How to Speak & Write in French
The French Language has been called "the language of love." It is spoken by more than 70 million people worldwide and is one of the more popular languages people learn as a second language. Learning to speak French can be a rewarding experience but it takes hard work and persistence. The language differs from English dramatically in terms of sentence structure and grammar. Some of the words are hard to pronounce. Unless you have grown up in a French-language home, you will have to re-teach your mind to process these foreign sounds. All will become clear, however, if you stick with it earnestly.
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Instructions
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1
Purchase French language learning materials. These materials include at a minimum a French to English dictionary, as well as a commercial learning program, such as Rosetta Stone or an equivalent. Also helpful are books with activities that teach French grammar and vocabulary. These can be found either over the Internet, at your local bookstore, or at your local library.
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Take a French language class. This can be an expensive step, but it is extremely helpful to have a hands-on learning experience. This is generally the only proper way to learn the parts of speech and grammar other than completely immersing yourself in a French-speaking country or growing up as an infant in a French-language home. Most local community colleges offer classes and they can generally be taken at various times throughout the week, even on the weekends, making them ideal if you have a full-time job with tight time constraints.
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3
Write out the names of items and things you use everyday in French onto note cards and place those note cards on the items themselves. Be sure to include the article that goes with the word. French nouns are either masculine, feminine, or neuter. The nouns may also be in singular or plural. Use the dictionary to determine the proper article and include this on the note card. This way, you associate the item with its French equivalent. Whenever you walk by the item, say the item's name out loud in French.
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Practice speaking French out loud for at least one hour every day. You can practice by yourself, but it is more helpful to practice with a fluent speaker. If you have purchased a commercial learning aid, as mentioned in Step 1, such as Rosetta Stone, the program has software that assists you in speaking properly.
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Watch movies in French. Most DVDs have an option in the "Languages" section that allows you to watch the movie in French. While watching the movie, copy common words and phrases down on a piece of paper as you recognize them. Also, speak some of the phrases you recognize out loud and try to match the accent and proper pronunciation.
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Practice continually. Learning a second language comes easier for some than others, but no one has learned it without taking time and effort to do so. This is not an easy process. You need to focus on what you learn through the commercial language software and your community classes. You need to practice everyday speaking out loud and writing out proper sentences.
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Tips & Warnings
Purchasing a foreign language learning software and taking a class may be expensive, but the two combined provide you with an environment where you are completely immersed in the language, and it will serve to help you learn the language faster.
