So this is broad. But I’m thinking of trying to learn a second language, and I can’t pick one.

The idea first got into my head when I was worrying about the possibility of having to immigrate, and although that seems less likely now, I still feel interested in the idea. I’m mentioning that because it factors into which language I should learn.

Here are some options with my thoughts on each.

- Italian: my boyfriend’s family is Italian, so he qualifies for dual citizenship by descent. That means Italy is probably the easiest place for us to get to if we ever had to leave the US, although I believe Italian citizenship allows you to live in many EU countries.

- Spanish: the most useful second language for me to know here in the US. Not sure how broadly it’s spoken in Europe?

- French: I took 4 years of it in high school, so I already know a bit, but I’m very rusty. Useful if I went to Canada.

- German: spoken pretty broadly in Europe, I think.

Interested in your thoughts.

Also interested in methods for learning. Right now it’s hard to imagine that I’ll be sufficiently dedicated to take a class or pay much money towards the cause. So if there are some casual ways to start learning at my own pace that you recommend, I’d love to hear about them.

Topics: language, linguistics, learning, foreign language, second language