Regardless of whether you’ve been struggling to learn this language for a long time, or you have yet to begin learning, it is important to realize that learning French, like most languages, takes time and energy. Therefore, patience and determination are required, every step of the way.

In general:

Try to work on it a little bit at a time, but regularly. This increases your likelihood of continuing in the long run.

Start with the basics, and ensure you have a solid foundation before moving on to higher level stuff.
Set goals for yourself. Ideally, these should be specific, realistic, and personalized to fit YOU. Remember to reward yourself when you reach a new goal!

Hopefully by now you’ve determined your own learning style; play to your strengths and use this to your advantage, so you can learn as efficiently as possible.

Oral:

Practice on your own – try to think to yourself in French. For example, next time you’re walking to the kitchen, ask yourself: “Qu’est-ce que je vais manger au jourd’hui?” Or when you check your watch, convert 2:13 to “deux heure treize.”

If you’re not sure how you’re doing, consider recording yourself and playing it back so you can compare to how you think it “should” sound.

Listen to as much French as possible; people talking on the radio, music, or movies (as these can be subbed to help you out).

Immerse yourself as much as possible: join a group or club. (Check out sites like www.meetup.com which help you connect with like-minded individuals). If you know anyone who lives in a French family, or someone who knows someone who does… Perhaps you could spend some time in their home? Or, even better, take the time to visit a Francophone country. (If you’re in North America, Québec might be more realistic.)

Written:

Read, read, read! When starting out, this might mean checking out children’s books – that’s okay. Challenge yourself, and look up words you don’t know.

For verb conjugations, use flash cards. (Also applicable for vocabulary.)

Use post-its to cover household objects with French words. (When you walk out of a room, you can be reminded that the word for door is “porte”!)

See if you can find a pen pal (or email correspondent) which whom you could practice your writing skills.

Final notes:

Don’t rely on a simple phrasebook… memorizing sentences out of one of those is NOT the same thing as learning the language!

Be aware of cognates (words that look the same, and mean the same thing in both English and French), and make your life easier!

Consider investing in classes, or perhaps a tutor, in addition to what you learn on your own. This can help give direction to your learning.

Don’t forget: Have fun with it! There are many French games available online you can play to help you along the way. Everything seems easier when you are enjoying yourself.

Thanks Ann for writing this article.

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