I worked in France for 6 years and handled over 10,000 emails. And I’m sure of one thing:
Being fluent in a language doesn’t mean you’re fluent in professional writing, especially emails.
Let me explain.
I’m fluent in French. So when I started my first job in French, I wasn’t worried about my language level. I could understand others, and they could understand me.
What I did worry about was this:
How do I sound professional in this language?
Would I come across as too direct?
Too formal?
Too cold?
That’s when I realized:
Email writing is its own skill.
It’s not just grammar.
It’s about how you use the language effectively in a professional context.
You have to be strategic. Clear. Polite. Culturally aware.
You need to know things like:
✅ How to structure your message
✅ When to soften your tone
✅ What’s okay in your culture but may offend in another
✅ How to be concise without sounding rude
Do you remember your first professional email in another language? How did it feel to hit “send”?
