How many different countries speak french?

It's tricky to give an exact number for how many countries "speak French" because it depends on what you mean by "speak."

Here's a breakdown:

* Officially recognize French as an official language: There are 29 countries that officially recognize French as an official language. This includes countries like France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and many African nations.

* French is widely spoken: There are many other countries where French is widely spoken, but not officially recognized as an official language. For example, in many parts of the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and even parts of the United States, French is spoken by sizable communities.

* Number of speakers: There are approximately 300 million French speakers worldwide, making it the fifth most spoken language in the world.

So, depending on what you're looking for, you could say that 29 countries officially recognize French, or that it's spoken in many more countries than that.