Choosing a language to learn can be difficult because there are many factors to consider. The popularity of a language can be important because it makes learning materials and practice opportunities easier to find. Practical usefulness is also important - whether a given language is used in business, traveling or work? Language difficulty also matters, as some languages may be more challenging to master than others.
It is also worth considering personal interests and the culture associated with the language. Ultimately, the decision depends on individual goals and preferences.
And what foreign language besides Norwegian and English, of course, which everyone learns, is the most popular in Norwegian primary school?
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We found the answer to this question in the Norwegian Statistical Office.
Spanish is the most popular language among secondary school students and over time the gap with German and French has increased. However, there are differences between counties and genders when it comes to language choice.
In lower secondary schools, two out of three students choose to learn a third language in 2022.
Instead of foreign languages, students have the option choosing a vocational subject or specialization in English, Norwegian, mathematics or Sámi. All lower secondary schools must offer at least one of the following foreign languages: German, French, Spanish or Russian, and many schools offer more than one foreign language. Schools may also offer foreign languages other than those listed.
The most popular foreign languages
Among students who in 2022, in addition to English, chose to learn a foreign language, the following languages are the most popular:
- Spanish - 52 percent
- German - 31 percent
- French - 16 percent
Since 2013, Spanish has been the most preferred language among high school students.
The proportion of foreign language students who chose Spanish has steadily increased since 2016 and now accounts for half of the students in 2022. The proportion of students who chose German as a foreign language decreased by 8 percentage points to 31 percent over the same period in 2022.
A smaller proportion of students with a foreign language choose French compared to Spanish and German, and there has been little change in the last ten years. In 2022, 16 percent of students who studied a foreign language in high school chose French. In 2013, the corresponding percentage was 19 percent.
Very few students choose a language other than these three. In such a distribution, apart from students' choices, the main role is played by the offer of foreign languages at school.
German more common among boys
Overall, more girls than boys choose to learn a third language in secondary education. Spanish and French are the most popular among girls, while German is more common among boys.
Of those who choose French or Spanish, 60 percent are girls and 40 percent are boys. The gender distribution is reversed among those who choose German. 45 percent of them are girls and 55 percent are boys.
Spanish is the most popular language in most provinces, with the exception of some interior areas where 45% of students choose German as a foreign language and 42% choose Spanish.
French is a more common choice in Oslo than in other parts of the country. 26% of students in the capital choose French, which is 10 percentage points higher than the rest of the country. In Viken, the percentage of people choosing French is 19%.
Significantly more students in Troms and Finnmark choose other languages than in the rest of the country, mainly Russian. In these counties, almost all students choose Russian.
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Source: Statistics Norway
