Belgium is divided into a few different regions, while it is a very small country, it has two distinct halves, specifically Flanders in the north and Wallonia in the south. Flanders is the Flemish speaking part of Belgium, where they speak Flemish which is pretty much Dutch, and Wallonia is the French speaking part where of course they speak French except a small portion that speaks German. The official languages of Belgium are Dutch, French and German, each region focuses predominantly more on a certain language rather than the whole country speaking all of them at the same time.
The Belgian French Accent and Expressions
Belgian French is slightly different from French spoken in France (le français de France). Here are some key differences:
- Septante (70) et non soixante-dix – Unlike in France, Belgians use septante instead of soixante-dix.
- Nonante (90) et non quatre-vingt-dix – The same applies for nonante instead of quatre-vingt-dix.
- Une fois – A typical Belgian phrase added to sentences, e.g., Viens ici, une fois! (Come here for a moment!)
- Drache nationale – A common term referring to heavy rain, which is frequent in Belgium.
Learning French Through Daily Life in Belgium
Gastronomy: Learning Through Food (La gastronomie : apprendre par la nourriture)
Belgium is known for its culinary delights, and learning food-related vocabulary (le vocabulaire de la nourriture) can be fun and delicious:
- Une gaufre – A waffle (Belgium is famous for les gaufres de Liège).
- Des frites – Fries (served with mayonnaise instead of ketchup!).
- Un chocolatier – A chocolatier; Belgium is known for its chocolates.
- Une bière – A beer; Belgian beers are known around the world.
Exploring Belgian Cities While Practicing French (Explorer les villes belges en pratiquant le français)
Each city in Belgium offers unique opportunities to practice French (pratiquer le français):
- Bruxelles (Brussels) – The capital of Belgium, where French is widely spoken.
- Liège – A vibrant city known for its rich history and friendly locals.
- Namur – The capital of Wallonia, ideal for exploring traditional French-speaking culture.
- Charleroi – Known for its art scene and cultural life.
When to Visit Belgium?
If you are struggling to decide when to go to Belgium, there is one tip that can be helpful; try to look up different festivals that take place because one of the coolest things about this country is that they have many great festivals and cultural events that you can take part in. It is not only about music festivals, even though Belgium is home to one of the most famous music festivals in the world such as “Tomorrowland” we can also mention cultural events and folk festivals.
Practical French Phrases for Navigating Belgium
If you want to visit or live in Belgium, these essential phrases will help you communicate with locals (communiquer avec les locaux):
- Bonjour ! – Hello!
- Comment ça va ? – How are you?
- Parlez-vous anglais ? – Do you speak English?
- Où est la gare ? – Where is the train station?
- Combien ça coûte ? – How much does it cost?
- Pouvez-vous m’aider ? – Can you help me?
Fun facts about Belgium
French Fries
The popular (populaire) French Fries (frites françaises) are actually Belgian (belges), despite the name. French fries or frites, as they are locally known, originated (ont pris naissance) in Belgium (Belgique).
The story goes back to the 17th century (17ᵉ siècle), when Belgian fishermen (pêcheurs belges), unable to fish (pêcher) due to harsh winters (hivers rigoureux), cut potatoes (pommes de terre) in the shape of fish (poisson) and fried (frit) them. This substitute (substitut) soon became very popular (populaire) and started spreading (se répandre) across borders (frontières).
However, during World War I (Première Guerre mondiale), American soldiers (soldats américains) tried these delicious (délicieux) fried potatoes in the French-speaking (francophone) part of Belgium and mistakenly attributed (attribué) them to France (France). Hence the name “French fries” (frites françaises).
Comic books
Belgium (Belgique) has a rich history (histoire riche) of comic book artistry (bande dessinée), dating back to the early 20th century (début du 20ᵉ siècle). The country (pays) has given us iconic characters (personnages emblématiques) such as Tintin, the Smurfs (les Schtroumpfs), and Lucky Luke.
These stories (histoires) have transcended (transcendé) generations (générations) and continue to captivate (captiver) audiences (publics) around the world (monde). These Belgian comic strips (bandes dessinées belges) are not just about entertainment (divertissement); they also reflect (reflètent) the country’s culture (culture du pays), history (histoire), and social dynamics (dynamiques sociales).
Gender equality in politics
This small European nation (petite nation européenne) holds the record (record) for having the highest number of female ministers (plus grand nombre de ministres femmes) in the world (monde)! Belgium (Belgique) is leading the charge (mène la charge) in gender equality (égalité des sexes) in politics (politique).
Since the early 2000s (début des années 2000), the country (pays) has implemented mandatory gender quotas (quotas de genre obligatoires) for political parties (partis politiques). As a result, women’s representation (représentation des femmes) in Belgian politics (politique belge) has seen a significant increase (augmentation significative), with women (femmes) now holding key positions (postes clés) in government (gouvernement).
In fact, Belgium (Belgique) was one of the first countries (premiers pays) in the world (monde) to grant women (accorder aux femmes) the right to vote (droit de vote).
Learning French with Belgium is a great and immersive experience. Whether you learn about its unique accent or discover cultural gems like festivals and food, Belgium offers a rich environment to enhance your French skills. From historical cities to comic book heritage and political advancements, Belgium provides a dynamic backdrop for both language and cultural learning.
Ready to learn French with a Belgian twist? Join Albert Learning today and explore essential phrases, culture, and unique expressions!
