If you are at the beginning of your French learning journey, you may be feeling excited, fascinated and confused at the same time. You have undoubtedly made a life-changing decision to learn this beautiful language. To stick with it, it’s important to know how to learn French in the most effective and enjoyable way possible. The way you start learning French matters, and it’s important to stack the odds in your favor.
The French language is renowned for its beauty and elegance but also for being quite a challenging language to learn. And yet, the sounds of the Parisian accordion, the vibrant streets of Brussels or the snow-capped mountains of Switzerland make the journey worthwhile.
Let’s look at some essential first steps that will help start off on the right foot.
To reassure you, let’s start with French vocabulary. Did you know that around 30% of English vocabulary is of French origin? Also, French has the same alphabet as English, which is encouraging news for a beginner.
However, French has very distinct sounds, specific pronunciation rules and challenging grammar, but if you are motivated and put an effort into learning the language, it certainly won’t be a difficult language for you to learn.
And what about French grammar? It differs from English, but it’s very logical. Once you’ve mastered the rules, it will only be a matter of consistent, guided practice. Also, you don’t have to master some complicated past tenses to communicate effectively in daily settings – native speakers don’t use many of them either!
The best way to learn French is to scout out any opportunity to hear, read, and speak the language. Consistent exposure to the language is key to success if you want to know how to learn French fast.
Here are 10 essential steps you should take to increase your exposure to French starting from today:
First, you don’t have to learn the French alphabet because it’s the same in English! But it’s essential to pronounce French letters correctly to be able to spell your name, address or phone number.
| a, A | /ah/ | n, N | /en/ |
| b, B | /beh/ | o, O | /oh/ |
| c, C | /seh/ | p, P | /peh/ |
| d, D | /deh/ | q, Q | /koo/ |
| e, E | /uh/ | r, R | /air/ |
| f, F | /ef/ | s, S | /ess/ |
| g, G | /zheh/ | t, T | /teh/ |
| h, H | /ahsh/ | u, U | /ooh/ |
| i, I | /i/ | v, V | /veh/ |
| j, J | /zhee/ | w, W | /doo-blah-veh/ |
| k, K | /kah/ | x, X | /eeks/ |
| l, L | /ell/ | y, Y | /i:grek/ |
| m, M | /em/ | z, Z | /zed/ |
Easy? Well, not all of it! In French writing, there are also 5 accents whose spelling and pronunciation rules you have to learn from the start:
| Accent | Accent Name | Example |
| é | accent aigu (acute accent) | vallée (valley) |
| à, è, ù | accent grave (grave accent) | crèche (daycare) |
| ç | cédille (cedilla) | français (French) |
| â, ê, î, ô, û | l’accent circonflexe (circumflex) | fête (party) |
| ë, ï, ü | l’accent tréma (trema accent) | naïf (naive) |
French pronunciation is very different from English. It’s important to learn the basic rules from the very beginning. Let’s look at the most challenging pronunciation aspects:
French diphthongs are at the heart of French phonetics. That’s partly the reason why they make the language sound so elegant. Let’s first look at what a diphthong is.
A diphthong is a combination of vowels that are pronounced together in a smooth transition, or as one sound. Here are a few examples of French diphthongs:
/eu/ as in feutre (felt)
In this diphthong, there is a very smooth, almost unnoticeable transition from /e/ to /u/
/ai/ as in aigre (sour)
/ai/ here is pronounced as one single sound /e/ (wider than English /e/)
/ou/ as in vous (you)
/ou/ is pronounced as one open sound /u/ as in English /too/
Another aspect of French pronunciation is liaisons, or words linked together. French liaisons should be a major focus for you as a beginner because it’s very hard to say when one word ends and when another starts in fluent speech. The sooner you’ll be able to recognize them, the sooner you’ll learn French!
Nous aimons votre maison. (We like your house.)
There’s a sound /z/ between nous and aimons.
C’est un homme très gentil. (It’s a very kind man.)
There’s a sound /t/ between c’est and un.
French has two genders: masculine and feminine, and two numbers: singular and plural. But while English only uses indefinite and definite articles (a/the), French uses three different definite and indefinite articles according to gender and number: le, la, les as definite articles and un, une, des as indefinite. You should learn this at the very beginning of your French learning journey to start making correct simple phrases.
Definite article
| Feminine | Masculine | |
| Singular | La maison | Un homme |
| Plural | Les maisons | Les hommes |
Indefinite article
| Feminine | Masculine | |
| Singular | Une robe | Un camion |
| Plural | Des robes | Des camions |
Watching your favorite movies and series in French is an amazing way to learn the language. They give you a unique glimpse of French culture. At the same time you get to hear authentic French speech. Even if it will be challenging to understand fluent speech in the beginning, you will start recognizing some simple words and phrases soon and then move on to more challenging phrasing.
Talk shows can also be a great way to learn French. They have rich language potential and are full of colloquialisms and idiomatic expressions. Watch them with English subtitles in the beginning, and then gradually use fewer subtitles to focus on listening and pronunciation.
Whether you have kids or not, reading a children’s book in French can be extremely rewarding for your reading skills. It can boost your confidence and help you learn some essential words and phrases. It will also lead to a sense of achievement since you can proudly tell your friends you started to learn to read French!
One of the best ways to learn the French language through reading is with Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince). The book itself is written in simple but very beautiful French, and you will definitely enjoy reading it and learning French with it!
Immerse yourself in French as much as possible, and there are lots of ways you can do it. You can change your phone settings to French, listen to French music or follow French channels on social media. The key is to absorb the language on a daily basis through your favorite songs, films and books.
French podcasts are also a great way to immerse yourself in French on the go, wherever you are. Listening to one podcast a day can be very beneficial for your listening skills, even if it will be challenging to understand everything at first.
Music is by far the best way to practice your pronunciation. Create French playlists on Deezer (a favorite music app in Europe) or download your favorite French songs on your phone. In the beginning, it will be hard to understand the lyrics, so look for translations into English.
The more you listen to your favorite songs, the better you’ll understand the lyrics. As you listen to them more, you will expand your vocabulary through French music, and you’ll practice your intonation along the way. Choosing your favorite music will certainly make the difference: if lyrics resonate with you, you’ll learn them much faster!
Perhaps you have another friend who is enchanted by French and wants to learn it, too. We suggest practicing French together or looking for ways to do so with more professional guidance.
If you’re a little more daring and motivated, ask your friends and family if they have French-speaking friends. Take the initiative and invite local French speakers to have a language exchange with you. If you’re more into learning online, you can practice French conversation online or take part in online forums for language learners.
Consider the possibility of going to France and staying with locals. This is by far the best way to make progress quickly while you’re on holiday. There are many exciting alternatives to more mainstream accommodation, such as hotels.
However, not all kinds of immersion are suitable for beginners. Make sure not to surround yourself exclusively with French speakers, as a very high level of challenge can make you feel frustrated and discourage you from learning French at the beginning. Mix up your social circles. Try to keep the right balance between your own language(s) and French to feel comfortable and at ease.
Professional guidance may be the best way to learn French, especially for a beginner. It is easiest for you to continue learning French on your own in the future if a professional helps you build a solid foundation of French pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar.
One of the fastest ways to make progress is to start with Lingoda with qualified native-speaking teachers who will guide you and support you in these crucial first steps of your French learning journey. Think of building your confidence from the very start to ensure that you sustain your interest in the language in the long term.
Learning a language is a personal journey for each of us, so it’s hard to say what’s the best way to learn French. Choose one that most aligns with your goals, needs, and expectations.
Think about whether learning French is your short-term or long-term goal. If you need to learn French in the near future, Lingoda’s French A1 course could be your best option to get started in the quickest and most efficient way. If learning French is not your immediate priority, consider taking a trip to a French-speaking country first. This will help you define your learning goals and think of the best way to reach them.
Learning French is an amazing decision, but consistent exposure to the language is key. Whether it’s books, films or a trip to a French-speaking country, all this will help you be immersed in French on a regular basis.
The best way to learn French is often professional guidance. You can start with Lingoda and learn French in a flexible way with qualified teachers. This will give you a chance to learn the language in a comfortable and supportive environment, which is essential for progress. Whichever step you choose, start working towards your goals today and bon courage (good luck)!
