Which would be the more useful GCSE language - French or German ?

French has Latin roots. Might be useful for learning Latin medical terminology...

Links between French and Latin might be useful when studying medicine.

I'd say French is more useful for holidaying - as generally the Germans I have met speak English very well and are keen to do so. Whereas a lot of the French either couldn't or didn't want to speak English.

My DS is going to choose French, not because he listens to me but because he's been learning it longer and says he feels he has a better vocabulary in it. And German has 3 genders which he thinks is just too much!

That's how I feel Heinous, more important if doing it for A Level and beyond. DS1 enjoying German at GCSE but no idea if he intends to carry on, and I have never heard him speak it at all.

he couldn't wait to drop French.

agree sparkling - at GCSE level what difference is it really going to make? If you're keen on languages you'd do both anyway… I did, and the way my life has panned out German is by far and away more "useful", but it wouldn't have been if I'd moved to Bordeaux….

I don't think it's possible to answer the question with a sensible answer tbh. Just go with the nicest teacher/what your friends are doing, or something!

but we are only talking GCSE at the moment. Has anyone taken French or German for GCSE and been fluent at the end?

I did both at school and French further.

German is very easy at GCSE but gets much harder with grammar further on.

French I have found most useful for work and general understanding when travelling. French is used as a second language in other European countries and in some African countries. I find that with a bit of both languages I can guess a lot of related European languages.

If she's good with languages, do both, if not, I would say French.

I would have had more use for German. There were two quite distinct philosophical directions in Europe, and I would have benefited much more from knowing German than French. More German philosophers than French studied the philosophy of the late Hellenic period, and it would have been useful for me to read German translations of original Greek scrips as back up to my own translations, as so much had not been translated into English, or any other European language for that matter. (At least not back in 1997 when I was pondering my phd thesis) As a generalization, the French were not as keen on the Ancient Greek and Hellenic world as the Germans were, so German for me.

I think it is relative to what she wants to do in her life. My son is more engineering minded, so he is keen on German.

(Spanish)

I think French is more useful for Anglophones, on the whole.

French more useful internationally. N Africa already mentioned, but couple of countries in s-e asia too. German for the literature (sorry Francophiles and French MNers). I also find that in professional life, Germans speak English much better than the equivalent French (but they do all speak English, so not really much in it on that ground).

So on balance, French more useful

I would have thought French is more useful. Ds1 chose German for GCSE and is doing Spanish as well. He finds German easier than French - so did I and so does ds2. I love listening to Germans talk - it's all so angular and spikey....sorry slightly off topic there

pmsl Atiao - I know exactly what you mean

German

More likely to have a holiday in France? My holidays always seem to end up like some bizarre Franglais O level oral - j'ai perdu ... this; les enfants ont les mimes headlice dans les cheveux; je voudrais un rendezvous pour le chien.

Both! I must admit, I liked German but found it hard to love speaking or reading it as much as French. I've found learning the grammar a useful background for other languages.

Having two language GCSEs and at least one at A-level can be impressive to employers though, as long as it doesn't cut out any other valuable options like sciences.

I guess French is spoken more widely worldwide...

What is the benefit of a French overseas elective in medicine to that of a German one?

If she's doing medicine then French would be a good option to facilitate interesting overseas electives.

How does your DD view the world? This is a sweeping statement but - generally speaking - German suits analytical minds while more creative people opt for French.

Trouble with German is that they all speak English brilliantly and it can be hard to actually practise. I used to work for a part-German and could never get past the opening greeting by phone or email before they responded in English.

I love German, but I'd go for French.

The more useful choice would be the one she's likely to get a better grade in! Useful in terms of actually being able to communicate effectively doesn't really come into it at GCSE, unfortunately.

I did French and German but have found French more useful (mainly for holidays though). I did have to visit Frankfurt regularly with work but found my o' level German wasn't really up to the job. They all spoke English anyway (luckily) as English is the language of business.