Five foreign languages are currently offered at Maine South High School:  French, German, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish.

The goal of a foreign language course is to teach students to communicate with people in another language. This involves the development of the four skills fundamental to language acquisition: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The study of culture is also an integral part of the curriculum. Through this process, students will better understand their own culture and increase their global awareness. A four-year sequence is recommended for optimum success in second language acquisition.