Tag Archive | "Learn French"

Tags: ,

Best Way To Learn French Grammar

Posted on 25 June 2008 by Jenny

The best way to learn French grammar for any prospective language learner is to immerse the learner in every facet of the language’s use. Learning the nuances of any language’s grammar can take years of practice and education before a native understanding can be achieved. However, to learn French grammar in the most basic way takes a relatively small amount of effort and dedication.

Continue Reading

Popularity: 66%

Comments Off

Tags: ,

How To Learn Conversational French

Posted on 15 June 2008 by Jenny

To learn conversational French, a great number of potential methods can be used.  Mastering French conversation can require years of study and immersion in the language before one can possess language skills on par with a native speaker.  However, basic conversational French can be learned over a very short period of time through rapid instructional techniques.

Before beginning to learn conversational French, the language learner must assimilate the proper structure of French sentences.  These can include nouns and verb forms.  Failing to take this important step can result in language learning being hindered as prerequisite knowledge must be obtained during the learning process.

Continue Reading

Popularity: 74%

Comments (0)

Tags: ,

How To Learn French Verb

Posted on 13 June 2008 by Jenny

To learn French verb forms, an aspiring foreign language student should work to immerse themselves in the language.  Taking the time to become completely enveloped in the use and proper forms of the language can bring about rapid learning and more proficient speaking for any foreign language student.  A way to learn French verb forms is more than a collection of methods, but rather the process of seeking a new way to communicate.

Those seeking to learn French verb types can start with introducing themselves to the basics of the language.  Doing so helps to place emphasis on the fundamentals of basic speech.  Learning to greet others, identifying basic objects, along with how to form basic sentences creates a starting point for further language study.

Continue Reading

Popularity: 69%

Comments (0)

Tags: ,

A Quick Learn French Tutorial

Posted on 13 June 2008 by Jenny

A tutorial to help one learn French can be found in a variety of ways.  Foreign language learning has evolved over time to make use of audio, video, and information technologies.  Thanks to these advances, helping someone to learn French through a tutorial is easier than ever before.  Tutorials are available from a variety of sources and are often low-cost or free to the new language learner.

The Internet is a great source for free language tutorials.  However, the quality and accuracy of some tutorials can vary greatly.  When searching to learn French through a tutorial, look for those provided by universities with national reputations.  Often, these learning resources are constructed by native speakers or professional language instructors.

Continue Reading

Popularity: 100%

Comments (0)

Tags: ,

Learn to Speak French Fluently

Posted on 30 May 2008 by Jenny

Learning another language is not really easy. It takes a lot of patience, time and effort, and not to mention money. So there is probably a good reason why people around the world are struggling to study other languages than their native tongue. As a matter of fact, aside from earning you bragging rights, being familiar to other languages can open doors a lot more opportunities that you could ever imagine.

French, the famous language of love, is one that is certainly worth all your effort. More than a hundred million people use French either as their first or second language, making it the 11th most spoken language in the world. Some of the best tourist spots in the world are located in countries where French is the native language. Learning to speak French fluently, therefore can give you a broader and richer experience if ever you decide to visit these places. It is definitely easier to recognize the value of the culture of a place if you understand their language. I’m sure that as you’re reading this, you can imagine yourself treading the roads of Paris and meeting interesting people along the way. Wouldn’t it be great if you could speak to them fluently, breaking down all language barriers that would otherwise hinder you to appreciate the place in all its glory? I really think so.

So visiting Paris is not on your short-term plans. Well, that’s not the only reason why you might want to learn to speak French fluently. Being well-versed with French can give you a competitive advantage in the job market. Just so you know, people who know other languages are very high in demand. Whether you want to be a diplomat or an international ambassador, or even simply a language interpreter or translator, being able to learn to speak French fluently can definitely give you an edge. There are tons of art works and pieces of literature out there that you could understand better if you know French. More so, you’ll never know how much you can learn about yourself and your own language until you get familiar with another one. In the case of the English language, you’ll be amazed to know that there are thousands of English words that are gotten directly from French.

If you are already convinced to learn to speak French fluently, then waste no more time. As I’ve said, learning another language is not as easy as it looks like.  It is not simply memorizing the translation of words and such. You have to know how to weave words in a logical pattern and all that jazz. You have to exert effort, of course. But don’t fret, because there are organizations and people out there who are willing to help you. From experience, the most effective way to learn another language is through immersion. By this, it means that you must listen to French music or watch French movies even if you don’t understand them. Just take it nice and slow. And most importantly, try to enjoy what you’re doing. You will learn to speak French fluently in no time.

Popularity: 30%

Comments Off

Tags: ,

Learn French Verb: the Basics

Posted on 30 May 2008 by Jenny

One of the most intriguing languages, French is also called the language of love and romance.  So many people are interested in learning the language and are willing to shell out money to do so. As such, over hundreds of fake teachers abound. Also, how the students are taught is not really aligned with the correct pattern or format in teaching the language. Many fake teachers will rush the students into learning something that is of no consequence. Having a lesson that has no form or structure will only lead you to your own failure in learning the French language. Better to spend more in a professional than get duped by an online criminal.

It has been said time and again that one needs to have patience when learning French. It is not an easy language to learn since it is a product of Latin, Greek, and Celtic languages that were transformed into a lovely language. So many people who enroll easily lose their passion because the language in itself is also difficult to master. As a result, so much money and effort are wasted. But how does one know what is there to learn? What should everybody need to know other than the common “hi” and “Hello” phrases? Naturally, the first things that will be taught you are the greetings, polite words, and so on.

Generally speaking, once the basic things are learned, it is now time to learn French verb and its conjugation. There are two main categories of verbs in the French language—these are the simple tenses and the compound tenses. Obviously, simple tenses are only comprised of one part as opposed to the compound, which has two.

What needs to be given attention is the compound tenses. A compound tense has two more parts. These are past participle and the conjugated auxiliary verb. There are two types of auxiliary verbs that determine the verb classification. These are called avoir or etre. Just like English, the past participle of verbs classified under etre should   be grammatically correct with the subject’s number whether it is in the singular or plural form.  However, the avoir verbs should agree with the object of the sentence.

Etre means “to be”. Perhaps in the English language this is the equivalent of “is” and “are” linking verbs.  On the other hand, avoir means “to have”. Below you will see the other top verbs used in the French language. Just like in any language, there are over hundreds and possibly thousands of verbs in the French language but some are used more often that the others.

Faire – this means “to make”. This is often used in present tense and is a verb used for signifying what a person can do or make. This is translated or converted to rendre if it is followed by an adjective. On the other hand, the verb dire means “to say” or to “tell.” Keep in mind that French words, especially verbs, do sound as they appear and are not used as they are.

Popularity: 27%

Comments Off

Tags: ,

How to Learn French Pronounciation

Posted on 30 May 2008 by Jenny

Anyone who has attempted to learn how to speak French should know by now that French is one of the most difficult languages in the world. Other than that, it is the one of the most sophisticated, too. Considered as the language of love and romance, so many people are engrossed to learn this language. Each one has his own reason or justification. Some want to learn it just get by a vacation. Some want to learn it because they simply love it. Some want to master and learn French pronounciation.

It is observed that so many people also flunk this subject. The enunciation is different and the way the words are spelled are also different. French is not a phonetic language, just like English. This means that they are not enunciated as they are spelled, as opposed to Spanish, in which every letter in a word’s written form is enunciated. As always, learning French in writing is to really that much helpful in terms of pronunciation. Then problem is that if one has no idea how a language is verbalized, it is also very likely that one does not have any idea what the words mean even if he can read them.

The other thing that can be looked into is that the very people who own the language have different ways of pronouncing them. This is because the way they enunciate is affected by their own local dialects. One will observe that this is very true of France. One should not be surprised the way French is spoken in Southern France sounds different form that of the people from the Northern part.

In line with this known differences, a standard French was created. This is called the Parisian French. As a general rule of thumb, some consonants are not pronounced if they are found at the end of the word. These consonants are n, d, p, r, s, x, and t. In reality, there are a lot of exceptions to the French enunciation rules. On would really have to practice and listen to find out the differences.

Taking a look at the letter R, the way this is pronounced is almost guttural. Commonly, R is pronounce softly especially in English. The J, on the other hand, sounds like G. This means this should not be confused as the way it is used in the word JAR. The letter J in French sounds like G in GARDEN.

The real G, on the other hand, has no standard enunciation but it is dependent on the following letter or vowel. If the G is followed by A, O, or U, it is pronounced like G in GARDEN. However, if it is followed by E or I, it sounds like G in tongue.

The CH in French is also similar to the SH of English. The GN is pronounced as the Spanish “ñ”. This is why fillet mignon is pronounced fillet “min-yon.” Lastly, the letter H in French is not pronounced if found in the first part of the word.

Popularity: 28%

Comments (0)

Tags: ,

The Importance Of French Grammar

Posted on 30 May 2008 by Jenny

It’s common knowledge that French is considered by many as the most romantic language in the world, and its popularity has led to a lot of people learning several words here and there. It is a safe bet that you know the French word Oui and its meaning. The same goes for Merci and Bonjour. Unfortunately, random words and phrases will do you no good if you find yourself in a situation where you need to communicate with a native French speaker; if you are really serious about the French language, you need to be able to speak in conversational French, and to do so, you need to learn French grammar.

I know that it can be hard mastering another language’s intricacies, especially since there are Americans who are having trouble mastering the grammar of their own language, much less a foreign one. But as they used to say, hardship is good for the soul. If you take the extra time and effort to master one of the best languages in the world, the results will be worth it. To set you off on the right track, here are some examples of how French grammar works:

When it comes to nouns, French nouns are given their own specific article depending on their gender; “le” is for the male article while “la” represents the female noun. However, there are certain nuances involved in this grammar rule. Particularly when it comes to the plural form of both male and female nouns. In this case, both “le” and “la” are pluralized as “les”, which means “the women” becomes “les femmes” and at the same time, “the men” becomes “les hommes”. Additionally, when a noun begins with a silent “H” or a vowel, both “la” and “le” will become simply “l’”. For example, “the shade” is “l’ombre” and “the bee” is “l’abeille”.

The French language places a lot of emphasis on gender, to the point that even their indefinite articles will denote it. For example, “a building” is “un batiment” and “a house is “une maison” – with “un” being a male article, while “une” represents female”. The article “some” on the other hand, is always “des” regardless of gender. For example, “des femmes” for some women and “des hommes” for some men.”

In a way, this extra emphasis on genders makes the French language a lot more concise and more efficient than other languages. Whereas simply saying “the kid” will leave the child’s gender vague, its French equivalent would require the speaker to denote the gender firsthand; “le gosse” if the kid is male, and “la gosse” if she is female.

These quirks in the French language are barely the tip of the iceberg, which just goes to show how fun it is to learn French. Add the fact that they can be quite useful especially if you plan on taking a month’s long trip to Paris, where you will need to converse with native French speakers if you plan on going outside of your hotel and befriending the locals.

Popularity: 34%

Comments Off

Tags: ,

Basic Checklist to Learn French for Beginners

Posted on 30 May 2008 by Jenny

Learning a different language is something that most people want to do but cannot accomplish for several reasons. However, no matter how busy a person is, there certainly is a way to learn a total strange language if only one will really put passion in it. As observed, majority of people want to learn French. This is probably because the French language is sophisticated and difficult to learn. The enunciations are different and what how the words are pronounced are different from how they are spelled. The placement of the accent is also different and commonplace and it can simply drive one nuts.

This should not be a cause for worry, though. There are curriculums available to learn French for beginners. Many schools offer courses that can be easily comprehended even if the student has zero knowledge about the French language. Of course, it is widely assumed that the most famous French quotes or words are found in the movie Moulin Rouge. Many of the French curriculums are made up of grammar, enunciation, and vocabulary. The learning experience may range from very simple to complex depending on how the language is intended to be used. Sometimes, a few words and phrases will be enough if the purpose is only to get by in France for a vacation.

The target of curriculums to learn French for beginners is to be able to recognize simple vocabulary. Other than this, the new words learned should be put into proper use. There will be practices and exercises on enunciation and sentence formation for beginner’s classes. Another part of learning basic French is to enunciate clearly and put emphasis where they should be. This is one of the most difficult parts of speaking French. It has been said time and again that the French accent is difficult to emulate and that it is a glorious thing to be able to be recognized as someone who is a native of France. To learn French for beginners may sound elementary but it is not.

Beginners are strongly advised to know why they are learning the language. This is because many people who have attempted to learn a different language either quit or got tired of it. As mentioned earlier, people who just want to feel the France spirit through their language can get by by simply learning a few phrases and a few words. Of course, this will range from common greetings and asking for directions for haggling for discount.

Another thing that beginner may check into the availability of resources. There has to be a rich resource of video CDs that can teach the student even of the instructor is not around. An access to the Internet is also necessary because the information highway is a rich resource for learning materials not only for French language but other educational pieces as well. There are websites that offer services to translate English to French. There are even websites that have audio files in them and these files demonstrate how a word should be enunciated.

Popularity: 22%

Comments (0)

Tags: ,

Learn French Conversation

Posted on 30 May 2008 by Jenny

My travel papers for my French escapade are all set! I’ve read French history and culture in the public library and over the Internet. I’ve also acquainted myself with a few French cuisines I plan to try when I get there. The only thing I’m worried about now is how to act around French people. That is why I decided to learn conversational French before I fly to France.

I  didn’t want to buy another language book, like I did when I went to Korea, unless I’m pretty sure I’d be back there. Instead, I checked the ever reliable Internet for crash courses on French language only to realize that I don’t need to get one to survive my first trip to France. For now, I only need to learn conversational French to gear me up which I can get online for free! I now know a few basic phrases such as “Qui” for “Yes” and “Non” for “No” as well as “Merci” for “Thank you.” I now know how and when to say “Bonjour,” “Bonsoir,” and “Bonne nuit” – for “Good morning,” “Good evening,” and “Good night,” respectively.

See it’s not really difficult to learn conversational French. The most challenging part is learning the pronunciation which is way different from how we articulate and phonate English words. I mean, the phrase “Excusez-moi” for “Excuse me” is not syllabicated like the way we will pronounce this if it’s an English phrase. That’s why learning conversational French needs to be done orally. Good thing some websites also provide audio samples for us to know how a phrase sounds like.

The key in basic spoken French is imitation. That’s what I’ve been doing every day to practice the very few conversational phrases I learned while browsing the Internet. I really don’t need to learn much. I just needed to know what to tell people the moment I step out of the airport or if ever I get lost in urban France only to find myself drinking beer in some unknown tavern in Paris which is actually how I want it to be. I just really need to know a few phrases I can easily blurt out even if I’m intoxicated so I can ask Francois or Pierre how to get back to my hotel room alive.

Another thing about the French language is the fact that learning how to speak French doesn’t equate to understanding spoken French. I tried to watch a few French films with subtitle and realized that French people can really talk so fast I couldn’t catch up! Good thing I was able to hear my “Comment allez-vous?” and “Je vais bien, merci” before the movie ends.

Then again the best way to practice my French is to use it in actual conversation. What I did is logged on to French chat rooms and befriended a few French bilinguals with whom I got the chance to converse using my messenger’s PC-to-PC call features. I told them where I was lodging so they can pick me up for that most awaited French night out! Having said that, I think I’m all geared up. La France, ici je viens!

Popularity: 43%

Comments (0)