Mastering French - 4 Techniques to Perfect Your Language Skills
Here are some fun strategies to perfect your French independently: Podcasts, movies and series, books, and music.
French, which is part of the Romance languages derived from Latin, is the fifth most spoken language in the world. It is often perceived as the language of love, characterized by a distinctive and melodious accent. It is also considered very elegant and refined, and its connection with gastronomy, fashion, dance, and music is not fortuitous.
Despite its popularity, French is not an easy language to learn, especially for those who do not already speak another Romance language: complex grammar rules, complicated phonetics and pronunciation, and the many accents used will probably be a challenge for you. But don’t worry, we are going to give you some useful (and at the same time fun) tips to facilitate your learning and improve your language skills.
Do you want to start learning French in an entertaining and practical way that won’t bore you? Do you want to immerse yourself in the world of French culture through an interactive process? Keep reading and discover good methods to learn a new language while having fun, combining pleasure and utility.
Summary
Improve your French with podcasts: Enrich your vocabulary and develop your oral comprehension
Learn French by watching movies and series
Books to learn French and improve your vocabulary
Music to learn French and improve your pronunciation
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Improve your French with podcasts: Enrich your vocabulary and develop your oral comprehension
When you want to learn to speak a new language, it is essential to know the main words and understand what your interlocutor is communicating to you. A useful and effective method to significantly improve your oral comprehension and expand your vocabulary is undoubtedly the podcast. A podcast is original audio content, usually divided into episodes, that you can listen to via websites or specialized platforms.
Are you wondering why podcasts are so useful for learning a language? Thanks to this technology, you will be able to choose a topic that particularly interests you, with the aim of improving your French skills and your general culture, while entertaining yourself. In addition, you will be able to listen to audio content wherever and whenever you want and therefore make the most of your free time.
Finally, you will be able to benefit from several practical advantages of the podcast: for example, you can slow down the speed of the podcast to facilitate your understanding or use the original translation in other languages on many platforms.
If you don’t know where to start, we have selected some of the best podcasts to learn French and have fun at the same time:
“Speak French with Fluidity”: In this podcast, Fabien, a French teacher, talks about topics such as geography, history, and French culture, and also gives tips to help you learn French more easily. It’s a great resource for learning new things and it’s suitable for all levels. You can find the French translation for free on the website. “Coffee Break French”: The format of this podcast consists of a 15 to 20 minute lesson, the duration of your coffee break. You can find lessons suitable for all levels, from “absolute beginner” to “upper advanced”. These podcasts are also available on Spotify, Google Podcast, iTunes. “One Thing In A French Day”: This podcast was created by a French woman in 2006 and now has over 2000 episodes. Each week, 3 new episodes are published. They are short (about 5 minutes) and tell the daily events of a young girl in Paris. Thanks to this podcast, you can learn typical French expressions and sentence structure. Also available on other platforms like Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, etc.
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Learn French by Watching Movies and Series
If you are a fan of movies and TV series and you want to deepen your French skills at the same time, why not combine the two? Watching movies or TV series in French will allow you to learn the language in a very motivating way. Choose the genre you like and feel involved in the plot, to benefit from a fun and not at all boring learning process.
This combination is perfect because it will allow you to listen to conversations between native speakers, get used to pronunciation, learn new French expressions, and finally, immerse yourself in French culture while comfortably sitting on your couch.
If you wish, you are free to start with your favorite series, but we strongly recommend you to watch original French content using subtitles as support. Here is a list of some suggestions for you:
“Lupin”: This is a TV series inspired by the character of Arsène Lupin, created by Maurice Leblanc. The main character is a gentleman burglar. The events take place in Paris and all the actors are French, it’s very useful to learn new terms in French (even slang) and to train your ears. “Ten Percent (Call My Agent!)”: Through this TV series, you will learn a lot of cultural information about the French show business world. Indeed, the plot revolves around an agency that takes care of the rights of stars and in each episode, a different star plays. It’s a great opportunity to improve your oral comprehension. “Heart Plan”: This series follows the life of 3 young Parisians and is really useful to learn the familiar language of young people. There are also many slang words. The plot is not complex and it is easy to understand the development of the scenario. If you are a lover of movies and you prefer to learn French with this format, we can recommend some movies in original French language:
“Kirikou and the Sorceress”: This is an animated film directed by Michel Ocelot. Although the film is designed for children, it is also very appreciated by adults. The French language spoken is simple and the images accompany the viewer in understanding the film. The vocabulary focuses on themes such as family and emotions. While taking place in Africa, the film tells the story of a child who saves his village from a witch. “The Fabulous Destiny of Amelie”: One of the most popular French films in recent years. It tells the story of Amélie, a girl whose goal is to help others find happiness. The film takes place in France and is perfect for people with an intermediate level in French.
