Why Study French?
 
Some people choose French because it is spoken in so many countries. Others enjoy exploring the rich literary, historical, and cultural traditions of the French-speaking world. And still others simply fall in love with the language. Following are 20 reasons why studying French is more relevant to our world today than it has ever been:
 
1) French Is a World Language
More than 300 million people speak French on the five continents. The OIF (Organisation internationale de la Francophonie), an international organization of French-speaking countries, comprises 88 member States and governments. French is the second most widely learned foreign language after English, and the fifth most widely spoken language in the world. French is also the only language, alongside English, that is taught in every country in the world. France operates the biggest international network of cultural institutes, which run French-language courses for close to a million learners.
 
2) French Is a Language for the International Job Market
The ability to speak French and English is an advantage for finding a job with the many multinational companies using French as their working language, in a wide range of sectors (retailing, automotive, luxury goods, aeronautics, etc.). A knowledge of French opens the doors to French companies in France and other French-speaking parts of the world. As the world’s fifth largest economy and a leading destination for foreign investment, France is a key economic partner, attracting entrepreneurs, researchers, and the cream of foreign students.
 
3) French is the Language of Culture
A French lesson is a cultural journey into the worlds of fashion, gastronomy, the arts, architecture, and science. Learning French also offers access to the works of great French writers such as Victor Hugo, Molière, Léopold Sendar Senghor, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Marcel Proust, and famous poets like Charles Baudelaire, Arthur Rimbaud, and Jacques Prévert, in the original text. It means being able to hear the voices of actors Alain Delon or Juliette Binoche, and the pleasure of being able to understand the words of French songs sung by an Édith Piaf or a Charles Aznavour and even sing them yourself.
 
4) France Is the World’s Top Tourist Destination
France is the world’s top tourist destination, welcoming more than 87 million visitors a year. The ability to speak even a little French makes it so much more enjoyable to visit Paris and all the regions of France [from the rugged coastline of Brittany to the mild climes of the Côte d’Azur (French Riviera) to the snow-capped peaks of the Alps] and offers insights into French culture, mentality and way of life. French also comes in handy when traveling to Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Monaco, the Seychelles and other places.
 
5) French Is the Other Language of International Relations
French is both a working language and an official language of the United Nations, the European Union, UNESCO, NATO, the International Olympic Committee, the International Red Cross, and international courts. French is the language of the three cities where the EU institutions are headquartered: Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg. Proficiency in French is essential for anyone considering a career in any international organization.
 
6) French Opens Up the World
An ability to understand French provides access to an alternative view of the world. You can follow French thinkers and leaders from all over the world and news from the leading French-language international media (e.g., TV5Monde, France 24, and Radio France Internationale).
 
7) French Is Fun to Learn
Contrary to popular belief, French is not a difficult language to learn. It is a language that requires a certain precision but is also capable of expressing great subtlety. French appeals to students because it is a soft, melodious, and romantic language, and it does not take long to reach a level where you can communicate. Starting with the first days of school, learning French is enjoyable.
 
8) French Is a Language for Learning Other Languages
French is a good base for learning other languages, especially Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian) and even English, since one third of English vocabulary is derived directly from French.
 
9) Learning One Language Is Not Enough
In today’s world, speaking one foreign language is not enough. Students who speak several languages will increase their chances of finding a job, whether at home or abroad. Learning another language enriches the mind and opens up new horizons, both personal and professional.
 
10) Along With English, French Is the Only Language Spoken on All Five Continents
More than 220 million people speak French on all the five continents. French is a major language of international communication and the sixth most widely spoken language in the world. The OIF, an international organization of French-speaking countries, is made up of 88 member states and governments. France also operates the biggest international network of cultural institutes, which run French-language courses for close to a million learners.
 
11) Knowing French Opens Up Opportunities for Studying Abroad
Speaking French opens up opportunities for higher education at some of France’s best-known universities (the Sorbonne, Pierre Marie Curie University, etc.) or elite grandes écoles (HEC, Polytechnique, ESSEC), often on very favorable financial terms. Students with a good level of French may be eligible to apply for a French government grant to enroll on a postgraduate course of their choice in France, leading to an internationally recognized postgraduate degree.
 
12) French Is the Language of Reasoning and Debate
French is an analytical language that structures thought and develops critical thinking. It is the language of great philosophers (Descartes, Sartre, and Derrida, among others) and eminent scientists (Pierre and Marie Curie, Pasteur, Georges Charpak, to name a few). In learning French, children learn how to argue a case and present different points of view, valuable skills for discussions and negotiations.
 
13) French Is the Language of the Enlightenment
French is the language of the universal ideals advocated by the philosophers of the 18th century Enlightenment, who helped to spread the idea of human rights throughout the world.
 
14) French Is the Language of Love
First and foremost, learning French is the pleasure of learning a beautiful, rich, melodious language that is often called the language of love.
 
15) France Is Renowned for Its High Standard of Teaching
French teachers are renowned for their dynamic, inventive approach and high expectations. Since French has a reputation for excellence, students tend to be highly motivated and attain a high level of proficiency. France also plays an active role in providing in-service training for French teachers abroad so that the courses delivered are always of a high standard.
 
16) French Is a Creative Language
French is often heard on the stage. Teachers like to put on plays in French and involve their students in French-language theatre festivals. Learning French helps children to express themselves and gain self-confidence in front of others. Students also learn French through songs, thanks to the vast repertoire of singers past and present.
 
17) French Opens Up Many Exchange Opportunities
It is easy for students to make contact with French speakers of their own age, as pen pals or via the Internet. There are many different exchange programs in France that offer rewarding experiences. Thousands of French schools are twinned with counterparts around the world, creating links with the world’s largest educational network.
 
18) France Has a Unique System of French International Schools All Around the World
18. A Unique System of French International Schools: Some 350,000 pupils are enrolled at 493 French schools in 137 countries. Half of them are foreign nationals, which makes the network of international French schools truly unique.
 
19) Learning French Promotes Linguistic Diversity
Speaking French makes a major contribution to preserving linguistic diversity in the world and avoiding the exclusive domination of a single language in today’s globalized world.
 
20) The French American School of Puget Sound (FASPS)
Founded in 1995, FASPS offers the only fully harmonized French American program from tiny young pre-kindergarten (18 months of age) through grade 8 in Washington State. Our alumni are accepted into the most prestigious private and public high schools in the region, as well as numerous international schools around the world. Email Bonjour@FASPS.org if you’d like to take a tour of our school while classes are in session, or if you need additional information.
 

News About France, French & la Francophonie:

For articles published after April 1, 2023, visit our homepage.
 
  • April 30, 2023: “Language Law Expanded for Private Companies” Click Here
  • April 29, 2023: “Reform of the Past Participle | First Rectify the Facts” Click Here
  • April 27, 2023: “Canada on Path to ‘Open Hostility’ Between Anglophones and Francophones” Click Here
  • April 27, 2023: “Unionized French Language Teachers Plan to Stage Demonstration in Central Brussels April 27; Increased Security, Disruptions Likely.” Click Here
  • April 26, 2023: “French Tests May Be Required for Migrants” Click Here
  • April 24, 2023: “Coloring History’s Gray Areas, With Strong Moral Outrage” Click Here
  • April 20, 2023: “Conversation Between Catherine Colonna and the Secretary-General of La Francophonie” Click Here
  • April 20, 2023: “Indigenous Groups Going to Court Over Quebec’s French-language Reforms” Click Here
  • April 19, 2023: “Swiss President Reaffirms Importance of French-speaking World” Click Here
  • April 18, 2023: “Pick a Practical Major, Like French” Click Here
  • April 18, 2023: “France: Language Defenders Take Legal Action Over ‘Franglais’” Click Here
  • April 15, 2023: “A French Teacher on TikTok Shows How Different France vs. Quebec Accents Are and She‘s Spot On” Click Here
  • April 15, 2023: “An Air Canada Passenger Says He Was Left Furious After Being Served in Business Class by a Flight Attendant Who Didn‘t Speak French” Click Here
  • April 13, 2023: “Belgium‘s Angele Delivers French Lesson With Coachella Set” Click Here
  • April 13, 2023: “Welcome to Canada French Language” Click Here
  • April 11, 2023: “Netflix and UNESCO: African Folk Tales Re-imagined in Nine Different Languages” Click Here
  • April 11, 2023: “40 French Names With Meanings to Consider for Your New Bébé” Click Here
  • April 7, 2023: “Déclaration conjointe entre la République française et la République populaire de Chine” Click Here
  • April 7, 2023: “Quebec’s Top Language Cop Targets Franglais” Click Here
  • April 1, 2023: “New Orleans Embraces Its French Roots” Click Here
  • March 31, 2023: “‘The Heart of America’: Louisville’s Unlikely French-Language Podcast” Click Here
  • March 30, 2023: “New Academy Will Work to Advance the Scientific Francophonie” Click Here
  • March 30, 2023: “Opinion: Suppressing English Won’t Achieve Goal of Promoting French” Click Here
  • March 29, 2023: “Interview With the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ms Catherine Colonna” Click Here
  • March 29, 2023: “La Francophonie month celebrates all things French in Maine” Click Here
  • March 2023: “QS World University Rankings by Subject: 21 French Institutions in the Top 100” Click Here
  • March 2023: “Table ronde : la langue française est-elle en perte de vitesse ?” Click Here
  • March 2023: “Week of French Language and Francophonie: At Any Time!” Click Here
  • March 22, 2023: “French Word of the Week: pouvoir” Click Here
  • March 21, 2023: “French Language Purists Sue Notre Dame Cathedral for English-only Translations” Click Here
  • March 18, 2023: “Wallonia-Brussels Federation Celebrates the French Language Over 10 Days” Click Here
  • March 16, 2023: “French Around the World and Right Here” Click Here
  • March 16, 2023: “Quiz: Test Your French Language Level on the A1 to C2 Scale” Click Here
  • March 16, 2023: “What’s the one French language tip you wish you had known before moving to France?“ Click Here
  • March 16, 2023: “French Around the World and Right Here” Click Here
  • March 15, 2023: “New Quebec Government Ad Campaign Warns Anglicisms Put the French Language in Danger” Click Here
  • March 13, 2023: “Egypt to Teach French Language as a Compulsory Subject in Public Schools” Click Here
  • March 12, 2023: “‘Very bad’ French movie posters are just hilarious” Click Here
  • March 12, 2023: “Language Ban in Corsica Triggers Outrage: A Look at the Plight of French Island” Click Here
  • March 11, 2023: “Macron’s Pension Reforms Pass French Senate Vote” Click Here
  • March 11, 2023: “Corsican Leaders Decry Ban on Use of Local Language in Island’s Parliament“ Click Here
  • March 10, 2023: “Corsican Language Ban Stirs Protest on French Island” Click Here
  • March 9, 2023: “Five French-language Tearjerkers Streaming Now: Oscar Nominee Close and Four More That Will Yank Your Heart Out” Click Here
  • March 7, 2023: « En Creuse, avec ces Ukrainiens réfugiés près d’un camp de l’armée française » Click Here
  • March 7, 2023: “Reclaiming What It Means to be ‘French Enough’” Click Here
  • March 7, 2023: “What the French are Reading: The Arab of the Future” Click Here
  • March 5, 2023: “French Strikes Over Pension Reform Plans Expected to Disrupt Public Transport” Click Here
  • March 3, 2023: “Eight French Job Titles That Confuse English-speakers” Click Here
  • March 1, 2023: “Peruvian Writer Mario Vargas Llosa Inducted Into Académie Française” Click Here
  • February 28, 2023: “Quebec government finds 74 per cent of businesses make language errors on public signage” Click Here
  • February 26, 2023: “Wine, Drought and Digital ID: Six Essential Articles for Life in France” Click Here
  • February 26, 2023: “Nine Out of 10 International Students Recommend France as Study Destination” Click Here
  • February 24, 2023: “La Belle Vie: French Etiquette, Culture Clashes and Historical Myths” Click Here
  • February 23, 2023: “Nine Favourite French Words and Expressions of the Day” Click Here
  • February 22, 2023: “France to Introduce Compulsory Language Tests for Migrants” Click Here
  • February 21, 2023: “Introducing Mercer Island’s First French-speaking Yoga Studio” Click Here
  • February 20, 2023: “Making English Montreal Part of the Solution to Protecting French” Click Here
  • February 19, 2023: “Curious Louisiana: How Many People Speak Cajun French in Our State?” Click Here
  • February 18, 2023: “French Teachers Open Up About Integrating Ukrainian Students Into the School System” Click Here
  • February 14, 2023: “French Expression of the Day: Je t’aime bien” Click Here
  • February 14, 2023: “Is French Still the Language of Love?” Click Here
  • February 10, 2023: “La Belle Vie: How to Speak ‘Pure’ French and What to Expect When Dating in France” Click Here
  • February 9, 2023: “Peruvian Nobel winner Mario Vargas Llosa joins French Academy” Click Here
  • February 8, 2023: “National Assembly Names Quebec’s First Commissioner of the French Language” Click Here
  • February 8, 2023: “The French Language Is More Than Paris | La Langue Français, C’est Plus Que Paris” Click Here
  • February 5, 2023: “France National Anthem Lyrics: La Marseillaise Words in French and English” Click Here
  • February 3, 2023: “Really Speak Like a Local … Use These French Filler Words” Click Here
  • January 30: “Is It Really Offensive to Say ‘the French’?” Click Here
  • January 30: “On the Agenda: What’s Happening in France This Week” | Click Here
  • January 30: “Typical Wealth of People in France Revealed: Where Do You Fall?” | Click Here
  • January 29: “Exclusive Excerpt: A Long Way from Iowa: From the Heartland to the Heart of France” | Click Here
  • January 28: “AP Deletes ‘the French’ Tweet and Apologizes After It Is Widely Mocked” | Click Here
  • January 28: “Burkina Rally Celebrate Word That French Troops Will Leave” | Click Here
  • January 27: “Quebec Forms ‘Action Group’ on French Language to Halt ‘Decline’” | Click Here