Language desk
< October 2	<< Sep \| October \| Nov >>	October 4 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Language Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is a transcluded archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

October 3

Easiest European language to learn

Between Spanish, French and German, which language is easiest to learn for English speaking person? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Stuart34534 (talk • contribs) 01:46, 3 October 2019 (UTC) Easy according to pronunciation and grammar also.[reply]

There's probably the most words in common with French, due to the Hundred Year's War and Norman Conquest, relatively recent (is linguistic terms) events where each was on the other's soil for many years. Of course, having slightly different meanings in the two languages can cause some problems: "Would that gross man mind if I molested him for a few minutes ?" (Would the large man mind if I bothered him ?). :-) SinisterLefty (talk) 01:51, 3 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Spanish syntax is relatively easy and straightforward, compared with French, Portugese, and even Italian. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:39, 3 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

According to the FSI, Spanish and French are Category I languages (easiest for native English speakers) and German is Category II. Their timeline indicates 24 weeks of study for Spanish to achieve "professional working proficiency", 30 weeks for French and 36 weeks for German.[1]--William Thweatt ^Talk^Contribs 05:57, 3 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Good idea for a way to quantify answers! ~~But the question was about the easiest language other than those three.~~ Well, on that page 8 languages are all listed as "24 weeks", which is the fastest to learn. Besides Spanish, the other 7 are: Danish, Dutch, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Swedish. --76.69.116.4 (talk) 06:21, 3 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I think you misread the Q. Had it said "Besides..." it would have meant that, but it said "Between...". SinisterLefty (talk) 06:27, 3 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

So it did! Sorry about that. --76.69.116.4 (talk) 17:38, 3 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

As someone who is en-N and has learned the other three you mentioned, Spanish is definitely the easiest. After Spanish, next is French, then German. If you hadn't suggested any languages at all, I would say: Esperanto, Spanish, Italian, Catalan, French, Portuguese, Dutch, German, Russian. Mathglot (talk) 09:50, 8 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Depends somewhat on your purpose. If you just want to speak well enough for basic communication, the answer can be different than if you want to be fluent, if you want to write without grammatical errors, etc. Your learning method also matters: take a class? Go there and try to talk to people? Spanish as a European language (from Spain) is a bit different from the Central American Spanish that you'll hear in the US, etc. 67.164.113.165 (talk) 17:57, 8 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Northcestrain Grammar School:

This is the link: https://wiki.riteme.site/wiki/North_Cestrian_Grammar_School

The school motto reads: as above link: Motto: "Delapsus Resurgam" (When I fall I shall die)

This is wrong! other than a bunch of kids walking around with an emblem associated with death, which by all accounts is wrong.

"Delapsus resurgam" does not, I repeat does not translate to this!

It wasn't this originally on Wikipedia, and now it's changed...

Please correct it, it's offensive to the Great Students that have, are and will continue to become Great Human Beings.

This is what it translates to:

"Delapsus Resurgam" (When I fall, I shall rise again)

Northcestrain formed just after the end of the second world war. Its Latin emblem is meant to inspire students to keep on trying. We all fall in life, but we keep on regardless because we are fearless and we never stop trying. We never give up.

Please change this. as soon as possible.

Regards,

Nick Carroll. (Former Student of Northcestrain Grammer School)

Thanks. This was a piece of recent vandalism that unfortunately slipped through. Fut.Perf. ☼ 20:03, 3 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

That would be a good motto for Phoenix, Arizona. SinisterLefty (talk) 20:17, 3 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

St Paul's Cathedral in London has above its south door, an image of a phoenix and the motto "Resurgam", having been rebuilt after the Great Fire of London as every schoolboy knows. Alansplodge (talk) 21:44, 3 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]