Who speaks French around the globe?
Did you know that French is the 5th most spoken language in the world? It’s spoken across all five continents! That gives you plenty of opportunities to practice, right? 😉 Today, let me take you on a tour of French-speaking cultures worldwide!
List of countries where French is spoken
Where is French spoken besides France? 🤔
French-speaking countries in Africa
More than 60% of French speakers globally live in Africa - and this number keeps growing! According to the OIF, here are some of the countries where French is most commonly spoken in daily life across the African continent:
Mauritius
Gabon
Congo
Tunisia
Seychelles
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Cameroon
Togo
Morocco
Benin
Algeria
Côte d’Ivoire
Central African Republic
Guinea
Comoros
Madagascar
Senegal
Burkina Faso
And let’s not forget the French overseas territories in the Indian Ocean 🏝️:
Mayotte
Réunion island
In many of these countries, it serves as an official or second language. Africa is, by far, the continent with the highest number of French speakers. But which region comes next?
French-speaking countries in Europe
And not surprisingly, second place goes to… Europe! On the old continent, apart from France, the language of Molière is spoken in 4 other countries:
Belgium
Switzerland
Luxembourg
Monaco
They all share a border with the Hexagon. French speakers make up around 31% of Europe’s population, which is far less than their southern neighbour, Africa!
French-speaking countries in America
There are also plenty of Francophones in the Americas, particularly in Canada and in the Caribbean.
In Céline Dion’s homeland, French is an official language! Around 22% of Canadians speak it, mostly in the province of Québec.
In the Caribbean, it is spoken in Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, and Haiti, as well as on the islands of Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy.
➡️ Did you know? Saint Pierre and Miquelon is a little archipelago located near the Canadian border (it’s part of the French overseas territories).
Francophones in Oceania and Asia
In Oceania, French is widely spoken across several dreamy islands 😍:
New Caledonia
French Polynesia
Wallis and Futuna
Vanuatu
What about the Asian continent? Due to historical colonization, a small number of people in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam still speak French. However, it is not widely spoken by the general population in these countries.
Essential differences between French-speaking cultures worldwide
Cultural differences within Francophone countries
French-speaking countries are often referred to as Francophone. But what exactly is it, you might ask? 🤔 Well, the Francophonie is like a huge global network of countries that all have one thing in common: French language. It connects around 321 million people worldwide, from Africa to Asia, Europe, and the Americas!
And each of them has its own unique vibe, culture, and traditions.
From Switzerland’s fondue to Reunion Island’s rougail saucisse or Cajun’s Jambalaya - the variety in francophone gastronomy is simply incredible! 🍽️😋
There are also sooo many amazing Francophone authors around the world. Did you know Hergé, the creator of Tintin, was Belgian? Have you ever read the famous Algerian writer Yasmina Khadra?
And what about Francophone music! Did you get the chance to hear the beautiful Malian duo Amadou et Mariam sing Je pense à toi? Sure, Céline Dion has sung the masterpiece My heart will go on! But have you heard her perform L’hymne à l’amour from Edith Piaf during the Olympic games opening in Paris? 🥰
I bet you’ve already danced to the Belgian hit Alors on danse from Stromae at some point in your life! But have you ever tried Guadeloupe’s zouk or the iconic Moulin Rouge’s French cancan? 😉
See, Francophone cultures really have it all: so much diversity, so much to discover!
The diversity of French accents and expressions around the world
Different French accents
Even though Francophone countries share the same language, the accents can be completely different! You’ll notice a big difference between the French spoken by a Belgian, Moroccan, Senegalese, or Martinican.
And it’s not just between countries - even within France, accents vary! Whether it's the classic French from Paris, the lilting accent of the South-West, or the ch’ti accent from the North, each region has its own melody.
Watch this video to get a taste of French accents from around the world!
French expressions around the globe
And that’s not all - expressions can vary just as much as accents across French-speaking countries!
For example, the word for “girlfriend” may change depending on where you are:
blonde in Québec
chéri-coco in Ivory Coast
petite-copine in France
⚠️ Just watch out, because in France, une blonde means… “a beer”! 🍻
Same goes for “the car”:
la voiture in France
le char in Canada!
➡️ Try typing on Google translate: “I go to Paris with my girlfriend” or “Where did you park your car?” and see how the results differ between French from Canada and from France! 🌎
Counting can change too! For example, to say 90, you’ll hear:
quatre-vingt-dix in France
nonante in Belgium and Switzerland (I bet you’re ready to switch to Belgian French now 😂)
And when it comes to saying goodbye…
in New Caledonia, it’s Tata
in Belgium, you’ll hear A tantôt
in France, it’s often Ciao (which actually comes from Italian 🤷)
And the list just goes on and on and on!
Global influence of the Francophonie on language learning
Increase of the number of French speakers worldwide
The number of French speakers worldwide is on the rise! Right now, about 4% of the global population speaks this language, and that figure keeps increasing - largely thanks to the growing population in Africa, where French is widely spoken.
According to the OIF, by 2050, there could be 820 million French speakers globally, that’s around 8% of the world population! No wonder the language of Timothée Chalamet is becoming a must-learn language! 😉
Rise in the global interest to learn French
French is currently the second most taught language worldwide. So far, what has made it so attractive?
Many students chose to learn it for professional reasons. It’s a valuable asset for anyone aiming to pursue an international career: global business, NGOs, international cooperation… It can really boost your professional opportunities.
French is also attractive for all the opportunities it offers in terms of international mobility. You could study, work, or travel in many French-speaking countries around the world! Pretty cool right?!
In the end, learning a language is about connecting with the world, and broadening your horizons!
➡️ By the way, the International Francophonie Day is on March 20! 🥳
How about you, have you ever traveled to a French speaking country that is not France? I’d love to hear about it, feel free to tell us in the comments!
Bonne journée, tata, et à tantôt.
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