5 Simple Methods to Learn Canadian French

You might have spent months, or even years, studying French. You feel quite sure of yourself... until you encounter fast-paced québécois (Québec French). Radio programs become impossible to follow, and you start to wonder if that Canadian film was even in French. It can make you question your entire learning journey.

However, your previous French lessons haven't let you down—picking up Canadian French will be much faster than starting a language from scratch, and it can be highly enjoyable.

1. Listen to chansons folkloriques québécoises (Québec folk songs)

A remarkable aspect of Québec is its wonderful folk music. It offers a perfect opportunity to experience the French-Canadian accent in its full form. I still remember my first visit to Québec City with my university French club. We visited a pub on a Tuesday evening, and many locals arrived with their violins, flutes, drums, and other instruments. They played music together well into the night, with the whole crowd singing along.

The melodies are very catchy, which will help you quickly get used to the accent! Before you assume I'm suggesting old-fashioned tunes, let me explain. Québécois folk music often brings to mind Celtic styles—similar to Irish and Scottish reels and pub songs. In fact, it has blended with the Celtic music found in Anglo-Canadian communities. You can expect plenty of foot-tapping, fast violin parts, jaw harps, and even some risqué lyrics.

To begin, here are a couple of songs for you.

La Bottine Souriante — “Yoyo”

J’rentre dans un’église Là où il n’y avait rien Là où il n’y avait rien (bis) J’ai aperçu plus loin Yoyo, Yoyo Un p’tit moine dans un coin Et puis tiens! tiens! tiens!

(I walk into a church Where no one was around Where no one was around I spotted someone far away Yoyo, yoyo A little monk in a corner And then well, well, well!)

Observe how Je rentre / j’rentre (I enter/I go) and petit / p’tit (small) are pronounced more like J’ren and tit (sounding like “tee”).

In the formal French spoken in France, it's more usual to pronounce rentre and petit completely.

Take particular note of the nasal vowels—they have a distinct sound compared to Parisian French, and these nasal vowels are a key feature of the Québec accent. Words such as rien (nothing), loin (far) and coin (corner) are pronounced in a way that roughly resembles “ree-ay,” “lway” and “kway,” while still nasalizing the final vowel.

Le Vent du Nord — “Au Bord de la Fontaine”

Au bord de la fontaine La belle ma dondaine (bis) Au joli mois de mai La belle ma lalala Au joli mois de mai La belle m’a dondé (bis)

(At the edge of the fountain The pretty girl, my *untranslateable cutesy word used in songs* In the lovely month of May The pretty girl my lalala In the lovely month of May The pretty girl *untranslateable cutesy word used in songs*)

In this first verse, there aren't any nasal vowels to notice, but listen for the casual way of speaking. The “-aine” part of fontaine (fountain) and dondaine (cute filler word) would be pronounced more like “- ehn” in Parisian French ( fontaine and dondaine ).

However, in this song, it sounds more like “-ayn.” Also, the final “e” in fontaine and dondaine is clearly spoken, which is typical in folk songs and poetry across French-speaking regions.

Initially, you might doubt that the lyrics match what the singers are actually saying. Notice how the words seem to blend and run together (even more than in Parisian French), and how the nasal vowels, particularly in and en, have a slightly sharper, twang-like quality.

In general, the pronunciation in québécois is often more relaxed than in Parisian French. The accent difference between Québec and Paris can be quite noticeable, but if you search for the full lyrics and follow along, you'll soon become familiar with the French Canadian accent. You might even grow to adore it!

2. Watch excellent movies

Many French students don't always recognize that Québec has its own distinct and vibrant film industry, separate from France's. These films can sometimes reflect a strong Catholic influence, since Québec did not experience the French Revolution alongside France and only moved away from its deeply Catholic culture in more recent times.

Films are an excellent tool for improving your comprehension. The conversations are usually more similar to everyday speech. However, movies can also present a significant challenge because, particularly in independent films, actors might speak softly or mumble their lines.

If you can follow mumbled québécois , you're ready for anything!

Here are two films to start with.

“La grande séduction” (“Seducing Doctor Lewis”)

This film is very funny. It's set in the small village of Ste-Marie-La-Mauderne, which has been facing hard times. To attract a company to build a factory there, the villagers must increase their population, offer incentives to the company director, and persuade a doctor to live in the village.

The story focuses on the villagers' efforts to convince a young, city-bred doctor from Montreal to remain in Ste-Marie-La-Mauderne. The locals pretend to enjoy refined hobbies like cricket and jazz, when in reality they are straightforward people who love hockey.

“Monsieur Lazhar”

This is a more serious film about an Algerian immigrant residing in Montreal. He becomes a substitute teacher at a school after the French teacher dies tragically in a classroom. The students are naturally upset, and Monsieur Lazhar is dealing with his own personal struggles, but they gradually build a strong bond.

(Note: Be cautious with French Canadian dubs of English-language films and cartoons. While the voice actors don't use a Parisian French accent, they often don't use a strong Québec accent either. Watching dubbed content might give you an inaccurate idea of how québécois truly sounds!)

3. Pick up some French Canadian slang

If a trip to Québec is in your plans, you should learn to use slang and express yourself like a true Québécois .

As noted before, Catholicism was deeply embedded in French Canadian society for a long period. Although the culture is now more secular, traces of that religious intensity remain in surprising forms.

In Québec, this is visible in their swearing. For instance, swear words are known as sacres , which derives from sacrer (to consecrate).

You can find explanations from a Québécoise on how to use some of these! A word of caution: these terms are very strong, so use them carefully when you visit Québec.

4. Enjoy entertaining television shows

Again, many people learning French are unaware that there is a whole universe of French-language television beyond France.

Québec produces some excellent, high-quality programs, so start viewing them! On YouTube, you can find many episodes of “Tout le monde en parle” (“Everyone’s Talking About It”), a dynamic talk show featuring numerous famous French speakers, from Céline Dion to Rómeo Dallaire .

Some episodes tackle serious topics, while others are incredibly humorous and feature plenty of debates, people interrupting each other, and overlapping conversations. It might be challenging to understand initially, but persist, and it will become clearer!

For a TV series, I suggest “Unité 9” (“Unit 9”), a French Canadian version of women's prison dramas. This isn't simply a copy of “Orange Is the New Black.” The series has its own intricate plot, distinctive characters, and significantly less explicit content!

5. Tune in to Radio-Canada

So, you've been consistently watching films and TV shows full of sacres , and you've grown weary of the slurred speech and complex conversations? Take a break with some news from Radio-Canada . This is Canada's French-language broadcasting service, known for its consistently high standards.

If anything gave my understanding of québécois a major boost, it was this. The language used is more formal, so while most presenters and guests speak with a French Canadian accent, it is considerably easier to understand than in films and TV series. News content is repetitive, giving you multiple opportunities to grasp it.

Additionally, Radio-Canada offers more than just news—they have a range of excellent programs. I am particularly fond of “Plus on est de fous, plus on lit!” (“The More Crazies There Are, The More We Read,” a play on the saying plus on est de fous, plus on rit , meaning “the more the merrier”), a program where hosts speak with authors about their new books. While this show concluded in 2022, you can still access over 1400 past episodes.

If you are in Canada (or can configure your computer to appear as if it is), you can also view the Radio-Canada TV channel on their website .

Now you have no reason to struggle with understanding Québec's vibrant language. When learning French, keep in mind that there are many French-speaking nations , each with its own distinct culture and way of speaking.

So immerse yourself in a different culture and refresh your learning experience!