If you ever thought about learning a new language, you might want to consider studying French. As you probably know, acquiring any language can help you pass the time, keep your brain active and distract yourself from everyday problems. But learning French has even more benefits.
As roughly 300 million people speak this language, having good French proficiency will allow you to open your cultural horizons, gain new job opportunities and expand your social circle. For instance, with French, you’ll get the chance to work at some of the biggest companies in the world, like L’Oréal, and you’ll also be able to immerse yourself in French culture like no other tourist.
Now, we know exactly what you’re thinking: It sounds great, but doesn’t this take too long? Well, you’ll be pleased to know that there are many resources that can help you become French-savvy faster than you think. And, at Language Trainers, we have all the information you need about them. Allons-y!
There’s no denying that learning languages can be frustrating and time-consuming. Studying French is no exception. Like any other language, French can pose a number of problems for those who are eager to acquire a more sophisticated vocabulary bank.
Fortunately for you, there are hundreds of tools that can give you a hand with a good foundation or even advanced knowledge of this Latin-descendant language. What’s best, you won’t have to spend countless hours looking for the most useful resources. We’ve compiled the best French learning tools below, followed by the secret to rapidly becoming a fluent French speaker.
These days, most people are so busy with work and other responsibilities that they struggle to commit to full-time French courses. Luckily for them, there are many other options to learn this language. One of our favorites is through apps. With bite-sized lessons, a variety of games, interesting topics, attractive page designs and different levels, these language learning tools will allow you to study French whenever you want and wherever you go.
Probably, the most famous FREE language learning app on the web, Duolingo relies on gamification to make you practice French. It comes with short games, like multiple choice questions and flashcards, that will test your memory, aid your vocabulary learning and improve your French pronunciation.
Like Duolingo, Memrise also uses games to teach you French, but it mostly relies on mnemonics and spaced repetition. While this won’t help you develop fluency, you will most certainly get a very basic knowledge of French vocabulary to confidently begin your journey.
Now, if you’re looking to become a fluent French speaker, you might want to check this app. Unlike Duolingo and Memrise, Babbel focuses on pronunciation teaching. It is a conversation-based software that runs 10 to 15-minute lessons on certain topics, featuring speech recognition technology to help you with your French pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary.
This app offers a game-like interface that will test your French skills with daily activities, such as matching words with images, building sentences and reconstructing conversation.
Are you a crossword and puzzle enthusiast? If so, this app was created just for you. With this tool, you’ll be able to combine your two favorite games with your French lessons for FREE!
While apps have become extremely popular over the last few years, dictionaries and translators are still very useful resources for learners. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or an advanced French student, these learning tools will come in handy to expand your vocabulary with direct translations, examples, antonyms, synonyms, collocations and other useful information. Moreover, depending on which dictionaries or translators you choose, you might enjoy some other unique features!
A must for every single French learner out there, Collins has a reputation for being one of the best French dictionaries on earth. And not only does it contain a massive number of entries but also very thorough information about each word you'll search for.
This translator will come in handy for students of all levels. It might not be as well-known as Collins, but it boasts a record of 250,000 phrases coupled with 400,000 translations, including the pronunciation of all the words.
As the name implies, this dictionary focuses specifically on sounds rather than meaning. What does this mean? Well, aside from the correct pronunciation of a given word, you’ll also access dialectical differences, pronunciation in context and, if that wasn’t enough, you’ll be able to download the sound.
What makes Ascendo special is not meaning-related has nothing to do with finding out the meaning of a word. It is the fact that, by using this dictionary, you’ll also access a full-length text translator and a verb conjugator.
Nowadays, it seems that most people want to learn languages through online tools, like apps and games. They seem to disregard textbooks as old, boring and, overall, not useful enough compared with new pedagogical technology. However, French learning books will give you a deeper look into this language. To achieve this, they rely on different methods. For instance, some books have very concise and traditional lessons while others use creative stories to rewire your brain into French.
Not only is this book an excellent source for beginner activities, but also a great way to begin your journey in a fun and exciting way. Rather than relying on traditional exercises, try learning by reading creative stories and checking your understanding.
Another great storytelling resource to learn French, this book focuses particularly on speaking through real-life conversational French-based activities.
The title of this book gives you a very good idea of what you’ll find inside, that is, basic French, complete French grammar, French conversation, French sentence builder, French verb tenses and so on. In short, everything you need to know about French in one book of 37 units.
Now, if you’re the kind of person who takes your learning slowly, you should check this book and its gradual, step-by-step system to get you started.
Our list wouldn’t be complete without some of the most useful YouTube channels to learn French. If you’re a visual learner or simply addicted to YouTube, you’ll definitely want to look at these YouTube video series. While some of these channels are dedicated entirely to offering French lessons, others focus on entertainment, such as comedy sketches with cultural references.
Are you hoping to delve into real-life French language use? Well, this channel was tailor-made for you. With short videos and a very exciting host, you’ll get to know all about French idioms, cultural references and slang.
Why are we recommending this channel? This has a very simple explanation. It does not only offer bite-sized lessons on French but also debunks language learning myths and gives you tips on how to study French. All in one channel.
This is not a video series on lessons to learn French. Un Gars is a comedy sitcom about a couple who experience everyday life problems. And although they speak fast, watching them speak will train your listening skills as if you were talking to native speakers.
Everybody loves food and, if you travel to France, you’ll probably have to order it, so why not get acquainted with food names and recipes beforehand? This channel will help you achieve this with the help of a narrator who speaks slowly and words that appear on the screen.
One of the best tools to develop your listening skills, podcasts will allow you to learn French at any place and at any time. What’s more, you won’t have to spend countless hours looking at your cell phone or computer like a zombie. Instead, podcasts give you the chance to explore this language while strolling around the city, having a picnic or at a break from work. Just put on your headphones and get ready to explore the French language and culture with these hosts:
Apps, YouTube videos and podcasts are great learning resources, but they might only give you a general knowledge of French and not enough practice to become fluent in this language. So, if you’re the kind of person who's looking to acquire good French proficiency, we highly recommend enrolling in these online courses with well-organized language learning programs that can tackle French in depth.
We know what you’re thinking: Why are we talking about exams when you haven’t started learning French yet? In addition, many students suffer from a tremendous amount of pressure when sitting for these examinations. So, why should you take them? Well, just to name a few reasons: they will test your knowledge, measure your skills, and some of them will also give you a certificate to expand your professional and academic horizons. How’s that for something to keep you motivated
Most people spent an unhealthy amount of time checking their Instagram DMs and laughing at ridiculous TikTok videos. So why not use social media to your advantage, that is, to speed up your learning process? Think about it. Rather than treating them as mindless entertainment, you can easily turn Instagram, TikTok and Facebook into another learning resource. Just follow these profiles and make sure to stay engaged with their content, for instance, by commenting with your newly acquired French vocabulary.
But maybe you’re the kind of learner who doesn't settle for courses, exams or apps. Perhaps, you learn or want to learn languages naturally, through a massive input of language use from everyday activities. If so, this is your lucky day. Our list wouldn’t be complete without real-life language learning tools. So, below, we’ll leave you some very useful alternatives to traditional teaching methods. Enjoy!
You probably know this one already. What better way to learn a new language than talking to native speakers? Yes, some might speak really fast and use very specific vocabulary. But if you get in touch with them, you’ll be able to learn French slang, interaction patterns and develop native-like speaking abilities faster than you ever imagined.
Sadly, not everyone has the chance to talk to native speakers. If that’s your case, there are other ways to connect to French culture. One of them is by reading French comics or books and watching French news channels. While you won’t be able to humanly interact with any of these resources, you’ll have the chance to take a closer look at how French people communicate.
This is, perhaps, most learners’ favorite method of study. Contrary to popular opinion, watching TV, streaming or YouTube videos is not a distraction as long as you use them to your benefit. How so? Well, for instance, you can enjoy these activities while taking notes on French vocabulary and imitating native speakers' real-life speech to practice your speaking skills.
Let’s do a quick recap. Learning French has many benefits for you, and there are hundreds of apps that can help you begin your French language learning journey. Above, we have arranged the best ones just to give you a hand.
But, as we said before, language learning is not something to take lightly. Since studying a whole new tongue can be a bit frustrating, we compiled a list of tips to make the best of all these resources.
Now that you have your resources, tips and motivation, chances are that you’re eager and ready to begin your French learning journey. But there’s one more thing you need to know, we have to tell you the secret to speeding up your progress. “Why?” you may ask.
Well, online tools and tips are a great way to learn French, but they will only get you so far. If you really want to master this language, you’ll need the help of something else, actually, someone else: a native-speaking tutor. And, like the best French learning tools, you won’t have to spend countless hours looking for highly proficient teachers on the web.
Instead, at Language Trainers, we can pair you up with the most experienced and knowledgeable native-speaking French tutors. What’s best, you can choose to have classes in the comfort of your house, your office, or online through Zoom, Skype or Meet.
Just send us a quick inquiry, and we’ll get in touch with you. Our tutors are eager to join your journey and ready to prepare a specialized French learning program suited to your particular needs and goals. À tout à l"heure…Not only are our tutors eager to join your journey but also ready to prepare a specialized program suited to your particular needs and goals.
