Advice required: Shall I pursue for Chinese or French

[fallstuff]

If you wanna sound cute, learn French. Wanna be practical, learn Chinese.

 

[Al Bhatti]

If you need an alternative language apart from French or "Chinese"

I would suggest Spanish. It is one of the most widely spoken language in the world in terms of number of speakers. It is also spoken in a huge number of countries.

Since you are living in Sharjah, I would say Arabic should be the first priority unless you already speak Arabic.

I know Arabic, Urdu and English (reading, writing and speaking)

 

[Al Bhatti]

But if you have plans to settle or visit china,then only go for it,or else try french out,it can help you if you go anywhere in europe in future whereas chinese can only stick you till china..

So far no plans to move to another country, but i do not know what will be the future for me.

 

[BelligerentPacifist]

@Ali Bhatti, if you have the resources to learn two languages, do learn both of them, moreso when you have no economic or social interests involved.

Mandarin grammar is very easy, you'd master the sounds early on if you try, writing unless it is in pinyin would remain the harder part. Thus it was for me.

French is easy because much of the older vocabulary shares roots with North Indian languages (but Urdu is the maverick of the bunch so it won't be too obvious). French is difficult because the grammar is more involved, and you have to learn some new sounds which are very hard for a Pakistani to learn.

I'd suggest you learn French first and mandarin second. This way you'll be exposed to new sounds, grammatical nomenclature and the language-learning process more gradually.

It is important to know that a shallow language-course does just fine for a débutant. Once you have the base, you will continue to learn over the years on your own, provided of course that you keep on exposing yourself to that language.

Good luck.

zai jian and au revoir!

 

[Al Bhatti]

If you do choose "Chinese" will you learn Mandarin or Cantonese?

It will be Mandarin

 

[Spring Onion]

First go for French. It has many advantages. Many former areas now free states do speak French

 

[SekrutYakhni]

I hate French language!!!!!!!
Despite the fact that I live in a bilingual country..
French and English are official language..

 

[Al Bhatti]

Dear All,

I have started to learn Chinese and so far have completed 2 levels out of 5 in Confucius Institute since February 2011. I am using Boya Chinese text book (elementary book 1) and have so far completed the first 16 lessons and can understand the meaning of the words in those lessons (in pinyin) and write and make dialogues by myself using the words learnt so far and can read and write the first 8 lessons in Chinese characters (approximately 155 characters).

I have done a trial HSK level 1 test online and in the institute and have got 80/100 in both attempts.

I have problem in practicing speaking the language as i can only practice it in the class and I do not know Chinese people to practice with them.

Can any of the members, Chinese or Non-Chinese (who have learnt the Chinese language or are learning it) advice any resource to me for enhancing my ability in the language?

 

[Comet]

Don't they speak French in Canada?

 

[Singh Balwinder]

French is more widely used and more famous than Chinese over the world.
French will be a better option.
French is spoken widely in many other nations as well.

 

[Karachiite]

I know a little bit of French since all schools require you to take French course upto grade 9 and since its the 2nd Language of Canada. I hated it. I would take Chinese because its becoming more and more popular. But I guess French would be useful in some African and European countries and also in Quebec.