Languages

Note that names of languages in French are always written with a small letter, not a capital as in English ; also, French almost always uses the definite article with languages, while English does not. In the examples below the name of any language may be substituted for French and français :

French is easy

= le français est facile

I like French

= j’aime le français

to learn French

= apprendre le français

However, the article is never used after en :

say it in French

= dis-le en français

a book in French

= un livre en français

to translate sth into French

= traduire qch en français

and it may be omitted with parler :

to speak French

= parler français or parler le français

When French means in French or of the French, it is translated by français :

a French expression

= une expression française

the French language

= la langue française

a French proverb

= un proverbe français

a French word

= un mot français

and when you want to make it clear you mean in French and not from France, use en français :

a French book

= un livre en français

a French broadcast

= une émission en français

When French means relating to French or about French, it is translated by de français :

a French class

= une classe de français

a French course

= un cours de français

a French dictionary

= un dictionnaire de français

a French teacher

= un professeur de français

but

a French-English dictionary

= un dictionnaire français-anglais

See the dictionary entry for -speaking and speaker for expressions like Japanese-speaking or German speaker. French has special words for some of these expressions :

English-speaking

= anglophone

a French speaker

= un/une francophone

Note also that language adjectives like French can also refer to nationality e.g. a French tourist ⇒ Nationalities, or to the country e.g. a French town ⇒ Countries and continents.

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.