We all become a little indecisive when we want to learn a new language especially with languages like Russian and French.
The idea of learning a new language can be quite interesting. However, it gets a little tricky when we have to choose between them.
How to choose the right language
In today’s competitive world speaking a foreign language is like having an immunity pin; you never know when you need it. It is therefore extremely important to pick the right language to transform your life for the better.
The goal isn’t necessarily to find the “right” language but to simply choose a language that meets your demands.
So how do we do it? Pick a language that brings you one step closer to your personal or professional goals.
Here is a list of 4 questions to ask yourself before choosing a language
4 factors to consider before choosing Russian or French
1. Purpose
Why do you want to learn this language?
Whether it is your love for the rich culture in France or it is your dream to explore every city in Russia; it is important to have a reason before you choose a language.
This reason will be your driving force and motivation as you embark on your language journey. It will help you to focus on the important aspects of the language.
For example, if you are learning French to work in one of the renowned French software companies then you can focus mainly on the business side. You can be selective with the technical vocabulary and phrases in French. It is likewise if your choice is Russian.
It is not possible to cover all the concepts while learning a language. By focusing on the key areas that are useful, you simplify your work and save a lot of time.
Having a solid purpose to learn a language enables us to achieve our language goals much faster and easier.
2. Challenging aspects
How is Russian different from French?
After analyzing the purpose, it is important to be aware of the challenging aspects in both the languages;
Having a clear idea about the different concepts and difficulty levels will make your decision much easier. Let me break down some of my insights on both languages.
The Russian and French languages have their own share of similarities and dissimilarities. They are both parts of the European language family and hence share some common words. Some French phrases were also adopted as single words in Russian.
The Russian language seems a bit daunting with its strange letters. Moreover, in the Russian language words are not pronounced as they are written. Noun cases can be quite a challenge to play with.
There is no use of articles. Being a highly expressive language, they don’t have a strict order while framing sentences. They follow a case system where the endings of the noun vary depending on the context.
This language has fewer tenses and verb conjugations have a similar pattern and are easy to follow. Pronunciation gets better once you are familiar with the letters.
The French language on the other hand stresses the liaison and accents. Similar to Russian the French assigns a gender to every object. Articles play an important role here and indicate the gender of the word.
French is known for its precise sentence structures. Grammar concepts are simple at the beginning and may get a little harder once you go deep into the language. Nevertheless, the most challenging part in French is the pronunciation.
3. Prior language experiences
What languages do I already know?
As language lovers, we have a load of experiences in our language journey. Therefore, I encourage you to go back to your roots.
Some of the languages you already speak or know may serve as a root or base for other languages.
If you are familiar with Spanish, then French is a more reasonable option. Most of the concepts in your French grammar align with Spanish. French also shares some similarities with other European languages like Italian.
Contrarily, Russian is a better option if you are familiar with languages like Bulgarian and polish. Bulgarian alphabets are pretty close to Russian alphabets. Polish and Russian sound similar and share many common words.
4. Future scope
How is this language useful for me in the long run?
Both Russian and French provide many amazing opportunities. It is important to see which language correlates with your career or other goals helping you to reach greater heights in the future.
If your interest lies in politics, space, and economics then learning Russian will provide a better scope for you.
If it is oriented with art, fashion, research, and other developmental areas then French is a better choice.
In case of other goals try considering your existing skills, cultural likes, and dislikes, academic qualification, etc.
Have you made up your mind?
Both these languages have challenges of their own and I hope the above 4 categories will provide some clarity for you to choose Russian or French. If you still can’t make up your mind. Listen to your gut and go for it!
