If your current level of French is somewhere between beginner to intermediate. By doing the following 5 tips, you will soon be on your way to French fluency. These tips are designed to fit into your everyday life so learning a language does not have to feel like a chore.
Whether you have just started out or you already have the basics covered, the following will help you become conversational in French quicker than you expect.
1. Download a language app
There are so many apps to choose from, but my personal favourites are Duolingo and Memrise. I normally interchange between the two, as there are some features that one app has that the other does not. Duolingo groups learning new vocabulary and grammar into different categories that you can tackle. Once you have mastered level one of a category, a new one is unlocked so you can build up the blocks to learning French. Memorise has a similar approach as you will learn how to speak French based in stages. The Memorise app also has a feature that lets you listen to words and phrases spoken by Native French speakers. I found this very useful as it gives you a real sense of how the word is spoken in France rather than having a computer-generated voice say the word.
Both apps offer a paid version however, you won’t necessarily have to upgrade. The free version will give you all the daily practice you need to learn French.
2. Listen to the radio
This has to be a very underrated but very effective way of learning French or any new language or skill. Listening to the radio (whether you only understand ‘Bonjour’ or 50% of the conversation) is a sure way to improve how quickly you learn.
Listening to the radio does not have to be reserved only for the car. Look at all these other great places that you can listen to and learn French:
- In the shower
- While cooking dinner
- When procrastinating about learning French
The best part is if you are feeling a little sluggish and not in the mood to study, you can passively learn French with this non-intrusive approach.
If you want to take a more proactive approach, there are news stations that provide a summary of the news in 10 minutes with transcripts available.
So how do you get access to French radio stations? Have a look on your app store for French radio stations or google ‘French radio stations’ to live stream the radio.
3. Change the language of your phone to French
Today we do more than ever before with our phones. As well as always having our phone to hand, we normally use the same functions day to day. From sending messages, making phone calls and endlessly scrolling on social media. Why not challenge yourself to change your phone settings language to French. Do you honestly sit back and take in the buttons that you are pressing or is it something that you just know by heart? You already know your way around your phone so now you have the opportunity of learning some new vocabulary.
If you are not 100% ready to change your entire phone settings, then another option is to change the language within an app. However, before you go ahead and change the settings, take some notes. Write down (and preferably not in your phone), what steps you took so you can always go back to English.
4. Find songs in your favourite genre in French
No matter if your favourite genre of music is Rnb, Pop or rock music, you can believe that there is a French song. Type the genre of music you like in google followed by French music.
You can have a look at the music video, learn the lyrics and learn some new words. The best part is that you are likely to learn some new concepts and words that are not covered in a standard ‘Learn French’ language book.
5.Watch films that you have already seen… In French
What is your favourite film? Have you tried watching it in French? You can watch movies online and change the language, and add subtitles. (Try to use French subtitles if possible!).
If you are having trouble finding your favourite film in French, you can go to youtube and find clips of your favourite film in French.
I hope the above tips are handy and will help you to immerse yourself in French from the comfort of your own home. Leave a comment below and let us know which tips have worked the best for you.
