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Learning a new language is often key for career development and a great way to get ahead in the business world. Let’s face it, mastering an influential language means access to a larger potential customer base as well as a larger professional network.
Learning French opens multiple opportunities, especially considering it is one of the top international languages and it is spoken in different countries around the world.
The French business environment is rather formal, polite and the expressions used certainly vary from everyday talks. If you are looking to improve your skills and learn French for business, here are the 5 best ways to do it.
1. Immerse yourself
One of the easiest ways to get closer to a language is by immersing into it. This means reading, listening to podcasts or music, watching movies or educational videos, etc. If you want to learn French for business, make sure to immerse yourself with real-world videos and business related podcasts.
Listening to authentic French content is great to expose yourself to the rhythm, cadences and vocabulary in these scenarios. It will provide essential comprehension practice and help you form good pronunciation and accent habits.
2. Watch business reports online and grow your vocabulary
France24.com features a daily report on French on international economics and business news. It is a good idea to watch the report online and take notes of the words that come up most often. You can write them down, along with the meanings in order to increase your vocabulary. When it comes to remembering, repetition is key so the more you repeat them written and orally, the faster you’ll remember the words and expressions.
You can easily find other sites with daily reports. Choose the one you like and make sure to mark words.
3. Read out loud every day
When we read an article out loud, we are helping our tongues familiarize with difficult pronunciations and our memory grows stronger. You can read an article from a newspaper, a blog, quotes, etcetera. And if you find words whose exact pronunciation you are not sure about, you can check pronunciation checkers online like Forvo.
4. Study General French Business Terms
The vocabulary used in business certainly differs from everyday French. Even when some French business words are cognates of English such as solution or negotiation, others need a bit of additional knowledge to understand.
Find vocabulary used in the business world, write it down and practice pronunciation and scenarios where to use them.
For example: CDI (contrat à durée indéterminée): Long term contract that cannot be terminated by either parties without two or three-months notice. It’s one of the main contract types in France.
Appel d’offres: Call for offers. It’s often required before a business can pick a subcontractor.
5. Write a paragraph in French about your line of business
When you meet an important contact and are required to talk about your business line, you should be confident. One good exercise that actually helps with getting confidence in French is to write down the key points of what you would like to say. Try to incorporate some vocabulary you’ve learned and practice a little introduction.
By writing everything, you practice French since you are able to use terms and words your brain tried to memorize and understand. Besides, it prepares you for interviews or networking meetings.
…Or simply join Wagner language courses and make the most of your time
Wagner has French courses for beginners and confident language users. The online lessons guarantee an interactive experience to learn substantial grammar, vocabulary and speech in engaging topics.
You will have access to tailored lessons from expert native teachers and can access the platform from anywhere.