Are you wondering, “Is French a hard language to learn?” Whether you’re considering starting or have already begun, the difficulty of learning French can vary based on several factors.
Firstly, if you speak English, you’re already at an advantage. According to Wikipedia, about 60% of English words have French or Latin roots. The Foreign Service Institute ranks French, along with Spanish and Italian, as one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn. In contrast, languages like Russian, with its complex declension system, and Chinese, a tonal language, are much more challenging.
If you know another Romance language such as Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, or Romanian, you’re in an even better position. The grammar across these languages is quite similar, particularly in verb conjugation. If you speak German or Chinese, you’ll also find an advantage in pronouncing the French “U.”
Of course, learning a language requires effort and doesn’t happen overnight. But it’s definitely achievable, even if you live in places like Calgary or New York without immediate access to a French-speaking community. If you’re unsure where to start, check out our blog post “Best Book For French Learning.” You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can get a feel for the language just by reading a good book.
Happy learning!