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Archive for the 'Learn French' Category

Language Learning Tips: How to Avoid Awkward Silences

Yes, even beginners can quickly learn conversational French well enough to carry on real conversations with native speakers. Of course, beginners won’t be able to carry a conversation the same way they could in their native language. But, just knowing a few tips like which questions to ask to keep a conversation going are all you need to speak and interact with real native speakers! But before we get to specific suggestions, let’s first take a closer look at how having real French conversations is so vital to your mastery of the language. Learning to Carry a Conversation is Vital to Mastery of Any Language Communicating with other people is the very point of language and conversation is almost second nature in our native tongue. For... Show more

How to Transform Your Daily Commute Into Learning a Language

Today, classrooms are no longer the only or even best place to learn a new language like French. More and more people are finding that they can easily learn a language just about anywhere they have a few minutes of spare time, including their daily commute to work. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American spends over 50 minutes a day commuting to and from work, or over 300 hours a year. Rethinking Your Daily Commute to Work But rather than simply sitting in traffic and wasting the time, you can instead use your daily commute to literally learn French in just a few short months! FrenchPod101 has developed specialized learning tools that you can use on your commute to work (and home again) to master the language in... Show more

How to Say “Hello” in French: Break the Ice Like a Pro!

We all know the importance of first impressions, but do you know how long it really takes for a person to make a judgement and put you in a mental box from which you might never get out? According to psychologists and communication experts, it's around five seconds, just enough time to walk down the hall and say “Hello” or “Good morning.” Hence, choosing the proper greeting is the best way to make you sound fun and engaging to your friends, or professional and trustworthy to your business partners. It’s even more important with French, as we can be pretty intense about manners and social "etiquette.” No wonder, we even invented the word. So, if you want to learn how to say hello in French as naturally as native speakers would and learn... Show more

How to use the French verb Monter

Table of Contents Definition of the verb 'Monter' Which auxiliary verb to use with the verb 'Monter'? ÊTRE and AVOIR Conjugation in Indicative When it has a Direct Object Complement (DOC), the verb Monter necessarily conjugates with the auxiliary AVOIR. When the subject is a person To talk about a level or a price The verb 'Monter' conjugated 10 French expressions with 'Monter' When 'Monter' is a noun Hi everyone, in this article I share with you How to use the verb Monter. 1. Definition of the Verb Monter 1- Move up Example : Nous montons au sommet de la montagne. ? We climb to the top of the mountain. 2- Increase, grow Example : Le niveau du fleuve a monté. ? The level of the river has... Show more

Top 30 Useful French Phrases and Expressions You Must Know to Survive

Learning a new language can be increasingly challenging—especially if you’re learning a language that dates all the way back to the Roman Empire and has multiple variations all over the world. According to About-France.com, French is an official or second language in 55 countries worldwide and almost 300 million people speak French as their native or second language. My childhood friend’s grandfather was the French teacher at my high school, so instead of taking Spanish—which would have been a tad more useful in the United States—I chose French. (Not to mention my birthday is also Bastille Day, some would call it a sign.) I started taking French when I was 14 years old. From there, I took French 1, French 2 and Honors French 3... Show more

How to Celebrate April Fools’ Day in French

Most everyone is familiar with this day, as it is celebrated nearly everywhere the world. Yet, when exactly is April Fools’ Day? And where did April Fools come from? April Fools’ Day is observed on April 1st every year. This day of jokes and pranks is believed to have stemmed from the 16th-century calendar change in France, when New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to January 1. This action was taken due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar. However, a few people were resistant to the calendar change, so they continued to observe New Year’s Day on April 1st, rather than the new date. They were referred to as the “April Fools”, and others started playing mocking tricks on them. This custom endured, and is practiced to this day... Show more

3 Practical Ways to Improve Your French Listening Skills

So, you’ve been studying French for a year or two. You feel like you have a pretty good handle on the most romantic of the Romantic languages. So you buy a ticket to a French speaking country. You’re confident about your skills and expect to woo the natives with everything you’ve learned. Then you step off your flight and suddenly reality hits you right between the eyes… You’ve studied French but you can barely understand native speakers. If they were to write down what they said or simply said it slower you’d probably be fine. You know the vocabulary and grammar they’re using. For some reason when they speak at a faster speed you can’t keep track of what’s going on. You pick out the first word, a few in the middle, and a phrase at the... Show more

How To Say ‘Thank you’ in French

In most cultures, it is custom to express gratitude in some way or another. The dictionary defines gratitude as follows: it is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Giving a sincere, thankful response to someone’s actions or words is often the ‘glue’ that keeps relationships together. This is true in most societies! Doing so in a foreign country also shows your respect and appreciation for the culture. Words have great power - use these ones sincerely and often! Table of Contents 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in French Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes Infographic & Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases - Thank You Video Lesson: ‘Thank You’ in 31... Show more

How to Start Thinking in French

Learn 4 tools and techniques to stop translating in your head and start thinking in Going through lessons is enough to get by and learn the basics of , but to truly become fluent you need to be able to think in . This will allow you to have conversations with ease, read smoothly, and comprehensively understand natives. To do this, you need to go beyond just completing daily or weekly lessons. We naturally translate in our heads because it's viewed as the easiest way to learn the definitions needed when learning a language. This way of learning can actually hinder your skills and fluency later on. If your brain has to make neural connections between the word you're learning, what it means in your native tongue, and the physical object... Show more

French Word of the Day – toilet paper (noun)

Learn a little French everyday with the free French Word of the Day Widget. Check back daily for more vocabulary!papier toilette toilet paper (noun)J'ai acheté deux rouleaux de papier toilette.I bought two rolls of toilet paper.Sois sûr de toujours avoir du papier toilette en plus dans la salle de bain.Make sure you keep extra toilet paper in the bathroom.rouleau de papier toiletteroll of toilet paperOwn a blog or website? Share free language content with your readers with the French Word of the Day with Audio Widget. Click here for instructions on how to embed and customize this free widget!