Learn How to Speak French Online For Free
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Some Tips to Learn How to Speak French Online for Free
It's a great idea to learn how to speak French online. For free, even better. But many people, especially beginners in language learning, as well as those new to the online format, can find it hard to know where to begin. You need some tips from an experienced language learner to get you going.
I'll try to answer the questions:
- What's worth looking at?
- What methods are available to learn languages?
- Are there any disadvantages?
I'm hoping to clear up this and more on this page, so read on!
(Just looking for something quick to try out right now? Check out Rocket Languages' Free 6-Day French Course.)
Methods to Learn How to Speak French Online for Free
Once you've read the rest of this page.
I wanted to dedicate a sub-section of this page to let you know about my other lens that lists the free methods I've used and which can help you to further your studies.
It's called Learn How to Speak French Online (Free Methods).
Take a look at the rest of this page first, then come back and check out that lens to get started!
It's called Learn How to Speak French Online (Free Methods).
Take a look at the rest of this page first, then come back and check out that lens to get started!
The Advantages When You Learn How to Speak French Online for Free
I like to start with the positives.
- You can go at your own pace. One of my main reasons for studying languages by myself is because I don't have the time (and often not the money) to attend a class. And I'm not the only one; if you're reading this, it may very well be you too! Self-study lets you do it as you can. Online self-study lets you do it wherever you have an Internet connection, as well; this can be great if you want to learn, say, at the airport, where you might not want to carry around course materials.
- You can review as often as you like. One concrete disadvantage of a class is that you can't review the actual class itself unless it's recorded; the amount of time the teacher can spend going over things with you is also realistically limited. When studying by yourself, you don't have this restriction; you can review as many times as you like, and many people like to do just that.
- You have a variety of learning resources. See my lens entitled Learn How to Speak French Online (Free Methods) to get a better idea of how many there are.
- Finding friends is easy. Just check out sites like LiveMocha and MyHappyPlanet I've actually made some good friends through these sites. If you use them, I'd recommend finding French speakers near your country (if you're in the US, try Canada or a French-speaking country in South America); otherwise, they may never be online when you have time to chat!
The Challenges When You Learn How to Speak French Online for Free
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
You know that everything has its challenges, and learning French online (especially for free) is no different. Here are the main things you will have to face:
- There's so many resources! Which one do I use? If this is your first time learning a foreign language online, you may find yourself asking this. The solution: You'll just have to do some research and experimentation to get a feel for which resources are best and which suit your learning style. I find it useful to start with phrases - you know, the essential stuff you will find yourself saying - and then move onto learning more about the language itself, like "need-to-know" grammar and words. Starting with phrases works well for me because I can hear the language in use, which helps me get a feel for it. Then, after I'm familiar with it, I can learn the reasons why things work as they do. That learning is then more likely to stick because rather than learning something new and theoretical, I'm simply going deeper into an "experience" I've already had.
- Am I learning the French people speak? This is another question you may encounter. It's logical to ask; after all, you want to be able to fit in and communicate with French-speaking people! The solution: Look for reviews of the Web site you're using. Check their "About Us" page and see if it's written by a native speaker or teacher of the language (and if they're non-native, that it is checked by native speakers). You'll get a pretty good idea that way. And don't worry too much - making mistakes is part of learning. When you actually use the language, just stay open to being corrected, and you will (eventually) correct your mistakes and improve. I'm speaking from experience here!
- You don't know where to go for help. Feeling a bit on your own when studying by yourself is also normal. The solution: Don't worry! Check out the resources above. There are some forums you can join. The free French course I linked to above also has forums you can read (you have to become a member to post).
- The site I'm using just started charging! This can happen sometimes too. Everyone's time is pretty valuable, and skilled publishers of free content often realize that they could charge for their information. It's an understandable thing to do, especially with the economy right now (Nov 2009). The solution: Find other resources or consider if it's time to invest a bit in your French studies. And if it is, then check out Rocket French. It's a full-featured French course, and, unlike many online sites to learn French, you only have to buy it once to get a lifetime membership. No worrying about monthly payments! And, believe me, that matters with language-learning; life circumstances can come up out of nowhere and interrupt your studies. You're then suddenly paying monthly for stuff you don't use. Why take the risk?
Course to Learn How to Speak French Online For Free
The best of both worlds!
You've seen me mentioning this Rocket French course here and there. I actually have a lens dedicated to explaining more about it - the free course in particular. Check it out at Rocket French for Free.
I hope you find French as interesting as I have! Bonne chance !
I hope you find French as interesting as I have! Bonne chance !
Learn More About Learning French
by LearnToSpeakFrench
LearnToSpeakFrench
I've been learning languages for over 10 years. Lately, I've been studying French in more depth. I recently found this great course/software package I've... more »
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