French is the official language of France, and it’s also spoken in Monaco, Luxembourg, some parts of Belgium and Switzerland, in the Canadian province of Québec, parts of North and Central Africa, Vietnam, Cambodia, Madagascar and the French Overseas Departments and Territories. It can still be heard in some communities of French origin in the USA, in Maine and Louisiana. French is a Romance language, i.e. of Latin origin. Romance languages share a similar grammatical structure, and there are often similarities in vocabulary.

Since many English words and expressions are of French origin, you’re actually already au fait with quite a lot of French vocabulary. Had a déjà vu lately? In a restaurant or café, you might find olives, pâté, omelette on the menu, along with soufflé or chocolate mousse for dessert.

On the other hand, direct translation from English to French might not work in some situations. For instance, if you’re after a hot dog in France and you ask for un chien chaud, its literal translation, you’ll get a puzzled look from the waiter. Simply ask for un hot dog.

You could say that French is the language of culture! If you learn French, the way you look at art, music, literature, fashion, food, and movies will change forever. Historically, France has contributed greatly to all of these areas and the development of culture as we know it today. Being able to understand books, films, or even recipes in their original form is the only real way to appreciate them. In addition, you will have a head start in learning other languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, or Catalan.

FAMOUS FRENCH QUOTES

Je pense donc je suis.
I think therefore I am.

René Descartes (1596-1650)

The famous philosopher and mathematician used a method of doubting the truth about everything, which led him to this now famous conclusion

Rien ne sert de courir, il faut partir à point.
Rushing is worthless. You have to live the moment.

Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695)