French is one of the Romance languages from the Indo-European language family. It is closely associated with Spanish and Italian. About 110 million native speakers are found in France as well as parts of Switzerland, Belgium, Canada and Monaco. In other parts of the world, around 190 million people use French as a second language. Additionally, an estimated 200 million people study French as a foreign language. In fact, it ranks as the second most studied foreign language, second only to English.

There are many reasons why French is learnt. Some say that it is the most beautiful language they know. This may be more because of the rich culture of France than the language itself. The following are three reasons why you should learn French.

1. French is a widely used language all over the world.

Aside from France, French is an official language in Canada, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Rwanda, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Mauritius, and Seychelles among many others. Moreover, it is one of the official working languages in the United Nations, NATO, UNESCO, European Community, International Red Cross and other international organizations and entities.

All these mean that career and business opportunities are better when you know how to speak French. You will be more globally competitive if you know at least two languages. In international job listings, for instance, many positions require the ability to speak French. In addition, numerous French companies have offices in the U.S. Canada, also a French speaking country, has good trading relations with the U.S. Knowing how to speak the language puts you in an advantageous position.

2. Travel to France will be more fun when you know French.

France is one of the favorite tourist destinations in the entire world. Its castles, beaches, museums (think Louvre!), architecture, awesome landscapes, popular cuisine, wine, shopping and a whole lot more, are more than enough to keep tourists and vacationers of all ages entertained and occupied.

However, knowing how to speak French makes a lot of difference in the way you experience the country. The French people are not really the friendliest or the most helpful or the most tolerant bunch on earth. There are few French who can speak English fluently, so speaking English will not be of great help when you are in France. The French are also very critical of non-French speaking visitors. They do not take kindly to language mistakes by foreigners. So if you speak French and have a little understanding of their culture, French people will treat you more kindly and with more respect. You can avoid being treated rudely during your travel.

3. Knowing French allows you to appreciate French art, literature, cinema, music and dance.

French is the language of culture. Knowing how to speak French will help you understand the numerous great art, literature and music pieces.

French is not the easiest language to learn, which may be what makes it so appealing. When you have learnt French, you will have a sense of great accomplishment; you will have more confidence in the pursuit of your career; and can maintain poise when conversing with French-speaking persons.

Daniel C Howard is a language teacher living in Asia. He has over a decade of experience teaching all ages a variety of subjects. For free info and lessons on French, please visit his blog here.

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