From Zero to Bilingual: Your French Self-Learning Plan

Forget about French teachers, tutors or French classes. The best way to learn French is at home, on your terms, using flashcards, children’s books, movies, music and smart language learning apps like Mondly . It’s fun, it works – you’ll love it! And it will help you speak French fluently in no time.

Read on and find out everything there is to know about this accessible method that will literally glue the French language into your brain.

1. The best way to learn French at home: practice daily

Whenever you want to learn something – anything – new, daily practice is required. It keeps you focused and up-to-date. Moreover, if you practice daily, you give your brain the chance to rest and assimilate the information.Bit by bit is better than all at once.

Besides, learning French daily helps your brain stay young longer. And not just French. Studies have shown that bilingual people show symptoms of Alzheimer’s 4.5 years later than people who speak just one language. Isn’t that a great enough reason to practice daily?

Now, your next challenge will be curriculum and pronunciation. We all know it can be really tricky to master French pronunciation if you don’t actively live in a francophone country. And the curriculum… well, that’s another headache! But with Mondly , the award-winning language learning app, you can become conversational in no time if you practice French daily.

Featuring bite-sized Daily Lessons, practical topics and authentic French conversations recorded by fluent voice artists so you can tackle day-to-day situations,Mondly is the main and the best way to learn French at home.

“Read books in French” by Aliis Sinisalu©

There, the secret has been revealed! All you have to do is download the app and learn French daily, step by step, at your own pace. It’s easy and in a matter of days, you’ll include “learn French at home with Mondly ” naturally in your routine.

Soon enough you’ll find yourself speaking French like you never knew you could. How so? Well, Mondly doesn’t fill your head with unnecessary information that won’t get you conversational. Instead, it focuses on getting you fluent in French using the inductive method – learn by doing, context and example, and extrapolate to rules.

It worked for millions of other people that learned French at home with Mondly. And now it will work for you.

2. Read books in French

Now that you know quite a few French words and phrases, it’s time to move to the next level. Continue learning French on your language learning app , but also expand your vocabulary by reading books in French. You don’t really like to read? Find something you are really passionate about and try reading about that particular subject in French. Whether we are talking about movies, mechanics, drama, history or music, you will surely find an interesting article about it on the world wide web.

But that’s the hard way. If you want to go easy on this, start with children’s books. Since this is only the beginning of your French journey, children’s books are the most suitable reading materials for your level of proficiency. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for a good reason to read_Le Seigneur des anneaux_ (“The Lord of the Rings”) again!

And here’s yet another priceless trick to get you conversational in French: get yourself a Kindle! Kindle has an integrated vocabulary that, with just a simple tap, will show you the definition of any word in the book you are reading. The happiness of discovering new French words by yourself combined with the context of what you are reading will help you remember new words in French much faster than you would normally do.

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“Jardin des Curiosités, Lyon, France” by Léonard Cotte©

3. Use flashcards for those French words that don’t stick

Some French words just – won’t – stick. It’s crazy how stubborn they are! Lucky for you, there are ways to literally glue these words into your brain and one of the handiest ideas is flashcards.

Start by identifying the words or phrases that won’t stick and write them down on sticky notes (ironic!). Then put them by the bed, in the kitchen, in the bathroom or wherever you spend the most time during a day. Next thing you know, the same French words you used to forget will now follow you everywhere.

4. Train your ears with French movies, music or videos

Has it ever happened to you to spend time in another country and then hear people at home speak the foreign language you got used to although they weren’t doing so? Strangely enough, that was your brain after it got used to the language you kept hearing. After it accommodates, your brain changes its expectations regarding the sounds that surround you. Isn’t that amazing?

Well, it’s high time you used this to your advantage. Train your ears to hear the French language – watch French movies and listen to French music! Luckily, the French cinema has produced some superb films, so you’ll never get bored. What more could you ask for?

Need some French music ideas? Here’s one from Mommy , a brilliant film partially spoken in French:

5. Talk to yourself in French

That’s exactly right. Not by yourself. To yourself. That may sound a little crazy, but expressing your thoughts in French can help you master the language faster. The idea is to be able to form a line of thought directly into the French language. Just like you would in a conversation in French.

If you don’t have any fluent French friends to practice with, use your imagination! This will help you understand your limits and work more exactly where you need it.

Bonus tip: Stay positive and book a trip to France ASAP

These methods will work ten times better if you remain positive. Now you know what’s the best way to learn French. The rest is up to you and you can do it! Start by saying_Je peux le faire! Je peux commencer à parler le français couramment!_ (“I can do it! I can start speaking French fluently!”).

“Valloire, France” by Marc Guellerin

And finally… book your trip to France already! What better ways to celebrate becoming conversational in French than traveling to a country where it is spoken? Oh, you’ve been to Paris? No problem. There’s even more to see. The beauty of the French lands is endless. Many people argue that traveling is expensive, but that’s not entirely true. If you plan ahead, you will definitely be able to find an affordable deal. Just keep your eyes on the offers!

And… that was it! Now you know what is the best way to learn French at home.

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• Download Mondly

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