Can I live in France if I don't speak French?

Many people who move to France do so without being able to speak any French. Although it might be acceptable for certain professions, most expats will find that their having more fun as they pick up the language. Generally, people develop their language skills out of necessity.
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Can you live in France and only speak English?

It's a myth the French won't speak English

In Paris you may speak your native tongue at home, at work and with your friends, but if you don't speak French, you definitely need to speak English. The chances that the shopkeeper on the corner speaks Japanese or Russian are slim to none.
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Can you go to Paris if you don't speak French?

Short answer: You may face instances that are confusing, but don't stress and you'll do fine. Lots of people speak English and at the very least are used to dealing with tourists who do not speak French. Restaurants frequently have menus in English.
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Do you have to speak French in France?

The most obvious answer is yes, it is a good idea to speak the official language of the country you are in, which in France is French.
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Can English be spoken in France?

In general, English is not very widely spoken overall in France, with recent surveys estimating that around 39% or just under two-fifths of the French population are able to speak English to some degree.
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Moving to France without speaking French? My advice + best tips for learning French



Do French hate speaking English?

There's a commonly held opinion that the French people actively dislike the English, and that this often affects English-language speakers from other countries. This general dislike is said to be especially so of the Parisiennes.
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Is French hard to learn?

According to the FSI, French is one of the easiest languages to learn for a native English speaker. And yet, with an average of 30 weeks to achieve proficiency (instead of 24), it's also one of the hardest.
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Is English banned in France?

Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. France has one official language, the French language. The French government does not regulate the choice of language in publications by individuals, but the use of French is required by law in commercial and workplace communications.
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Is it easy to move to France?

For EU residents, moving to France is easy. They're allowed to pursue employment opportunities just like a French citizen would. For everyone else, however, there are a lot more restrictions. For most foreigners, short stays in France are easily arranged.
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Is Paris English friendly?

Most of the locals speak pretty good English and are eager to practice. But if you immediately speak English with a French person, they will pretend to not speak English.
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Is it rude to speak English in Paris?

While speaking English, in Paris, is not considered rude, expecting every French person to speak French will surely be seen as such. To avoid a cold reaction from the other party, it will always be appreciated to start the conversation with a simple sentence in French.
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Is English enough in France?

As little as possible. A lot of people don't speak it, or refuse to speak it. The younger generations are more open to it, but a lot of French people don't think it's needed in the same wa a lot of American people think you only need English.
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How long does it take to learn French?

According to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), French is a category 1 language. This means learning French takes 23 – 24 weeks (575 – 600 hours) for most English speakers. This makes French one of the easiest (and fastest) languages to learn.
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What happens if you speak English in France?

Yes, you can speak English in France and almost always get by. In general, you will have an easier time in cities and with younger generations. However, speaking English will hurt your rapport with locals. Don't expect to make a lot of friends without at least trying to speak French.
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Can I live in France permanently?

Permanent residence and citizenship

If you are the spouse of a French national or foreign national with a carte de resident, or are the parent of a French child living in France, you can apply for permanent residence in France after three years.
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What do I need to live in France permanently?

To apply for this permanent residency (or as everyone calls it, the Carte de Sejour), you are required to make an appointment at your local town hall or Préfecture (local government headquarters) and present the following information: your passport and visa/existing residency permit (original documents and a photocopy)
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How much income do I need to live in France?

From 1 January 2020, the minimum wage in France for an adult aged over 23 years is €1539.42 per month (gross), which equates to around €1218.60 per month Net, after income tax and social contributions. This represents and annual gross salary of €18,473.
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Which language is most spoken in the world?

The most spoken languages in the world
  • English (1,132 million speakers)
  • Mandarin (1,117 million speakers)
  • Hindi (615 million speakers)
  • Spanish (534 million speakers)
  • French (280 million speakers)
  • Arabic (274 million speakers)
  • Russian (258 million speakers)
  • Portuguese (234 million speakers)
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What are the top 3 languages spoken in France?

Total
  • French: 42,100,000 (92%)
  • Occitan: 1,670,000 (3.65%)
  • German and German dialects: 1,440,000 (3.15%)
  • Oïl languages (excl. French): 1,420,000 (3.10%)
  • Arabic: 1,170,000 (2.55%)
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Why are French people so protective of their language?

The main reason that France is so defensive of its language today is because of the country's declining global status. French was once the language of international diplomacy, even more so than English.
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What's the easiest language?

15 of the easiest languages to learn for English speakers - ranked
  • Frisian. Frisian is thought to be one of the languages most closely related to English, and therefore also the easiest for English-speakers to pick up. ...
  • Dutch. ...
  • Norwegian. ...
  • Spanish. ...
  • Portuguese. ...
  • Italian. ...
  • French. ...
  • Swedish.
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Can you teach yourself French?

Contrary to what other people believe, learning French on your own is pretty achievable. With the right amount of motivation and commitment, a healthy learning habit, plus the right tools and method to guide you, yes you can teach yourself French.
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What's the hardest language to learn?

1. Mandarin Chinese. Interestingly, the hardest language to learn is also the most widely spoken native language in the world. Mandarin Chinese is challenging for a number of reasons.
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Do French like English accents?

Speaking accented French is considered attractive by 39% of respondents in a new poll. FRENCH people consider the English accent to be the most attractive - while the rest of the world considers the French language to be the most seductive, a new study has found.
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Do French learn English in school?

To our slight surprise, French schools begin their English education quite early, with a universal requirement of compulsory English lessons starting in 6eme (at the age of 11-12).
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