A survey to boost the attractiveness of the French language

This survey is part of a process launched two years ago by the Institut Français to gain a better understanding of its audiences and boost the attractiveness of French, particularly among young people. It extends an initial study conducted in 2024 in 14 countries, which highlighted a key finding: young people from modest backgrounds (CSP-) are among the segments most open to learning French.

To deepen these insights, this new survey looks not only at the image of France and its language, but also at digital uses, cultural practices, motivational levers, identified obstacles to learning the French language, as well as perceptions of the French cultural network and its offerings.

Far from preconceived ideas, this pragmatic generation is forcing us to reconsider the place of French in tomorrow's world. This article reveals the 4 most salient lessons from this study.

Four lessons to remember

1 - A language deemed useful?

First of all, the survey confirms the unfailing reputation of French. The language of Molière is still perceived as the language of love and beauty. The figures are indisputable: 81% of young people surveyed consider it "romantic" and 78% consider it a "beautiful language".

The contrast is striking when we address the question of its future relevance. Among all the positive qualifiers, one score stands out for its weakness: only 43% of young people agree that French is a "language of the future".

This paradox reveals a deep split between cultural prestige and perceived practical usefulness. European youth admire French as a magnificent heritage, but doubt its centrality in the emerging world. This perception is reinforced by mixed results on its practical role: barely 60% see it as a "means to professional success", and only 53% as a "guarantee of academic success". Language is appreciated for its aura, less for its weight in building a professional or academic future.

2 - A powerful imaginary but little in tune with the aspirations of young Europeans

Globally, France enjoys an excellent reputation among European youth. The study shows that 24% of 16-25 year-olds have a "very good opinion" of France, and 49% have a "good opinion", a very respectable overall score.

However, and this is where the surprise lies, despite this positive image, it is clearly outstripped by some of its neighbors and partners. Spain garners an impressive 88% of good opinions, Canada 86%, and the UK 81%.

This difference suggests that while France's "classic" image remains powerful, it is perhaps perceived as less dynamic. The themes most associated with the country are "luxury and fashion" (50%), "tourism" (48%), "gastronomy and wine" (34%) and "history" (31%). A strong imaginary, rooted in a prestigious heritage, but one that seems less in tune with the contemporary aspirations of this young generation than other European cultures.

3 - We learn French for a project

We often imagine that learning French is motivated by a desire to access its cultural wealth: reading Victor Hugo in the text or understanding New Wave films. The survey challenges this cliché. The main motivations of young Europeans are above all pragmatic and forward-looking.

Here's the ranking of their reasons for learning French:

• First motivation: "Partir travailler en France" (36%)
• Second motivation: "Partir étudier en France" (30%)
• Ex aequo: "The pleasure of learning this language, discovering the history and culture" (28%)
• Ex aequo: "Add new skills to my CV, develop my employability" (28%)

The analysis is unequivocal: concrete life projects (career, studies) and strategic CV reinforcement take precedence over pure cultural curiosity. For this generation, mastering French is a tangible investment in building their future, well before being an intellectual hobby. Culture is a welcome bonus, but no longer the main driving force.

4 - The biggest obstacle: lack of practice and bad memories

What discourages young people most from learning French? Grammar that's too complex? Pronunciation deemed difficult? The study reveals that the real obstacles lie elsewhere, and are linked to very concrete considerations.

Here are the three main obstacles cited by those surveyed:

- The lack of opportunities to practice the language in real-life conditions is the number one obstacle for 40% of them.

- The financial cost of courses is the second major obstacle, identified by 34%.

- A poor learning experience in the education system completes the podium for 26%.

This finding is powerful: the problem is not so much the intrinsic complexity of French as the triptych formed by lack of immersion, affordability and sometimes demotivating teaching methods. It's a call to reinvent the teaching of French to make it more lively, more accessible and more attractive.

How can we transform the image of the French language?

These four truths paint a picture of a youth that admires the cultural prestige of French, but no longer sees it as a matter of course for the future. France's image, while positive, is in competition with more dynamic neighbors. Learning is motivated by concrete life and career plans, and the main obstacles are a mixture of lack of practice, financial cost and bad school memories. Faced with a pragmatic European youth in search of meaning, the question arises: how can the French language transform its cultural prestige into a real promise for the future?

The full report is now available as a free download for members of the French cultural network abroad.

Consult the survey