Parlez-vous français?
If you’re unfamiliar with this language, this phrase means, “Do you speak French?” in French.
Whether you want to travel to France, watch movies without subtitles, or speak with French friends, there are plenty of reasons why you’d want to respond, “Oui!”
Learning a language isn’t as hard as it seems. In fact, you can become fluent in a few months! If this man can speak 59 languages, learning French should seem like a walk in the park.
Ready to take on the challenge? Keep reading to learn the best tricks on how to speak French fluently in less than a year.
1. Learn French in French-Speaking Countries
The best way to learn French fast is through immersion. Traveling to a French-speaking country can feel like jumping into the deep end when you don’t know how to swim. However, when you’re forced to adapt to a new culture, you pick up the essentials much faster.
However, there are plenty of things that can hold you back from a long Parisian vacation. If you aren’t in a position to do any traveling, then there are still plenty of other ways to learn at home.
2. It’s Easy to Speak French If You Watch Plenty of Films
One of the easiest ways to learn French is to surround yourself with the language. If you can’t live in a French-speaking country, you can transform your home into a classroom.
Watch French movies with subtitles so you can start to learn pronunciation, common phrases, and intonation. You can learn more today about some of the most entertaining films that make learning fun.
Listening to French music can also help. Don’t forget to study the meaning of the lyrics and sing them to yourself!
3. Download Apps That Teach You How to Speak French
We’re always on our smartphones, so it makes sense to use them as a tool to get smarter. Two of the best apps on the market today are Memrise and Duolingo.
Both apps are free and offer tons of immersive content to get you speaking fluently in no time.
4. Read Short Stories with a Dictionary and Notebook on Hand
Language is composed of thousands of different words. Getting a grip on vocabulary is crucial for understanding a foreign language.
A great way to absorb more information is to translate by hand. Start by reading children’s stories that use simple language. Write down words you don’t understand and then use a dictionary to write down its English meaning.
Continue this process until you translate the whole story. Go back and read the story until you can understand it without referring to your notes. Read increasingly more advanced stories as you build your vocabulary.
5. Learn to Speak French by Watching Fun YouTubers
YouTube is popular among people of every age. There’s content created by real, relatable people available for everyone.
You can watch tons of fun, interactive videos made by native people who can teach you how to speak like a pro. Another bonus is that you can watch vloggers who document what it’s like to live in France. Learning about the culture will help inspire your learning efforts.
6. Play Online Games to Help Boost Memory
Getting as many senses and parts of your brain involved in an activity will help the information stick.
Games are an effective learning method because they’re fun and challenge our competitive nature. Check out these 13 foreign language games for adults to find your newest addiction.
7. Répète, répète, répète! Practice Makes Perfect
Most Americans are required to learn a foreign language during their schooling. These lessons can last for years, but they only lead to an elementary understanding of the language.
The reason why progress is so slow is that the lessons aren’t taught every day. The best way to become fluent in a language is to use it as much as possible every day. The longer you go without training your brain, the harder it will be to recall what you’ve previously learned.
A perfect scenario would be studying for at least an hour every day. With this schedule, you’ll see huge progress in only three months.
8. Learn with a Friend
Everything in life is better with friends! Do you know anyone else who wants to learn French? Take up the challenge together.
You can practice together and encourage each other to stay motivated if you ever get frustrated.
Heat up some popcorn and enjoy a movie together. You can even try discussing what you liked and disliked once it’s over.
Another fun idea is to go to the park and enjoy a brisk walk. Exercise has been proven to help boost learning. You can practice vocabulary by identifying various things you see in the park.
You can also utilize conversational French by asking about each other’s day. Since you’re both novices, you won’t feel self-conscious about sounding silly.
9. Review Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation Daily
There are three major components associated with most world languages: grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.
Everyone’s first instinct when learning a new language is to memorize as many words as possible. While this definitely helps, it won’t get you far in a real conversation.
Conjugation is especially important to be understood. Make sure you set aside enough time each day to pay proper attention to these categories to stay fresh.
10. If You Can’t Travel, Get a Virtual Pen Pal
Thanks to technology, we can speak to anyone around the world from the comfort of our own homes.
Don’t have money for expensive tutoring sessions? Don’t stress. Sites like Italki give you the option to exchange free language lessons.
If you aren’t interested in helping a French person learn English, then you also have the option to pay a native for an affordable lesson where you can practice conversation, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation through your webcam.
Want to Know More Ways to Improve Your Life?
If you’re serious about learning how to speak French, you can trick anyone into thinking you’re a native within a few months of practice.
To learn more tips, life hacks, and interesting facts, Paldrop is your best source of entertainment. Check out these travel hacks to inspire your next trip to France!