* Native speakers: This refers to people who grew up speaking French as their first language. Estimates for this group range from 250 million to 300 million.
* L2 speakers: This includes people who learned French as a second language. This group is much larger, and estimates vary widely depending on how fluency is defined. Some sources suggest there are over 300 million L2 speakers, bringing the total number of French speakers to over 600 million.
It's important to note that:
* Regional variations: The number of French speakers varies significantly across different countries and regions. France has the largest number of native speakers, followed by Canada, Belgium, and Switzerland.
* Fluency levels: Some people may be considered "French speakers" based on a basic understanding of the language, while others may be fluent and proficient.
* Dialectal variation: The French language has various dialects and accents, which can sometimes make it difficult to count speakers across different regions.
Overall, while the exact number of French speakers is debatable, it's safe to say that there are hundreds of millions of people around the world who speak French, making it one of the most spoken languages globally.