être vs devenir

[Yan Fang]

être is a verb that means [to be], and devenir is a verb that means [to become] right?

what are the differences in usage?

For example, why can't it be Je voudrais être journaliste, why is it Je voudrais devenir journaliste instead?

[Erwan]

Actually, I think it's the same reason in French than in English. If you want to choose the journalistic carreer, then you would like to become a journalist ( Je voudrais devenir journaliste).

But if you already have this job and, for example, you speak about it then you'll say : It's not easy to be a journalist (Ce n'est pas facile d'être journaliste).

 

In a speech, even if it's not correct, everybody will understand you if you say Je voudrais être journaliste. It's always what children (and not only them) said when they speak about their future.