<p>Hey. I'm thinking of taking either French or German in case I go to grad school as most programs require a reading knowledge of a foreign language, two common ones being French and German. Which one would me more useful? More specifically in pure mathematics topics like number theory and set theory.</p>
<p>I am not a mathematician. But when I saw your question, my first thought was Fermat or Riemann. Considering how much work is done in English, your favorite mathematician could be as good a way to go as any.</p>
<p>Either, there’s no wrong choice, both German and French mathematicians have made countless important contributions to the field. If you have time, try to learn both. I’ve always wanted to know more languages.</p>