Why Do we Need to Learn French?

Why do we need to learn French? Is it actually important? Is French still useful? Is it spoken somewhere else apart from France? Isn't it better to start learning German or Spanish? Besides, French pronunciation is so difficult that I'm not sure if I can handle it. 

As a teacher of French with ten years' experience and an expert in French, I have heard such questions many times. So they inspired me to write an article on why we love and learn French.

• First of all, it may be incredibly beautiful associations with France that exist in our minds:  romantic Paris, French fashion and art,  sweet fragrances of perfume, famous French cuisine, excellent wine... And when we arrive in Paris, it is always a pleasure to understand the words on the box of your favourite perfume or to be able to say a couple of words in this wonderful language! For example, you could say “Bonjour!” when entering a shop or a cafe. Besides, the French will be happy to hear a couple of sentences in French, though it may be basic French but not, say, English. You are going to receive a radiant smile and smile in return, which means that  a good communication started and it does not matter which language you continue speaking. It is a tradition in France: whatever mood you are in, you should say hello and smile politely when you enter a place.

• French is learnt more thoroughly by travellers. It is not surprising since France is a many-sided country and attracts a lot of tourists who would like to visit the Côte d'Azur, ski resorts, the Loire castles and, of course, Paris. In addition, you may need French not only in France: it is an official language of Belgium, Switzerland, Canada; French is spoken in the most parts of Africa and in  several Caribbean countries; it is used in many resorts, for example, the Seychelles, Mauritius, etc.

• French is also useful for those who liaise with French-speaking countries in business, culture and politics. There are a lot of French-speaking organizations, Russian firms often deal with French companies, so French is vital for business travelling.

• French used to be learnt for the immigration to Canada, but recently the requirements have been changed by the Canadian government, so the percentage of French learners  has decreased. But there are still a lot of French learners who plan to get married to a French citizen. France has introduced the "marital visa" exam that tests both the basics of French and "the values of the Republic".

• And, of course, those who would like to enter French-speaking European universities need the language and a certificate that proves the level (DELF, DALF, TCF, etc).

Speaking one foreign language is considered to be old-fashioned! Then nowadays it is worth learning another language apart from the important English, for example, French! The knowledge of two foreign languages will contribute to your reputation as a specialist and benefit your resume. Besides, after learning French you will be able to partially understand such languages as Spanish, Italian or Portuguese as they all belong to the same Romance group of languages.

Our qualified online teachers of French are happy to help you achieve any goal of yours, and Skype learning gives an opportunity to make a more convenient timetable. Skype lessons of French can be supplemented by communication with francophones, which is sure to facilitate the learning of French.

Good luck!