If you have experienced a learning language block, you might want to find better techniques. Learn what the French comprehensible input is.
French comprehensible input
Given the high concentration of French speakers in Canada, Quebec, and other Francophone territories, it’s no surprise that French is one of North America’s most widely spoken languages.
If you want to master French as quickly as possible, several key factors could help you along the way. It’s important to understand how the French language functions on a basic level to effectively use what you know.
French grammar is fairly easy to learn with practice if you take the time to understand how words and phrases are used. For example, learning that verbs end in “er” rather than “re’ or “en” will make understanding sentences easier in the future.
Below we explore some key aspects explaining why learning French as a second language might be easier for native English speakers than native French speakers.
French is a tonal language
French is a tonal language, meaning that meaning is conveyed via the tone produced by the words. This makes it very important to learn the specific tonal differences between words and phrases.
It’s not just important to be able to understand the difference between “bonjour” (hello) and “au revoir” (goodbye), but also between “savourer” (to savor) and “faire la dégustation” (to do the tasting).
This isn’t easy to learn on your own, so it’s helpful to learn it with others. YouTube is a great resource for teaching tone languages, as tons of videos are available to help you learn tone languages.
French has a different writing system than English
Another notable difference between French and English is how the language is written. French uses French orthography, which has some notable differences from how English is written.
The most obvious difference is that French words are spelled differently, with “a” instead of “an,” “e” rather than “y,” and “u” instead of “w.” French also uses different alphabets for sounds, such as making “a” and “e” different.
If you’re learning French, getting used to the different writing systems is important. The best way to do this is to start learning French words and phrases using the English alphabet, then move on to using the French alphabet as you go.
French grammar is fairly simple, but vocabulary differences make it challenging for native speakers
While French grammar is relatively simple, it’s also different from English and can make it challenging for native speakers. To get around this, vocabulary is the most important factor in learning French.
Even if the grammar is relatively simple, you won’t be able to communicate effectively if you don’t know the right words or phrases. It’s helpful to think of vocabulary learning as an extensive vocabulary-building exercise.
The most effective way to build your vocabulary is to use contextual clues. Contextual clues are keywords and phrases that relate to the topic you’re talking about.
For example, if you’re learning French and you want to learn about food, contextual clues could be “soufflé,” “plat,” “poisson,” “vin,” “fraise,” and “dessert.”
French is an oral language
French is also an oral language, meaning it’s primarily a language used in everyday conversations. French is also a tonal language, meaning that it uses tones to convey meaning, but people generally are much less likely to use tones with words like these.
If you’re in a French-speaking environment, it’s important to get used to using words and phrases as opposed to relying on tones to convey meaning. You can minimize how much you rely on tones by simply speaking French in everyday conversation.
Pushing yourself to use French in conversation will help you get used to speaking French as an oral language.
Montreal and Quebec are key places where you can practice your French
One of the greatest benefits of learning French is that it’s one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.
There are more than 250 million native French speakers in France, 70 million French speakers in Africa, 52 million in Canada, and 21 million in the United States. It’s also useful to remember that 75% of the world’s Francophones live outside of France.
Learning French can greatly expand your sphere of influence and opportunities in the world. Depending on where you live, you can make the most of the French-speaking environment by speaking in public.
If you live in a Francophone city, you can also try to speak French with your family, friends, and neighbors.
Final words…
French is a fascinating language with a rich history and a beautiful writing system. If you’re a native English speaker with some French knowledge, learning French as a second language might be easier than learning a new language.
If you’re a native French speaker, however, learning another language might be challenging.
A few key factors make learning French easier for native English speakers than native French speakers, including the fact that the French writing system is different from English and the language is oral.
If you’re interested in learning French, you should keep these factors in mind.
