10 Great Tips for Learning French Easy and Fun

French is probably one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn. But it still takes a lot of work and effort to reach fluency. If you wish to learn French fast with minimal effort, keep on reading and see how these child-play-like tips can help you master French while having fun.

Why Do People Fail to Learn French?

Before we go through the specific tips to learn French easily, let’s first understand the underlying logic of what prevents us from learning a new language like French.

Besides the lack of motivation, having no concrete plan on how to go about accomplishing your goal is one of the many reasons why French learners fail. Like with any skill, you need to create a system and identify where you are in your progress.

Luckily, LingoDeer is a language app that does that for you! LingoDeer provides a systematic French learning route curated by teachers and logs your progress as you learn. You can clearly see what you’ve learned and where you are. Give it a try for Free if you also wish to learn French systematically!

Another factor why you might fail to learn a new language is your emotional response in the learning process. If you feel bored or stressed over learning a new language, it will affect your progress and motivation to learn more. So the trick is to try to link positive emotion with learning French, which we’ll talk about later.

The question of why people fail often comes down to whether they’re willing to make an effort and have the grit and determination to learn a new language. Creating a support system, sticking to plans, and monitoring your progress are just some of the ways you can stick to your goals. Apart from the traditional ways of French learning, you can also follow the below 10 unconventionally fun ways to learn French. Let’s take a look!

10 Unconventionally Easy Tips to Learn French on Your Own

Oftentimes, the struggle to master any new language, including French, comes from negative emotions tied to learning it. So why not try some fun and easy ways to learn French so you can reach your goal?

1. Listening to French Podcasts

If you’re having difficulty with pronunciation and understanding the accent of the French language, you can practice your listening skills daily by listening to French-language podcasts. Whether you are on the bus or doing chores, you can always immerse yourself in the French.

By listening to French podcasts, you can pick up the nuances in the accent and mimic pronunciation. It can help you get a better glimpse of the everyday conversations of French native speakers and strengthen your grammar skills.

2. Learn French in Small Chunks

Learning hundreds of new vocabulary in a day can sound scary, but it will be much easier if you learn a small amount every day, right?

Actually, unlike acquiring a physical skill, language learning can’t be accomplished in a short time. Passion won’t last long. It’s best to have a schedule and stick to it throughout the entire journey. But how can you prepare one? Luckily, you don’t need to always do it yourself. There are well-written books, language programs, and apps out there for you.

For example, LingoDeer is a comprehensive language learning app that teaches 13 languages including French. Its French lessons are curated by real language teachers and organized in small chunks with game-like fun exercises. This makes French learning much more fun. All you need to do is follow the learning route and you’ll be able to converse in French in 3 to 6 months.

3. Singing French Songs to Learn French

Singing has been shown to uplift mood. This is why we included singing in our unconventional fun ways of learning a new language. You’ll be surprised how much faster it will be to learn french through singing because of the rhythm and rhyme.

According to several studies, singing can facilitate language learning by enhancing memory for new foreign words. So why not add some color to your French learning by singing French songs?

You can start by singing easy French songs for beginners or folk songs and make your way to French pop and indie songs. Through the songs, you can not only learn new French words, but also get a better glimpse of France’s socio-cultural characteristics that make it unique from others.

4. Incorporate French Learning into Everyday Life

If you want to get more into your French language learning, you can incorporate French learning into your everyday life. If you’re an avid gamer, you can learn more quickly by setting your games in French. Games are fun and challenging to learn another language, especially if you’re playing with other French native gamers. This way you can learn French by doing what you like. Doesn’t that sound great?

Another easy way to integrate French learning into your daily routine is to simply change your phone language to French. By doing that you’ll find yourself unconsciously learning a variety of daily vocabulary like call, calendar, notebook, etc. in French in almost no time! But if you are an absolute beginner, you may not want to try this method in case you can’t find where to change back to English.

5. Reach Out to French Native Speakers

Making friends with native French speakers is another great way to learn French quickly. Most often, people learn a new language but then forget about it or get rusty because they have no one to talk with.

French is one of the world’s top ten most spoken languages, with around 300 million French speakers if you combined native and non-native speakers. So it shouldn’t be hard to find a native French speaker. French native speakers are usually friendly and accommodating to those wanting to learn to speak fluent French. You can make friends through various sites and social media platforms. Just be honest about your situation as a French language learner, and you’re still mastering the language.

Social media platforms are a great way of connecting with native French speakers and other language learners worldwide. You can join online groups and forums where you discuss with other language learners and linguaphiles. You may even get to know exclusive conferences or events about language learning and other opportunities.

6. Learn French by Reading in French

If you’ve learned some French and wish to improve your reading skills or expand your vocabulary, try reading in French! From literature, fashion magazines, to children’s graphics, blog posts, read anything that interests you.

You can search for websites where you can download and get online source materials for books and graphic novels. Some offer free downloads, while others you have to pay for the source materials as it’s protected by copyright.

Remember, learning a language is not just about grammar and vocabulary. When you’ve reached a certain level, try to use your target language the way native speakers do, like reading. By consuming French books and literature, you not only improve your French language skills, but also see the world through the lens of the French language.

7. Watch French Films and TV Shows

You’ve probably already tried this or thought of this. Watching films and TV shows can definitely help with language learning. They are a great gateway to learning not only the language but also the culture and society behind that language. You can immerse yourself in to the French-speaking world without traveling to France. You can watch without French translations so you can be familiar with the language without relying on it.

With online streaming readily available, you can browse and look for foreign films much quicker than before. There are many listicles on the best French films you should watch if you’re just starting to learn French. You can use those listicles as a reference point when you get started in watching French films and TV shows.

8. Use a French Learning App

Language apps is an effective way to learn languages, especially if you are busy. They are convenient, easy to use, and can be used anytime, anywhere.

If you wish to learn French with a language app, we suggest you try LingoDeer. LingoDeer is one of the best language learning apps that help you learn French smoothly and speak fluently. 100% native audio, professionally curated curricula, and a variety of exercise types guarantee an excellent French learning experience.

We have also listed the 8 best language learning apps you can use to get started. The important thing is to find one that you really like and actually use.

Some apps operate under a gamified system wherein your progress is closely monitored and tallied depending on your rank or level of mastery. One of the best qualities of language learning apps is that they can give you scheduled reminders to get you on track with your goals.

9. Watch French Cooking Instructional Videos

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Unsurprisingly, we included this in our list of unconventional ways to master the French language. Reading French translations of French cuisines and recipes is a fun way of testing your reading comprehension.

You can also watch instructional cooking videos in French if you’re not fond of reading recipes and are a visual learner. Live streams about French cuisine cooking and video clips are on various platforms that you can watch anytime and anywhere. If you’re looking to host a party and present a new recipe, why not kill two birds with one stone on this one?

10. Set Yourself a Motivational Schedule

Just like any other language, learning French is bound to become hard at some point. So it’s important to give yourself a dose of motivation from time to time.

You can do this by writing down why you get started. Whether you are looking for career opportunities, becoming a French translator, or you are attracted by French culture and society or wish to challenge yourself, these goals can help you remember why you started learning French and keep you going when things get hard.

You can also write down motivational quotes in French to encourage yourself from time to time. It’s also possible to find a helper, like a friend, to constantly remind you of why you get started and push you forward.

Conclusion

Whether you plan to go to France or add more skills to enhance your career, finding ways to have fun as you master French is a great way to ensure you are motivated to keep learning. Most of the suggestions mentioned in this article are centered around everyday things we do at home. Because when it comes to language learning, even simple, fun activities can help you go a long way it you stick to them.

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This article is contributed by Ofer Tirosh, the CEO and founder of Tomedes, translation services company that provides multilingual and technological solutions to thousands of businesses and private clients worldwide. He has written several articles regarding the translation industry and language learning community on Tomedes’ translator blog and various websites.