How many people in the US speak french?

It's difficult to give an exact number for how many people in the US speak French because there's no single, definitive source. Here's why it's tricky:

* Varying definitions of "speak French": Does it mean fluency, basic understanding, or simply being exposed to the language?

* Data collection limitations: Surveys and censuses may not capture all French speakers, especially those who don't identify as French-speaking or who only speak French at home.

However, we can look at some estimates:

* US Census Bureau: The 2020 Census reported that 1.5 million people age 5 years and over spoke French at home. This number only reflects those who primarily speak French at home, and not those who are bilingual or who speak it less frequently.

* Modern Language Association (MLA): The MLA estimates that 1.9 million people in the US are studying French, which is not necessarily indicative of their fluency level.

* Other sources: Various studies and surveys suggest that the actual number of French speakers in the US could be significantly higher than the Census data, with some estimates exceeding 2 million.

Overall, while there's no definitive number, it's safe to say that over a million people in the US speak French, with the actual number likely being higher.