So you want to learn either Russian or Persian (also known as Farsi) but don’t know which one to pick. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
In this article, I’ll shed some light on the pros and cons for each language to help you decide.
Table of Contents
Should I Learn Russian Or Persian – A Comparison
Here’s the short answer:
- There are more resources available to learn Russian compared with Persian.
- Persian is easier to learn than Russian due to its simple grammar (Russian grammar is very complicated).
- More people speak Russian compared with Persian – Russian is actually the 8th most spoken language in the world.
- Russian is widely used in 15 countries whereas Persian is only used in 3 countries.
- Russian is a more in demand language for jobs in the US compared with Persian but both offer good job opportunities.
Russian is spoken by more people and is spoken in more countries around the world. It also is a hugely in demand language in the US due to Russia’s relevance.
Persian is easier to learn than Russian and also provides good job opportunities.
Of course, part of your decision comes from your own personal reasons for wanting to study the language.
Perhaps you have friends that speak the language, maybe it’s your ancestral language or maybe you have a keen interest in the country it’s spoken in.
This should also be considered when choosing which language to learn as this will be your main motivating factor for learning the language.
Russian vs Persian
Russian
Russian is an East Slavic language which forms part of the Indo-European language family.
It is mainly spoken in Russia but is also an official language in Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
It is also widely spoken in Ukraine, the Caucasus, Central Asia and some Baltic states.
Russian is the 8th most spoken language in the world with over 258 million speakers worldwide.
There are several Russian dialects but the differences are small and people who speak different dialects can understand each other with ease.
Persian
Persian is an Iranian language which forms part of the Indo-European language family.
It is spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The closest related languages are Kurdish and Pashto.
There are approximately 110 million native speakers of Persian around the world making it one of the world’s most spoken languages.
There are 3 main dialects of Persian – Farsi (spoken in Iran), Dari (spoken in Afghanistan) and Tajiki (spoken in Tajikistan).
All of the varieties of Persian are mutually intelligible so if you learn Persian you can communicate with people from Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan with ease.
Is Farsi or Russian Easier to Learn?
Assuming you’re an English speaker then Persian is easier to learn than Russian.
Whilst both Persian and Russian both come from the same language family as English, Persian is a bit easier for English speakers to master.
This is essentially because Persian has really simple grammar. Russian, on the other hand, has complex grammar including a hugely complicated case system.
One other thing to consider though is that there are more resources available for learning Russian compared with Persian which has fewer resources.
For example, the popular language learning platform Duolingo doesn’t have Persian but they do teach Russian.
How Difficult is Russian?
Russian has very complex grammar that can be very challenging for English speakers to master.
For example, nouns take one of 3 possible genders and also take one of 6 different cases.
Cases are a feature of languages where the ending of a word changes to indicate the role that the word plays in the sentence.
As an English speaker, you will also need to learn to read the Cyrillic script to be able to understand written Russian.
The Cyrillic script is easier to learn than the Persian script and most sounds in Russian have English equivalents.
Many learners also struggle with pronunciation in Russian as the stress in words is largely unpredictable and not marked in writing.
Russian also uses many English loanwords which does make things a bit easier.
How Difficult is Persian?
Persian grammar is actually very simple. There is no gender, no irregular verb conjugations and nouns only have one form.
Pronunciation is quite different to English and can take some time to get the hang of but it’s not too difficult.
The main difficulty for an English speaker wanting to learn Persian is that it is written in an adapted form of the Arabic script.
Learning the Persian script isn’t as daunting as it might seem at first and can easily be done with plenty of practice, however there is also the added difficulty that short vowel sounds are not written in the script.
Which is the Most Useful Language?
This entirely depends on you and your interests. Both languages are very useful for a variety of reasons.
Both countries have a rich cultural heritage and long history so both languages are definitely worth learning.
Russian has more than double the number of speakers compared with Persian meaning you have a much higher chance of being able to use it.
Russian can be used in 15 different countries whereas Persian can only be used in 3 countries.
Why Learn Russian
If you choose to learn Russian you can enjoy the wonderful world of Russian literature and poetry including words by Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Bulgakov, Gorky, Pushkin and more.
Learning Russian opens doors for both travel and work in 15 different countries.
Russian is widely spoken in:
Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
Additionally, Russian people don’t speak much English. It has been estimated that just 5% of Russians speak English so if you’re visiting Russia, knowledge of Russian is essential!
In Russian cities, you’ll rarely come across signs written in English at all, even in tourist locations.
Learning Russian will also make it super easy for you to learn other Slavic languages in the future including Ukrainian, Belarusian and more.
Why Learn Persian
I’ve actually written an entire post on why you should learn Persian but here’s a quick overview.
Persian is actually the second most spoken language in the Middle East and West Asia after Arabic. It’s among the top 20 most spoken languages in the world.
Additionally, it has huge historical importance and is actually one of the world’s oldest languages. It’s even older than Latin!
If you are interested in literature and poetry then Persian may be a better fit for you.
Persian poetry and literature is world-renowned. Iconic poets such as Rumi, Hafez, Saadi and Ferdowsi all wrote their works in Persian.
As the Persian language hasn’t changed much in the last 1,000 years, you’ll be able to enjoy their works in the original language they were written in.
These Persian poets have influenced writers across the globe for centuries and modern Persian literature is also super popular with international audiences.
Want to learn Farsi? We have a free PDF that I know you’ll love…
Which Would Be More Useful For Jobs?
Learning either Russian or Persian could open up a whole new career path for you.
Russian Job Opportunities
If you want to get access to better job opportunities and higher salaries then Russian would be one of the best languages to learn.
Russian continues to be one of the most in demand languages amongst employers, especially within the US and Europe, due to its international relevance.
In fact, the US actually class Russian as a ‘critical need language’ and offer many scholarships to students trying to learn it.
Russia is one of the largest producers of steel, gas and oil meaning there are tons of well-paid jobs in these industries too.
If you’re into science then it’s great to know that Russian scientific publications are the second most popular (after English) in the world.
Persian Job Opportunities
Persian is also currently an in demand language in both Europe and the US.
Due to current relations between Iran and the West, people with knowledge of Persian are needed urgently by government agencies, particularly those involved in intelligence, military and diplomatic activities.
As Persian is not a popular language to learn, at least in places like Europe and the US, Persian speakers are hard to find so it will definitely make your resume stand out from the crowd if you can speak Persian.
For example, did you know that in 2013 it was found that less than 3,000 college students were signed up to Persian classes in the US?
The US government has actually designated Persian as a ‘critical need language’ and now offers many scholarships for students learning Persian.
Conclusion – Should I Learn Russian or Persian?
Hopefully this article gave you an insight into the pros and cons of learning Russian or Persian.
By now you may have a clearer idea of which one is better for you to learn.
In conclusion, Russian is spoken by more people globally and provides you with access to a range of job opportunities, tourism opportunities and more.
However Persian is easier to learn for an English speaker and also provides you with good job prospects and access to a rich culture.
Don’t forget to consider your own personal motivation for learning Persian or Russian as this is arguably the most important thing to consider.
If you have a particular love for Persian poetry or Russian films, you may already have your answer on which language to learn.
If a friend or partner speaks one of these languages natively then that might also influence your decision.
You need to be extremely motivated to learn a language (if you’re not then you’ll give up) so choose wisely.
The difficulty or range of a language is far less important than the key reason as to why you want to learn it.
For example, if your mind is telling you to learn Russian for the job opportunities but your heart is telling you to learn Persian because you love Persian culture, then choose Persian.
Struggling to choose between Persian and other languages?
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