If you'll be going to
Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics, do you need to learn French? Though it would undoubtedly help you in the long run, some people might not see it as a necessity. The rest of the world will be heading to the French capital for the event, after all. There will be other foreigners in most areas, prompting the locals to speak as much English as they can to help people out. So, should you learn French before you go to Paris? Well, here are a few things worth noting to help you reach the answer yourself!
Get Over That Language Barrier
Despite how global Paris has become over the years, it remains a French city through and through. You'd have an easier time here if you knew how to speak French, even when the 2024 Summer Olympics will bring over millions of foreign tourists. At the same time, the venues for the Paris 2024 Olympics go beyond the different
neighborhoods in Paris. A lot of games will take place in Lyon, Bordeaux, Nantes, Marseilles, and more, cities that have even fewer English-speaking locals than Paris. If you want to watch the games in these towns, you'd do well to learn how to speak French!
Avoid Offending The Locals
Understanding French will also help you avoid offending the locals. Though the “snooty Parisian” is a largely unfair stereotype that you can't apply to everyone who lives or has
moved to Paris, they do exist. And if there's one thing they hate, it's the ignorant tourist who can't speak French. Even if you don't encounter one, it's still easy to offend a local by saying or doing the wrong thing. Of course, you wouldn't have known better since you can't understand the local language. So if you want to avoid all that trouble, it's simply better to learn French.
Fewer Risks of Getting Lost
Do you know what else you'll understand if you learn French? The street signs. Naturally, all of the street signs in France are in the local language. While famous
Paris spots will host the Olympic games, there are other venues that go beyond the French capital. The nearest are Château de Versailles, La Defense Arena, and Stade de France, all of which are within the
Paris Suburbs. How will you get to any of them if you can't even understand the road signs up ahead? You may rely on transportation apps, but it's a lot easier if you learn French instead!
Understand The Games Better
When you're already watching the Paris 2024 Olympics live, it'll be easier to understand everything when you understand French. Remember that you're in France watching the games in person. You don't have your local pundits and commentators explaining the matches in your local language on TV. Here, practically everything you'll hear will be in French. From local commentaries to the announcement of winners, it'll be easier to stay tuned if you understand what they're saying. You'll inevitably enjoy the event more too since you won't have to rely on translation apps to know what's going on.
The City has Great Language Schools
Finally, it helps that Paris has many excellent language schools. If you're already in Paris, what's stopping you from enrolling in these schools? Not only are some of them fairly affordable, but they're all effective in teaching you everything about the French language. From the basics to full fluency, these respected institutions have proven to be effective in teaching French to locals and tourists alike. Some of the most notable include
- Accord French Language School on Rue Jean-Pierre Bloch
- Ecole Suisse Internationale on Rue des Messageries
- France Langue Paris on Rue de Saint-Pétersbourg
- L’atelier 9 on Rue de Trévise
- Language Studies International on Rue du Renard
- Sprachcaffe on Rue Rougement
But what if you're not in Paris yet? You're traveling to France for the Paris 2024 Olympics and they're all the way in late July. Do you still have time to learn French by then? Yes, you have! The Olympics are still a few months away and there are many online language courses you can take to improve your French. At the same time, many of the
language schools in Paris mentioned here have online programs too. They're just as effective in teaching you French online as they are in teaching you the language in person.
There are a lot of benefits to learning or brushing up on your French before you head off to the Paris 2024 Olympics. All in all, you'll have an easier time in the French capital when you know how to speak the local language.
