Introduction:

Fluency in a Foreign language always adds another feather to your cap. French and Chinese – they are becoming increasingly popular with the youth, as business becomes easier to deal with when we are at power with the language in concern. Now if you have chosen to self-study France then let me tell you that it is the most taught foreign language in India due to the surge in tourism, hospitality, and innumerable sectors. In recent few decades, Indians have taken a varied interest in French wines and cheese and till the 20th century, France had the monopoly over wine-making and still boasts of one! Without much further ado, let’s see how?!!

• Learning numbers and alphabets

As an avid traveler, I have realized that grasping numbers makes commuting very easy in unknown territory. And then of course then we have to learn the alphabets, which are quite different from English alphabets. The pronunciation of French alphabets sounds different and once we can grasp the ‘sound’ understanding words become fluid.

• A target of five words per day

Time is a precious commodity, whether we are learning French for business or pleasure. Hence learning five words per day related to your purpose would be a great process for self-learning. Over a period of time, these words will not only help us in speaking but writing as well. It’s an exercise that can easily hit two birds with one arrow. Firstly, new words can be learned practically anytime, even when you are commuting to the office. Secondly, these words can predominantly help you to write your CV in French, especially if you are planning to look for a job over there.

• Entertainment

 French movies have a market of their own. So, the moment you start grabbing the French words, immediately venture into the journey of watching French movies with subtitles. In fact, Amazon music has an amazing facility where you read the lyrics while listening to a French song. Learning becomes fun through the medium of entertainment.

• Reading news articles daily

 Thanks to Google and its great technology now we can easily read International news in the palm of our hands. It would be a great exercise to pick up one news Article in French and then read the translation in English at the same time. We can achieve two targets through this exercise. Firstly, in case you are learning French for job-purpose, you may get a clear idea of their current affairs. Secondly, it’s a great tool to cut the boredom and you also get an idea about the new job openings.

• Take one step at a time

 Language learning becomes quicker if you can get a native speaker to speak with on a daily basis. However, if you don’t have that luxury, don’t feel overwhelmed! Dedication and consistency can anytime overtake talent. So, keep on reading and listening – and make sure to revise every week to check your growth and if the growth is not as per your expectation, please do not drown yourself in self-pity.

• Books and Knowledge are synonymous

There is no substitute for reading, writing, and comprehending. Thereby speaking comes organically! If self-learning is what you have chosen, then grab a book of French language learning and start asap. If you are running on a tight schedule then grab your earphones and start downloading e-books or listening to podcasts readily available at your fingertips.

• Conclusion

Thanks to social media, we have now realized that self-learning is possible. Earlier learning a new skill seemed like an elephant to be gulped at one go but not anymore! Without spending a dime, you may choose a French club on FB and start chatting with them right away. I am sure you will end up meeting like-minded people who are in the same boat as you and thus it can not only keep your motivation higher as you don’t feel alone but also native speakers of French can cross your path like a lottery ticket!