Written by Gabriela Estrada

If you are Hispanic and have just arrived in Canada, this topic is for you, because here you will learn an effective way to improve your French by making new friends that will help you integrate faster into the French-speaking Canadian culture. Let's remember that this country is bilingual (English and French) and both languages are used on a daily basis, although it depends on the province, for example, Quebec, Manitoba and New Brunswick are officially and mostly French-speaking and it is essential to master this language for a better adaptation.

Today we are sharing a guide for Hispanics in a new blog blog of Planeta Immilandour language school for Canada, here you will learn some strategies that will lead you to speak French while making new friends in the country and getting involved in the French-speaking culture. Let's get started!

Why is it important to learn French in Canada?

Although English is the dominant language in Canada, French is also used by its population. Companies look for fluency in this second language in their potential job candidates and consider CVs that demonstrate conversational, intermediate and advanced levels, as this allows them to expand their services to other latitudes where French is also spoken. In addition, the Canadian government offers permanent residency pathways for French-speaking foreigners as a way to preserve the language and increase the number of French speakers in areas that require it. 

This language skill is important because it allows Hispanics to communicate with a significant part of the population and leads to a faster integration into society, leaving doors open in the academic, professional and personal spheres. 

In provinces such as Quebec, French is a basic requirement for daily life and work. In the province of New Brunswick, English and French coexist officially, so it is necessary for Hispanics living in this region who are not yet fluent in French to initiate a learning plan that will lead them to raise the level to strengthen new relationships, adopt linguistic forms typical of the French-speaking culture and enrich their vocabulary; in the end, this will help them to eventually speak like native speakers and feel part of the community.

Guide to making new French-speaking friends

Below, I share three strategies for making new French-speaking friends in Canada and learning from them to better integrate into Canadian culture:

• Participate in cultural and sporting events

Many Hispanic newcomers to Canada are eager to meet and bond with native people, but they don't know where to start, so a good strategy is to visit public or private places where there are where there are specific activities of interest to them, such as art exhibits, guided tours, food fairs, music festivals, soccer or field hockey games; in short, to have encounters that allow them to talk about a variety of topics with native and foreign French speakers who share common interests. The Canadian population is receptive and welcoming and these visits can lead to new friends with whom to speak French.

Even if they are not yet able to initiate a conversation, the mere fact of listening to how they speak and behave verbally already signifies auditory learning that will be recorded in the linguistic memory.

• Proposing language exchanges

If they have already started to make French-speaking friends, then it would be a good idea to offer them language exchange activities. In other words, teach them a little Spanish and learn a lot of French. This is a powerful tool to improve language skills, to understand and enrich the French-speaking culture and to make way for new interpersonal relationships. 

New French-speaking friends can help them practice French in all four skills: speaking, writing, listening and reading, as these are the common ways of conversing and apply to face-to-face, cell phone texting and phone calls, for example. 

• Join a French conversation club

Joining a French conversation club is one of the best ways to practice the language and make new friends, which in turn can facilitate the encounters and exchanges mentioned above, as the friendly and relaxed environment characteristic of these clubs encourages speaking practice with other students of different levels. If you live in the same province, you can coordinate outings to interact outside of the conversation club and continue the French conversation. 

Also, French language leveling can improve faster when online or face-to-face courses are used, which activates the development of linguistic skills through guided classes according to the student's particular needs and is a generator of socialization with French-speaking peers.

Ultimately, being able to communicate in French can facilitate their integration into the community, strengthen friendships that make them feel comfortable and increase their chances of acquiring the language at a native level.

Improve your French with Planeta Immiland

Planeta Immiland is the first language school for Canada. Our French and English conversation courses and clubs lead students to reach high levels of fluency with their classmates and with native Canadians, thus strengthening friendships and integrating into the French-speaking culture of this beautiful country. Our teachers will give you everything you need to speak French the Canadian way!

Discover our French programs on: https://www.planeta-immiland-education.com/cursos-frances and conversation club at: https://www.planeta-immiland-education.com/. If you have any questions please contact us at and we will be happy to help you with whatever you need.

I hope you enjoy this topic and use these strategies to make French-speaking friends in Canada and integrate harmoniously into your new environment. Thanks for reading, see you in the next blog!

With love,

Planet Immiland