French Today

There are about 300 million French speakers including native, second-language, and learners across five continents. Africa is the fastest-growing region for French.

France remains the cultural and linguistic center with 67 million people, where standard French is taught and regional languages coexist. Paris sets many trends.

Africa has over 140 million French speakers and is driving growth through youth, urbanization, and media; countries like Madagascar and Côte d'Ivoire are key. French is often a lingua franca among diverse groups.

Canada's 10 million French speakers are mostly in Quebec, plus communities in New Brunswick and Ontario. Quebec French has its own accents, expressions, and cultural institutions. Bilingualism is common.

French is also important in Belgium, Switzerland, parts of the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East through history, education, and diplomacy. Each region adds local flavor to French.

The Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie promotes French language and culture, supports education, and connects member countries across continents. It helps sustain French in a multilingual world.

French remains a global language of culture, diplomacy, and commerce while evolving through regional varieties and new speakers. Learning French opens doors to many countries and cultures.