If you have always wanted to learn French, you’re nowhere near alone; millions of people study the language every day around the world. And it’s no wonder! French is a language that captures a rich culture and history. The French language can take you around the world, from Europe to Africa to North America and even to the islands of the Caribbean!

Learning any new tongue is a challenge that can open up your mind to new perspectives and help you connect with all types of people across boundaries of land and language. When it comes to learning French, these reasons are especially true.

There are slightly more than 300 million people on Earth who speak French to some degree, making it the sixth most spoken language worldwide. It’s the official language of 29 countries, the most of any language behind English (and it’s also the second most studied language worldwide behind English!)

After German and Russian, French is the most widely spoken language in Europe; huge proportions of speakers can be found in Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg, among plenty of other countries where French speakers have laid roots, including Poland, Greece, and the Czech Republic.

If you already chose French, you know your reasons. Here are a few practical reasons to study French you may not know:

• 1) French is the second most useful language in the world for business.
• 2) French is one of the top ten majors most likely to lead to less unemployment and higher earnings.
• 3) Ability to speak French and English is an advantage on the international job market.
• 4) Speaking French opens up opportunities to study at renowned French universities and business schools, ranked among the top higher education institutions in Europe and the world.

Picking up a new skill can help you express your creativity, stimulate your mind, and discover new sides of yourself along the way. Learning a new language like French is no exception!

You will find that the fastest and easiest way to learn French is the way that offers you the least amount of friction — so if you can’t stand shuffling through textbook pages or you get bored flipping French flashcards, you might want to stick to a method that’s more exciting or engaging. Knowing yourself is key to success. Here are just a few of the ways to learn French quickly:

• > In a classroom setting or with one-on-one instruction from a French teacher or tutor
• > With paid or free online French courses, classes, software or apps
• > With French media resources like podcasts, playlists, books, movies and TV shows