If you’re planning a trip to France or other French-speaking locales, you’ll have to know some of the language. French speakers aren’t usually the best polyglots and you’ll end up having a really tough time getting around if you don’t. Here are some things you should expect when you finally start those language software lessons.
Usefulness
French isn’t only spoken in France. It’s also the official language in parts of Canada and various African countries. An estimated 75 million people have it as their native language, with another 55 million conversant in it.
If you intend to do any sort of business with the French, having some knowledge of the language will be indispensable. Very few French businesspeople bother to learn English, so you’ll have to compensate on your end.
Grammar
French grammar is moderately complex. Like English, there are some instances where the grammatical rules are broken, so that could be a point of confusion early on. Some notable elements to take note of include the two adverbial pronouns (en and y, both of which have no English equivalent), the subjunctive form and the complex conjugation system.
Vocabulary
French shares many vocabulary items with other Romance languages. As such, English speakers will likely find some words familiar. Make sure you learn the genders of each noun — much of the sentence will depend on it.
Difficulty
If you speak Spanish, Portuguese and Italian, you are bound to have the easiest time learning French compared to other language students, as they share the most characteristics with it.
Related posts:
