The Differences Between French from France and French from Belgium

If you’ve ever spoken to a Belgian and a French person, you might have noticed that their French isn’t exactly the same! While they both speak the same language, there are quite a few differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, and even culture when it comes to French from France vs. French from Belgium.

So, whether you’re learning French, traveling to Belgium, or just curious, let’s break down the main differences between these two varieties of French!

🗣️ 1. Pronunciation: The Sound of French in Belgium vs. France

While Belgian and French speakers can understand each other perfectly, their pronunciation has some notable differences:

The Belgian “r” is softer

In Belgium, the "R" is often pronounced less gutturally than in France. It's closer to how Quebecers pronounce it—softer and a bit more old-fashioned compared to the deep, throaty "R" in France.

👉 Example:

• In France, “Paris” sounds like Pa-[ʁ]i (guttural "R")
• In Belgium, it might sound closer to Pa-[ʀ]i (softer "R")

Numbers are pronounced differently

If you’ve struggled with French numbers, brace yourself! Belgian French uses a different system for numbers that’s much easier than the French way.

• 🇫🇷 France: 70 = soixante-dix (sixty-ten)
• 🇧🇪 Belgium: 70 = septante
• 🇫🇷 France: 90 = quatre-vingt-dix (four-twenty-ten)
• 🇧🇪 Belgium: 90 = nonante

So, Belgian French makes counting a lot easier—no complicated calculations needed!

🥖 2. Vocabulary Differences: What Words Are Unique to Each?

Many words in Belgian French are different from French in France, especially when it comes to food, daily objects, and expressions.

Food Words

Belgian French has some deliciously unique vocabulary, especially when it comes to fries, bakery items, and dairy products.

👉 Fun fact: In Belgium, you’ll find fritkots (small fry stands) everywhere, selling the best fries in the world, often with a huge selection of sauces! 

Daily Objects

Some everyday objects have different names in France vs. Belgium.

😂 3. Funny & Unique Expressions

Belgian French has some unique expressions that don’t exist in France!

Common Belgian Expressions

• "Il drache." ☔ = It’s pouring rain! (A very Belgian way of saying it's raining heavily)
• "Une fois" = Often added at the end of a sentence, but it doesn’t really mean anything! "Tu peux me passer le sel, une fois ?" (Can you pass me the salt, once?)
• "Être bleu de quelqu’un" 💙 = To be in love with someone (In France, you'd say "être amoureux")

Common French Expressions

• "Il pleut comme vache qui pisse." 🌧️ = It’s raining like a cow peeing! (Yes, really)
• "Avoir le seum." 😤 = To be really annoyed (Super common slang in France)
• "C’est ouf !" 🤯 = That’s crazy! (Ouf = verlan/slang for "fou")

🎭 4. Cultural Differences: How French and Belgians See Each Other

While French people and Belgians share a lot culturally, there are some friendly rivalries between the two!

Belgians say:

• The French think they invented fries, but Belgium actually did! (And Belgians take their frites very seriously. 🍟)
• The French are too formal—Belgians are more laid-back and friendly.
• The French mock Belgian accents, but Belgians find Parisian accents a bit arrogant.

French people say:

• They joke a lot about Belgians, often with “Belgian jokes” (which Belgians don’t always find funny!).
• They think Belgians are more polite and less “grumpy” than Parisians.
• They say Belgian chocolate is better than French chocolate… but they’d never admit it out loud! 🍫

🚀 Final Thoughts: Which French is Easier to Learn?

If you're learning French, Belgian French might be slightly easier because:
✅ Numbers are simpler (septante, nonante instead of soixante-dix, quatre-vingt-dix).
✅ The accent is softer and easier to understand.
✅ Some words are closer to English (GSM for phone, choco for chocolate spread).

But whether you're speaking French from France or Belgium, the most important thing is practice! So next time you're in Belgium or France, try out some local expressions and see how people react! 😄

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