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French · Japanese · for English speakers

French vs Japanese: which should you learn?

A side-by-side comparison of French and Japanese: how hard each is, how long it takes, where you can use it and who each suits.

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Updated · by the 4ToSpeak team

French vs Japanese at a glance

French compared with Japanese
FeatureFrenchJapanese
Written inLatin alphabet (same as English)Japanese script
Difficulty for English speakersClosest to EnglishHardest
Hours to working proficiencyabout 700about 2,200
Time at 15 minutes a day7.7 years24.1 years
Time at 30 minutes a day3.8 years12.1 years
Time at 1 hour a day1.9 years6 years
HelloBonjourこんにちは
Thank youMerciありがとう
Example sentenceJe voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît. (I would like a coffee, please.)駅はどこですか。 (Where is the station?)

Estimates for a native English speaker, following the US Foreign Service Institute’s groupings. Languages the Institute does not rank are placed beside their closest relatives. Your own pace will differ.

Choose French if...

  • You want a language of diplomacy, cooking, fashion and film, and an easy bridge to Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.
  • You will use it in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada and a large part of West and Central Africa.
  • You want the faster path: French is the quicker of the two.
  • You want to read from day one, since French uses the alphabet you already know.

Watch out for: spelling and sound are far apart, so listening and speaking need more attention than reading.

Choose Japanese if...

  • You want anime, games, travel and business with Japan, plus a spoken language with only a few sounds.
  • You will use it in Japan.

Watch out for: three writing systems and verbs placed last; kanji is the long project.

Pronunciation and grammar: what to expect

French. Reading comes faster than speaking. Silent letters, linked words and the French r take time, so most of your effort should go into listening and saying sentences aloud.

Japanese. It takes longer than European languages. You face a new writing system and an unfamiliar word order. The sounds themselves are friendly, with few of them and no tones, so speaking is a good place to start.

In both, the quickest fix for pronunciation is the same: hear a whole sentence, say it out loud and check how close you were. That is the loop 4ToSpeak runs on every sentence.

Which first, French or Japanese?

French and Japanese are not close relatives, so learning one saves little time on the other. Pick the one you will use soonest, get to a comfortable conversation, and add the second later.

If you cannot decide, start both for a week at 15 minutes a day. After seven days you will know which one you look forward to, and motivation matters more than the difference in hours.

Start French or start Japanese, both free with no card.

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FAQ

Questions, answered

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Is French or Japanese easier to learn?

French is quicker for an English speaker: about 700 hours to working proficiency against about 2,200 for Japanese. Difficulty is for native English speakers and follows the US Foreign Service Institute's groupings.

Should I learn French or Japanese first?

Learn French first if you want a language of diplomacy, cooking, fashion and film, and an easy bridge to Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. Learn Japanese first if you want anime, games, travel and business with Japan, plus a spoken language with only a few sounds. French and Japanese are not close relatives, so learning one saves little time on the other. Pick the one you will use soonest, get to a comfortable conversation, and add the second later.

Can I learn French and Japanese at the same time?

You can, but splitting the same daily time across two languages slows both. Most learners do better by finishing the first stage in one (about three months of daily practice) before adding the other.

How long does it take to learn French compared with Japanese?

At 30 minutes a day, French takes about 3.8 years to reach working proficiency and Japanese about 12.1 years. Holding a first simple conversation takes far less in either.

Related guides

More on French and Japanese

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