In America, when given the chance or required to take a foreign language, most people choose Spanish because it's easier to learn, more practical, or because it's what everybody takes. Little do they know they're missing out. In my first high school French class, my teacher told us "all the cool kids take French." I never doubted her and I never regretted taking her class.

Learning French is something I wish I'd been able to do sooner; it's a beautiful language that is still spoken by hundreds of thousands of people around the world. In the past, it was the official language of the British court for a minute. Needless to say, it's a language of great importance. Besides sounding pretty and being swoon-worthy, it's a great, fun language to learn that teaches you more than just a language.

Here are a few reasons why:

1. It’s easy.

It really is, and yes, it’s easier than Spanish. Fun fact: half of our English vocabulary is derived from French. Because of this and the way English evolved from French among other languages, there are lots of cognates which help with spelling and remembering vocabulary. There are some parts of it that throw you at first, like the masculine and feminine nouns, and then exceptions to every rule. But once you’ve got it, you’ve got it. Plus, the way they conjugate verbs makes a ton more sense than the way we English speakers do it.

2. You’ll feel fancy.

One of the many things the French are known for is their sophisticated language that just sounds fancy; the pronunciation of the words, their accents, and the rhythm of their speech sounds very aristocratic. Just speaking it makes you feel as high class as Marie Antoinette. When you happen to see a phrase or quote written in French that you can read and understand, it’ll make you feel like the smartest, classiest person in the world, if only for a hot second. Once you know enough to throw some into casual conversation or use in a paper, it’ll make you feel like a braniac.

3. “C’est la vie” vs. “That’s life”

The best sayings and quotes sound infinitely better in French. Saying, “that’s life” just doesn’t sound as nice as saying, “c’est la vie.” You probably wouldn’t get a tattoo of “that’s life;” you’re more likely to get the French version because, let’s face it, English just doesn’t have that ring to it. There’s also this one, “vouloir, c’est pouvoir, which translates to “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Then there’s this one by Gandhi, “Soyez le changement que vous voulez voir dans le monde,” which means, “be the change you wish to see in the world.” Let’s face it, everything sounds better in French, even the not-so-nice stuff. .

4. French culture

No study of the French language is complete without studying the French culture, especially when it’s so rich, interesting, and integrated into so many different aspects of world culture. My favorite part of learning French is the little cultural fun facts our professor shares with us as we go along. Besides helping us learn about the French ways of life, it makes the language seem more real and less like a bunch of different words with tricky pronunciations; it helps the language become more concrete to us.

The French way of drinking coffee is different, they don’t make mass amounts of what they call, “brown water.” Instead, they make small amounts of strong coffee, often espresso to get them going and drink it before they leave home, not from a thermos on the way to work or school. Around Christmas, talk of Père Noël, or Father Christmas, AKA to Americans as Santa Claus begins. In keeping with the French style, there is no milk and cookies left out for him on Christmas Eve since milk is usually only for children. Once you begin to understand the differences in our cultures, you begin to understand why French people are said to come across as “rude” to Americans.

5. The French know how to eat

Yes, this gets its own listing because it’s such a huge part of French culture; where Americans dedicate very small amounts of time to eating a meal because we’re always on the go, the French set aside hours out of their day to eat. Plus, they have a different cheese for every day of the year. And, they love their bread. We won’t even get into pastries and sweets, that deserves a list of its own.

If your professor is as awesome as mine, that means there are days where you’ll get to try some of these different foods in class. We even studied menus from French schools to see how their cafeterias feed the kids. Let’s just say this, it put every American cafeteria I’ve known to shame; each meal is balanced and put together in a way that gives the children a nutritious and filling meal while offering them variety. They also offer options for those who are vegetarian or have religious restrictions. America needs to take some notes in that area. Fun fact: American beef is banned in France; they make strong efforts to be sure their beef is fresh from local sources.

6. You’ll understand English better.

That sounds a little backwards, but it’s true, for me at least. Learning how to construct sentences in French and understand the different tenses of verbs and all that has helped me understand things about grammar I just didn’t get as a kid. I don’t think I’m alone when I say I disliked grammar as a kid; diagramming sentences was the worst. Now it’s a little more interesting and easier in some strange way. Maybe it’s because we compare English sentence structure to the French way so we understand the differences; maybe it’s because the two languages are so strongly tied. I have no idea. On the flip side, it may also show you why English is so hard to learn as a second language.

7. It comes in handy.

English borrows from French quite a lot, more than you probably realize. Similarly, there are tons of little French sayings you’ll understand once you have a basic knowledge of the language; even if you don’t know the exact definition of a word, you can probably guess based on the spelling and the pronunciation. You’ll also be able to call out the errors on cute shirts, postcards, and other things you see out in the world.

If you’re into art, history, fashion, or dance, it definitely comes in handy since there are many terms that come from French in all of those subjects. I know taking dance classes triggered my interest in the language and has definitely helped with vocabulary since I’ve been studying French. If you ever find yourself in France and can ask for a croissant at a bakery in correct French, the person behind the counter will be pleased with you. Plus, you'll be able to find your way around with more ease.

8. French will give you more than a “cool factor.”

Telling people you know French does usually score you some cool points. They don't call it the language of love for nothing. However, in the current job market, having a knowledge of a second language, especially one as important as French, will boost your chances a pretty good bit. Not to mention, you could also apply for jobs in France more easily, even if you aren’t completely fluent. Studying French, in particular, broadens your cultural horizons more than other languages will, making it more than just another tool on your belt.

9. French is a learning tool for other languages.

If you happen to want to learn another language, knowing French will help you, especially if you’re studying another Romance language like Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese. But the process also works in reverse; if you know any of those languages first, learning French will be easy for you.

10. It's just fun.

Maybe I'm that weirdo that just really loves French. Regardless, it's a fun language to learn. There will be all kinds of things you'll see out in the world and other classes that your knowledge of French will be able to help you understand. Plus, you'll feel like the cool kid on the block knowing you cold work or study abroad in France at some point.