Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: French for beginners
• Part 2 of 3: Immerse yourself in French
• Part 3 of 3: Learning useful sentences
• Tips
• Warnings

French is a beautiful language and good to learn. However, learning a language can be difficult, but this article will give you a quick overview that will help you start a conversation in French before you know it!

To step

Part 1 of 3: French for beginners

1. Know your own learning style. Are you a visual, auditory or kinesthetic student? The question here is whether you learn best by looking at the words yourself, by listening to them while they are being read, or by listening, looking and associating movement with the words.
   • If you've learned languages ​​before, think back to how you learned those languages ​​and see what worked for you and what didn't.
   • In most teaching situations you will have to write a lot, but not speak as much. Speaking the language and immersing yourself in it is extremely important and a way to really learn to use the language faster.
2. Learn 30 words and phrases a day every day. In 90 days you will have learned about 80% of the language. The most common words determine the interaction for the most part, so start by memorizing the most common words.
   • Make sure you keep practicing the words you have learned before so that you don't forget them when you learn new words.
   • The top 10 most commonly used words in French are: être (be), avoir (have), je (I), de (from, by, then, in, with), ne (not), pas (not; step) , tempo), le (de / it; him, it (referring to a masculine singular noun)), la (de / het; her, het (referring to a feminine singular noun)), tu (je), vous (you, yourself).
   • Label everything in your house with the French word and say the words out loud when you read them.
   • Make flashcards for yourself and use them when you are on the bus, during commercials on TV, or whenever you have time.
3. Learn the structure of the language. Learn how the verbs go with the nouns and with each other. Things you learn at the beginning will gain meaning as you progress in the language. Also look at things like pronunciation.
   • Grammar is incredibly important in language learning. To speak it correctly you will need to know how verbs work, how to deal with present, past and future, and the gender of nouns. We say things forward in English like, the bathroom, while in French (and in many other languages) it is spoken backwards, making it take more words to say something, like, the room of the bath.
   • Learn the pronunciation. This is especially important in French, where the written words do not resemble the spoken language at all. For example, French has vowels like "eau" which are pronounced "o", or "oi" which is pronounced "wa." You will need to know how French pronunciation works.

Part 2 of 3: Immerse yourself in French

1. Read and write in French. To become familiar with the language, you will have to read and write it. This will help you memorize and remember the words you have memorized.
   • Children's books are a great place to start if you're learning any new language. Since they help children learn their native language, they are a great way for someone learning the language to get a grip on reading in the foreign language.
   • Another idea is to start reading your favorite books in French. This helps to keep your attention and decipher the text, because you already know what the story is about. It is good to start simple, because too difficult a book will only frustrate you at first.
   • Keep a diary in French. Even if you only write a few lines in it a day, it will help you keep track of your progress and give you a chance to practice the language.
2. Listen to something in French. Put on French music or watch your favorite movies in French. Look for French cinema and French television series and radio stations. Practice imitating what you hear.
   • Many polyglots (people who know more than 1 language) swear by the "shadow" technique to learn a language quickly. Go outside and put on your headphones. While you listen to the language you walk at a brisk pace. As you walk, repeat what you hear loud and clear. Repeat, march, repeat. This helps to link movement to the language and train your focus differently so that you don't obsess over memorizing all the time.
   • Listening to natural French speakers will help you get a sense of how quickly French is spoken and how the intonation works. The more you listen, the better you will become.
   • In the beginning, it is better to leave the French subtitles on while watching a French movie, so that you can better follow the dialogues and discover how the words you read come across when spoken.
   EXPERT TIP

   Speak in French. This is one of the most important parts of learning the French language. You will have to learn to speak the language, even if you feel ashamed of how little you know. Everyone starts with not so great speaking skills, but with a little practice you will get better.

   • Find a pen pal or Skype buddy who speaks native French.There are many programs on the Internet or through universities and local language courses that connect people with French speakers.
   • Don't worry if you get criticized for your statement. Instead, thank whoever made the comment and work on improving it.
   • Talk to yourself out loud in French. Tell us what you are doing. If you do the dishes or drive a car, talk about it. Pay attention to your intonation and pronunciation.
3. Exercise regularly. You will not get very far without practicing what you are learning. Even learning a language quickly takes a certain amount of time and dedication. As long as you work hard and practice what you are learning, there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to learn French well!
   • Think in French. Set aside time each day to practice thinking in French. Go to the supermarket and think about the products in the store and the conversations you have with people. Practice translating those interactions into French.
   • Set your Facebook (and other social media) settings to French. You still know where everything is, but you will have to practice what you have learned in a practical way.
   • Do not give up! Sometimes it may seem like you will never learn, but you will succeed. As long as you keep practicing and your study methods keep varying, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to learn French.

Part 3 of 3: Learning useful sentences

1. Learn to greet and say goodbye. The following are a few helpful phrases and words to start with, as most people start and end their conversations the same way. The "zh" in the following pronunciation guide sounds like "j" and "sh" interchangeably.
   • "Bonjour" means "Hello" and is pronounced "bohn-zhoor."
   • "Je mahappelle ..." means "My name is ..." and pronounced "zhuh mah-pehl."
   • "Au revoir" means "Goodbye" and is pronounced "oh-reh-vwar."
2. Learn how to ask for help. This is important, especially if you want the other speaker to slow down or repeat something. Make sure to look up the individual words while you practice as the English translation and French meaning may differ.
   • "Parlez lentement" means "Please speak slowly" and is pronounced "par-lay lehn-ta-mohn."
   • "Je ne comprends pas" means "I don't understand" and is pronounced "zhuh nuh kohn-prahn pah."
3. Don't forget to thank the people who help you. Say "merci" or "merci beaucoup" which means "thank you" or "thank you very much".

Tips

• Some people are naturally language sensitive and others are not. Don't use this as an excuse.
• Once you have a broad vocabulary, you can start translating things you see every day into your own language. Maybe you are listening to a music track and as you do that you start thinking about the words and times you need to translate the text into French. The same goes for road signs, menus or conversations. While this may sound a bit boring, sometimes you just come across a word in your own language and realize you don't know its French equivalent. This is a good way to keep track of your skills and make sure you don't forget anything.

Warnings

• Use your French knowledge otherwise you will forget it.
• If you misuse a word, apologize and try again.