French Lessons in Oshawa

As one of Canada’s two official languages, French has a big presence in the city. In fact, according to the 2016 census, there are more than 10,000 Oshawans that speak French, making it the second most commonly used language after English. Although the majority of French speakers are Franco-Ontarians who were born in the country, there are also many immigrant groups who come from places like France, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mauritius. All these foreign-born communities brought their wonderful cultures to the city and made an impact on the local cultural scene, so it’s not unusual to find events and institutions that celebrate them and keep their traditions alive.

As you might expect, learning French in Oshawa will not only allow you to get closer to the local francophone communities, but it will also grant you access to some of the most fascinating cultures in the world and help you understand the way they think. It’s also a great way to connect to a larger part of Canadians, and improve your professional life, as you’ll be able to take advantage of the many job opportunities in the city and the rest of the country that are exclusive for bilingual speakers.

Learn French for Work and Travel

Did you know that a study published in 2014 by Canadian Parents for French showed that 81 percent of supervisors considered bilingual employees an asset to the organization? This is also true in Oshawa, where top local companies like Grasp Safety Services, Alary Technologies and ProudMouth are constantly looking for French-speaking candidates for great positions such as Bilingual Incident Reporting Centre Operator, Bilingual Communications Specialist and Senior Regulatory Affairs Associate. What’s more, because in the last couple of years the Oshawa has embraced emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, digital disruption autonomous vehicles, and other technological innovations, nowadays there are many wonderful job openings for French speakers who can help these tech companies expand abroad and build better business relationships with other foreign companies and investors. Alternatively, learning French is a great move if you’re planning on working in other parts of Canada, as you’ll be able to access the vast job market available for people who speak both official languages, and move freely in the country without having to worry about the language barrier. 

Learn French for Social

Every year in June, you get the chance to celebrate francophone culture in Oshawa at the Oshawa Fiesta Parade, an event that celebrates the richness and cultural diversity of the region. This festival brings together over 15 local non-profit cultural groups that represent different countries for a weeklong, multi-cultural family celebration. If you visit the French-Canadian Pavilion, located at 384 Hillside Ave, you’ll find members of the many Francophone organizations in the Durham Region that gather there to celebrate their French heritage by organizing different activities that include live performances by artists from Ontario and other parts of Canada, delicious French food stalls and wonderful live music. To access the pavilion, which will be decorated with vibrant green and white colours to pay homage to the Franco-Ontarian flag, you need to get a Fiesta Passport, which will be available to buy there or at any of the other country pavilions located around the city. On top of that, the event features a concert at the Memorial Park, located at 110 Simcoe Street, where you can enjoy live bands that represent the various immigrant communities that live in the city and sing in different languages, including French.

Learn French for Culture

If you’re interested in making friends among the local French-speaking community or meeting other French learners who can help you develop your language skills, you should pay a visit to the Club Canadien-francais d’Oshawa. This group of francophiles organize different events at 707 Simcoe Street that celebrate French culture and help spread the language in the city. No matter how fluent you are, you can attend any of their events, as in most of them both English and French are spoken. They hold French language exchanges, game nights, French holiday celebrations and many other events you can’t miss, such as French lessons, and Traditional French folk dance classes.

Where to learn French in and around Oshawa?

Fortunately, the city has a great public library, located at 65 Bagot Street, where you can find amazing resources in French that can help you develop your language skills. In addition to useful course books, grammar books and interesting novels in French, the library offers a long list of excellent French movies you can borrow, such as Vivre Sa Vie, directed by Jean-Luc Godard, which explores the descent of a free-spirited girl named Nana who dreams of being a world-famous actress but who slowly starts to have more and more problems and Bande de Filles, which follows the story of a teenage girl who lives in suburban Paris and is about to have her whole life change after she joins a girl gang at school. However, to actually become a proficient French speaker in the city, watching French films and using course books on your own won’t get you very far. Instead, why don’t you start a language course? It’s the fastest way to become a fluent French speaker and also the most entertaining, especially if you decide to study at Listen & Learn. Here, you’ll find lessons that are completely tailored to your own interests and goals, so instead of enduring long boring lessons that make learning a language feel like a chore, you’ll be able to enjoy the learning process. So, what are you waiting for? Send us a quick inquiry and start the journey to become a French speaker now!