Last updated on January 3rd, 2024 at 05:00 pm
While English is definitely the most popular language used in business, knowing French and using it can give you a competitive advantage. Here are 6 reasons why you should learn Business French.
1. Apart from France, French is the official language of 28 other countries, including European countries like Belgium and Switzerland, half of the African countries, Canada, etc. It’s a whole world of opportunities opened up to you.
2. Learning French will help you better understand French culture and behaviors. Even if your French business partner speaks perfect English, some underlying French habits and references will be part of the relationship. You’d better be aware of that.
3. As you may know, a lot of French people are keen to avoid English and speak French as much as they can. So they’ll certainly be pleased if you can communicate in French with them. They’re very proud of their language and specificity, and they’ll be impressed if you make the effort to speak the language of Molière.
4. If you need to go to France (or another French-speaking country) on a business trip, you won’t have difficulties to deal with the basics and won’t require external help, for example, to book a restaurant, ask for your direction or buy the things you need.
5. French is often synonymous with culture. Your business partner will have a positive point of view on you to start with if you show him/her that you speak French.
6. French is the language of many philosophers. Critical thinking and structured thoughts are very much linked to the French language. If you learn these skills, you’ll be better at discussing and negotiating.
A course that combines French with business skills is the way to do it. Get the fluency you need to talk about your industry and your job. Feel confident chatting in French over the phone, discussing important issues in a business meeting, or presenting your ideas at a conference.
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photos:
“Dialects of the French language” by Jonatan Argento – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dialects_of_the_french_language.png#/media/File:Dialects_of_the_french_language.png
