Top 20 French Language Interview Questions and Answers

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Bonjour!

Comment ca va?

Comment dire ça en français ?

Merci bien.

“You sound so French!”

That is exactly what one wishes to hear when they learn the French language. Isn’t it?

There are 6500+ languages spoken in the world to date. Globally, the French language is in the fifth position as one of the most spoken languages across the globe. The strong cultural connection makes the language even more aesthetic. According to online surveys, French is the most beautiful language spoken. Therefore, it attracts explorers, language experts, literature enthusiasts,s and people who have just fallen in love with the French language.

The beginning of the 21^st century saw the French language as the official language of 25+ countries. Originating from Vulgar Latin, an Italo-Celtic dialect the French language has evolved over the years. Its music to the ears with unpronounceable “r” and vowel sounds- “un,” “in,” and “en”. French has too many homophones which makes it challenging and fun to speak at the same time. In recent times, there has been a momentous change in the French language, brought in action by the Académie Francaise, which has been preserving the literary integrity and core values of the language.

Until the 19^th century, French was spoken at only certain corners of France and more in Holland and Germany which later expanded its reach. Nearly 28% of English words are actually generated from French!

By 2050, it’s expected that the world will have 750 million+ French speakers out of which 150 million+ will be students only.

 

French Language Course

“L’avenir est entre les mains de ceux qui explorent.” – Jacques-Yves Cousteau

It means that the future is in the hands of those who explore.

Exploring, here means knowing a language as the locals know to shape own’s future differently.

Today, “second language acquisition” has been the focus in many job sectors. Individuals with verbal, written, and listening proficiency in any foreign language are given much more importance by employers in the related job market. Solely, a certified language proficient gets many work opportunities due to the cross-cultural exchange seen as a bigger picture in recent times. Multilingual persons go ahead of their peers or colleagues by acquiring highly prestigious positions.

For excelling in the language, there are many French language courses available online as well as offline. Considering the ongoing situation of pandemics online is the best mode of learning the French language from the comfort of your home. These online courses are designed to give a 360-degree knowledge about the French language and help you to become proficient from Level A1 to Level C2.

Academies like Henry Harvin, Udemy, Excel Academy, and ILA are some of the best academies for online French language learning.

Henry Harvin French Language Course

Henry Harvin® Language Academy has been focusing on providing learning solutions for in-demand languages. The language academy offers action-oriented skill development that helps individuals to get empowered and expand their horizons.

Henry Harvin’s French Language Course provides the best platform for learning French. The curriculum is well designed by subject matter experts in accordance with European Framework. Following are some of the key features of the course:

• 9-in-1 course
• First-hand training
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• Each level of learning the French language is done in 30-40 hours course duration
• Learn advanced French Grammar
• Bootcamps, hackathons along with an extremely beneficial Gold Membership
• Placement services
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• Access to the exclusive learning method at the tip of your fingers
• Lifetime support and access
• Soft skills development
• Resume enhancement and writing

Top 20 French Language Interview Questions and Answers

To ace your entretien d’embauche i.e., job interview you need to strike the right balance before you answer the questions. Apart from the regular interview questions these top 20 French-language interview questions and answers are surely going to help you to pass through the interview process and get a CDI i.e., contrat à durée indéterminée, a permanent contract in a French language job.

Q1) Parlez-moi de votre expérience professionelle. ( Share your professional experience)

Ans: Here the interviewer wants to know about your previous work experience. This very question builds up a trajectory based on what you share.

The best way to answer this question is by keeping the French language at the center and how the skills you already had and developed in your previous work got enhanced by learning the French language. A pitch-one that is concise and compelling and shows how you are fit for this job is your answer.

Q2) Quels sont tes points forts en françai? (What are your strengths in French-speaking?)

Ans: The answer to this should highlight your key areas like vocabulary, fluency, grammar, listening skills, and speaking with a fair amount of knowledge about French art, culture, and food because French as a language is very dominatingly seen in its culture. Every single strength can be elaborated by giving certain examples. That would certainly help you make a concrete mark in order to get your dream French job

Q3) Quel a été le plus grand avantage d’apprendre le françai?.(What has been the biggest advantage of learning French?)

 Ans: French is one of the widely spoken languages. Having said that, French has a common origin, with languages like Spanish, and Italian which have similar conjugations and Latin roots. This itself is a big advantage as it helps to be at ease with more than one language, to a certain extent.

Q4) Quel niveau obtenu en français? (Which level have you cleared in French language?)

Ans:  The answer to this must be factful and correct. Depending on your level of certification between   A1-C2 the answer needs to be framed. Based on the general industry standards, for low skilled jobs it is B1 and above, for moderately skilled jobs it is B2 and above, and for highly skilled jobs it is C1 and above.

Q5) Pourquoi cherchez-vous un emploi en français? (Why are you looking for a job in French speaking?)

Ans: If you are a travel enthusiast, then it’s for exploring a new world. If you are a language expert, then surely the answer is using your language skills to teach others and train more and more people. Likewise, situations might be different, but the goal is one. Acquire a high-salary job, to land an international job opportunity is the main purpose.

Q6) Comment pensez-vous être apte à ce poste de francophone?(How do you think you are fit for this position of French-speaking?)

Ans: Here the answer must be framed based on the company’s history, their involvement, and attachment to the language and their expectations. This then should be linked to your strengths and hold on to the French language.

Q7)  Pourriez-vous partagez quelques phrases de conversation en  françaises qui vous viennent à l’esprit maintenant? (Could you share some french conversational sentences that come in your mind right now?)

Ans:  Here, it is completely up to you what you want to answer. One tip is, go for words or sentences that are job-related or business-related. For example,

• C’est un plaisir de vous rencontrer – It’s a pleasure to meet you.
• J’ai bosse auparavant pour une entreprise informatique- I was earlier working for an IT company.
• Veuillez répondre à mon e-mail au plus tôt– Kindly reply to this email at the earliest.

• Est-ce que tu peux m’aider ?- Can you help me?
• Tu pourrais m’expliquer ça ?- Could you explain this to me?
• Je ne comprends pas ce document.- I don’t understand this document.
• Est-ce que tu sais utiliser ce logiciel ?- Do you know how to use this software?
• Merci pour le coup de main !- Thanks for the help!

Q8) Dans quels domaines pensez-vous devoir vous améliorer en français ? (Which areas do you think you need to improve in French language speaking?)

        Ans:  I have been working on my public speaking skills, for which I have been taking an online course which will surely help me. An answer like this one shows your desire to learn and strengthen your weak points. Also, it talks about real problems and solutions at the same time.

Q9) Quel est le plus grand défi que vous ayez rencontré lors de l’apprentissage de la langue française? Comment l’avez-vous géré ? (What is the biggest challenge you have faced while learning the French language? How did you deal  with it?)

Ans: The answer for this can be a piece of information, rather than feedback for the interviewer. The biggest challenge most French language learners face is the difference between written and spoken French. The detail of conjugating verbs is quite different for both forms of language. To decipher the sounds and then associate them with other combinations makes it altogether a very difficult task.

Q10) Pourquoi le français est-il la langue de l’amour ? (Why is French the language of love?)

      Ans:  Here the purpose of asking the question lies in finding in-depth knowledge of French culture. The French language is impactful, with smooth pronunciations, euphonic, dynamically descriptive, and diversified accents spoken French is a language that is profoundly seen in culture, international relations, history, food, and much more.

Q11)  Pourriez-vous s’il vous plaît nous traduire le sien ? (Could you please translate this for us?)

“En 1896, Athènes est le théâtre des premiers Jeux Olympiques de l’ère moderne, plus de quinze siècles après la disparition de ceux de l’Antiquité. La rénovation de l’olympisme est attachée à la figure du Baron Pierre de Coubertin, homme convaincu des vertus pédagogiques et patriotiques du sport.”

“Toutefois, la volonté de faire concourir des athlètes au nom d’un idéal n’est pas une nouveauté. Les vertus athlétiques de l’Antiquité inspirent par exemple des professeurs de Grenoble qui, à partir de 1832, organisent au Rondeau, tous les quatre ans, une promenade olympique, en mémoire des Jeux. En Angleterre, William Penny Brookes, dont l’influence sera décisive sur Coubertin, crée en 1850 les Jeux Olympiques de Wenlock, qui existent toujours. Enfin, le Grec Evangelos Zappas ressuscite en 1859, dans un esprit romantique et nationaliste, les Jeux à Athènes.”

 

 

Ans: Here the sample question is random information, but it can be industry-specific in French language job. The answer to this is mentioned below.

 

“In 1896, Athens was the scene of the first Olympic Games of the modern era, more than fifteen centuries after the disappearance of those of Antiquity. The renovation of Olympism is linked to the figure of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a man convinced of the educational and patriotic virtues of sport.”

“However, the desire to have athletes compete in the name of an ideal is nothing new. The athletic virtues of Antiquity inspired, for example, teachers from Grenoble who, from 1832, organized at Rondeau, every four years, an Olympic walk, in memory of the Games. In England, William Penny Brookes, whose influence was decisive on Coubertin, created the Wenlock Olympic Games in 1850, which still exists today. Finally, the Greek Evangelos Zappas resuscitates in 1859, in a romantic and nationalist spirit, the Games in Athens.”

Q12) Qu’est-ce qui vous a motivé à continuer a  apprendre le français? (What motivated you to continue learning the French language?)

Ans:  Remembering that the language is my passion, using effective learning tools, mastering grammar hacks, correcting my mistakes, setting realistic goals, and rewarding myself even at the smallest achievement has helped me to stay motivated all this while.

 

Q13) Pourquoi le traducteur français est-il considéré comme le travail le mieux rémunéré ? (Why does French translator is considered the highest paying job?)

Ans: The French language is one of the official working languages of the UN. Therefore, there are several career options provided by the UN alone. Apart from it, specialized translators are highly in demand around the world by many governments.

Q14) Quels facteurs prendrez-vous en considération si l’on vous demande de préparer un matériel d’étude sur la langue française ?(What factors will you consider if you are asked to prepare study material on the French language?)

Ans: This is your chance to hit the bull’s eye. If you are someone looking for a job as an educator, this question is like an opportunity.

Starting with different levels of French language learning, you can specify the sections on which you want to focus based on your own experience. The practical implication, grammatical knowledge, conversational pointers, exam-oriented questions and workbooks, business and industry-based vocabularies, and examples are a few of the elements which you can consider while preparing study material.

 

Q15) Pourquoi devrions-nous vous engager? (Why should we hire you?)

Ans: This question can be answered by talking about your skills as an asset, your track record as proof of your work ethic, and your level of the French language as the key elements that will give the recruiter insight.

 

Q16) Comment pouvez-vous contribuer au mieux à une équipe de français bilingue? (How best can you contribute to a team of bilingual French?)

Ans: The innate qualities that can help you grow professionally are the answer. Getting along with people, a collaborator, motivator, experienced in dealing with conflicts, and tactful personality.

 

Q17) Pensez-vous que l’intelligence émotionnelle compte en français ? (Do you think emotional intelligence matters in the French language?)

Ans: We all know the influence of EQ on managing work stress, overall performance, and leadership abilities to name a few. The same goes for French-language jobs too. With its use in the hospitality, language, and translating industry while managing the client’s deadline and work quality, a higher measure of EQ is sure to help.

 

Q18) quel est votre objectif de carrière? (What is your career objective?)

Ans: With a sound knowledge of the French language, I wish to attain a higher level of job satisfaction and also contribute to promoting French language-oriented services to my clients and customers.

 

Q19)  Quel est le plus grand défi pour une carrière en traduction française ? (What is the biggest challenge for a career in French translation?)

  Ans: The answer should focus on challenges faced as a freelance translator, project-related challenges, and the introduction of unfamiliar terminologies if any.

 

Q20) Si traducteur français est le travail de vos rêves, où cela vous mènerait-il et pourquoi ? ( If French translator is the dream job for you then where would it take you and why?)

Ans:  The answer to this question entirely depends on the world of possibilities any literature brings along. This should showcase the vast arena of translators the world is driving upon. A non-native language and proficiency in the language will help me to stand out from the crowd and will take me to a level where my career will help me to convey the beauty of the language.

French Job Interview Etiquettes

Job interviews are usually more formal in French jobs as compared to other interviews. The interviewers focus on to-the-point questions avoiding any sort of chit-chat during the interview. There are some generalized etiquettes or codes of conduct which if followed could be beneficial for the applicant.

• Always use “ Madame” or “ Monsieur” while greeting or thanking the recruiter
• Refrain from doing “la bise”
• Do not indulge in sweet talks or the icebreaker talking style
• Keep your answers in all professional until and unless it’s asked to give personal inputs
• Neutral colours, and clean and formal outfits are usually a good thing, just like for any job interview
• No “tu” only “vous”, should be used until and unless they don’t specify
• “Je suis ravi(e) de faire votre connaissance” – Use this to greet your recruiter in the very first minute of the meeting
• “Je vous remercie du temps que vous m’avez accordé.”- Thank the recruiter for their time
• Prepare for anything that might be thrown at you in English as well as French language
• Be on time
• Get a copy of your curriculum vitae
• Send your interviewer a thank email, saying that you thank them for their precious time and hope to hear from them soon

Conclusion

Globalization outsourcing and the requirement of skilled professionals in various industries have increased the chances of getting a well-paid job. Preparing for some of the most common questions asked in the interview will increase your chances manifold.

          Recommended Reads: 

• Top 20 French Language Interview Questions and Answers
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