How to Learn How to Speak French

The first tip I can give you for learning to speak French is to understand your own reasons for studying it and how good you want to become, at least in the beginning. Ask yourself:

1. Why am I learning French?


2. For how long do I plan to study French?


3. With whom will I speak French?


4. What kind of French might I need most for the situations in which I find myself?


5. Should I stick to a particular kind of approach (i.e. I want to avoid boring grammar at all costs!)?

These are the questions I (usually implicitly) ask myself when studying a language. You can then tailor the resources you use accordingly. Which brings me to the next tip....

Second tip: decide on your methods. This is where many people get confused. Heck, I even get confused at this stage sometimes! How am I supposed to know where to begin, especially in languages different to those I know? I have some experience, so I usually manage (or just start by talking to friends), but not everyone does, and the sheer amount of options can be daunting.

This is why you need to first decide on your goals. (There are a few reasons, which might well be yours, listed near the top of the Rocket French homepage.)

You can then pick resources which meet those. For example, if you want to predominantly SPEAK French, you should place your emphasis there. Learning to read would be a good idea, but not THE priority, and in any case, if you can speak, you can learn to read it much faster.

On the other hand, if you've got this great book in French that you want to read, then you should focus on reading.

If you're attending a French university and will have essays to write, focus on writing.

The tools you use for each of these goals will probably be different; there may even be several, and that's OK. The main thing is to set up a plan for yourself. You can revise it as needed.

Once you have your weapons, time to go to battle! Objective: take over and assimilate the French language :)

Tip #2 suggested picking your resources based on your needs. What if you just want to learn all-around French, or you're a language fr...I mean, enthusiast like me and want to be able to do it all - read, write, and speak?

If that's the case, it can help to explore an all-in-one course such as Rocket French - especially since they give you a 6-day preview of the course with no strings attached. It's not like one of those lame trials where you give all your billing info and they hope you forget, then charge you; all you need to do is put in your email address. You then get emails every day with links to the lessons of the day. These are full lessons, and they give you a good idea of how the course works. I've been studying French for over 8 years, but I still found the first lesson really engaging. My only complaint is that it was hard to stop listening and get back to work!

Check out the Rocket French 6-Day French Course.

(P.S. There are more than 6 lessons, but don't let them know I told you.)