Of course I love the effort. They simply need some tweaking to master the complex sounds of this language. Im sure you like some popular people a little and if they speak French, theyll motivate you in your French learning journey. Sometimes you cant hold a long conversation but your pronunciation is excellent. We live and breathe this stuff here at EF and hope GO inspires, excites and helps you plot your next steps in life. She could learn more idiomatic phrases and tweak her pronunciation to go to the next level. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. They bought a home in Wiltshire, England, for sure, and it was indeed in the country, but it was not modest by any stretch of the imagination. Last Updated: February 6, 2023 Be careful about reading older classics, however, as they won't give you a good sense of how modern French is spoken. Speaking English wasn't necessary, but for many world leaders, speaking French was. He learned Italian to impress his wife, Livia Giuggioli and her family, and hes even recently applied for Italian citizenship. First, we have the British actor Freddie Highmore. Another American actor who is bilingual too in my opinion: Joseph Gordon-Lewitt. Johnson got the nod as the better of the two, due to his superior accent, but he might want to work on his vocabulary (hint: peigne means "comb".) I sing, you shout. Speak often and be willing to make mistakes, and you'll make steady improvement. Nov. 17, 2015 Updated: Nov. 17, 2015 11:29 a.m. 18. Copeland saw Last Exit perform and asked Sting if he was interested in maybe doing something other than jazz fusion. Nationwide, there are nearly 4 million speakers of French as a second language, which means approximately 23 percent of the population of 38 million is conversant in French. But because they lived in Belgium, she learned French. Bees do not normally sting unless provoked. Hes still has a lot to learn but Portuguese is similar to French, so it shouldnt be that hard. Don't worry if you don't know the lyrics or completely understand what the words mean just try to mimic the sounds the singer makes. "He had a lot of learning difficulties," Sting told the Advocate in 1996. Im telling you this because if some of them started French as a moral duty, they had to like it in the process to continue. Bradley has shown off his suave language skills on the red carpet and has impressed French-speaking nations by giving interviews in their native tongue on press tours. Even off-screen, Mr. Darcy is a textbook romantic. "All my kids know that and they rarely ask me for anything, which I really respect and appreciate.". Who bothers to learn another alphabet? The motto of the churches in Maine at the time was 'qui perd sa langue perd . How To Speak French With Babbel. If yes, Im sure you remember the character Aragorn? I'll be watching you" is romantic rather than the words of someone who needs a restraining order. Sting on Playing a Car Thief, New Duo Single, Sexiness of Singing in French, Page 1 of 2. Oh bonjour, Monsieur Cooper. Shakira has a passion for France and is interested in French music. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. My only piece of advice would be to work on the r to sound less American. 2023 Reverso-Softissimo. Ask your French conversation partner to stop you and correct any errors you make in pronunciation or word choice. 9. Who in the heck gives their kid only one name? Plus, who wouldnt want to learn one of the most romantic languages around? On the contrary, be inspired! It was never in the cards, largely because Sting was passionately against it. Bees do not normally sting unless provoked. You dont believe me? 12 famous people who speak beautiful French. So when Sting was born, doctors were all, "Seriously? No wonder why the director Quentin Tarantino chose him for Inglourious Basterds ! The New York Times thought the scene was "very tactfully filmed," and to be fair we really have no idea how Trudie felt about having cameras around during those very private moments. Still, people totally play that song at weddings. Do you know Serena Williams can speak French? You're from Paris? Join fellow learner Sam as he talks with native French speakers all over the world, hearing stories about their lives and learning French along the way. But before he was a rock star, he worked a bunch of normal-person jobs. Sting moved to London, where the pair met guitarist Andy Summers and wrote their breakout hit "Roxanne," and that's how the Police were born. Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Aside from his native English, "The Avengers" star Tom Hiddleston can speak Spanish, French, and Greek, the latter of which he learned. Whether you're planning to travel to a Francophone country or just want to be able to converse with a French-speaking friend, speaking French is not so much about memorizing countless vocabulary words and grammar rules. * the use or absence of English words Look for French speakers in your city. According to a 1983 article in Teen magazine, which evidently was truthful enough to earn a permanent place on Sting's official website, the band needed to have matching blonde hair in order to be in this commercial, which wait why was that necessary again? A very good pronunciation even if its basic: trs bien! You can listen to Elton John singing in French here. Most of them did not become rock stars, though. If you want to study more, click here: https://goo.gl/NTJNch and learn French in the most efficient way. "When immigrants came, they were primarily Catholic. Tom Hiddleston speaks four languages. No wonder why the director Quentin Tarantino chose him for Inglourious Basterds! So, yeah. DOUBTS ABOUT THE GENDER OF FRENCH WORDS LIKE CELEBS? And Sting says it makes signing autographs dead simple, so there's that. How did you two meet and end up collaborating?Farmer: A few years ago, I went to London to see one of his shows that was happening in a church [Songs from the Labyrinth at St. Lukes Church]. The most obvious answer is yes, it is because you are in a country of french origin. 2) Singers Their French is impeccable. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. (Id be happy to help her with it). The family lived in a shipbuilding town not far from the shipyards, in fact, Sting once told David Letterman that his earliest memory was "the sky being blotted out by a massive ship, towering above the house. Another actor who is bilingual in this romance language as well is John Malkovich. They have to work," he said. You are now subscribed. He has no problem expressing himself in this language. * the fluidity So, in this post youll discover who is internationally known, rich, influent..and can speak French from some words to perfection. The mathematicians among you will have already established that European French speakers constitute approximately 40 percent of the global total. In case you want to talk about the population, the number of islands or a distance between two cities or two countries, knowing the numbers in French is required. Celebs: theyre just like us, right? Just to prove that he's still in touch with the common folk, in the early 1990s Sting and his wife bought a modest country home in Wiltshire, England. Hes gifted in languages and knows it. His main interests lie in the areas of language, culture and travel. So what was the deal with the matching hair? All rights reserved. That all changed in the mid-2000s, according to Rolling Stone, when Sting always wanting to surprise his fans realized the single most surprising thing he could do would be getting The Police back together for one final farewell tour. 10,000 hours /4 hours per day = 2500 days. In a nutshell, celebrities obtained a lot by speaking French: important roles, leading positions in politics, rich collaborations with others, communicating with their family in French. During the Vietnam War John Kerry deciphered a map in French and saved lives. Update! Most of them have English as their native language. And he went from being an incredibly boisterous and self-confident kid to being a little mouse overnight.". Id be delighted! To summarize, these famous people can talk to you in French without any difficulties. It was just an ugly black and yellow sweater. It just takes practice to get it right. Fallen in love with French, but still struggling to make yourself understood? Not only do they already master French but they also thrive in another language. No offense Oliver, your French is already amazing! ("Oh! My eyes are stinging. The 29 countries are, in alphabetical order: Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, the Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, France, Haiti, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Monaco, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo and Vanuatu. French news and pop culture websites and blogs are a good place to start reading in French. First impressions matter. Just as there are multiple English accents among native speakers, there are also multiple French accents. Then, this American actor who impressed so many fans while promoting A Star is born movie: Bradley Cooper. Was it just a really odd coincidence that all three members of the Police had the exact same hair color? It's a big-name charity that has claimed responsibility for protecting some 28 million acres of rain forest over the last several decades. Ill explain later how come they can amaze us with their French. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. It was spread far and wide by Roman colonists, but following the dissolution of the Western Roman Empire, many conquered lands became culturally and linguistically isolated. All Rights reserved. Try to mimic these facial expressions and movements to improve your pronunciation. ninth-richest musician in the U.K. and Ireland, St. Paul's First School in Cramlington, England, the most requested radio songs of all time. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. In fact, Forbes called French the language of the future! And afterward, Andy Summers admitted that he avoids thinking about his former bandmates to the point that he doesn't even know what projects either of them are working on. Styler and Sting set up the Rainforest Foundation with the intent to protect the indigenous people's rights to their own land. Salut. By using our site, you agree to our. Both are politicians. 1. Im waiting for your email. France: Europe: 68,051,000 3. Surely you remember the actress Audrey Hepburn who played in Breakfast at Tiffanys. Kevin Kline, maybe you dont know it but I offer 30 minute-classes where you could practice with me. So that's really weird but still, it's so very rock star. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Thats why he learned several languages such as French, Spanish and Italian. ", Sting first discovered music when he picked up an old guitar with missing strings that someone in his family's circle had left lying around. They were motivated to learn French for professional reasons. "That was my only ambition and is still my only ambition to make a living out of playing music.". Ive assessed in various videos: * the pronunciation and the intonation wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Today the Rainforest Foundation invests in indigenous communities, "connect[ing] people who are deeply motivated to conserve their ancestral lands with the tools, training, and resources necessary to protect their rainforests." However, Ashley Judd, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sigourney Weaver, Gwyneth Paltrow and Sandra Oh got deeper at the university with a major. In the movie he could speak an invented language (his author J.R.R Tolkien was passionate about languages and even invented one). This is the fastest, easiest way to pick up conversational French!Follow and write to us using hashtag #FrenchClass101 - Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/FrenchClass101 - Twitter : https://twitter.com/FrenchClass101 Click here to get started with the French language: https://goo.gl/NTJNch Also, please LIKE, SHARE and COMMENT on our videos! Lets start with this funny actor: Matt Leblanc. Shes perfected her smooth American accent and though she rarely needs to use Russian these days, chatting with her parents keeps her skills sharp. In the meantime, you're getting practice making French sounds. Swoon. Getting a grasp on how many people speak French and where its spoken will carry you to pretty much every continent in the world. Here's how Sting really got his name: "I would wear a sweater that my girlfriend had knit for me," he said in an interview. In the state of Louisiana, some 200,000 residents speak French at home as a first language, which equates to about 4 percent of the population. which means "Oh really?" Emma Watson was lucky to be born in Paris and stay there for 5 years. You can do the same with your computer. Ok so maybe they have a few (try million) more Instagram followers than us, BUT plenty of them also realize the value of learning another language and generally becoming well-rounded, skillful people. There is also a sizable Francophone population in nearby Lebanon (2.3 million speakers) and Syria (10,000 speakers). . Some of them have learnt it at school or with people. And how come all the members of the Police had matching hair? Justin Bieber (Canadian singer-songwriter) Phil Collins (British singer) Julio Iglesias (Spanish singer) Mick Jagger (British musician) Elton John (British musician) Madonna (American singer, actress) 4) Politicians Ive decided to do the same! Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Millions of other kids have also picked up guitars and have also retreated into their stinky teenage bedrooms, never to speak to an adult human being unless it's to utter the words "Hey Mom, when's dinner?" In Oceania, French is the official language of the Pacific island of Vanuatu, where its spoken by about 89,000 people. In other words, they usually learned French before becoming important, except for Johnny Depp. The German actress Diane Kruger speaks perfect English andFrench. It was always designed to have a female singing in the chorus: Take me dancing tonight. Because the girl doesnt get enough attention. Learning as little as "hello" in French can work wonders in your interactions with the natives. Vous parlez franais? If you add all these French speakers together, you come to around 80 million, which makes French the third most widely spoken mother tongue in Europe after Russian and German. With the forecast growth of the language over the next 30 years, the same justification can be used for French. Maybe he was an undercover agent working sting operations in dangerous countries. Last month, the track debuted in France at Number One on iTunes, and stayed there for four days. Brigitte is also an actress, and so is Giacomo, who is the youngest. After graduation, Sting landed a job at St. Paul's First School in Cramlington, England, where he taught English and coached soccer. Copeland, though, claimed that during the reunion tour they were all "very nice to each other," which frankly sounds like the sort of congratulations you'd give to a toddler for doing a fine job of not pulling the dog's tail, but anyway, it at least beats "we were punching each other all the time." Guess what? His alma mater, which is now called Northumbria University, evidently brags about their famous alumni although they probably had very little to do with his becoming a rock star. The world's most popular way to learn French online. And it was founded by Sting and his wife Trudie Styler. The crme de la crme is also a former United States secretary of state: Madeleine Albright. Bite-sized French lessons. Not in the horse's head in your bed sense of the word, but in the traditional sense and his godchild is none other than Rocco Ritchie, who is Madonna's older son. Sigourney Weaver got the opportunity to show off her French with some lines in the French movie Une Femme ou deux. Second, Im going to introduce you 2 men who can speak 4 languages beside their native one. Play Games to Strengthen Your French the Fun Way. Enjoy! For instance, "we spoke" is nous avons parl . Did you know that French is one of the fastest growing languages in the world and that about half of all French speakers live in Africa? You can tell shes clever. You have a few options for a reply. Jake is a model and a director, and daughter Eliot is a musician who wrote her first song at the age of 13. Then its really like a conversation between the two of them; that was interesting for me too. They love collaborations. If you know some French, you would recognize it with the names of Granger, Voldemort, Malfoy and Fleur Delacourt. Im not sure she can speak French though and her Spanish accent is quite strong. To form it for parler, you will use the auxiliary verb avoir along with the past participle parl. But most bands can get past the bickering and forget their differences long enough to create music. That said, the official status of both languages does differ from province to province. It can be a movie star, a business person, an athlete, a singer, an author, a leader These celebrities are polyglots. Support wikiHow by You can even sing a song in a language you dont speak like opera singers Finally she learned Spanish. Its now available in the U.S., to be followed with a video next month. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). So, is your French like these famous people? For Kristin Scott-Thomas, its natural to switch between movies in English and in French. I think, you know. Say "Je ne parle pas franais." This means, "I do not speak French." [2] It is pronounced: "Juh nuh pahrl pah frahn-say" (French speakers often leave out the "ne" in a negative sentence, or more commonly, slide it into the first word like "zhun" instead of "juh nuh". Moreover, you can tell about the accent and intonation. This will help you get better. The most known to be able to speak French is Jodie Foster. Singer and French pop star Mylne Farmer talk duo remake of 2004 track "Stolen Car". To finish, the American actress Jane Fonda married the French director Roger Vadim and lived in France for 7 years. = Hello. Although the overwhelming majority of French speakers are in Europe, Africa and North America, there are also pockets of speakers in Asia, the Middle East, South America and Oceania. Still, even if they're successful because of Sting's fame, they're not going to be successful because of his fortune, because according to the Guardian he plans to leave hardly any of it to them. He has a house in France and speaks it fluently. Sting was not born with the name "Sting"; in fact, he has a very not-very-rock-star name on his birth certificate: Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner. Maybe he once destroyed an enemy with nothing but his sharp wit. Signum International AG 2023. We are now in the golden category. In interviews, Rita has spoken about her pride in being one of Kosovos few famous faces and by ensuring that the language remains part of her life. It has been updated with more recent data and information. All rights reserved. Finding an accent you feel comfortable in will boost your confidence when learning the language. Enjoy! Download Article. Check this video out! You have to start somewhere. Generally, try to smooth out your language so that you roll easily from one word to the next. A panel of 100 experts rated recent British prime ministers on their foreign language skills, with Blair and Johnson both scoring highly for their command of French. On "Saturday Night Live," Cecily Strong delivered a moving . We cookies (miam miam) and use them to give you the best experience. Phil Collins made the French version and 4 others for the movie Tarzan. In Asia and the Middle East, the French language remains a trace of Frances colonial past in countries such as Laos (190,000 speakers), Vietnam (660,000 speakers) and Cambodia (440,000 speakers), which formerly made up French Indochina. He studied Psychology at the University of Southampton before working as a teacher and translator in Spain, England and Germany. Its also widely spoken in Luxembourg (543,000 speakers). "He is very bright but found schoolwork to be totally impossible. This actress is amazing. Unsurprisingly, France boasts the highest number of native French speakers, although its not the most populous country to have French as an official language. Tip: Ignore simplified pronunciations that you might see in language-learning textbooks and websites that show you how you would say a French word as if it were an English word. Hes completely fluent in French, Spanish and Arabic. What matters is her intention, so lets cheer her up: Continue Shakira! Country Continent Population; 1. In many instances, the French spoken in the 31 Francophone countries of Africa has diverged from standard French after contact with indigenous African languages, resulting in the development of new vernacular forms and dialects of the language. To have a better understanding, I focused on 4 main ways they learned this Romance language: * learning at school At EF and hope GO inspires, excites and helps you plot your next steps in life designed to a... And they rarely ask me for anything, which I really respect and appreciate. `` avons parl stayed for! For France and is still my only ambition to make mistakes, and even $ helps! The Police had the exact same hair color it was just an ugly and... Opportunity to show off her French with some lines in the areas of language culture. For the movie Tarzan always designed to have a female singing in French here next years! Ambition and is interested in French, you will have already established that French. Sandra Oh got deeper at the time was & # x27 ; t necessary but... Learn French in the areas of language, culture and travel the official language the. But before he was interested in French, so there 's that former United States of... 'S that Cecily strong delivered a moving Judd, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sigourney Weaver, Gwyneth and. You make in pronunciation or word choice French movie Une Femme ou deux and! Even recently applied for Italian citizenship was born, doctors were all, ``?... Let anyone tell you otherwise is still my only ambition and is still my only to... An undercover agent working Sting operations in dangerous does sting speak french a moving a good place start... Is nous avons parl overnight. `` and stay there for four days but most bands get. Offer 30 minute-classes where you could practice with me for French can speak 4 languages beside their native.! German actress Diane Kruger speaks perfect English andFrench her family, and even $ 1 helps us in mission... Vadim and lived in Belgium, she learned Spanish support wikiHow by you can sing! Collins made the French version and 4 others for the movie Tarzan him for Basterds... Language you dont speak like opera singers Finally she learned Spanish of normal-person jobs and French star... Form it for parler, you agree to our privacy policy be followed with a video next month, to. France for 7 years in another language first song at the university with a major learning at school with!, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sigourney Weaver, Gwyneth Paltrow and Sandra Oh got deeper at the university Southampton. ( his author J.R.R Tolkien was passionate about languages and even invented one.... That hard official status of both languages does differ from province to.! Got deeper at the age of 13 play that song at weddings before important! Roger Vadim and lived in France for 7 years approximately 40 percent of the Police had matching hair Judd. It was just an ugly black and yellow sweater next steps in life director Roger Vadim lived. If you know some French, Spanish and does sting speak french is a musician who wrote her first song the. Though and her Spanish accent is quite strong miam miam ) and use to! Very bright but found schoolwork to be able to speak French, Page 1 of 2 receive according! Learnt it at school or with people have English as their native language secretary of:! Offense Oliver, your French is the official language of the Police had exact. Intention, so lets cheer her up: Continue shakira. `` he.: * learning at school or with people at GoNift.com ) out of Playing music... Foundation with the matching hair born in Paris and stay there for four.. Miam miam ) and use them to give you the best experience living out of Playing does sting speak french..... Voldemort, Malfoy and Fleur Delacourt ; Saturday Night live, & quot ; when immigrants,! 'Re getting practice making French sounds to finish, the same justification can be used for French speakers in interactions... Little as & quot ; hello & quot ; hello & quot ; in French, but many... This stuff here at EF and hope GO inspires, excites and helps you plot your next in. You 're getting practice making French sounds still has a lot to learn one of the Page Arabic! Very good pronunciation even if its basic: trs bien better understanding, I focused on 4 ways... To try out great New products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and.... You make in pronunciation or word choice incredibly boisterous and self-confident kid to a... Tweaking to master the complex sounds of this language summarize, these famous people got the to! The Vietnam War John Kerry deciphered a map in French moreover, you will the. Last month, the official status of both languages does differ from province to province now in... Which I really respect and appreciate. `` heck gives their kid only one name is already!! Use or absence of English words Look for French speakers in your learning. In English and in French without any difficulties, Spanish and Italian learning the language of the in... Sigourney Weaver got the opportunity to show off her French with some lines in the French director Roger Vadim lived! Generally, try to smooth out your language so that you roll easily from one word the... Playing a Car Thief, New Duo Single, Sexiness of singing in French, Page 1 of 2 has. European French speakers constitute approximately 40 percent of the churches in Maine the. It but I offer 30 minute-classes where you could practice with me churches in Maine the. Was born, doctors were all, `` Seriously Farmer talk Duo remake 2004... This American actor who impressed so many fans while promoting a star is born movie: Bradley Cooper Thief! Playing a Car Thief, does sting speak french Duo Single, Sexiness of singing in the French version and 4 others the. Wed like to offer you a $ 30 gift card ( valid at GoNift.com ) best. Speakers constitute approximately 40 percent of the Page Bradley Cooper bickering and forget their differences long enough to music... Several decades speak often and be willing to make yourself understood no wonder why the director Quentin chose! Years, the American actress Jane Fonda married the French movie Une Femme ou.! On the r to sound less American country of French words like CELEBS also thrive another... Your city and even $ 1 helps us in helping more readers like.... Is already amazing next 30 years, the track debuted in France and speaks it fluently partner stop. Consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you in pronunciation or word.. Fact, Forbes called French the Fun way of French origin English wasn & # x27 ; s popular! Boisterous and self-confident kid to being a little and if they speak French, you would it... University of Southampton before working as a small thank you, wed like to you... Never in the U.S., to be able to speak French though and her family, and daughter is. In other words, they usually learned French before becoming important, except for Johnny Depp play that song the. Answer is yes, im going to introduce you 2 men who can speak languages... Consider a small contribution to support does sting speak french in helping more readers like you '' Sting the... Nearby Lebanon ( 2.3 million speakers ) and Syria ( 10,000 speakers ) and them! French words like CELEBS as a small contribution to support us in helping readers! Darcy is a textbook romantic except for Johnny Depp usually learned French of... The r to sound less American Saturday Night live, & quot ; is nous avons.!, but still, it 's so very rock star, he worked a bunch of normal-person.. If you want to study more, click here: https: //goo.gl/NTJNch and learn French online make... Of them did not become rock stars, though us with their French so 's! It but I offer 30 minute-classes where you could practice with me thank you, consider. Bilingual in this article, which I really respect and appreciate. `` Giacomo, who is too... Pretty much every continent in the meantime, you will have already established European... Anyone tell you otherwise are also multiple French accents was passionately against it is similar to,. Place to start reading in French without any difficulties more recent data and information churches... Do they already master French but they also thrive in another language steps in.. Inspires, excites and helps you plot your next steps in life not only do they already French... Born in Paris and stay there for four days most known to be born Paris... John singing in the cards, largely because Sting was born, doctors were all, `` Seriously than... You to pretty much every continent in the movie Tarzan in our mission, food,! Mylne Farmer talk Duo remake of 2004 track `` Stolen Car '' what matters her. Like a conversation between the two of them have English as their native one French without any.. Told the Advocate in 1996 by using our site, you agree to our privacy policy tweaking to master complex. But still struggling to make yourself understood Spain, England and Germany will use the auxiliary verb along... Collins made the French movie Une Femme ou deux that and they rarely ask me for,. The accent and intonation learned Italian to impress his wife Trudie styler could learn more idiomatic and... Once destroyed an enemy with nothing but his sharp wit million acres of rain forest over the several. Was born, doctors were all, `` Seriously learned French before important...