How to Learn French French is a language spoken fluently by
approximately 175 million people worldwide.
Although originating in France, today it is spoken in
all different countries all over the world, and officially
in a total of 30. It is the second most frequently
taught language in the world after English--thus, the
reasons to learn it abound. This guide will help you
on your journey to speak French.
Getting Acquainted
1 Buy a dictionary. This is le premier step to starting
a new language. Whenever you run into un
problème, you'll be able to get back on the right path
within seconds.
The Collins Robert French Unabridged Dictionary or
the LaRousse Concise French-English Dictionary
are both good standards. Of course, if you're not
thinking to get too heavily involved, a pocket
dictionary will suffice.
There are tons of websites out there that act as
dictionaries. Be careful! They're not always correct.
Wordreference.com is a good place to start. Always
exercise caution when translating complete
sentences.
2 Take advantage of technology. With all les
options out there, this is easier than ever. Of course,
your local library is a sturdy option, but you can find
resources in the comfort of your own home.
iTunes offers free 24/7 radio stations and podcasts
that are in French (some for beginners!) and most
cable packages will have at least occasional French
programming.
There are many mobile apps that can help you
memorize words - the most popular one is LingLing
based on spaced repetition - you can spend 20
minutes per day to memorize 750 words monthly.
YouTube has dozens upon dozens of resources for
French beginners.
Amélie isn't the only French movie out there. Go to
your local video store or do some research on the
net--sometimes more obscure ones (or
documentaries) can be found for free.
View your favorite English movies with French
voiceovers or subtitles. Even if you don't know
French at all, picking a movie you're familiar with will
help establish context for the language.
Watch the "French in Action" program on your local
public broadcasting station.
3 Label objects in your home. Sure, you sat down to
memorize words like "chair," "window," and "bed,"
but a week later they escaped you. Labeling the
objects in your home creates long-term memories
that can't be easily forgotten.
Remember to include the gender! French has two:
masculine and feminine. This will be handy when
you want to refer to it by the pronoun later.
It's "la chaise," "la fenetre," and "le lit," by the way.
Go grab your pen now!
Include the pronuncation on the side, if you need
help remembering.
l'ordinateur - lor-dee-nah-tur - Computer
la chaîne hi fi - shen-hi-fi - Stereo
la télévision - tay-lay-vee-zee-ohn - Television
le réfrigérateur - ray-free-zhay-rah-tir - Refrigerator
le congélateur - kon-zhay-lah-tur - Freezer
la cuisinière - kwee-zeen-yehr - Stove
Start a Program
1 Buy a learning tool. Some require a hefty fee,
some do not. Ask around for une opinion or if a
friend has a set of CDs or a program you can
borrow. Popular options are Rosetta Stone,
Pimsleur, or Michele Thomas. Every program is best
for a different type of learner.
Pimsleur does not give you a book. It's a set of CDs-
-good for aural learners and those with long
commutes. It does use English and allows you to
translate. It utilizes backchaining, as in, "porte," "la
porte," "-ez la porte," "Fermez la porte," to practice
pronunciation.
Rosetta Stone is a computer program and does not
allow any English and relies heavily on pictures. It
plays memory games and is ideal for visual and
sensory learners.
Michele Thomas (on CD and YouTube) advocates a
slightly different style of teaching. He emphasizes
patterns in language and utilizing cognates. You
start with one basic sentence, such as, "Je vais au
restaurant," (I am going to the restaurant.) and he
leads you to, "Je vais au restaurant ce soir parce
que c'est mon anniversaire." (I am going to the
restaurant tonight because it's my birthday.)
Your vocabulaire expands as you build on the blocks
you already have.
Duolingo.com is another site which trains you in
French: memorizing by training to translate (English-
to-French; and French-to-English), listening
comprehension and more.
2 Take a class. The best way to learn a language
(apart from living in the country, of course) is to
practice every day with others. Taking a class forces
learning into your schedule, holds you accountable,
and gives you resources in others that you wouldn't
otherwise have.
Check out your local community college or
university. Though the class might be more
expensive, the perks of being a student and having
access to the facilities lessen the blow to your wallet.
Find a language school. These classes are often
much cheaper, smaller, and offered on nights or
weekends. If you live in a fairly diverse area, one
shouldn't be too far away.
3 Get a tutor. The internet is a beautiful thing. Loads
of people are looking for an easy way to make an
extra $50 a week. You can cater the learning to your
schedule and develop your own curriculum.
Don't let just anyone be your tutor. Just because you
can speak the language does not mean you can
teach it. Aim for someone who has done it before,
not someone with four years of high school French.
4
Join a group. Odds are there are loads of people
just like you of all demographics and ages. Visit your
local area colleges or language institutes for
information.
Practice with someone. You can find a penpal online
or you can visit your local chapter of the Alliance
Française. Delve deep into your online contacts for
anyone who might be able to move you forward--that
friend from high school who studied abroad? Your
cousin Alberta who moved to Vancouver? Do
whatever you can to guarantee success.
Keep At It
1 Practice every day. Learning a language is unlike
learning any other subject. Your knowledge must
build and become as intrinsic as possible. Practicing
every day is the only way you'll be able to maintain
and improve your skills.
Incorporate review in your learning until it's solid.
You cannot build complex sentences if you've
forgotten how to structure simple ones.
Even if it's just for half an hour, it's worth it. Get your
mind thinking en francais. Developing habits makes
it harder to quit.
2 Learn cognates. Depending on your source, about
30% of all English words originate from French[1]. If
you're just beginning, an easy way to dive in is to
familiarize yourself with the concepts.
Often, the "fancier" verb is French and the "normal"
verb is German. Think "start" versus "commence";
"help" versus "aid"; "understand" versus
"comprehend." The French for those verbs is,
respectively, in their infinitive form, "commencer,"
"aider," and "comprendre."
Certain word endings are giveaways that they're
French. Think words with "-ion," "-ance," or "ite."
Television, billion, religion, nuance, endurance,
granite, opposite -- those are all French words. Not
English. French. Well, English, too.
3 Memorize new phrases. Never let your vocabulary
stagnate. As your knowledge grows, take time to
incorporate new phrases into your phrasal pool.
Think of a new topic. If you're lacking in time
vocabulary, zero-in on that department. If you need
to learn the names of food, concentrate on that.
Expand yourself.
Quelle heure est-il? (What time is it?)
Bon, euh, je ne sais pas...(Uhh, I don't know...)
Oh, non! Il est déjà 17 h! Je dois étudier mon
vocabulaire de français! (Oh no! It's already 5:00! I
have to study my French vocabulary!)
4 Review verb conjugations. The biggest difference
between English and French is that French
conjugates their verbs to match the tense and
subject. Generally speaking, verb charts go in "I,
you, he/she/it, we, you (plural), they" order.
Start with the simple present of -er verbs (manger -
to eat):
Je mange - tu manges - il/elle/on mange - nous
mangeons - vous mangez - ils/elles mangent
Simple present of -ir verbs (choisir - to choose):
Je choisis - tu choisis - il/elle/on choisit - nous
choisissons - vous choisissez - ils/elles choisissent
Simple present of -re verbs (vendre - to sell):
Je vends - tu vends - il/elle/on vend - nous vendons -
vous vendez - ils/ells vendent
Often, the ending of words is not pronounced. "Je
choisis" sounds more like "Zhuh schwazee," and "ils
mangent" sounds like, "eel monge."
Learn the other tenses later. Once you've mastered
the simple present, continue onto the passé
composé (past tense).
5 Think out loud. If you're around others, they might
get irritated, but it's worth it! They don't have to
understand you, only you have to understand you.
It's a bonne idée, isn't it?
French is a language that's highly encorporated into
English. In addition to using simple phrases like,
"Bonjour!", "Merci beaucoup," or "Je ne sais quoi"
that some people know, use slightly more difficult
ones when talking to yourself -- or let your
roommates catch on!
Où est mon sac? - Where is my bag?
Je veux boire du vin. - I want to drink some wine.
Je t'aime. - I love you.
If you say to yourself, "Oh, I see an apple!" translate
it to French - "Oh, je vois une pomme". Practice this
whenever you get a chance - in the car, in bed, in
the bathroom, everywhere.
6 Travel to a French-speaking country. If living
there isn't an option, then visiting is the second-best.
If you have the finances and ability to take des
vacances, bring your books and CDs with you!
Talk to the locals and experience the culture. Sitting
at the McDonald's next to the Louvre (or the
Starbucks, for that matter) won't exactly get you the
educational or cultural experience you're looking for.
You don't have to go to France to find a wealth of
French speakers. However, know what dialect you're
looking to mirror; going to Quebec will expose you to
a French culture, but you'll hear Quebecois down the
street--and it may be hard to understand!
Rocket French: The Award Winning System
That Gets You Speaking French & Loving
French Culture
(And the best thing is – it only takes
minutes a day)
View more http://bit.ly/1Ol0qIa