Everything You Need To Learn French
If you’ve decided to learn French, you’re in good company. This Indo-European Romance language is one of the most studied languages in the world, and for good reason. French is the language of literature, arts, diplomacy and business in many parts of the world.
Over 260 million people speak French across the globe, thanks to its widespread use in former colonial empires, so learning even a little bit will grant you access to a whole new world of possibilities.
Due to its Latin roots, French shares many linguistic similarities with Spanish, Italian, Catalan and Portuguese, as well as lesser known languages like Occitan. English and French also have many words in common, due in part to the long-standing historical relationship between France and the UK.
For native English speakers living in the UK or North America (particularly Canada), French will come easier than other romance languages, mostly because of the proximity to French-speaking territories. French, for instance, is widely taught as a second language in UK schools.
The great thing about its widespread use is that there’s almost an infinite amount of French-language materials that learners can use to gain fluency. It’s highly possible to achieve this on your own using some of the products below.
French Language Learning Books
Learning French with books is one of the most effective methods to get started on the right grammatical footing in the language. Almost all comprehensive French course/study books are affordable and will introduce you to all of the core fundamentals of French in a structured way, usually providing you with plenty of examples and practice exercises to test you as you progress.
A concise French dictionary costs next to nothing, and will be your trusted companion for years to come. An English-French/French-English dictionary makes looking up those new words you’ll constantly encounter so much easier, so having a good one to hand is important.
Planning a trip to France or a French-speaking country soon and want to be able to communicate while you’re there? Well, a French phrasebook will teach you the most popular words and phrases to use in many diverse situations, making for a great reference book.
In addition to some of the above books, there might be others that could facilitate your language learning even better, depending on what type of learner you are and what your goals are with French. A book of French writing prompts, for instance, could help you immensely in sentence-building, improving not only your written skills but your speaking skills as well.
**It should be noted that French is not a phonetic language in the slightest, so in order to pronounce it properly, one would need to have extensive exposure to French dialogue as it is spoken by natives.
French Children’s Books
Through engaging characters and fun storylines, French children’s books are a great way for learners of all ages to improve their French vocabulary and reading comprehension.
French books written for children are often written using a more simple form of the language, which makes them a breeze to read, and thus useful to beginners at the start of their journey. Helpful, memorable illustrations make the process even more enjoyable and stimulating.
If you’re just starting out, it might be prudent to pick up a bilingual English-French book that includes both texts side by side, as you’ll easily be able to reference the English as you read, making translation quick and simple.
French Fiction
Similar to French children’s books, reading French fiction that’s written for older readers is a great way to improve your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills and keep the language learning process fun and engaging.
French adult fiction uses more complex vocabulary, sentence structures and styles than those found in children’s literature, exposing you to “proper” French in a natural way.
If you’re doing it right, you’ll eventually find children’s books too bland and easy; moving on to French stories written for adults will provide you with more challenging material.
French Movies & TV Shows
French is one of the few languages that has easily accessible DVD videos that teach the language. French language learning videos are fun and interactive, with plenty of music and interesting scenarios, making the material memorable.
They’re not just for kids; beginners will get a lot out of them, too.
French Digital Courses
As French is such a popular language to learn, you’ll have your pick when it comes to French e-courses. There’s a lot of variety to be had in this space – you can learn French from anywhere in the world, with or without an internet connection, at your own pace, using various combinations of audio lessons, video lessons and practice exercises.
Digital French courses are usely audio/video focused, and aim to get you speaking the language from lesson one. They’re more concerned with students learning the language in a natural way, as natives would, through immersion, as opposed to with study books.
Many of the big name digital language course providers (Pimsleur, Rosetta Stone and Paul Noble among them) offer comprehensive French audio-only courses that will get you speaking conversational French in a relatively short space of time.
Udemy’s French course is comprised of several hours of video instruction, and includes lifetime access to the course and any future updates, can be accessed on any device, including smart TVs, and has a built-in community of French learners with whom you can socialize and share ideas and experiences.
FRENCH UDEMY COURSES
FRENCH DIGITAL COURSES
French Flash Cards
There are a couple of reasons why you should have French flash cards in your language learning arsenal.
First, they’re a fun and interactive way to learn new words and test your vocabulary. And second, they take advantage of the “spaced repetition” method, which is known to be one of the best ways to learn new material in a short space of time.
French flash cards are usually theme-based, with words and phrases organized into topics that you can use to drill yourself on a variety of different areas of French vocabulary.
French Products
Learning French should be fun, and with the right products, it can be, whether it’s through creative French products designed for kids or language learning games that are just as fun as they are educational.
Below you’ll find a wide range of French products that should help you pick up the language faster. From French vocabulary posters to French language learning stickers, you’re sure to find something of interest here.
Free French Worksheets
Everyone could use a little extra practice now and then. That’s why we created these French PDF worksheets and made them available for free download.
A French word search puzzle will improve your vocabulary, while French writing prompts allow you to practice building your own sentences and writing in French, all important skills to have on your road to fluency.
French Quizzes and Games
A great way to pick up some more vocabulary is by playing a French-language game or taking a French quiz. These quizzes and games are all free to play online, right here.
