Chapters
- 01. 1. Language of International Relations
- 02. 2. One Language is Not Enough
- 03. 3. French Is Spoken On Five Continents
- 04. 4. Improve Your Career Prospects
- 05. 5. Feel More at Ease on Vacation
- 06. 6. Fun Language to Learn
- 07. 7. Part of the Romance Languages
- 08. 8. Take Advantage of a Youthful Brain
- 09. 9. Access to Higher Education Opportunities
- 10. 10. Exchange Opportunities
The limits of my language are the limits of my world.
If you are looking to learn a foreign language, look no further! French is one of the best and easiest languages to learn.
Taking French courses will make you one out of 300 million people who can communicate through the language of love. Spoken throughout five continents, it is truly a global language.
French is part of the Romance languages and derived originally from Vulgar Latin. By taking on language classes, no matter the tongue, you open yourself up to a world of possibilities.
Keep reading to find out other reasons to dive deep into la langue française!
1. Language of International Relations
French is one of the official languages go to the United Nations, the European Union, UNESCO, NATO, the International Olympic Committee, the International Red Cross, and international courts.
Fluency in French can help you be more prepared if you are looking to work in the realm of international relations.
The French language does not only correlate to France’s relation to these organizations but rather all the other 29 countries in which French is an official language and the many others that account for French as a national second language.
In addition, if you learn to speak French you have a better shot at are working for an international volunteer-based organization, such as Peace Corps, they usually require their participants to know French in order to be more effective at implementing change in the countries that they visit.
2. One Language is Not Enough
Reaching a conversational level in a second language is crucial for your future! In an ever-growing interconnected world bilingualism has become extremely important.
Because you are more bound to meet people of different ethnicities and cultures, you will be meeting a lot of people that do not necessarily speak your native tongue.
Due to globalization, you are now able to conduct business in countries that you might not have seen as viable markets in the past. These new markets are also part of cultures and regions that might not necessarily be English speaking; this is why it is so important to learn another global language.
It opens the doors for you to not only meet and interact with new cultures but also gives you access to different consumer markets around the world.
3. French Is Spoken On Five Continents
Over 275 million people speak French around the globe. There are a total of 29 countries where French is the official language. French is the only official language for 13 of these countries, while French is the co-official language of 16 countries.
The following are the countries that have standard French as an official language:
- Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi
- Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica
- Equatorial Guinea
- France
- Gabon, Guinea
- Haiti
- Ivory Coast
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar, Mali, Monaco
- Niger
- Republic of the Congo, Rwanda
- Saint Lucia, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland
- Togo
- Vanuatu
These all make up a piece of the French-speaking world due to the spread of the French language and culture throughout different periods of history.
4. Improve Your Career Prospects
In such an international and interconnected world, many employers are hoping to hire people with more than one language under their belt.
The knowledge of French opens doors to companies in France and other French-speaking countries (there are 29 of them) in addition to any company that conducts business internationally.
French is also a working language for a range of sectors including, retailing, automotive, luxury goods, aeronautics and more. By learning French you are not only expanding your possibilities for job opportunities, but also allows you to access a more global market.
If you own your own business, knowing French will help you expand your target audience a lot faster.
If you are looking to polish your French with a little review before a future interview, make sure to read about the best French revision guides.
5. Feel More at Ease on Vacation
Whether you are in Paris, Morocco, or Madagascar, your next vacation to a Francophone country will be made exponentially better if you speak French! Francophones are known for taking great pride in their language and have a great appreciation for those who try to learn the basics.
You are going to be treated much better if you attempt to speak in French in these Francophone countries, and you might even get more out of your stay. There are so many authentic cultural experiences that tourists miss out because they do not know French, so knowing a couple of the basics will really take you far.
If you want a crash course on just the right words and phrases to use on your next vacation to a francophone nation, you can ask one of our Superprof tutors about French vocabulary for tourists.
6. Fun Language to Learn
Although some may argue that French is difficult to learn, it is actually just a language that requires a specific precision, but once you get the basic points it can be quite enjoyable to learn. With the basics and some practice, you can be a fluent French speaker in no time.
French is known as a soft and romantic language, making it all that much more entertaining to learn. There are also several methods out there that make learning French more enjoyable.
For example, you can practice your French by taking a French malicious at the Cordon Blue or by participating in a wine tasting lead in French.
Whatever your choice of education methods, French can be very entertaining!
7. Part of the Romance Languages
Learning a romance language gives you further access to learning other languages in the family. Because all Romance languages extend from Latin, they have multiple similarities between one another.
The Romance languages are French, Spanish, Italian, Romanian, and Portuguese. Being fluent in one of these languages usually means that you can at least understand the basics in another. It also makes it easier to learn a third or fourth language within the Romance languages, once you have learned one.
8. Take Advantage of a Youthful Brain
The older you get the harder it is to learn a language; this is why it is so easy for kids to pick up on a new language. The easiest way to assure that your child becomes fluent in 2 or more languages, it to introduce multiple languages at a young age.
Young learners do not see making mistakes and errors as obstacles, unlike older learners.
In addition, introducing multiple languages has proven to develop high levels of problem-solving, critical thinking, and listening skills in young kids. Bilingual and trilingual children have shown to have higher creativity and mental flexibility, which usually translates to improved reading, writing and math skills, and higher scores on standardized tests.
Some middle schools around the US are now offering French language courses to younger kids, but you can give your child a head start by introducing French to children as young as 2 years old.
9. Access to Higher Education Opportunities
Knowing French can help open doors to an abundance of world-renowned education centers. French universities and business schools are some of the best-ranked institutions around the globe.
In addition, tuition for higher education degrees in France tends to be a lot lower than those in the US. In the US, the average price of an undergraduate college degree is $9970 for a public college as an in-state student (usually the cheaper option, versus going out of state or to a private institution).
The average tuition in France is a mere €190. Going abroad for university in France can cost you 98% less than going to an instate school.
If you take French courses in high school, you can opt to take placement tests and receiving college credits.
10. Exchange Opportunities
Francophones love to teach others about their language and culture, this is why there are so many possibilities for exchange when you begin to learn French. It is easier for students to get in contact with other French speakers though widely connected organizations or groups for French students.
There are opportunities to sign up for pen pals on the Internet or even sign up for programs with physical exchanges. These exchanges will give you the opportunity to travel and really dive into the French language.
Check for French lessons online here on Superprof.
Whatever your reason for learning French, it is important to know that it is a skill that will only help improve you! There are no downsides to leaning this beautiful and romantic language.
Learning French doesn’t just open doors for you in France, it helps you communicate with almost 275 million other people around the globe. As one of the only languages spoken in five continents, it is truly a global and international language.
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