Learning the language opens up new vistas for expats in France

Whatever your reason for leaving your home country, if you’re planning to move to France it’s important to have a better than working knowledge of the language.

Whether you’re moving to take up a new job, planning to start a small business or retiring in a country more suited to your needs and wants, learning the local language opens up friendships and opportunities which enrich your new life. This is especially true if France is your chosen location, as the French love their language and often don’t take well to being spoken to in English!

Schoolboy French is a start, but it’s rarely enough to get you new friends, help you understand the eclectic French culture and, most importantly, get to grips with Gallic bureaucracy and know your rights. Almost every would-be expat intends to learn the language of his or her adopted country, but few seem to make good on their intentions. Reasons include being too old and not having enough time or money, plus the view that someone will interpret for them when it’s needed.

The reality in France for those who can’t or won’t learn French is the limiting of their options as well as their social circle, leaving them outside the special ambience that’s unique to the country. Learning the local lingo isn’t just for social reasons, it’s for the emergencies presented by life, usually at inconvenient times. However well you’ve integrated with a limited knowledge of French, getting sick or accidentally in trouble with the police needs a good deal more than does a visit to the local supermarket.

Life in France as an expat isn’t always predictable, but a mental toolbox with the local language in prime position helps a lot. Even if you don’t see yourself staying in the country for the rest of your life as a permanent resident, you’ll enjoy the time you have much more if you don’t feel you’re stuck in a foreign movie minus the subtitles.