The Best Way to Learn French?

The best way to learn French, or any foreign language, is to learn to think in it. But how do you get yourself to that point?
Is it even possible?

Yes, it is - and it’s as easy as opening your mouth.

Most of us talk to ourselves routinely, whether we admit it or not. So take advantage of this habit, and concentrate on talking out loud in the language you’re learning. As you go about your daily routines, identify the everyday objects you encounter by their French name, such as “le chat” or “le chien.” Naming everything you see will become sort of a game. Later, progress to colors (blanc), prepositional phrases (près du chien) and adjectives (petit). Before you know it, you’ll find yourself thinking “le chat blanc près du chien petit” - the white cat beside the little dog. Not only is this the best way to learn French, it’s the easiest - children do it every day!

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But how do you learn the words you need to begin with? You’ll need to start with some form of language lessons. I strongly recommend either Rocket French or Pimsleur French 1, because they place a great deal of emphasis on the sound of the language. You need to hear the language spoken; just as babies begin to learn to speak by hearing their language pronounced, you should too. This is absolutely the best way to learn French. When you learn a noun, make sure to learn its article with it - remember “le chien” rather than just “chien.” But otherwise, worry about the grammar and sentence structure later on. It’s not that grammar and sentence structure are unimportant - they’re absolutely essential once you have something to say. Right now, though, you need to accumulate sounds to use.

Once you’ve got a sense of the sound of French, you’re ready to build your vocabulary. Rocket French can help you here as well, because they provide games for you to play, and the best way to learn French is frequently the most natural and fun. When you’re away from your computer, you can reinforce your lessons by carrying homemade flash cards of words you want to learn. Write the French word on one side of an index card, and the English translation (with the French word spelled phonetically) on the other.

Carry blank cards (and a small French-English dictionary) with you at all times to add to your working vocabulary, and study your words whenever you have a free moment - on the bus, before bed, or while waiting for an appointment.

As you gain a sense of how words are pronounced in your new language, you can enhance your usage by reading children’s books. Un, Deux, Trois: First French Rhymes by Opal Dunn and Patrice Aggs comes with a CD that enables you to hear how the nursery rhymes are pronounced. You might also try Cinderella: Level 1: Learn French Through Fairy Tales with CD by David Burke and Migs Sandoval.

There are several other fairy tales in this series, all with a CD to help you hear the rhythm and sound of the French language. Read the book of your choice loudly, confidently, even dramatically, in the privacy of your home. Before long, you’ll notice two things. Your readings will become much smoother and more intelligible, and you’ll rapidly develop a sense of how French words link together to form phrases and then sentences. (This is where grammar and sentence structure come in!)

And finally, find someone to talk to! A pen pal will help tremendously if you’ll be writing French most of the time, but if you expect to spend most of your time speaking your new language aloud (as most people do), you need to find a native speaker to help you with your communication skills. It’s hard to believe that something so simple would be the best way to learn French, but it’s true. This doesn’t have to take the form of an official lesson; just meeting for coffee on a regular basis would do.

And one fine day, when you talk to yourself, you’ll suddenly realize you’re not speaking English. You’ve actually done it - you’re thinking in French!