Is French Or Spanish More Useful In Europe? My Experience

Speaking a local language makes your travel experience much more comfortable and memorable, so I’m excited for you to want to start learning. Do you want to learn French or Spanish but aren’t sure whine is better for your European travels?

I’ve already learned 3 foreign languages and keep learning more. And as a guide, I’ve traveled through almost all European countries. So, in this article, I’ll share whether French or Spanish is more useful in Europe, based on my experience.

Are you ready? Let’s explore it together.

Is French Or Spanish More Useful In Europe? Answered!

French is more useful in Europe than Spanish. Why? Simply because you can use French in more European countries than Spanish.

French is the official language of 5 European countries: France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Monaco, and Switzerland.

Spanish is only spoken in Spain.

So, if you want to learn one of these languages for your European adventure, start learning French. But obviously, it depends on which countries you want to visit. If you want to only visit Spain, then stick to Spanish.

Where In Europe Can You Speak French?

French is spoken in 5 European countries: France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco, and Switzerland.

You can speak French in France, the most visited destination in Europe. France is also a huge country, so you can see many exciting places, from Paris, the capital, to the Pyrenees mountains in the south or the beautiful French Riviera, a vacation paradise for many Europeans.

Yet, there is one more country where you can speak French: Switzerland. Switzerland is definitely one of the most beautiful European countries.

French is the official language in the French part of Switzerland, which is close to France. You can explore Geneva, Geneva Lake, Lausanne, Fribourg, the cheese-making paradise of Gruyere, Montreux, and even Zermatt.

You can also speak French in Monaco, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

Okay, it’s not in Europe, but if you want to travel from Spain to Morocco and explore Morocco, French is also an official language there.

Where In Europe Can You Speak Spain?

In Europe, you can speak Spanish only in Spain. There is no other country that has Spanish as a native language. But you can meet Spanish-speaking people even if you travel to other European countries.

However, if you want to explore Spain and nothing else in Europe, it’s a no-brainer to start learning the Spanish language. Spain offers everything from stunning nature to beautiful, vibrant cities, delicious cuisine, interesting history, and crazy culture.

You can also spend one month walking the Camino de Santiago, one of the most famous pilgrimage routes in Europe. I’ve done it three times, and it was one of the best experiences of my life.

How To Learn French Or Spanish For Traveling Europe

Here at Voices of Travel, I’m all about teaching languages for travel, so you’re at the right place.

Speaking languages (even just a few words) makes your travel experience more memorable and comfortable. You feel more confident, can see more places, connect to locals, and learn more things if you speak a word of any foreign language.

I’ve developed my own method for learning languages for travel. Here are the basic steps to follow:

1. Find motivation inside you
2. Choose a topic (situation) to learn new vocabulary
3. Set up achievable language learning goals
4. Write down topic-specific vocabulary
5. Learn new vocabulary using effective strategies
6. Listen to podcasts
7. Study grammar
8. Create your sentences & talk to yourself
9. Practice speaking with native speakers
10. Travel to the country where the language is spoken
11. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes & overcome your fear of speaking

Differences Between Spanish & French

The main difference between Spanish and French is the accent and written form of the language.

With Spanish, most of the language is spoken and written similarly, so it’s easier to learn.

French, however, is written differently than it sounds. So it’s a bit more challenging to learn.

For most people, the French accent is much more difficult to grasp than the Spanish accent. Overall, French is slightly more difficult to learn than Spanish.

Similarities Between Spanish & French

Both languages are Romance languages, so they have very similar sentence structures, verb conjugations, and overall structure.

Some words are also very similar, so once you speak Spanish or French, it’ll be easier for you to pick the other language, thanks to many similarities.

Is It Possible To Learn Spanish And French At The Same Time?

Yes, it’s possible to learn Spanish and French simultaneously. While I recommend focusing on one language at a time (because it might be overwhelming to learn two), it’s doable.

Thanks to their similar structures, it’s a good idea to learn these languages together.

👉 READ ALSO: Best Languages To Learn At The Same Time

BONUS: French & Spanish Learning Resources

If you want to boost your French language skills, you can use several resources. I highly recommend listening to these French audiobooks for beginners. Or read these language learning magazines.

Also, check out my article about the best foreign language books if you like reading in French. These French resources will help you stay on track and improve your French skills.

Similarly, check out these Spanish audiobooks for beginners if you want to learn Spanish.

Finally, if you want to have more fun and watch some French or Spanish TV series or movies, I recommend Lingopie.

I also highly encourage you to practice speaking with French and Spanish people. I’ve been using iTalki to find native speakers and to talk to them online. So check it out and find your tutor to practice French and Spanish.

I’ve been practicing my Spanish with my tutor on iTalki, and it has helped me significantly.

➡ Practice speaking with native speakers online on iTalki here.

FAQs

I’ve also answered some of the frequently asked questions about language learning. So check my answers below:

Do More People Speak Spanish Or French?

More people speak Spanish. There are twice as many Spanish speakers (543 million) in the world as French speakers (267 million). French is an official language in 27 countries, while Spanish is the official language of 21 countries worldwide.

Yet, Spanish is overall the second most commonly spoken language worldwide (after Chinese).

Should I Learn French Or Spanish?

Spanish is more useful overall in the world than French, because it’s the second most-spoken language. So I would say, learn Spanish. But if you know you’re traveling to a French-speaking country or doing business surrounded by French speakers, then pick French. Focus on how much language will help you in your everyday life or which is more interesting.

Which European Language Is Most Useful?

German and Russian are the two most useful languages in Europe. German is spoken in six European countries, and Russian is used in almost all Central and Eastern European countries.

Which Language Is Preferred In Europe?

English, German, French, and Russian are Europe’s four most commonly used languages. So if you can learn one of them, you can practice a lot. Even if you don’t travel to a country where these languages are spoken, you’ll meet many people who speak these languages.

What Is The Most Taught Language In Europe?

English is the first foreign language for most Europeans and the language most taught, followed by French and German.

Is Spanish Or French More Useful In The UK?

Spanish is more useful in the UK than French. While none of these languages are significant for the UK, you’ll meet more Spanish-speaking people than French.

WRAP-UP: Is French Or Spanish More Useful In Europe?

These are my thoughts on learning Spanish and French to travel to Europe, based on my experience as a tour guide and learning these different languages, and a few official facts. I encourage you to ask yourself which language will be the most useful for you personally.

Pick a language not because somebody else told you to study it. Yet, pick one because you’re interested in it. It’ll make learning the entire language a lot easier, and you’ll succeed.

If you have any questions about language learning or need any help, contact me at info(at)voicesoftravel.com.

Happy Learning!