Language of the future?

Hey everyone,

Soon, I will have a big change in my life. I will go to university and I really want to make the right decision. I do know I want to do something with languages and economics, but there are so many possiblities.
For languages, I'll master in English-French & Chinese, but for economics, I also got French, English & a third language of choice.
Spanish, German, Italian, Standard Arabic, Maghrebijns Arabic, Polish, Portuguese or modern Greek.
I really want to make the right decision, and that is why I need to choose a language that is very useful.

Because on cucumis, we have have people that use languages every day, I think this is the best way to know which 3rd language is best to choose.

Please say which you think is the best language, and why..

Thanks,
Nathan

Hi Nathan,
Nice to see you online again
wish I had a good advice to give.. but I have not...since you know, I am not dealing with languages in 'daily life'...just baking and baking and baking...and some cooking.
But that was a smart thing to do, to ask here, I'm almost sure many people on cucumis can give good advice.

Take care!
Pia

But for sure....DON'T choose Swedish!!,no one can use it in the big world

I can't choose swedish, although I think it's a beautiful language!

I am not coming back tho
just need this advice, not going to translate anymore.

Ok... it's a pity that you quit translate, but I guess that's a choice you got to take. Is that due to much school work this time of year, busy right now?

Just passed 2 hard weeks, and in 1 week I have got exams..
After exams, I am going to Austria for 1 week, and then I got time left.
But I am not going to translate in dutch anymore, because I get to much rejections of the dutch experts (they are both from Holland, and I am from Belgium, 2 different countries, 2 languages with other expressions, idioms, vocabulary..)

A lot of people think I am imature too, it may be imature of me to quit Cucumis because of that, but I am not going to bother over some freaks on the net. If they think they are cool, to call a 17 year old imature, then they can think that.

Hm... You are right, you should not pay attention to people calling you stupid things. And besides, It is ok to not have the same experience of life (as the older one) when you are young...
And you know what Nathan...there are MANY old people that are imature to... (I think so) To mature is not always going hand in hand with your age.

So...I hope you pass your exams!!!!
Pia

See you!
I'll say that EVEN if your plans is to not be here online for a while

Hi Nathan! See... I think it would be great for you if you chose Spanish. I don't say it cause I'm Spanish and I like my language, I say it because it's one of the most spoken languages in all the world. Remember it isn't spoken only in Spain. It's also spoken in all South-America (except Brazil)! So there are a lot of people who use this language on their daily life, and because of that, it would be good for you.
Also, I could help you if you want!

Good luck in examsss!!

Arabic is a nice one.
I'd like to be a Japanese-Chinese-English-Arabic translator.
I've been learning Arabic since last July.It's the native language of 22 countries

Yes, I agree with uzeyir-a! Arabic is an important language too. If I were you, I would choose Arabic or Spanish!

Uzeyir-a, spreek jij Nederlands?
Ja, ik studeer nu Chinees, maar dan kan ik 3 soorten schrijven, Arabisch is mooie taal.. maar zeer moeilijk! misschien kan ik sneller Spaans studeren

And yes, Spanish can be a good choice, although.. I don't want to go to South-America to be honest to work! ^^

I'll think about it, it's a beautiful language tho!

According to wikipedia, there are about 90-140 million german-speaking people, which is quite a lot! but of course, it cannot be compared to spanish, which is the native language of about 380 million people.

doing economics means travelling a lot i guess, and therefore, it would probably make more sense to study spanish, as soo many people know it. but over the last years, ive recognized, that the german language is gaining popularity in europe, too - not only in the scandinavic countries but also in hungary, the baltic states (historically i think..), romania, italy etc. So just speaking of Europe, German is probably more helpful.

you already know some german, so if you dont like it at all, its probably better to choose spanish . but ambitious as you are, you probably learn the 2nd language (german or spanish) somewhen as well :P

Who says I am ambitious? ^^

Well, Heidrun I was already planning on following german at evening classes, because I know it's an important language..
But if you see, it takes 6 years of german with evening classes, it will be long! But the school I go to, is 2 years in 1, so that will be 3 years of german..
Since I am going to study for 8 years, I can take another language too (maybe italian) and because I know nothing about italian, I start at a at the first grade, and that will take me maybe 8 years, so 4 years in evening classes..

I don't need to be fluent at german or italian, but it will be great if people understand it..

Hi!

I think you should study Hungarian, it is definitely a language of the future!!

OK, enough from jokes!

I would rather choose German, Italian is just beautiful, but in Europe German more useful.

As to the others, English, French, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese and maybe Hindi will definitely be welcomed. Oh, and I´ve forgotten Russian!!

Oh, that is what I've forgotten too, Cisa..
I can also become interpreter at Hungarian! Although, it's going to be a pitty for me!

I have got 3 years of German in school now, and it looks a lot like Dutch, I can speak German, and I can understand it quite well.. Only the writing is a problem (Dativ, Akkusativ, Genitiv & Nominativ)

Russian, I am not going to study Russian (some people know why) and hmm, I don't think Hindi will become important, since India is a former colony of Great Britain, almost everyone speaks english there..

Since I am going to study for 8 years (and 8 years of english & french, I think I am good enough for it, lol)
Arabic is also a language I really want to learn, but it's just.. it's also very different than our alphabet, or chinese characters..

Maybe it's best to just study spanish? and german & italian at evening classes..

Don't you think that can become a bit confusing, knowing Dutch, Estonian, English, French, Chinese, German, Spanish and Italian? Why not concentrate on "a few" (in your case, its still 6 languages then), which you can speak better than just "smalltalk"? With languages, you really have to stick to them and practise permanently, otherwise you forget them very quickly. and i fear, that after your studies, when you arent confronted with some of these languages (especially the evening-class-ones) in your daily life anymore, you wont know much about them any longer.

I am going to Italy every year, so it's maybe good if I just know some 'smalltalk'

Estonian - Dutch = native languages..
English & French = I'll study them, and master them at university
Spanish = Second diploma, so that is 3 year, 6 hours a week, at university
German = I study german for 3 years now, and I can understand it.. when I study it at an evening class, then I speak it good enough to talk some german, not only the smalltalk

I don't want to speak Italian fluently, I just want to speak the basic, for my holidays ^^

Oh, Chinese, same with Chinese.. I am going to study 4 years of Chinese, and after my first studies, I can become an interpreter English - French - Chinese so, I study french since the age of 10 now, I won't forget that much!

Btw: I am going to use those languages, because I don't stay in Belguim, I want to go abroad so I have to use my languages.
and I will never use my estonian for my work, Estonia means nothing in the world of economics ^^

Well, seems if you have already made your decision then, and no matter what i say, i cant convince you anyways But Italian is also a very nice language, although it might not have the same importance as German, which is definitely the language with the most native speakers in Europe.

I know its hard to decide between languages - I also once had the choice between Latin and French, but im soo glad, I chose French, because I found out i really love languages =) So, good luck, and hopefully you'll take a decision, you wont regret afterwards too!

Well, I am still doubting ^^
We have a special person in our school, who helps us with our study-decisions? and most people go only once to them, I am up to my 4th 'date' as we call it, with him xD

I just know I want to do something with Chinese & Economics..
I need to choose which school I want to go to, for my economics I can choose 8 and for my language diploma I got 7

Languages I can go to London, The Netherlands or 5 other schools in Belgium
For Economics I can choose between 6 Belgian schools, and a Dutch one (I also found a Singaporian school, but I don't think my parents will let me go to Singapore!) xD

Ik spreek een beetje Nederlands,Tristangun!

By the way,Urdu is a good language,too

Aha,I've got the same situation with you,Tristangun because I'm studying so many languages but people ask why I'm studying them and not focusing on a few of them.Well,Some information about other languages' structures is always good.
I'm studying
English : bcz it's the global language
Chinese : absolutely benefit to find a good job and one the languages I want to be fluent in
Arabic : it sounds nice and an important language.
German : certainly a good language to find a job in the mechanical stuff but I don't want to be that much fluent.
Welsh,Dutch,Italian,Spanish,Greek,French : small talk
And Japanese!!!I'm in love with the culture

I'm fed up with explaining it to my classmates

Well, I live in Belgium, I study 5 languages at school: dutch, french, english, spanish & german..
I am estonian, and I can speak lithuanian, because I am born over there..

And I want to study Chinese because I really love the cultur & language..

and what you call "a bit dutch?" can you count to 10? or can you order something in a store? or just talk to someone..