We are not talking about speaking French as a native or having a bilingual level. It’s above all about learning the basics and in a few weeks to be able to engage in conversations without feeling lost or blushing for fear of making a mistake or not understanding.
If you have to learn how to defend yourself in French for a trip you have to do, maybe for work. The following techniques may help you start this process.
Studying and learning stories in different verb tenses
Every time we repeat something, we internalize it, and it’s easy to learn from those small modifications that allow us to understand the difference between the verbal tenses.
However, the textbooks propose new stories with which we can expand the content that we have not yet mastered. Therefore, learning simple stories and then changing their verbal tenses in French will teach us to interact better in conversations. Through use and practice, you will understand conjugation and grammar as the natives do.
Study with original language content.
No more boring textbooks, use only real-world books and magazines. Read things that interest you, visit blogs and websites that you like, and follow the series in the original French version. This way you will become more familiar with the language, see the news and read true content from the native country of the French language.
Start with simple things, obviously, but get used to the real French. French language books often use guides with information that is not useful at the time of applying it to reality, after years of lessons, when you face reality, it turns out you don’t understand anything at all. If you want to speak native French, then listen to it and soak in the real world of the country that speaks that language.
Practice with “listening and answering” exercises
This rule is very powerful and key to learning French quickly and effectively. In general, French schools encourage students to repeat sentences, but this is not sufficient to interiorize them deeply. We must go one-step further and try to respond. If the exercise consists of a text, a series of easy questions should be developed that invite us to seek and develop simple answers. Even if you don’t know the answer, you will be forced to think, make assumptions or excuse yourself in French. As in real life.
Listen to music in French
If you are one of those who loves music, and loves to listen to it most of the day, then search the playlist in your favorite music applications for songs in French.
You can search for the most listened songs in France in their language original, or you can also search for songs you know in French version, so you can associate the lyrics of the songs you already know with their French translation. With this technique, you will practice your pronunciation and little by little, you will perfect it.
I am a French history enthusiast and blogger. I love to travel around France, exploring its many historical sites and sharing my passion with my readers. I am also an avid photographer, and my blog features many of my stunning photos of France’s beautiful landscape and architecture.