Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: How to Learn Common Words and Phrases
• Method 2 of 3: How to Improve Your Language Skills
• Method 3 of 3: How to Use Effective Teaching Methods
• Tips

The French language is very beautiful and romantic. It is spoken by residents of different countries of the world. If you want to learn the basics of the French language, start with useful words and phrases. Learn greetings, polite phrases, ways to introduce yourself, and other simple conversation skills. Practice your pronunciation, as well as the grammar and structure of the language if you're ready to dig a little deeper. Flash cards, simple children's books, and trying simple French diary entries can help you.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: How to Learn Common Words and Phrases

1. 1 Greet people with the words "salut", "bonjour" and "bonsoir". To start a conversation and greet passers-by, you should study the greeting words of the French language. So, in most cases, it is appropriate to greet a person with the word "bonjour" (bonjour).
   • The letter "j" in the word "bonjour" is pronounced softly and sounds like the Russian sound "zh". The letter "n" should be pronounced barely perceptibly without touching the palate with the tip of the tongue. This sound occurs in the back of the mouth and is nasal.
   • The word literally translates to "good afternoon" and is a fairly formal greeting. In informal situations, you can say "salut" (salu), which translates as "hello."
   • The word "bonjour" is best used during the day, and in the evening say "bonsoir" (bon suar), which means "good evening."
2. 2 Say "au revoir", "bonne nuit" or "salut" to say goodbye. "Au revoir" (about revoir) is the most famous version of goodbye in French, which translates as "see you soon." As a less formal expression, you can use the word "salut", which means "hello" or "goodbye". Also in French the Italian word "ciao" is sometimes used in phrases like "Ciao, salut".
   • You can also say “bonne nuit”, which translates as “good night”.
3. 3 Practice pronouncing letters alphabet to understand French phonetics. Pronounce the vowels a, e, i, o, u like "a", "e", "i", "o" and "y". Consonants like b and c are pronounced "bae" and "se" as opposed to the English letters "bi" and "si".
   • Pronounce the letters of the French alphabet: “a (a), be (b), se (c), de (d), e (e), eff (f), same (g), ash (h), and (i) , zhi (j), ka (k), el (l), em (m), en (n), o (o), pe (p), ku (q), er (r), es (s) , te (t), u (u), ve (v), double-ve (w), x (x), igrek, (y), zed (z) ".
   • Practice pronouncing the letters of the alphabet to better understand the sound of vowels and consonants in French. This will improve your pronunciation, even if you only want to memorize useful and common expressions.
4. 4 Learn to count in French. The numbers will help you place an order at a restaurant or tell you your age. Divide the problem into several steps to quickly learn how to count to 1000.On the first day, practice counting from 1 to 10, then go from 11 to 20, and the next day, memorize the remaining tens (30, 40, 50, and so on).
   • Numbers from 1 to 10 in French are written as “un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix” and pronounced “en (1), deu (2), trois (3), kyatr (4), senk (5), sis (6), set (7), whit (8), nef (9), dis (10) ”.
   • A list of numbers in French with pronunciation tips can be found here.
5. 5 Memorize useful travel phrases. If you are traveling to an area where French is spoken, learn to ask helpful questions such as "Do you speak Russian?" or "Where is the restroom?" As in Russian, French has different words for the pronouns "you" (politely) and "you" (informally). When addressing a friend, say “tu”, and when addressing strangers and elders, use “vous” politely.
   • To ask "Do you speak Russian?" Say "Parlez-vous russe?" (parle woo ryus). You can ask a more informal question "Parle-tu russe?" (parl chu ryus).
   • At a restaurant, say "Je voudrais" which means "I would like to." For example, say “Je voudrais une salade” to the waiter, which means “I would like a salad.”
   • In an informal setting, you can ask "Où sont les toilettes?" (at sleep le toilet) if you need to use the restroom. For a formal dinner at a party, ask the host "Excusez-moi, où est-ce que je peux me rafraîchir?" (eksyuze muah, exyo zhe peo meo rafrashir), which means "I beg your pardon, where can I put myself in order?"
   • French people often speak foreign languages ​​like English, but it's polite to apologize if you don't speak French: “Je suis désolé, mais je ne parle pas français”. It means "Sorry, I don't speak French."
   SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

   

   Lorenzo garriga

   
   
   French translator and native speaker Lorenzo Garriga is a native speaker and connoisseur of the French language. He has many years of experience as a translator, author and editor. A composer, pianist and traveler who has been wandering the world for over 30 years on a tight budget and with a backpack on his back.

   Lorenzo garriga
   French translator and native speaker

   When traveling, it is always polite to know the phrases "Hello", "How are you" and "My name is ..."... At the same time, you should also know the phrase "Where is ...?", Which will be very useful in a new country. You will probably need to find a restroom, hotel and other useful places.

6. 6 Memorize the French words "thank you" and "please." It's always wise to be polite when asking directions or ordering at a restaurant. Remember that French can also be addressed as "you" and "you". Likewise, there is a polite and informal way of saying please.
   • The formal version is "s'il vous plait" (sil vous plait). For example, say "Excusez-moi, s'il vous plaît, parlez-vous russe?" (eskuze mua, sil vu ple, parle vu ryus), which translates as “I beg your pardon, do you speak Russian?”.
   • A less formal version of the word "please" is "s'il te plait" (strong tee ple). You can ask a friend "Je voudrais de l'eau, s'il te plait" (zhe voudre do lio, sil te ple), which means "Can I have some water, please?"
   • Merci means thank you. To say “Thank you very much” or “Thank you so much,” say “Merci beaucoup” (merci boku) or “Merci bien” (merci bien).
   • To say "You are always welcome", say "Je vous en prie" (jeo woo zan pri) - this is a polite phrase, or "De rien" (dé ryen), which translates as "not at all" and is less formal. ...
7. 7 Learn to ask and answer the "How are you" question. Address the person with the phrase "Comment allez-vous?" (to command woo). This is a polite form. A less formal phrase sounds like "Comment vas-tu?" (command va tyu) or "Ça va?" (sa va).
   • The answer to this question is "Très bien", which means "very good." You can also say "Pas mal" (pa mal), which translates as "not bad", or "Ça va" (sa va) - "Slowly."
8. 8 Learn to talk about yourself. Learn to give your name, age, country of residence and ask people similar questions. To introduce yourself, say “Je m’appelle” (same mapel), which means “My name is”.
   • To find out a person's name, ask "Comment vous appelez-vous?" (Koman woo swim woo) for polite address or "Comment tu t'appelles?" (room tapel) in a less formal setting.
   • Ask “Quel âge as-tu” or more politely “Quel âge avez-vous” to find out the person's age. Answer "J'ai 18 ans" (zhe diz uit an), which translates as "I am 18 years old."
   • "Où habitez-vous" (u abite wu) and "Où habites-tu?" (for abit tu) translates as "Where do you live / Where do you live?" You can answer “J’habite à Moscou, mais je suis de Moldova” (zhabit a moscu, me zhe sui de molova), which means “I live in Moscow, but I’m from Moldova”.

Method 2 of 3: How to Improve Your Language Skills

1. 1 Practice your pronunciation, especially the French "R" sound. Listen to native speakers and strive to imitate to learn how to form sounds in the throat, not in the front of the mouth. For example, in Russian the sound "P" is formed by the rattling of the tip of the tongue, while for French "R" the root of the tongue must be taken closer to the soft palate.
   • The best option is to work with a native speaker who will correct your pronunciation mistakes. If you have acquaintances or people who are fluent in French, ask them to help you.
2. 2 Memorize the gender of the words. As in Russian, in French all nouns and adjectives are either masculine or feminine. Many words with an e ending are feminine, but it's important to remember that there are many exceptions! The first thing to remember is that the gender of the adjective must match the gender of the noun.
   • In addition, if a noun is plural, then the adjective that describes it must also be plural. Use the phrase “Sam est petit” to say that the boy is Himself short. If the girls with the names Sam and Beth are both short, then say "Sam et Beth sont petites" (he and Beth sleep petite).
   • The form of the French article must also correspond to gender and number. “Un” and “une” (yong and yun) are masculine and feminine indefinite articles. "Le", "la" and "les" (le, la, le) are masculine and feminine definite articles, as well as plural. If the word begins with a vowel, then the article is truncated to "l": "l'école" (lecol), which translates as "school."
   • If you are talking about yourself, then use the correct adjectives. For example, "Je suis lituanien" (zhe suis lituanien) is masculine, and "Je suis lituanienne" (zhe suis lituanien) is feminine.
3. 3 Learn to use auxiliary verbs. Using the verbs "être" (to be) and "avoir" (to have) is not always easy, but it is an important basic aspect of the French language. In French, auxiliary verbs are needed in phrases like "I'm hungry" and "I'm thirsty." For example, "J'ai faim" (zhe fem) and "J'ai soif" (zhe suaf) literally translate as "I have a hunger" and "I have a thirst."
   • To find out if a person is hungry, ask the question "Avez-vous faim?" (ave woo fem) or "As-tu faim?" (and bye fem). Replace “faim” with “soif” (suaf) to ask about thirst, or “sommeil” (sommei) to find out if the person wants to sleep.
   • The verb avoir always expresses states like hunger, thirst, and fatigue. The verb "être" (to be) is used with adjectives expressing gender and nationality.

Method 3 of 3: How to Use Effective Teaching Methods

1. 1 Memorize word lists daily or weekly. Make lists at your own pace. For example, use 10 new words or phrases every day or a word of the day on a calendar to build your vocabulary every day.
   • As you study, review past lists to refresh your memory, then move on to new material.
   • Make thematic lists such as food, body parts, or household items. If you are traveling in a French-speaking country, then the words for travel can be found here.
2. 2 Create flashcards to expand your vocabulary. Write the French word on one side and the translation on the other. Say the words out loud as you write. Check yourself or work with friends.
   • If you see, write down and pronounce the translation aloud, then the words will be better deposited in memory.
3. 3 Watch French films and TV shows. French people speak fast, so you can rent and buy French films and TV shows to learn how to perceive and understand the language by ear. You can also find videos on YouTube and other similar services.
   • Licensed movie discs are often dubbed in French, so always look at the audio track selection menu.
4. 4 Read children's books in French. Flashcards help build vocabulary, but you should also learn to use new words in context. The language in children's books is simple, and pictures will help you guess the meanings of words you don't know.
   • Look for such books online or in the library. You can also download free or low-cost e-books and read them on your smartphone or tablet.
5. 5 Write your day in a diary in French. Once you've mastered the basics of the language, practice writing short sentences every day. They don't have to be difficult, especially at first. Use words from the daily and weekly lists to reinforce.
   • For example, you can write: “Aujourd'hui c'est dimanche, le 7 Octobre. J'ai déjeuné avec ma cousine. J'ai mangé une salade de poulet, de la laitue, des épinards, des oignons, et des tomates. "
   • This translates to “Today is Sunday, October 7th. I had breakfast with my cousin. I had a salad with chicken, lettuce, spinach, onions and tomatoes. "
   • If you know someone who knows French, ask them to read your notes and correct mistakes.

Tips

• Use "vous" for strangers, teachers, bosses, and elders to show respect. Informal phrases are only suitable for addressing children, friends, or family members.
• When asking a question, remember to raise your tone of voice at the end of the phrase. If you lower your tone of voice, "Ça va" means "Slowly" and "Tu as faim" means "You are hungry." If you raise the tone of your voice at the end of the phrase, you get the questions "How are you?" and "Are you hungry?"