Why study French of all choices? What are the benefits? Here are the ten most alluring reasons why you should start learning the French language in India.”
Learning one’s language is never enough, especially in today’s world, that is highly diversified in all spheres of human endeavors. Acquiring French will only open new doors for you! Thanks to a wide array of career options in Foreign languages, the benefits of learning French is immense. The fascination towards the French language extends beyond the distinct aesthetics of French cuisine, history, tradition, culture, arts, literature, places, customs, and the like.
Table of Contents
- 10 Good Reasons To Start Learning French Language in India
- 1. French is an international language
- 2. France: Top destination for Indian students
- 3. International Connections and Relations
- 4. French in the Hotel, Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Industry
- 5. Scope, Demand, Career Options, and Job Opportunities
- 6. French is a Language of Art, Culture, Love, and Literature
- 7. To impress others and be the center of attraction
- 8. Discover a new aspect of your personality
- 9. Immigration to France, Canada, and Francophone nations
- 10. French is not a difficult language to master
10 Good Reasons To Start Learning French Language in India
There are all kinds of reasons to learn a foreign language. Here are some of the crucial, legitimate, compelling, and good reasons why to learn the French Language in India.
1. French is an international language
Other than English, French is the only language spoken on all five continents. It is the sixth most widely spoken language in the world after English, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Spanish and Arabic. There are 29 French-speaking countries in the world, such as France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, etc. There are currently over 270 million French-speaking populations worldwide. La Francophonie is a group of 84 countries that share the proper use or teaching of French.
Most people who speak French, are not French natives, and do not live in France. French is the second most widely taught language in the world after English and also one of the most frequently used tongues on the Internet.
By studying French, you are opening the door to communicating not just with native French speakers, but other people like yourself who have studied or studying French. Since it is the second most learned language in the world, you will find a vast number of study material or resources to learn this beautiful language.
The French language is the most popular choice among students who want to learn a foreign language in India. The fascinating language offers tons of Career scope after learning French.
Read — (i) Career in Translation and Interpretation (ii) Language Jobs in MNC (iii) Jobs for Language Teachers (iv) Career in Export and Import (v) Career prospect in Tourism
2. France: Top destination for Indian students
Want to study in France? Within Europe, France is one of the top three most popular countries as a study abroad destination for Indian and international students. Paris is considered as the best city for students. Every year, more than 5,000 students go to France from India. The proficiency in French will open you up for higher educational opportunities in both French business schools and universities.
France has more than 3,500 institutions of higher education, including many century-old universities. The École Normale Supérieur, Université Pierre, École Polytechnique, Marie Curie UPMC, University of Paris Sud, ESPCI ParisTech, École Normale, HEC, Supérieure de Lyon, Sorbonne Paris Cité are some examples. These educational institutions offer excellent education in various fields such as management, science, art, technology, etc.
France has several innovative and research institutions rank among the world’s best. As per the agreement signed between the Indian and French government in 2015, Indian students in France can stay for 24 months after completing studies. Due to language hurdles, Indian students face difficulty in finding jobs or internships after their studies. Hence, learning French is an excellent choice for students who are planning to go to France.
3. International Connections and Relations
French is one of the six official languages of UNESCO alongside Russian, English, Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish. It is one of the official working languages of many international institutions such as UN, UNESCO, NATO, WHO, UNHCR, UNCTAD, ECOSOC, Red Cross, EEC, UNICEF, International Labour Bureau, and many international courts. It is also an official language of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA, etc.
Fluency in French is essential for anyone considering a career in an international organization. It is regarded as the language of diplomacy. French plays a vital role if you are considering a career in any international organization or an embassy. Speaking fluent French is crucial for an international career since there are a considerable number of multinational companies headquartered in France.
4. French in the Hotel, Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Industry
Language plays an essential role in the hospitality industry. The French language can be utilized in the industry to assist the foreign traveler, communicate with French speaking-employees, and to work in French-speaking countries.
Million of French-speaking visit India every year, and the number keeps on increasing year after year, and they look for a person who can explain things in their native language. The French Language offers a plethora of career scope in the Travel and Tourism industry.
Interested in Travelling? France is the world’s leading tourist destination, with over 89 million tourists in 2017. It is also popular as a skiing destination, wine tourism, and culture tourism. Not only Paris and other parts of France but French comes in handy when travelling to Canada, Africa, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Seychelles, and other French-speaking nations. Business tourism is also a crucial sector for France, with thousands of events organized every year.
5. Scope, Demand, Career Options, and Job Opportunities
French is a career asset in many sectors such as the tourism and hospitality industry, banking and finance, fashion, retailing, automotive, luxury goods, aeronautics, international business, diplomatic service, education, and many more. Besides, there are great jobs in translating, interpreting, proofreading, and teaching. Career Options as a Translator and Interpreter is highly lucrative. There are tons of Job opportunities for French in India.
There are hundreds of French international brands such as Axa, BNP Paribas, Orange, Airbus, Alstom, Alcatel, Louis Vuitton, L’Oréal, Christian Dior, Chanel, Carrefour, Peugeot, Michelin and much more.
The knowledge of French not only opens the doors of these French companies in France and other French-speaking countries but also in India and other non-speaking French countries in the world. You can apply to numerous companies after learning the French Language in India.
Many French companies are setting up their regional offices in India, and other parts of the world and the ability to speak the language increases your growth manifold if you have french mentioned in your CV. Due to globalization, outsourcing, and boom in the export industry, the career after learning French in India has increased immensely.
6. French is a Language of Art, Culture, Love, and Literature
French is the lingua franca of culture, including art, cuisine, dance, and fashion. France has won more Nobel Prizes for literature than any other country in the world 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.
French enhances critical thinking and opens up your creativity and innovation. This language offers access to great works of literature in the original French, as well as films, songs, and many primary news media sources, including the global television network TV5MONDE and France24.
France has the highest number of recipients for the Nobel Prize for Literature, with 16 Laureates. Knowing French enables you to understand cultural diversity, which will enhance your competitive advantage abroad.
It is one of the most beautiful tongues and gives the immense pleasure of acquiring a rich, melodious language, often called the voice of love. Paris is often called “La Ville-Lumière” – City of light as it was the birthplace of the enlightenment and, and more literally, because Paris was one of the first European cities to adopt gas street lighting.
France has numerous famous monuments, museums, beautiful landscapes, historical sites, and galleries, of which the most famous is undoubtedly the Louvre and Eiffel tower, which reflects a country with roots deep in history and a wonderful heritage. It is one of the several reasons why you should learn the French language in India.
7. To impress others and be the center of attraction
You wouldn’t learn a language just for the sake of impressing people, or would you? While I don’t advocate learning French to impress friends, acquaintances, or strangers, nor is it a great long term motivation, it is nevertheless impressive.
Barring a few of my old classmates, not a single one of my friends or relatives, speak another language. It’s sad. But, the fact that it is unique makes it impressive. Moreover, you could even become a source of inspiration that motivates them to learn French for themselves.
People learn French for a variety of reasons. The point is, you now speak another language, and a common reaction expressed by many is, wow, you speak French! I know few foreign languages, including French and people, are always blown away and complimented often, particularly if you don’t flaunt the ability. Not because I am intelligent or smart, but due to the fact it is very uncommon.
I won’t lie, but at first, when I was starting in language learning, I use to like attention and to be in the spotlight. Today, it is no more appealing to me. Let’s face it, the recognition is admirable, and it is fun to show off once in a blue moon. You may like it once in a while but don’t learn because of that. Life is short. Focus on what you want and expand your horizons to always look for opportunities to be successful in life.
8. Discover a new aspect of your personality
According to Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, “the limits of my language are the limits of my universe.” In conclusion, knowing another language enables you to push the limits of your world.
Several studies show that we have different characters when we speak different languages. 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. Becoming fluent in this language will offer you an unrivaled feeling of accomplishment, and it is a skill that can be of significant importance to you for the remainder of your life.
9. Immigration to France, Canada, and Francophone nations
More and more people are deciding on spending the rest of their life abroad. Imagine you are fluent in the French language, and the company where you are working is out looking for personnel to fill various positions in various French-speaking territories like Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and France itself. Your resume will receive priority, among other things, ahead of others who don’t have such a qualification.
It will be quite challenging to find a job or make friends or get things done if you don’t speak the local language fluently or at all. A valuable tool in that endeavor is the language obstacles. Knowing French will make your living experiences in Francophone countries much manageable.
It is one of the main reasons why the government of the respective countries provides incentives for language learning for immigrants. French is one of the requirements of economic immigration to Quebec province or Canada or France. You have to appear for TCF or TEF Exam in India.
10. French is not a difficult language to master
Studying French is not a very difficult language. Anyone can learn through several right methods that simplify the language learning process. It will never take you long to start communicating in French at a certain level.
French and English share thousands of cognates – some identical and others very closely related. Opera becomes Opéra, Number becomes Nombre and Romantic turns into Romantique, Respond is Répondre and so on. As a matter of fact, an insight into French offers new perspectives to English and other romance languages, namely Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian.
Generally, French is perceived as a complicated European Language but not that difficult as you might think. Armed with the right method, regular practice, discipline, suitable study materials, and proper motivation, one can achieve higher proficiency in a matter of 3 years. You are going to complete French proficiency test DELF/DALF B2/C1 in 2-3 years.
If you are still not convinced, you might be interested in reading. (i) Why study French? (ii) Scope of Learning French (iii) Career after Learning French (iv) DELF Exam (v) TEF Canada Exam.
70 comments
Sir, I want to learn the French language online. Could you please give me proper guidance for the course.
I’m not aware of any effective Online courses. My research is still on! I’ll update if I find something good enough.
Dear sir, I’m currently doing I.Com, and I want to do Hons in Mandarin. So which university is best in India for these courses as I want a permanent career in Interpreter.
There are not many options for BA in Mandarin in India. JNU, BHU, Visva Bharati University, CUJ Ranchi are four choices. JNU is best though entrance test is highly competitive due to limited seats.
Hi Vikash,
I am interested to learn French. Can you please suggest some institute in Pune which will be providing weekend or part-time classes?
You can visit L’Alliance Française de Pune. The quality of teaching is good and they also offer weekend part-time courses. It is also the only authorized centre in Pune to conduct DELF exam. Read — French Courses in Pune.
Hello Sir, I have secured 83.25% in my best four subjects and want to take admission in BA (Hons) French in DU. I have not studied the language in 12 class. Please tell me can I get admission there. Still, they are releasing cut off. I don’t have much time. please help me.
I guess they are deducing 5% if not studied French in 12th. Well, it seems difficult. If you don’t get admission, you can take somewhere else. DU is not the only option to learn French.
Hello Sir,
I passed my I.Com and now I want to do a BA (Hons.) in French. Is it good and are there good Opportunity for the job? Is there is any requirement of basic knowledge of French Language Before Doing BA in French?
Yes. BA in French is a good choice from a career perspective. Prior knowledge in French is not required for major in French.
I have completed Bcom. I am working in co operative bank for last 8 years. I want to change my job. It is better to learn french language for career.
“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”. Why to leave something certain for uncertain future? You can start learning French as a hobby. Later once you achieve at least intermediate level or say DELF B1, then you can nibble about career prospect. As of now, it is better to concentrate on existing skills and experience and also study French side-by-side.
Hello sir my English is very weak. Can i study French?
While good command over English is not compulsory to pursue French course. It is recommended and desired to have at least some beginner level proficiency.
Sir I m doing b.ed. I want to learn French. Is it going to be helpful in my career in future if I learn it?
It will, only if you learn it properly and achieve higher proficiency. A short term French course would not serve any useful purpose. If you can study for 3 years, The combination of B.ed and French can open a whole world of teaching jobs in School, educational institutions and many more. Read — Foreign language teacher job in India , Career Scope in French and French Proficiency Test.
Sir now i m pursuing french hons from BHU but i am not interested in so much however i am good in. And it does not seems me too. Some people suggested me that after BA yu can easily find a job with decent salary But i want to pursue economic maths statistics. So i am confused ? about this. Should i quite french or not? Please suggest me.
One of the major reason why most people fail to achieve success in learning a language is because they lack the passion, interest and proper motivation. If you don’t have it then most likely learning French is not for you. You can try the subjects of your choice provided that you don’t waste more than 1 year. Think and take the right decision.
Hi sir I am planning to migrate to Canada as a permanent resident. how much time and what proficiency level is required to work in an office environment that uses french for general communication with clients in Canada. will it be helpful in getting jobs there.
French is the official languages of Canada and only official language of Québec province. For immigrants, there are two benefits. 1) You can earn points for PR if you know French and 2) French will be helpful for job search in Canada. In Québec and nearby provinces, French is almost essential. In both the cases, you need DELF B2 or TEF Canada that will take at least 2 years if you study 10-15 hours per week. Only a beginner-level or a few month course has no real life advantage in Canada.
Sir I have completed my MA French from a central university this year, and teaching french in a CBSC school but I would like to do PhD from France or any francophone country. Can you help me to find out what should I do or where should I go to get the chance?
Félicitations pour compléter la maîtrise en Français! You can contact CampusFrance. They are affiliated to French Embassy in India to promote Higher Education in France. Check their article on PH.D. in France LINK
Hello, sir i have completed bcom. I want to learn french. How can it be helpful to me for future.
Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. From Immigration to Canada to learning as a hobby or Jobs in MNC or enhancing career prospect in the field of international marketing. There are 100s of good reasons to learn French. First you need to find the reason as per your goal, interest, career, etc. Without any reason, it will be difficult to study for next 3 years, minimum time-frame required to reach B2 for most candidates!
Sir I just completed my bba so I just want to ask that is there any scope of learning french for the job or should I do something else? What are the good companies where French language skills will be an asset?
Are you studying French or planning to start? Time has changed. These days for any good French job openings, minimum requirement is DELF B2 or Advanced Diploma/BA/MA in French. There is no point in studying French if one cannot study for at least 3 years. As per my observation – Almost 80% give up after Beginner’s level or half-way and thus they cannot utilize French skills to find a good job. In short, there are plenty of opportunities but only for those who reach such a high level of proficiency. There are 100’s of companies where French will be a great value-add to your resume.
Sir I am doing BCOM (Hons.). And now I started learning French will it help me in my MBA or masters in other degree?
Yes. French will be useful in a wide range of sectors and industries. The purpose of language is to communicate information. Whenever you deal with French speaking person, the French language skill will be great value-add to your resume. You should first concentrate on BCOM and then Master degree, then you can try for Jobs where French will be an asset for the company.
Respected Sir, I’ve just read your advice that Japanese or any other Asian Languages are good options. Could you help me which is the best institute in Kolkata for Japanese Language. Now, I’ve started my career as an import documentation executive.
In Kolkata, There are many options for Japanese like Jadavpur University, Rabindra Bharati University, RMIC, IJWCA, and few private institutes Read – Foreign Language learning Centre in Kolkata and JLPT Exam in India
Yes u can join Ramakrishna mission institute of culture, it is in Golpark, Kolkata. The institute teach various types of other languages. If u want to learn then u must contact with them.
Sir I am pursuing MA in English, what career options I have, if I learn French till A2 level? Please give me your own suggestions too. I want a chance to work in France.
French will add some value in your C.V. However, A2 is not enough in the job market. Try at least B1 if not B2. MA in English + B2 in French will help to find a English teacher jobs in Francophone countries including France.
Sir, I have completed my A2 level in French and going to apply for B1 level but now i am confused whether i should work as a translator, tourism or as a french professor, as i have 1 year experience in teaching french.
Well, A2 is not enough for most jobs let alone translator or professor. For translator, you need at least DALF C1/C2 or MA in French. College lecturer/Asst. Professor is even more difficult. Minimum prerequisite is MA in French + UGC NET. In few cases, C1/C2 + experience are also enough for such jobs. Read – Translator as a Career Options.
After B2, You can try for few School teaching jobs. In tourism, few jobs only require limited proficiency in French such as A2. My advice would be to continue with French and try to complete at least DELF B2. Bonne Chance!
Sir i have done Bsc in medical. I want to learn french. How can it be helpful to me for future.
A language enables you to communicate with others. French is spoken in 25+ countries including North & Central Africa, Europe and Québec (Canada). India exports pharma products worth billion $ in these regions. Proficiency in French will be career beneficial in export sector and job opportunities in francophone countries. Read – Benefits of Learning French in India
Sir I am navin. I have completed my m.a in sociology. I am confused. Can I learn french language and what scope in future. Plz tell me sir
Yes, you can surely learn. Read – Benefits of Learning French in India
Dear sir I am learning French as an interest and in future to get the opportunity in this field. I am working in R&D pharma sector. How could I utilize this.
The export of generic pharmaceuticals is one of India’s strengths. Every year, India exports pharma products worth multi-billion in Africa and Europe. 20+ such countries are French-speaking specially in North Africa & Eastern Europe. Ability to speak French will be career beneficial in export sector.
Hello Sir, I have completed my graduation in fashion design but I am further seeing to learn French and seek for a good job. Will it be helpful for me if I do so? Also, I have learnt French for a year and I found it very interesting.
Yes, A combination of French and Fashion designing can open new careers avenues. Read — Jobs for Language Learners.
Sir, what are the career opportunities for Japanese language? How much time will it take to reach a decent job performing level. Thanks
It will take 3-4 years to complete JLPT N2/N1. After that, you have a wide array of career opportunities, Read – Career Scope of Japanese
I am from IT industry with 10+ experience in QA field , going to learn french, please advise for future aspects
It depends why you want to learn. If you want to learn out of interest or to pursue hobby, travelling or immigration or add more value to your C.V, then learning French is an good idea. One year is also okay for all these purpose. If you want to shift your career completely from IT to French, it will take long time (3-5 years) and you have to start from zero. That may or may not be wise decision since you already spend so much time in the field of IT. It’s better to start learning as a hobby and then in future, you can take the right decision.
Sir. I m Electrical Engineer by profession and in Govt service and will be superannuating soon. I intend to do certificate course from Panjab University. Will it be useful for my post retirement endeavour.
Post-retirement if planning to do something related to Languages, or travel abroad in non-english speaking countries or pursue as hobby, then YES! Otherwise NO. There will be very limited jobs in 60’s and that also language learning takes time, at least few years.
what are the career scope/option in the coming future in india or outside it, if i do my honours in one of these languages(chinese/japanese/korean) ? or can i get a decent job only by doing honours in one out of these 3 languages?
From the career perspective, Future of East Asian Languages (Mandarin, Japanese and Korean) are bright and full of opportunities. BA (Hons) or MA is not mandatory. However, high level of proficiency is the prerequisite for most jobs. For successful career, You should target Advanced Level – V or VI of HSK (Chinese) / N1 or N2 of JLPT (Japanese) / Level 5 or 6 of TOPIK (Korean).
Hi. I’ve heard that French nowadays has become very saturated in India because it is an obvious choice of the students. Should I prefer learning German over French as honours paper ? (Banaras Hindu University)
Language learning is not like any other subject. Most people want to learn just because of career and money making. The reality is that for most people they don’t actually have a passion or deep interest like some of us do. Choose the one as per interest not as per career scope. For most languages including French, Success ratio is quite low.
The language that offers more career opportunities will always be overcrowded. German is as overcrowded as French. In fact, French is still better than German in most sectors. Why not learn East Asian languages like Japanese, Mandarin or Korean? These languages offer excellent career opportunity and not overcrowded either.
Can you please tell me that which language is beneficial between Chinese and French in India ?
Chinese is not a language. Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the mainland China. French is comparatively easier to learn than Mandarin. Currently, there is rapidly expanding demand for Chinese language professionals. If you are ready to study for next 3-4 years, Mandarin is a good choice and future looks bright.
French is one of the most popular and taught language in India. Although there are plenty of career options and Jobs. However, it is overcrowded as French is the default choice for majority of language learner, at least in India. To be successful, one has to to at least DALF C1 or Advanced Diploma. This will take 3 years. Good Luck!
I want to learn french language and want to pursue my career in interpreter which institute would be the best in delhi
In Delhi, Alliance française de Delhi is the best centre for offering French Language courses. Read – French courses in Delhi. In order to become a successful Interpreter, one needs to be fluent speakers of both the languages (Source as well as the target language). For that, one needs DALF C2 or MA in French.
I am in digital marketing and confused which foreign language is good for my career either french or spanish? Can you tell me which language will be good for my career?
It is difficult to choose one. From India perspective – Between two, French is better. French will score better than Spanish in a wide array of sectors such as aviation, fashion, automobile, retailing, travel & tourism, etc. and on other hand, Spanish is in great demand in the sectors like ITES / BPO / KPO, etc. and 2nd most important in USA. Read – Which foreign language to learn in India
hi, between french and spanish which foreign language will be more beneficial for a student who is studying english honours ?and which one has more job prospectives?
Between two, French is better. French is the language with the most Job openings in India right now. Read – Benefits of Learning the French Language in India
Sir, which language is easy to learn French or Spanish?
Spanish is relatively easier to learn than French. Check out Spanish Vs. French?
Are there good opportunities for part time jobs after learning french?
Yes. After learning French, you can do various kind of part-time jobs as a freelance teacher, translator, interpreter, proofreader, travel agent, Company communication executive, etc.
Thanks!
If i do french honors wht scope after this
Read – Benefits of Learning French in India and Job Opportunities for French in India
Sir, can I learn french as I am not that fluent in English language. Will it be beneficial for me to do in terms of career and working profession?
Yes, you can. English is not mandatory though helpful at least in starting. French offers plenty of career options provided that you reach higher proficiency level.