Quebec French vs France French: what differs and what does not

Quebec French vs France French is a comparison between two varieties of one language. They differ in some everyday words, in some sounds and in a few habits of usage, and the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) says there are few grammatical differences [1]. This page sets out the differences that an official page describes, in a table you can scan on a phone. If you are still deciding what level to aim for, read French levels explained. If your goal is a Québec immigration requirement, see TCF Québec and TEFAQ. To learn the Canadian variety, read Canadian French, and for the religious swear words heard in Québec, Québec French swear words. For the sounds themselves and how to practise them, see French pronunciation practice. For everyday Québec words with their standard equivalents, see English to Québec French: a phrase guide.

What is the difference between Quebec French and France French?

The difference is mostly in vocabulary and pronunciation, not in grammar. The OQLF defines “français québécois” as the variety of French used in Québec. Its note says this variety has features of its own, mainly in words and sounds, and that it developed alongside the varieties of France, Belgium, Switzerland and other French-speaking areas [1]. The same note says there are few grammatical differences between these varieties [1].

The OQLF also does not treat Québec usage as a separate language to be set against French. Its reference norm for its language tools is standard French as it is used in Québec [2]. The usages in that norm may be shared by all French speakers, or specific to speakers in Québec [2].

Is Canadian French different from France French?

In some words and sounds, yes, and in grammar only a little, on the OQLF’s description of Québec French. Its note says Québec French has features of its own, mainly in words and sounds, and that there are few grammatical differences between it and the varieties of France, Belgium, Switzerland and other French-speaking areas [1].

“Canadian French” is a wider name than Québec French. The OQLF says the term now covers all varieties of French used in Canada, including Québec French and Acadian French [1]. The OQLF entry opened for this page describes Québec French, so it does not say how Acadian French differs from French in France [1].

Quebec French vs France: is it the same language?

Yes, on the OQLF’s description it is one language with regional varieties [1][2]. Two details from the OQLF help explain why learners meet both. First, some of the words you will hear in Québec are shared with the rest of the French-speaking world [2]. Second, some are specific to Québec [2]. A learner meets a mix of the two, and the table below shows where the OQLF says the usage splits.

How do everyday words differ in French vs Quebec French?

The OQLF’s language pages give several clear pairs. The table lists only pairs where an OQLF page describes the usage on both sides, or says plainly that it does not.

The pairs are not a rule that Québec and France always disagree. The email entry notes that both sides recommend courriel [3], and the weekend entry notes that week-end is used in Québec too, though often criticized there [5].

Are some Québec words familiar rather than standard?

Yes. A word can be common in speech and still be labelled informal or discouraged in writing. The OQLF says the noun chum is widespread in familiar language in Québec, with the sense of a friend or a romantic partner, and it files the word as a discouraged borrowing with French alternatives such as ami, copain and conjoint [9]. For a learner this means: understand the word when you hear it, and choose a standard word in a formal email or an essay.

How does Québec pronunciation differ?

The OQLF describes several features of speech in Québec. Three are worth knowing, and each is described on an OQLF page as a feature of French spoken in Québec.

• t and d before i and y. The OQLF says these consonants are generally affricated in French spoken in Québec, pronounced [ts] and [dz] [10]. Before other vowels and consonants they are normally [t] and [d] [10].
• Looser vowels. For the vowels i, ou and u, the OQLF says Québec has variants that are more open, shorter and less tense, such as [lɪs] for lisse and [sʊp] for soupe [11].
• The r. The OQLF says the fricative r is now considered standard in Québec and elsewhere in the French-speaking world [12]. It says the apical r long remained a standard variant in Québec and is now generally considered dated [12].

The pages do not compare each feature with speech in France. If you want to hear the difference, listen to speakers from both places rather than relying on a description.

Is Canadian French the same as Quebec French?

Not any more. The OQLF entry for Québec French says “français canadien” and “franco-canadien” once meant Québec French, and that this sense is now dated [1]. It says “français canadien” now covers all the varieties of French used in Canada, including Québec French and Acadian French [1]. The same entry lists “Canadian French” among the English equivalents of its terms [1]. A note in the entry adds that the French spoken in Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan shares the same traditional linguistic base as Québec French, because French speakers west of Québec are largely descended from the Québec diaspora [1]. Statistics Canada shows where people whose first official language spoken is French live. In the 2021 Census that was more than 7.8 million Canadians, or 21.4% of the population [13]. The share was 82.2% of the population in Québec and 3.3% in the rest of Canada [13].

Quebec French vs French: which should you learn?

It depends on where you live and what you need, and the OQLF pages do not rank the varieties. They describe one language whose norm is shared by many speakers and also holds usages that are specific to Québec [1][2]. The grammar you learn is the same in both, since the differences are mainly in words and sounds [1].

A simple way to decide:

• If you live or plan to live in Québec, the words in the table are the ones you will hear and see daily. Learn them along with the standard word they sit beside.
• If you plan to use French mostly with people in France, keep the France column in mind, especially the meal words.
• If you are not sure, learn standard French first, then add the regional words of the place you spend time in. For what each level means in practice, see French levels explained. For how long that can take, see How long does it take to learn French?.

Common mistakes

• Thinking the grammar is different. The OQLF says there are few grammatical differences between the varieties [1].
• Mixing up the meal words. Déjeuner and dîner shift meaning between Québec and France [6][7][8].
• Assuming a word is wrong because it is regional. The OQLF’s norm includes usages specific to Québec [2].
• Using a familiar word in formal writing. A word like chum is common in speech and discouraged in the OQLF’s guidance [9].
• Treating this table as complete. It holds six pairs that an OQLF page describes, not the whole vocabulary.
• Relying on a comparison from a blog, including this one. The official pages change. Compare each page’s own date with the date at the top of this one.

See also: how to speak with a French accent.

Sources