History
French grew from Latin in northern Gaul, absorbed Frankish influence and became a language of literature, law and diplomacy across Europe.
Culture, diplomacy and phrases for real trips
French is spoken across Europe, Africa, North America, the Caribbean and the Pacific. It remains a major language of travel, cuisine, fashion, diplomacy and global culture.
French grew from Latin in northern Gaul, absorbed Frankish influence and became a language of literature, law and diplomacy across Europe.
French has hundreds of millions of speakers worldwide when native and second-language speakers are counted, with especially strong growth across Francophone Africa.
| English | French |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjour |
| Thank you | Merci |
| Please | S'il vous plaît |
| Where is the station? | Où est la gare ? |
| I would like a coffee | Je voudrais un café |