What are the uses of learning the French language in India?

French may have lost its reputation of being the lingua franca of the world to English,  however, it still remains second to English, and a language extensively used worldwide.

French is the only language spoken on all five continents, aside from English in 29 French-speaking countries in the world, including France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. Further, the French language retains its position to be the lingua franca of culture, including art, cuisine, dance, and fashion. France has won more Nobel Prizes for literature than any other country globally and is one of the top producers of international films. Cannes film festival is famous for hosting the most prestigious movies in the world. France has given fine wine and gourmet food. France has the highest number of recipients for the Nobel Prize for Literature, with 16 Laureates.

It is interesting to note how La Francophonie, a group of 84 countries that share the proper use or teaching of French, has over 270 million French speakers. It is the world’s sixth most widely spoken language, trailing only English, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, and Arabic, with the majority of people who speak French being non-native speakers and living out of France.

French also holds the title of the second most widely taught language in the world,  after English, and is one of the most frequently used languages on the Internet. French learning opens the door to communication with native French speakers, and French learners all around the world.

French is the most popular choice among students who want to learn a foreign language in India for a plethora of reasons including opening doors to multiple job opportunities.

One of the top three most popular European study abroad destinations for Indian and international students, Paris city in France bags the title of being the best city for students. France has several innovation-driven businesses and research institutions that are ranked among the best in the world, besides, over 3,500 higher education institutions, including many century-old universities such as the École Normale Supérieure, Université Pierre, École Polytechnique, and so on, that grant you admission basis your French language skills. These educational institutions provide an excellent education in a variety of fields, including management, finance, science, art, and technology. And so every year, over 5,000 students from India travel to study in France. 

While several Indian students undergo a difficult time finding jobs or internships after they finish their studies, due to the language barrier, a qualification in French, could do wonders to their CV, especially in the 2 years that they stay after completing their studies (French and Indian Government MOU, 2015). It is important to note that speaking fluent French is essential for an international career especially in France, as it is home to a large number of multinational corporations in fields such as tourism and hospitality, export and import, banking and finance, fashion, retailing, automotive, luxury goods, aeronautics, international business, diplomatic service, education, and many more. Students with great French skills also stand to be hired by translating, interpreting, proofreading, and language teaching companies that pay handsomely to language experts. 

Knowing French will make your time in Francophone countries much more manageable. It is one of the primary reasons why governments in the respective countries provide incentives for immigrants to learn their native languages. French is one of the requirements of economic immigration to Quebec province or Canada or France. All you have to do is to appear for the TCF or TEF exam.

Learners can also find tons of work opportunities pursuing French jobs, all while staying in India, with multinationals such as Axa, BNP Paribas, Orange, Airbus, Alstom, Alcatel, Louis Vuitton, L’Oréal, Christian Dior, Chanel, Carrefour, Peugeot, Michelin and much more.

Along with Russian, English, Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish, French is one of UNESCO’s six official languages. It is one of the official working languages of many international organisations, including the United Nations, UNESCO, NATO, WHO, UNHCR, UNCTAD, ECOSOC, the Red Cross, the European Union, UNICEF, the International Labour Bureau, and many international courts. It is also an official language of organisations such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA, and others. Anyone considering a career in an international organisation should be fluent in French. When considering a career in any international organisation or a job in a foreign embassy, French is essential as it is considered the language of diplomacy. 

The Hospitality and Tourism industries remain abuzz with Francophone visitors throughout the year. A French speaker can help a foreign traveller, communicate, and work in countries/companies that speak French. The French are voracious travellers. Every year, India receives a large number of French-speaking tourists, and the number grows year after year. Francophones seek bilinguals who can explain things to them in their native tongue.

France is the world’s most popular tourist destination, with over 89 million visitors in 2017, known also for skiing, wine tourism, and cultural tourism. Not only is French useful in Paris and other parts of France, but it is also useful when travelling to Switzerland, Canada, Africa, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Seychelles, and other Francophone countries. Business tourism is also an important industry in France, with thousands of events held each year.

Knowing another language enables you to push the limits of your world. Several studies show that we have different characteristics when we speak another language. Your personality can change, depending on the tongue you speak. No doubt, learning French will expand your personal universe. You might come across as an entirely different person when speaking in French.

People are migrating abroad in greater numbers. With a French language certification, you could fill a variety of positions in French-speaking countries such as Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and France, with your resume taking precedence over those who do not have such a competitive qualification.

Because it is the world’s second most learned language, there is a wealth of study material and resources available to help you learn this language of love! French is a phonetic language that is easier to learn with the right methods and techniques, regular practice, discipline, suitable study materials, and proper motivation, and help from a native speaker and teacher! 3 years is a good enough time for achieving greater fluency than most people, with these rules!

French also shares thousands of cognates with English – some identical and others very closely related. As an example brilliant – brilliant(e)

elephant – éléphant.

extravagant- extravagant.

ignorant – ignorant(e) and so on.

Learning French makes learning other Romance languages a cakewalk for an English speaker.

Given you are passionate, regular and disciplined you can pass the French B2/C1 level of DELF and DALF in 2-3 years.

My sincere suggestion would be to stay away from French dialects and creoles like Québécois, Caribbean, Maghreb unless you need just them! Work hard on pronunciations, accents, to learn French better. You can call French complicated but its not a hard language, as one may think.

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