French is a world language: More than 220 million people speak French on five continents. French is the second most widely learned foreign language after English and the sixth most widely spoken language in the world. It 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 running French-language courses for close on a million learners. French is the third most widely used language on the Internet, ahead of Spanish. It offers an alternative view of the world through communication with French speakers from all over the world and news from the leading French-language international media (TV5, France 24 and Radio France Internationale).
French is good for your career: The ability to speak English and French is an advantage on the international job market. It opens doors to companies in France and other French-speaking parts of the world, such as Canada, Switzerland, Belgium and the continent of Africa. As the world’s fifth biggest economy and third-ranking destination for foreign investment, France is a key economic partner.
French is the language of culture: French is the international language of cooking, fashion, theatre, the visual arts, dance and architecture. A knowledge of French offers access to the world of literature, film and music. French is the language of Victor Hugo, Molière, Léopold Sendar Senghor, Edith Piaf, Jean-Paul Sartre, Alain Delon and Zinedine Zidane.
French is a language for travel: France is the world’s top tourist destination and attracts more than 79.5 million visitors a year. Speaking even a little French makes it so much more enjoyable to visit Paris, the mild climes of the Cote d’Azur, the snow-capped peaks of the Alps or the rugged coastline of Brittany. It offers insights into French culture, mentality and way of life. It also comes in handy when travelling to other countries around the world where French is spoken.
French is the language for higher education: Speaking French opens up study opportunities at renowned French universities and business schools, ranked among the top higher education institutions in Europe and the world. Students with a good level of French are eligible for French government grants to enrol in postgraduate courses in France in the discipline of their choice and qualify for internationally recognised degrees.
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.
French is fun to learn: French is an easy language to learn and there are many methods that make learning it enjoyable for children and adults alike. It does not take long to reach a level where you can communicate in French.
Learning French helps in learning other languages: French is a good base for learning other languages, especially Romance languages like Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian. Around half of current English vocabulary is derived from French.
French is the language of love and reason: First and foremost, learning French brings into play the pleasure of learning a beautiful, rich, melodious language, often called the language of love. French is also an analytical language that structures thought and develops critical thinking, a valuable skill for discussions and negotiations.