by Ann Major

Created on: January 23, 2012   Last Updated: May 02, 2012

The appeal of learning a new language is, once you become fluent in one, it is much easier to master another. With a foundation in place, you can learn other languages that are intricately related. That said, the easiest languages to gain fluency in, are those closest in sound and expression to your mother tongue; those spoken in your household/school/country; languages of neighboring countries where you might be motivated to learn, for personal or business travel.

German

If you are English-speaking, German is the easiest language to pick up and gain extensive vocabulary, not to mention long-term retention. This is because English is derived from Germanic languages and many words are similar in pronunciation and spelling to English. For instance, without knowing much or any German, you can pretty well guess what this sentence reads and means: Das ist nicht mein haus. (That is not my house).

The fun and magic of the German language is its penchant for stringing together several words to form one big word. It is always enjoyable for German language students to try and invent new words by creating longer word linkages. Here is a word which has 41 letters: Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaftskapitan, meaning "Danube steamship company captain".

If you are French-speaking, German is linked  to the French language (and other Romance languages), through its usage of masculine, feminine, and plural definite articles: der=masculine,die=feminine, die=plural, for all plural nouns. In French, these definite articles are: le=masculine, la=feminine, les=plural. However, the German language goes one step further by having a third gender "neuter", exemplified by the word "das". For example, "das Auto" means " the car". In addition, all nouns in German are capitalized, in case anyone has any issues with noun identification.

Romance Languages

Since Romance Languages are widely spoken throughout the world, it would be easier to gain fluency as you practice and learn from friends and workers around you, plus with native people of various countries when you travel. All Romance Languages have similar vocabulary, similar conjugation system, and are derived from Latin. As there are many Romance Languages and they are mutually intelligible, this article will only focus on four: French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.

French - Since New World explorations, colonialism, and past wars, the French have left their culture and language in many parts of the world. America's closest ally,

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