About French
French is a Romance language in the family of Indo-European languages. As a most wide spread language, one of the six working languages in UN, French is also an official language in 29 countries (including the 80 million native speakers in France and other countries, mostly in OIF, Organisation internationale de la Francophonie) as well as the EU.
| Countries/Regions recognize French as an Official Language | Continent | Other Major Languages |
| Benin | Africa | Fon, Yom, Yoruba |
| Burkina Faso | Africa | Mossi, Fula, Goumanche and etc. |
| Congo, Republic of | Africa | Lingala, Kituba |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of | Africa | Lingala, Kikongo, Swahili,Tshiluba |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Africa | No other Lingua Franca |
| France, Metropolitan | Europe | |
| Overseas | Globally | over 40 languages. |
It is spoken as a first language in France, southern Belgium, western Switzerland, Monaco, the provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick and some parts of Ontario in Canada, parts of the U.S. states of Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, among educated classes in North Africa, Haiti, French Polynesia and by various communities elsewhere. It is estimated that there are over 274 million French speakers all over the world.
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The French program at IU-Bloomington offers a wide range of courses as well as extracurricular activities and overseas study opportunities to enable students to develop excellent skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening in French. After the basic language sequence, you can choose courses in French literature, advanced grammar and writing practice, French and Francophone culture, and French linguistics. We also offer a course in Business French, which is practical for those students wanting to pursue careers in international business. The French Club provides opportunities to speak French in a casual atmosphere and learn more about French culture through fun events involving cooking, music, and intercultural exchange. Check out all we have to offer!
| Department | French & Italian |
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