you can learn German up to B2 level before you graduate, then your chances of coming to Germany either as a student or expatriate is guaranteed. FYI, there are lots of Spanish and French speakers (especially Cameroonians) who dwell in Germany and were forced to learn the German language because of the stable economy of Germany. Despite the fact that French and Spanish are popular languages, most of these countries have weak economies and not recommended for migrants. So ask yourself a question; Do you want to speak a foreign language just for knowledge sake or for financial prosperity?

bamdexfarms:
@MrBrownJay1 please get your facts right and do not mislead people. You need to speak good German to land a good job in Germany! The only exception is IT-related careers. My advice to the poster is to learn German first, then other languages can follow. Germany (and other German-speaking countries) has one of the most stable economies in the world. Several jobs, free education, safe country, etc. If you can learn German up to B2 level before you graduate, then your chances of coming to Germany either as a student or expatriate is guaranteed. FYI, there are lots of Spanish and French speakers (especially Cameroonians) who dwell in Germany and were forced to learn the German language because of the stable economy of Germany. Despite the fact that French and Spanish are popular languages, most of these countries have weak economies and not recommended for migrants. So ask yourself a question; Do you want to speak a foreign language just for knowledge sake or for financial prosperity?

ok my bad i didnt know the OP was looking for a "good" job, but i doubt you need to speak German to get a common job. Germany is a multicultural society where English is spoken everywhere. you might need to speak German to be a lawyer/doctor but i doubt you need to speak German to have a common job that most immigrants excel in.
as for your free education, safe country speech, come on bro, this is Europe, most countries i mentioned offer the same services. yes, germany has had a healthy job market but surrounding countries like France/Spain/UK etc are catching up. there are equally 10s of thousand of Germans working in surrounding countries like France/UK and especially Spain where Germans move in masses due to the better Spanish weather. as for you saying that, apart from Germany, countries like France and Spain are not "recommended" for migrants, come on, you now are very biased! migrants can succeed just about anywhere in Europe these days, you just need the right attitude and the right environment. there are 10s of thousands of successful Nigerians in Spain, just like there are 10s of thousand of successful Nigerians in France and/or Holland, Portugal, Italy etc

as for you mixing learning a new language with financial prosperity, as if learning a new language would be a waste of time, unless it makes you earn money at any cost, then we certainly have different way of thinking.

IMHO, learning a new language should be to enlighten your life so that you could discover/understand different cultures, countries and people, and whether you make money or not is irrelevant, because a smart/intelligent person that fully UNDERSTANDS his surroundings would always have financial prosperity, whether he speaks the language or not. if your reason for learning a foreign language is solely financial prosperity then you might as well not waste your time, and instead just move to the US with your English and seek your eldorado there.

What is your motivation to learn the languages you stated?

If your intention is to live and work in
Europe, then by all means learn both... the ability to speak more European languages in Europe opens up more opportunities for you.

For example if you Spoke German and French in Germany... boy, you would be a very hot cake to handle.

MrBrownJay1:


as much as you are right about Germany's vibrant economy, the reality is that most people in Germany speak English so you dont really need the language (per se) to get a job... also dont forget that speaking Spanish will help you greatly in the US (especially if you move to Texas, Florida or California), let alone places like Mexico, Argentina, Colombia etc depending on the job you are looking for. English teachers in South America earn quite a good salary.

Most people in Germany don't speak English ... Get your facts right..
Concerning Spanish teaching, it is not as rosey as it sounds bro, cos there are Spanish natives also looking for such jobs in those places ...
They consider those people first since it is their first or second language ..
You are derailing mentioning English teaching in South America.

MrBrownJay1:


as much as you are right about Germany's vibrant economy, the reality is that most people in Germany speak English so you dont really need the language (per se) to get a job... also dont forget that speaking Spanish will help you greatly in the US (especially if you move to Texas, Florida or California), let alone places like Mexico, Argentina, Colombia etc depending on the job you are looking for. English teachers in South America earn quite a good salary.

Brov,
Unfortunately I do not agree with the statement that most people in Germany speak English, it's very incorrect.

Firstly German is required for almost ALL jobs I repeat, almost ALL except in IT. So if you can't speak German forget about working and living there. English is only spoken in the big cities, but not commonly to the point that you can randomly ask anyone in the streets of Berlin for directions in English, a good number of people would still tell you "sorry no English".

Secondly in some parts of Germany, the spoken German is so conc, that you would be forced to start speaking it within your first three months in the community, as speaking English would get you absolutely nowhere with the locals.

The only parts of Europe that I have experienced getting by with English were Holland and the Scandinavian areas... specifically, Norway. Like you could randomly walk up to anyone and ask for directions in English and a good number of people would respond to you in English.

But Germany... no no can do for English.
They don't even like English for starters.

Ge0grapher:
Most people in Germany don't speak English ... Get your facts right..
Concerning Spanish teaching, it is not as rosey as it sounds bro, cos there are Spanish natives also looking for such jobs in those places ...
They consider those people first since it is their first or second language ..
You are derailing mentioning English teaching in South America.

- so are you saying that German natives dont look for jobs in Germany?!
- do you actually believe that a Nigerian speaking Spanish will NOT be hired in Spain, but a Nigerian speaking German would be hired in Germany.... you are joking right?!

optimusprime2:
Brov,
Unfortunately I do not agree with the statement that most people in Germany speak English, it's very incorrect.

Firstly German is required for almost ALL jobs I repeat, almost ALL except in IT. So if you can't speak German forget about working and living there. English is only spoken in the big cities, but not commonly to the point that you can randomly ask anyone in the streets of Berlin for directions in English, a good number of people would still tell you "sorry no English".

Secondly in some parts of Germany, the spoken German is so conc, that you would be forced to start speaking it within your first three months in the community, as speaking English would get you absolutely nowhere with the locals.

The only parts of Europe that I have experienced getting by with English were Holland and the Scandinavian areas... specifically, Norway. Like you could randomly walk up to anyone and ask for directions in English and a good number of people would respond to you in English.

But Germany... no no can do for English.
They don't even like English for starters.

i once lived in Germany for a few months in Tubingen while absolutely speaking 0% German. i went everywhere and had no problem conversing/socializing with people, in businesses etc. i never encountered a single German person who didnt speak English. probably older Germans may not be as skilled in English as the younger generation, but anyone under 50 i encountered could definitely speak English.
Scandinavians (just like Germans) learn English at school from a very young age, therefore by the time they finish school, they are all fluent in English. EVERYONE in Sweden Denmark and Norway speaks English... in France, we learn English differently, thats why, many French citizen understand English but cant speak it.

MrBrownJay1:






i once lived in Germany for a few months in Tubingen while absolutely speaking 0% German. i went everywhere and had no problem conversing/socializing with people, in businesses etc. i never encountered a single German person who didnt speak English. probably older Germans may not be as skilled in English as the younger generation, but anyone under 50 i encountered could definitely speak English.
Scandinavians (just like Germans) learn English at school from a very young age, therefore by the time they finish school, they are all fluent in English. EVERYONE in Sweden Denmark and Norway speaks English... in France, we learn English differently, thats why, many French citizen understand English but cant speak it.

You may be right, however my experience b4 the lockdown in Saarbrucken was not funny, my German is not the best so I tried asking for some directions in English for a good 45mins or so and no one could speak English enough to help, though most of them were bilingual I.e they spoke either Dutch or French apart from German but English was the problem.

Because Germany is a very industrialised and mega country, English is sure to be spoken in bigger cities and big university cities I.e Tubingen, which is a university city, but in the country side trust me the true challenge of English is obvious.

But thanks for sharing your experience though.

MrBrownJay1:


- so are you saying that German natives dont look for jobs in Germany?!
- do you actually believe that a Nigerian speaking Spanish will NOT be hired in Spain, but a Nigerian speaking German would be hired in Germany.... you are joking right.

Answers to the above questions
What I am saying are:

1. Unemployment level in Germany is very low.

2. A Nigerian, speaking German has more chance of being hired in Germany because of the availability of jobs as compared to Spain.

optimusprime2:
You may be right, however my experience b4 the lockdown in Saarbrucken was not funny, my German is not the best so I tried asking for some directions in English for a good 45mins or so and no one could speak English enough to help, though most of them were bilingual I.e they spoke either Dutch or French apart from German but English was the problem.

Because Germany is a very industrialised and mega country, English is sure to be spoken in bigger cities and big university cities I.e Tubingen, which is a university city, but in the country side trust me the true challenge of English is obvious.

But thanks for sharing your experience though.

yes Tubingen is indeed a university city so possibly why everyone i met in shops etc spoke English, but i really felt like being in Scandinavia...aka no need to speak the language as everyone understood/spoke English. i guess i was lucky then...

Ge0grapher:
Answers to the above questions
What I am saying are:

1. Unemployment level in Germany is was very low.

2. A Nigerian, speaking German has more chance of being hired in Germany because of the availability of jobs as compared to Spain.

i dont think a German speaking Nigerian has more chances to find work than his French/Spanish speaking counterpart.

today's Europe economy is changing...countries like Spain/France/Portugal that were going through tough periods, are now getting better. people have been viewing Germany as the European Eldorado for so long that today, i doubt it is "that" better than places like France. covid-19 will truly show us which of these countries have the better economy... only time will tell.

MrBrownJay1:


i dont think a German speaking Nigerian has more chances to find work than his French/Spanish speaking counterpart.

today's Europe economy is changing...countries like Spain/France/Portugal that were going through tough periods, are now getting better. people have been viewing Germany as the European Eldorado for so long that today, i doubt it is "that" better than places like France. covid-19 will truly show us which of these countries have the better economy... only time will tell.

Yeah...only time will tell

clemsclef:
Good day to you all nairalanders. I am interested in learning a language. l am planning to start with French then later on German or I can pick just one of the two(speaking, listening & writing).
I am an undergraduate, presently in my final year and I plan on immigrating sometimes in the nearest future ,I have not really picked a place but I want to start learning a language the will be of benefit when the time comes. pls your view will be highly appreciated and if u have any site or YouTube channel that can enhance the learning.

Go for german language it is better than other foreign language

optimusprime2:


You may be right, however my experience b4 the lockdown in Saarbrucken was not funny, my German is not the best so I tried asking for some directions in English for a good 45mins or so and no one could speak English enough to help, though most of them were bilingual I.e they spoke either Dutch or French apart from German but English was the problem.

Because Germany is a very industrialised and mega country, English is sure to be spoken in bigger cities and big university cities I.e Tubingen, which is a university city, but in the country side trust me the true challenge of English is obvious.

But thanks for sharing your experience though.

Please I got admission to study MSc in Applied and Environmental Geosciences in university of Tubingen. Can you be my guide please?

MrBrownJay1:


i dont think a German speaking Nigerian has more chances to find work than his French/Spanish speaking counterpart.

today's Europe economy is changing...countries like Spain/France/Portugal that were going through tough periods, are now getting better. people have been viewing Germany as the European Eldorado for so long that today, i doubt it is "that" better than places like France. covid-19 will truly show us which of these countries have the better economy... only time will tell.

Please I got admission to study MSc in Applied and Environmental Geosciences in university of Tubingen to start October 2022. Can you be my guide please?

Lol... Interesting
But the funniest part is that the op didn't say he want to travel to Germany and I think learning german is only for who want to travel to germany thou it won't hurt learning it.
I think@op should just learn a language that ain't base on one or two country or better still, decide the country you like to travel to so that u can know which foreign language to learn

Learn Spanish

I started speaking and understanding in just 2month

bakmos:


Please I got admission to study MSc in Applied and Environmental Geosciences in university of Tubingen to start October 2022. Can you be my guide please?

i was in Tubingen a few years back and not any longer....but hey, you will be good in this great muti cultural city and its vibrant foreign students community.