- Communicate with other people and other cultures
French is the first or second language in more than 40 countries representing every continent. In fact, French is spoken by millions of people around the world. By knowing French you can communicate with people around the world.
- Improve your command of English
Learning French will sharpen
your skills in English. You will build your English vocabulary, since almost half of our words come from French, and you will also develop a greater awareness of English grammar.
- Develop your critical thinking skills
Learning a second language increases your problem solving skills at the same time that it improves your memory and your self-discipline. Studies have shown that the ability to think in two languages also heightens your creativity.
- Prepare you for university and graduate school
Knowing French will let you take advantage of significant educational opportunities. At the undergraduate level, you may spend a semester abroad. At the graduate level, French is an important language in international business, law, humanities, and sciences.
- Participate in the global community of the future
As the world is brought closer together with the Internet, the two major languages of cyberspace are now English and French. Knowing these languages will allow you to exchange ideas with people around the globe.
- Increase your job opportunities and salary potential
Over 1,200 French companies have US subsidiaries. Canada, our key trading partner, is officially bilingual. French is also an official language of the European Union, which is the second largest trading block in the world. In business, French is a great asset.
- Introduce you to a wide world of sporting events
French has been an official language of the Olympic Games since 1896. With French you can enjoy automobile races (Le Mans and Monte Carlo), tennis (Paris Open), and bicycling (the Tour de France), as well as fencing, skiing, and Canadian hockey.
- Make travel abroad more exciting
France is a fantastic tourist destination. You may also want to explore places like Brussels and Geneva (in Europe), Casablanca and Dakar (in Africa), or the islands of Martinique and Tahiti. Knowing French will help you get around and meet new friends.
- Open your door to the arts
French is the language of culture, opening your door to art, music, dance, fashion, cuisine, and cinema. Right here in America you can discover French restaurants, French museum shows, French-language movies, and French folk music from around the world.
- Discover a world of literary treasures
Did you know that France has won more Nobel Prizes for Literature than any other country? French is the language of Les Misérables, The Three Musketeers, Madame Bovary, The Stranger, The Little Prince, and Senghor's praise of Négritude.
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