French Language
The French language is probably the most internationally significant Romance language in the world. At the beginning of the 21st century, French was the official language of more than 25 countries. In France and Corsica, about 60 million individuals use it as their first language, in Canada more than 7.3 million, in Belgium more than 3.9 million, in Switzerland more than 1.8 million, in Monaco some 80,000, in Italy some 100,000, and in the United States some 1.3 million. Furthermore, more than 49 million Africans use French as a first or second language, and millions of inhabitants of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia use it as their principal international language.
Learning French
It won’t be easy, but learning French in six months is possible if you’re motivated, diligent, and realistic about your goals. In this post, we’ll show you how to get in the right mindset for quick success with French learning, plus six tips for a strategic, efficient study plan you can use in just half a year. To learn French in a short timeframe, you’ll need a strategy. Simply diving into any old textbook won’t give you the direction and motivation you need to achieve your goal. Here are some key steps you can take to prepare to learn French in six months successfully:
1. Surround yourself with French material
With only six months to learn French, you’ll need to make the most of every minute. Create an immersive atmosphere so you can eat, live and breathe French. While you’re at the gym or stuck in traffic, listen to French podcasts. When you have some time to kill, watch French TV series and films, even if you don’t completely get what’s going on right away. Downloading a dictionary and flashcard app will also be useful so you can look up or review words on-the-go.
2. Listen to Authentic French Content as Often as Possible
Listening to authentic French content is a great way to expose yourself to the rhythm, cadences, and intonations of native French speakers, even if you don’t understand everything that’s being said right away. While traditional study materials will certainly be useful for your language studies, you need early and frequent exposure to authentic French speech if you really want to learn quickly. Not only will this provide essential comprehension practice, it’ll also help you form good habits when it comes to pronunciation and accent.
3. Don't just study French, live with it
Whether you’re taking classes or learning by yourself independently, you can be the most dedicated student in the world, but if you don’t practice your French, it just won’t stick. To speed up your learning, you need to find opportunities to speak. Right from the beginning, seize every chance to practice what little you know. Even if you only repeat the same ten phrases about your job or where you come from, you’re laying firm foundations upon which the rest of your French will be built.
4. Practice out loud
Always practice out loud. Thinking about the words is not enough and whispering them under your breath won’t cut it. When you practice, make sure you speak out in a big, confident voice. There’s something special about speaking French aloud that helps fix words and sentences in your long-term memory. It’s like learning to play music. You can’t learn a piece by memorizing the notes on the page and imagining the tune. But by playing the notes in sequence over and over again, they quickly become second nature, and you no longer need to think about what you’re doing.
5. Commit to consistency
Think of learning a language like a workout regimen. Consistency is key. A 20-minute jog every day is better than a three-hour cardio session every two weeks. The same goes for learning French in six months. You have to pace yourself and break things up into manageable chunks so you don’t burn yourself out. You also have to keep up that regular practice so you don’t lose what you studied the day before.
6. Write your own French Dictionary
You’ll learn French much faster if you focus on words and phrases that are relevant to your life. Plus, when you have real conversations in French, you’ll be able to talk about yourself. That’s why we recommend creating a personalized French dictionary. This is a collection of words and phrases that are relevant to you.
7. Talk to native speakers
The most effective way to learn a language is to speak from day one. This is especially true if you have conversations with native French speakers. No matter where you live you can still find people, either online or offline, to speak within French.
Everyone who has ever learned to speak French was once a beginner in the language. They all managed to learn to speak French fluently, and so can you. You just need to use your French as much as you can. Spend as much time immersed in French as you can. And, most importantly, believe in yourself.
