I want your opinions and advice, please!(:

I have a quick question for you guys.(:

As many of you know, I'm going to start attending college in about two months. And I have to sign up for my classes in exactly 8 days. O.O

So here's where my question for you guys comes in.

I was just wondering...which language class do you think I should take: Mandarin or Japanese?

I'm going to be taking two language classes since I'm going to be exempt from taking a lot of typical freshman year classes. I really love languages, so I think I'll be able to handle taking two. My plan is to take a European language and an Asian language; I'm trying to decide between Italian and German as my European language. I feel that German will be more useful in the long run, but Italian would be really easy for me to pick up since I'm semi-fluent in Spanish (and Italian and Spanish are both Romance languages and are similar in many ways).

I'm really not sure if I should take Mandarin or Japanese. Both of them would be useful to know for international business, but I'm not sure I'm ever going to be involved in business.

I also have plans of moving out of the United States (at least for a few years) after college, and the places I'm thinking of moving to have significant Mandarin-speaking populations. So that's one tick for Mandarin in my mind.

But...Tokyo would be a pretty groovy place to live. And I do love Japanese films and fashion and literature very much.

GOSH, it's just hard for me to pick between the two!

I mean, I know Mandarin will be a challenge for me to learn and that it will take me a while to master proper pronunciation (those tonalities, man. Those tonalities), but I really love Mandarin as a language. I think it's very pretty. PLUS, Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world (or maybe it's English now, I'm not exactly sure. But it's either number one or number two on the most widely spoken language in the world list). So I feel like knowing Mandarin would bring me more opportunities and advantages in the work force.

I hear that Japanese is not as difficult to speak for foreginers as Mandarin, so that's rather reassuring. But I also hear that kanji is a nightmare to learn. But I mean, PSHHHT, either written language is going to be a nightmare to learn. But I'm gonna do it. Because I wanna do it. Cuz I wanna be a bad and just be that white kid who's fluent in Chinese/Japanese.(;

I dunno, guys. They're both great languages, and they're both going to be challenging in their own ways to learn.

If any of you reading this right now speak either language/have tried learning either language/are familiar with either language and would like to contribute an opinion or any advice, I would be very grateful!

Which language would you learn if you had the choice?

UGHHHHHH, I can't believe I have to pick my classes in 8 days. I'M  NOT READY FOR THIS YET! >.<

But no matter which language I take, I'm gonna get as close to fluent as possible.

And that goes for Italian/German as well.

And I gotta work more on my Spanish, because I promised myself I was gonna be fluent in the language and I'm not exactly there yet.

DAMN, I JUST LOVE LANGUAGES. :DDDDD

Now help me make a decision! ;D <33333

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KPOP_RULZ93 #1
I've studied Japanese for a semester, it was the hardest class I ever took. Maybe because the teacher was not that great. Anyway, because you are semi-fluent in Spanish, the pronunciation wouldn't be hard. Japanese requires you to learn kanji, katakana, and hiragana. Both languages require you to learn kanji. Hope that helps.
catsoup #2
Hmmm.. I suggest Mandarin since it could really be beneficial for you in the long run. It's not Called the "business language" of the world for nothing :)
It's a HUGE ADVANTAGE to know how to speak Mandarin ;))
jenuinelyjen #3
Oh and I don't know much about Japanese, but sometimes if I see the language on food labels or whatever, I see alot of Mandarin characters in the mix. So I'm thinking that if you'll have to know those Mandarin characters, why not learn Mandarin first? And wouldn't it be easier to pick up Japanese right after that, I mean no harm in learning both eventually.
jenuinelyjen #4
We're so alike, I'm learning Spanish in school too and I guess you could say I'm semi-fluent? (;
jenuinelyjen #5
Mandarin. Because I'm Chinese and biased like that. XD I can help too!
BridgetLovesDancing #6
Honestly, I say Japanese. It's more exciting! (Well to me anyways..lol) And I know how you feel because I'm a language freak too ;D And I'd say Italian for your European language because...well, just because. lol;D
GOOD LUCK~!! <3
andromedas9605 #7
Mandarin. idk why but I think chinese is more important and you can almost use it everywhere you go just like English too. Like Malaysia, singapore, China, Canada etc etc
caline #8
i'd pick japanese, and i wouldnt want to learn italian or german. i dont like either languages xD
Yukie23 #9
Mandarin is definitely better for you in the long run, but I chose Japanese myself. I was just more interested in Japanese culture and language more so I opted for that road. However, I will probably try to fit in one year of Chinese myself.

I love languages as well. If I had more time, I would take a European language (most likely French xD), Arabic, and also Russian. But, I'm entering my third year already and I still have to finish my second year of Japanese >.>

Whatever Asian language you choose though,I wish you the best of luck! I hope you learn lots!

And if you ever want to practice some Spanish, I'm fluent :) [I'm fluent in Latin Spanish, not necessarily Castilian Spanish, but there shouldn't be that big of a difference] :D
-pinkypromise #10
Madarin is a lot harder to learn.. >< Personally, I would learn Japanese. But I do feel like learning mandarin would be more beneficial to you, especially if you wanna do business in the future(:
omgkpop #11
Mandarin will help you in the long run. Just sayin'. But yeah, THE TONALITIES! I agree. Now try learning cantonese XDD
hanyune #12
Japanese.
Mandarin's harder. :L

LOVE YOU JENN~
GOOD LUCK IN COLLEGE, GURLFRENEEE! ^o^
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