Planning
Should I learn Spanish or French first?
Both take about the same study time for English speakers. The choice is mostly about where you will use it.
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Updated · by the 4ToSpeak team
Lesson preview
Step 4Estoy cansado.
I am tired.
- Order
- Translate
- Listen
- Speak
Say it out loud. Green landed, yellow was close.
Start freeWhy start with Spanish
- Spelling matches sound, so you can read and say new words quickly.
- Very widely spoken across the Americas and in the United States.
- A strong base for Portuguese and Italian.
Why start with French
- Spoken on several continents, including Canada, Europe and Africa.
- A language of diplomacy, cooking, fashion and film.
- An excellent base for Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, which are easier to read afterwards.
The honest difference
Spanish is quicker to start speaking. French needs more ear training because spelling and sound are far apart, so plan to hear and say sentences from the beginning.
Can I learn both at once?
You can, but they are easy to mix up. Most people do better reaching a comfortable level in one first.
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Free · no card · 77 languages
Now say it out loud
Reading teaches you what it looks like. Speaking teaches you to say it. Practise in full sentences, free, no card.