French is an official language in 28 countries and is spoken across all continents. French is also the second most geographically widespread language in the world after English, with about 50 countries and territories having it as a de jure or de facto official, administrative, or cultural language. 

Most of these countries are members of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the community of 54 member states which share the official use or teaching of French. French is also one of six official languages used in the United Nations.

 It is spoken as a first language (in descending order of the number of speakers) in France; Canada (especially in the provinces of Quebec, Ontario, and New Brunswick); Belgium (Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region); western Switzerland (specifically the cantons forming the Romandy region); parts of Luxembourg; parts of the United States (the states of Louisiana, Maine and New Hampshire); Monaco; the Aosta Valley region of Italy

Level-1 Beginner

Can recognise and use familiar words and simple phrases for concrete purposes.

Level-2 Elementary

Can understand isolated phrases and common expressions that relate to areas of high personal relevance

Level-3 Intermediate

Can understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar subjects in work, school, leisure activities, etc. Can manage in most situations that come up when travelling in a region where the language is spoken.

Level-4 Upper Intermediate

Can understand the main ideas of concrete or abstract topics in a complex text, including a technical article in the user’s area of expertise.

Level-5 Advanced

Can understand a wide range of long and complex texts, including any subtextual or stylistic nuances.

Level-6 Master or Proficient

Can effortlessly understand almost everything he or she reads or hears. Capable of a coherent summary of events or arguments from oral or written sources. Can express him or herself precisely in a spontaneous, fluent way, conveying finer shades of meaning precisely.