As the official language in around 30 countries – including France, Canada, and Belgium – and with approximately 300 million speakers around the globe, French is the seventh most spoken language in the world. It’s used as the official language in some important institutions – such as the United Nations and the International Red Cross – and is the language of dance, fashion, the visual arts, and architecture. It’s also so beautiful and melodic that it’s considered the language of love. Additionally, French is a romance language – making it the perfect stepping-stone to learning Portuguese, Spanish, or Italian. Of course, traveling is also a huge motivation to learn French. From the Louvre Museum to the Alps and the Eiffel Tower, there’s a lot to visit. So, learning French is guaranteed to open the doors to new opportunities.
Since French is so popular among language students, there are many learning resources online – some even free of charge. However, as you discover countless tips, strategies, and methods, it’s only natural to feel a bit lost. In all honesty, there isn’t one correct way to learn French. The best approach depends on the student, which is why we recommend testing the waters and sticking with a plan that offers you the fastest results.
Due to their meticulously designed course structures and range of exercises, language learning software comes as a beacon pointing students in the right direction. Plus, most companies base their courses on proven teaching methods known for speeding up the learning process.
Language learning software has also kept up with the times and takes advantage of cutting-edge technology to provide the best learning experience possible. You can study anywhere with mobile apps, hone your speaking skills by using speech-recognition software, and much more. As a bonus, some language learning platforms come with built-in social features that let you have real conversations with like-minded French students and native speakers. Is there anything better than making long-lasting friendships while learning a new language?
With millions of active subscribers all around the world, Babbel sits at the top of the industry as one of the best-selling language learning apps. The courses use real-life situations, which means students are ready to have conversations within the first three weeks. Babbel offers complete writing, listening, and speaking exercises to teach vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and cultural trivia. There are also various extras, such as games, podcasts, and live classes. Unfortunately, Babbel only teaches 13 different language courses, but they’ve been carefully created by a team of over 150 language experts. You can try one class for free, but to gain full access to Babbel's teaching methods, you’ll need to subscribe. There is no free trial but you can take advantage of the 20-day money-back guarantee.
Used by millions, Busuu is a well-known and well-loved language-learning application. Based in the UK, this platform ensures an engaging experience by providing a decent variety of exercises. There are 12 courses available, and all of them are built taking into consideration the language’s and country’s cultural aspects. In other words, besides teaching vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, Busuu also provides hints on how to properly behave when speaking with the natives. What’s more, Busuu offers a limited free plan that you can use forever. That being said, a paid subscription is necessary to have access to Busuu’s full potential, such as the ability to interact with other people using the app. The price can be as low as $5.41 per month, and there’s a 14-day money-back guarantee to test the premium plans.
Launched in Romania back in 2013, Mondly is a language learning app that offers a more engaging way to learn a new language than studying flashcards. Instead of focusing on individual words, Mondly teaches you commonly used phrases that allow you to learn new vocabulary and memorize sentences. Moreover, all exercises are backed up by a native speaker, enabling you to listen (and repeat) words with the correct pronunciation. There are speaking exercises available too, where the app takes advantage of speech recognition to tell you whether your pronunciation is correct or not. With over 40 language courses, there’s a lot to learn with Mondly, and due to the company’s recurrent promotions, you can get access to all of them for as low as $4 per month. You can also try the app’s premium version through the 7-day free trial.
Although French isn’t the most difficult language to learn, it’s still challenging – especially if you’re a native English speaker. One of the main culprits is French grammar. It’s already tricky to memorize six different forms for each verb pattern, but it’s even more challenging to learn all the irregular verbs. Fortunately, language learning software makes this process more enjoyable by offering interactive exercises.
Understanding which gender to use is another obstacle some French students struggle with. If you come from a language that doesn’t apply genders to inanimate objects, you might find yourself scratching your head trying to understand whether a keyboard is male or female (it’s male, by the way). It’s not completely random, though, and language learning apps will explain the rules you need to follow.
To make things worse, spelling is inconsistent. Not only do French speakers drop letters, but they even omit entire chunks of words while speaking. By making sure you get a strong grasp of the basics, language learning platforms help you understand the method in the madness.
Finally, we have pronunciation. Besides the silent letters already mentioned, you’ll also need to learn how to make nasal sounds and the tricky ‘r’ sound correctly. Plus, French is a syllable-timed language where each syllable gets equal time. Students who come from stress-timed languages, such as English or European Portuguese, may take a while getting the rhythm right. So, using language learning software that records your voice and allows you to listen back to yourself is great to help understand where you need to improve.
It’s always best to complement your language learning app with extra resources to enhance your studying experience. Even if you’re using the most engaging software, you should mix things up to stay fresh and motivated. Streaming services are ideal for this. For example, watching TV shows (like Marseille on Netflix) or movies (such as Amélie on Amazon Prime) is a great way to improve your listening skills.
Meanwhile, there’s nothing better to hone your writing skills and expand your vocabulary than reading. From L’Étranger to Le Petit Prince and Notre Dame de Paris, French literature has something for everyone. Even following the news by reading newspapers like ‘Le Monde’ is guaranteed to speed up your journey to fluency. And of course, you should check out contemporary French music, which includes some of the best pop and rap songs ever made.
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