And with good reason, since they ooze romance and sexiness – especially for overseas audiences, it seems.

However, a new poll conducted among several nationalities by OnePoll for Babbel, on the world’s most attractive languages – according to certain very specific criteria – sees a new challenger rise to pip French to the post as the world’s sexiest language.

Something to be aware of before attempting to bust out some phrases to seduce a potential partner this Valentine’s Day.

Sexy vs romantic!

According to the results of this survey, it’s Italian that dethrones French for the first time as the sexiest language on the planet.

Whether they live in Germany, Spain, France, Italy, the UK or the USA, nearly three in ten adults questioned (27%) believe that the language of Dante is without doubt the sexiest in the world, followed by French, which loses the lead but which nevertheless remains among the most attractive, along with Latin American Spanish.

But make no mistake about it, the French language still dominates the debate when it comes to being romantic, rather than sexy. Over a third of those polled (34%) voted it the most romantic language in the world.

So, is speaking two different languages an obstacle or an advantage when it comes to love?

It would seem that respondents favour the latter, with over half (53%) considering it sexy to date someone whose mother tongue is different from their own.

And this can even be an asset in the long term, considering that an overwhelming majority of French people (79%) would consider learning their partner’s mother tongue if the situation arose.

This is linked, in particular, to the desire to communicate clearly with their loved one (46%). However, it’s also synonymous with commitment and respect (49%), as well as a certain interest in their partner’s culture (52%).

And if the French were to find a soulmate outside of France, they’d undoubtedly go looking for them in Italy (16%) or Spain (11%), while they themselves would make more of a splash in the UK, but only after… the Italians, who once again steal the show.