Southern French · Français méridional
The southern French of Marseille, Toulouse, and the broader Occitan-speaking belt. Marked by realisation of mute vowels and a distinct intonation contour.
- Spoken in
- Approximate centre
- 43.61°, 3.88°
Dialect comparison
Meridional French vs Metropolitan French
Compare two dialects of French side by side — where they're spoken, what they're called, and how they relate.
Parisian French · Standard French
The Paris-area standard of European French. Carried nationally by education and broadcasting; the reference point for most French taught abroad.
- Spoken in
- Approximate centre
- 48.86°, 2.35°
How to read this comparison
Which one to learn
Start with Meridional French or Metropolitan French based on the community, country, or media you expect to use most.
Mutual understanding
Shared language labels do not guarantee identical speech. Compare country coverage, aliases, and audio where available.
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More comparisons
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DialectMeridional FrenchThe southern French of Marseille, Toulouse, and the broader Occitan-speaking belt. Marked by realisation of mute vowels and a distinct intonation contour.DialectMetropolitan FrenchThe Paris-area standard of European French. Carried nationally by education and broadcasting; the reference point for most French taught abroad.CompareAcadian French vs Meridional FrenchAtlasExplore the atlasRead the full picture of French and the dialects within it.