French Movies that Teach You To Speak Like a Native

If you’re traveling to France and want to get in with the natives, look no further than the movies on this list.

Whether you’ll be engaging in formal meetings with colleagues or casual chit-chat with your new French buddies, these films will teach you how people actually speak, and will surely help you make new friends and connections on your trip to France.

Paris, Montmartre

Photo via B. Monginoux / landscape-photo.net

Lascars

Lascars is a recent animated film that follows the adventures of low-income urban characters in their attempts to flee from Paris. “Lascars”, which roughly translates to “hooligans”, have a distinct accent and vocabulary that contrasts with the formal speech that is learned in school. By teaching you slang like thûne (“money”) and blaze (“name”), Lascars will familiarize you with this accent, which will be a tremendous asset as you stroll the streets of Paris. Full review of Lascars

How well can you understand French? Test yourself here!

Mon Oncle

The casual slang in Lascars is contrasted by the elevated speech of French postwar aristocracy in Mon Oncle, a comedy about an endearingly awkward man named Monsieur Hulot who lives on the top floor of an old mansion. Monsieur Hulot’s neighbors, wealthy aristocrats obsessed with technology, speak in a rigidly proper and traditional style that is commonly used in formal settings. Getting used to this highbrow accent will prepare you well for business meetings, black-tie dinners, and fancy winery tours. Full review of Mon Oncle

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Photo via Thierry Valletoux / slate.com

Intouchables

No film illustrates the contrast between casual and formal French as well as Intouchables, an internationally-acclaimed film about the complex relationship between a wealthy paraplegic (Philippe) and his ex-convict caretaker (Driss). Whereas Philippe employs cultivated language similar to that of the characters in Mon Oncle, Driss uses the language of the streets, with speech that is full to the brim with idioms and heavy slang. Intouchables will teach you not only how to speak properly and politely, but also how to curse like a native — watch your friends’ reaction when you bust out swear words like dégueulasse (“disgusting”) or firmer sa gueule! (“shut up!”). Full review of Intouchables

For the businessperson, the student, or the vacationer, French films have something to offer everyone. In addition to introducing you to world-renowned French cinema, these movies will demonstrate the important dialect differences in French, and will allow you to better interact with a variety of people on your trip to France. Another great way to brush up on your French is to listen to songs or read books. Of course, the best way to prepare for your journey is through personal lessons taught by natives: contact us to learn about our flexible, intensive language courses.