Since the Weeknd is Canadian, it’s common to wonder whether or not the singer and songwriter speaks French, one of Canada’s official languages.
Yes, the Weeknd does speak French. However, it is unclear exactly where he learnt it from, when he learnt it, or how fluent he is. The popular singer actually speaks three languages: Amharic, American English, and French. You can watch The Weeknd speaking French in the video below.
Read more below to learn about the Weeknd’s Ethiopian background and the Amharic language, how he learnt American English and French, and which language he speaks most today.
Weeknd’s Ethiopian Background
The Weeknd’s parents were Ethiopian immigrants to Canada, who came to the country in the late 1980s. The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, was born and raised in Canada by his grandmother who spoke Amharic. Amharic is the official language of Ethiopia. He spoke the Ethiopian language with his grandmother and his mother and attended Ethiopian Orthodox church services.
It is then not a surprise that the Weeknd learnt to speak Amharic before English and French. It was his first language and the only language he spoke for quite a while. Presently, he still speaks the language fluently. In an interview with POPSUGAR, he stated that his Ethiopian background and the Amharic language has influenced many of his music today. One of his songs, The Hills, even has lyrics in the Amharic language during the outro.
How did the Weeknd learn French and American English?
French is one of Canada’s official languages. It is estimated that 20.6% of the Canadian population or 7.2 million Canadians speak fluent French. The Weeknd was born and raised in Canada. He went to school there and worked there. As a matter of fact, in an interview with LA Live, he said that he did not leave the country until he was 21 years old!
It can then be safely assumed that the Weeknd picked up a word or two of French when he resided in Canada. English is the most popular language in Canada as over 85% of Canadians speak English. It is then a given that the Weeknd would eventually have to learn the English language as he began to interact with the wider population.
When the Weeknd left Canada, he came to the United States. In 2012, he did his first music tour in the country. He also began working with many US artistes and producers. He definitely had to begin speaking American English even more.
The Weeknd admitted that when his career just started, he declined to do interviews because he did not feel like he was well-spoken. He was a high school dropout and did not feel he could match up to his counterparts. He said he did crossword puzzles and other tasks to improve his vocabulary. He must have improved his English with all his hard work! Now, The Weeknd speaks English like a pro!
Which of the three language does the Weeknd still speaks today?
Currently, The Weeknd still speaks all three languages. When he was touring in Paris, he spoke French quite fluently, causing an uproar in the crowd. We can’t tell how often he speaks the language or if he speaks it in his personal time. He also sings in French. You can watch the video of him singing beautifully in the language below.
He speaks American English most often as can be seen in most of his interviews and stage appearances. This does not come as a surprise as he built his music career in the United States. As it relates to his first language, Amharic, The Weeknd has not left his roots behind. He still speaks and understands Amharic. The language has influenced a number of his songs. He even has an Amharic inspired single, entitled “Gone”. You can listen to it below.