ABOUT THE LANGUAGE

French, like Italian, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish, is a Romance language. It is the first or second language in more than 43 countries and is spoken by 125 million people around the world, on every continent. French is one of the official languages of Belgium, Switzerland, and Canada, and it is considered an unofficial second language of many countries such as Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. It is also one of the six main languages of the United Nations.

French is also the language of great writers and philosophers such as Molière, Victor Hugo, Flaubert, Proust, Descartes, Rousseau, Voltaire, Camus, and Sartre. Many Nobel Prizes for literature have been awarded to French-written literary works.

1. French is one of the two languages spoken on every continent

French is the official language in countries across five different continents and is also the second most studied language in the world. It is estimated that 120 million students are currently learning French, and the number of speakers continues increasing; making French a major language of international communication.

2. French is the language of international diplomacy

French is the language of many international organizations and committees. The United Nations, The European Union, the Olympic Committee, the Red Cross, the international courts, UNESCO and NATO have French as their official language. If you are interested in pursuing a career in international relations or diplomacy learning French is a great advantage, if not essential.

3. 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. If you are passionate about ideas like the use and celebration of reason, and want to access first hand knowledge, learning French will definitely help.

4. French is a career asset

Speaking French has become a great advantage for finding a job within the many multinational companies using French as their working language. There is a wide range of sectors like retailing, automotive, luxury goods, aeronautics. As the world’s fifth biggest economy, France attracts entrepreneurs, researchers and many foreign students.

5. French will give you advantage to study in France

Speaking French also opens up opportunities for higher education programs at some of France’s best-known universities (the Sorbonne, Pierre Marie Curie University, etc.) or elite grandes écoles (HEC, Polytechnique, ESSEC). Not only does France offer a remarkable education, but also does it at great rates. A good level of French can help you to apply for a French government grant to enrol on a postgraduate courses.