Learn French for Travel

Learning French for travelers gives you the skills to communicate all over the world. Seriously. French is the official language of 28 countries. There are over 300 million French speakers in the world, and almost 70 million are native speakers.

So whether you’re heading to Paris for some sophistication, Belgium for chocolate and beer, or the Seychelles for scuba diving, French skills will make your trip go more smoothly. And they could lead to some unique and unforgettable experiences.

In this article, you’ll find out how to learn French for travel and why Busuu is the best language app to help you achieve your goals.

Discover the best way to learn French for your next trip

Prepare for your next adventure

Busuu’s French for Travel course will give you the skills to speak with locals, plan trips and get off the beaten track. Use your new skills around the world, from Canada to Oceania, via Europe and Africa.

Master common travel phrases

Our travel course in French gives you the basic phrases you need for traveling. It’s a practical course designed to help you communicate in French all around the world.

Learn at your own pace

With bite-sized videos, easy-to-digest lessons and a handy mobile app, you can learn French on your own schedule with Busuu. You can make real French progress with Busuu, no matter how busy you are.

Why should you learn French for travel?

Learning French can make the difference between a good trip and an amazing trip. Here are the top reasons you should learn French before visiting a French-speaking country. 

1) Communicate around the world

It’s not an exaggeration to say that if you can speak French, you can communicate with people all over the world. French is the official language of 28 countries in four continents. There are also the French overseas territories of New Caledonia and French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean. Here are the countries that have French as an official language:

Europe

1. France
2. Belgium
3. Switzerland
4. Luxembourg

Africa

5. Benin
6. Burkina Faso
7. Burundi
8. Cameroon
9. Central African Republic
10. Chad
11. Comoros
12. Democratic Republic of the Congo
13. Djibouti
14. Equatorial Guinea
15. Gabon
16. Guinea
17. Ivory Coast
18. Madagascar
19. Mali
20. Niger
21. Republic of the Congo
22. Rwanda
23. Senegal
24. Seychelles
25. Togo

North America

26. Canada
27. Haiti

Oceania

28. Vanuatu (official language along with English and Bislama)

Few languages can match the reach of French. It’s at the top of the pile along with English and Spanish as the languages with the widest reach.

2) Get off the beaten track & communicate with the locals

You could stay in your hotel all day and happily speak English without any need for French. The same is true for organized trips and bus tours. If you’re happy sticking to the touristy areas, it might be fun to speak French, but it isn’t necessary.

If you stick to the well-traveled areas, you miss out on many experiences because traveling is about exploring – finding new places and meeting new people. French skills help you do this. You can go where there are few English speakers. You can try the local restaurants. You can travel to rural or remote areas. You can find proper, unique experiences with some French skills. 

The locals you meet are what makes a trip truly special. You can learn about the culture and people through meaningful conversations. Even if you only understand a few basic French phrases for travel, you can communicate more than you imagine. People will see you’re willing to try, and they'll reciprocate. 

3) Stay safe

If something unexpected happens on your trip – especially if you’re out exploring – French skills could be a lifesaver. You might have an accident, become ill, be the victim of a crime or get caught up in a natural disaster. There’s no guarantee that there’ll be English speakers there to help you. French skills are a kind of insurance. They’re there to help you when you need them. 

4) Understand your surroundings

The more French you know, the more you’ll understand the world around you – whether it’s announcements on the subway, street signs or restaurant menus. Learning the French words for directions or places around town gives you a good start to understanding what’s going on around you. 

Traveling to new places can feel uncomfortable with so much going on that you don’t understand. Learning French before your trip is a sure-fire way to feel more confident and comfortable when traveling. 

5) Be proud of yourself

Every little win counts when you’re learning a new language. Checked into your hotel successfully? Good job. Found your way to the station by asking a stranger for directions? Amazing progress. Even ordering a coffee for the first time is a fantastic achievement. 

These things don’t sound like much. But when you achieve them for the first time, they give a huge sense of accomplishment. Little interactions in a new language are fun. So get out there, use your new language skills and enjoy yourself. Most important of all, be proud of the progress you’ve made, because learning a language isn’t easy.

Why Busuu is the best place to learn French for travel

Practice French with native speakers

Join Busuu’s online community and connect with native French speakers. You’ll be together learning languages with millions of other language learners, supporting each other and getting feedback. Learn French for your next adventure with real people in a supportive and fun environment.

Learn useful French travel phrases

Complete Busuu’s French for Travel course and you’ll learn only the language you need for traveling. Don’t waste time studying complicated grammar. Learn practical French phrases that will help you communicate. In the French for Travel course, learn essential phrases to use at the hotel, how to deal with an emergency, how to buy tickets and more.

See progress no matter how busy you are

At Busuu, we understand that life happens and language learning can’t always be a priority. That’s why Busuu is designed to seamlessly slot into your busy life. Busuu’s easy-to-follow French lessons, short videos and convenient mobile app allow you to study whenever you get the chance. Learn French for Travel on your break, on the bus or on your couch. 

Useful French travel phrases

Here are some useful French phrases for tourists that you can learn today.

The best app to learn French for travel

Busuu is the best app to learn French for travel. The French for Travel course teaches you how to book a room, find your way around town, buy tickets, order food and deal with emergencies. It’s got everything you need for a successful trip to a French-speaking country. 

Study at your own pace

With Busuu, you can learn French for travel at your own pace. The Busuu app is designed to help busy people learn languages. Whether you have 5 or 50 minutes a day to study, you’ll see real progress. With bite-sized videos and easy-to-follow lessons, you don’t need too much time to squeeze in some studying. Do as much as you can, and you’ll make huge improvements.

Use advanced tools

Want to get the most out of your French study? Let Busuu’s algorithms optimize your study. The Busuu app tracks the words you remember and the ones you struggle with to personalize your learning. Using this information, the app reminds you to review language at the perfect time to stop you from forgetting it.

The words you are comfortable with appear less. The words that are still difficult appear more. You don’t waste time reviewing words you already know. You can focus your energy on learning the language you need to when you need to.

Join a community

The best way to improve your French is to practice. It's easier said than done if you don’t have French speakers nearby. Luckily, Busuu’s online community of millions of language learners includes native French speakers. Join a supportive and fun community, get feedback on your French and make huge improvements.