Which one should you learn: Spanish or Italian? Are Spanish and Italian similar? Are they difficult? This article will answer all of these questions and help you make a decision!

Spanish-Italian similarities

Both Spanish and Italian are Romance languages. What's more, they belong to the same sub-group - Italo-Western. This means that they share the same roots and have very similar vocabulary and grammar rules. Here's an example from Wikipedia:

English version: She always closes the window before dining (or having dinner).
Italian: (Lei) chiude sempre la finestra prima di cenare.
Spanish: (Ella) siempre cierra la ventana antes de cenar.

It's really similar, isn't it? About 80% of Italian vocabulary is similar to Spanish and as you can see, grammar is also similar.

Usefulness

Italian is the official language of four countries: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino and Vatican City.

Spanish is considerably more popular - it's the official language of 20 countries such as Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Panama, Chile, Costa Rica and Colombia. Spanish is also quite popular in the United States - there are about 45 million Hispanics who speak Spanish as a first and second language. In comparison, in the United States there is only one million people who speak Italian.

Many native Spanish and Italian speakers don't speak English well so it's very useful to speak some Spanish or Italian while traveling to Spanish or Italian speaking countries. Italian has many different regional dialects and it's the same with Spanish. However, if you learn standard Spanish or standard Italian, you will be understood everywhere.

Difficulty

Both Spanish and Italian are relatively easy languages to learn for native English speakers. They have similar grammar, pronunciation isn't that difficult (except for rolling r's that can be difficult to master for English speakers). Intonation and proper accent are very important in both of these languages. Fortunately, rules of pronunciation and intonation are pretty straightforward.

Employment opportunities

If you speak Italian, you are more competitive in the job market, because a few people speak this language as a second language. However, a lot of jobs are only for people who know Spanish. You should take it under consideration. Also, keep in mind that many Spanish speaking countries are rapidly developing and expats are welcome. If you live in North America, it will probably be a better choice to start learning Spanish. If you live in Europe, both Spanish and Italian are useful.

Whatever your decision will be, you should keep in mind that learning languages requires a lot of devotion. If you practice regularly, you will learn these languages in no time. Good luck and have fun while learning!

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