You’ve decided to learn French on your own, but you don’t want to enroll in classes or pay for private lessons. Is it still possible to learn? Of course, I respond! Let’s look at how to learn French on your own and the best tools for doing so.
Why learn French on your own?
What are the primary benefits of self-learning a new language? The first advantage of learning in this manner is that it can be done whenever and wherever you want.
Self-study of a foreign language can also be less expensive than private lessons. Because there are no due dates or homework requirements, studying independently can be less demanding than taking a class.
On the other hand, you must be laser-focused and aware of your objectives. If you are dedicated and set aside enough time to study, you can learn French on your own.
Learn French on your own: is it hard?
Many people who want to start learning this beautiful language wonder, “Is it difficult to learn? “Will I succeed?” There is no universal answer because it is heavily influenced by the languages you already know. French and Spanish are closely related languages.
They are all members of the Romance language family, which includes several languages that are descended from Latin. Learning French will be much easier if you already know some French, French, or Portuguese.
However, some English words and grammatical structures are similar to those found in Romance languages. But that’s not all. The method you use and the tools you use can make learning French easier (or more difficult!).
Sometimes it appears that you are not progressing because you are using the incorrect technique. Select a strategy that works for you and relies on reliable sources.
Learn French on your own: how to start?
If you want to learn French on your own, you should first ask yourself why you want to learn. What do you hope to achieve, and at what level of expertise? Being able to communicate in French and having a large vocabulary for travel are two very different things.
There are several reasons why you might want to learn French. Do you want to live in France? Is it necessary to speak French to travel? Once you’ve determined your “why,” you can choose your “how.” The first essential requirement is a commitment to learning.
You could make a weekly schedule or promise yourself, “I will devote 20 minutes a day to learning French.” Then decide what you want to focus on: learning more grammar rules, expanding your vocabulary, or improving your pronunciation and fluency.
Depending on your main focus, you can use a variety of resources. However, some content is required for every language learner.
Steps to Learning French on Your Own
- Find a trustworthy online dictionary to use as a reference whenever you need to know the definition of a word or phrase.
- Obtain a grammar book. Although grammar can be tedious for some, understanding some basic French grammar can be extremely beneficial. Using grammar, you can improve your spoken French to a higher level.
- Download the apps you’ll need to practice your target language. These applications, such as Duolingo, are both useful and entertaining, and they can be used anywhere. It’s a convenient way to keep practicing while riding the bus or driving to work.
Learn French on your own: motivation and method
Learning French on your own requires more than just language-learning apps and a good dictionary. Method and motivation are essential for learning any new language.
Knowing what you want to achieve (for example, “I want to speak French fluently”) and why (for example, “I want to live in France”) indicates that you are eager to learn. If you have a clear motivation, you will also learn which resources work for you.
You have a proper method when you study in a way that works for you and allows for continuous improvement. Otherwise, your progress will be significantly less visible (or not visible at all), and you will gradually lose motivation.
Motivation and method are the foundations upon which you can build your language skills. What else do you need? You must practice with the proper tools.
Learn French on your own: resources
What are the best resources for a French learner who has decided not to enroll in a course? As previously stated, having a good dictionary and grammar book as a resource while studying is essential.
We have free online access to a plethora of resources to help us learn French (or any foreign language). Don’t you think it’s fantastic? Having too much information, on the other hand, can leave you unable to make a decision.
Avoid consuming too many books, videos, and readings from various sources. It could be perplexing.
Instead, try to limit your resource selection to a small number of options and stick with them. If you’re wondering how to choose the best resources, remember that practice is essential if you want to learn French on your own. Concentrate on reading, speaking, and listening material to accomplish this.
Let’s take a look at some of the best resources for independent French study. Music from France, Listening to music is enjoyable because it allows you to connect lyrics to music.
Furthermore, the human brain is wired to respond to emotions, and music elicits them. While listening to French songs, you can read the lyrics and try to translate them into your language so that you can understand what is being said.
You’ll have fun while learning new French vocabulary and expressions. Visit this page to find some French songs. French readings. Reading in French allows you to naturally hone your language skills and apply what you learn.
Textbooks are frequently boring. Instead, when you read something you enjoy, you forget about how much you are learning. If what you read makes you feel something, you’ll remember it quickly. You become so engrossed in the story that you pick up new words and expressions unconsciously.
Conversations in French or short stories depicting typical everyday situations are engaging ways to naturally learn French. Reading these stories, which are based on situations that may arise during your visit to France, will teach you words and expressions that you can use in real life (such as going to the doctor, making hotel reservations, ordering food, etc.).
How to structure your French self-study session
If you’re learning French on your own, you don’t need a schedule or to learn regularly. If you want to make progress, you must plan out your study schedule! You could combine the previously mentioned resources and divide your daily lesson into the following sections:
- A French reading assignment of 20 minutes: read aloud, translate, and write a summary of a book or short story;
- 20 minutes for an audio lesson: listen to it, read the transcript, or write it down, then practice your pronunciation.
- Spend ten minutes reading, translating, and underlining the unfamiliar words in a French song’s lyrics. Sing the song if you want to make learning more enjoyable.
The preceding example can be altered as needed. Maybe you’ll want to spend ten minutes practicing your grammar or watching a YouTube tutorial one day. It’s perfectly fine to be adaptable because it makes studying more enjoyable.
How much time should you devote to self-study of French? Obviously, the longer the better. But be careful not to overdo it, as this could become too stressful. Setting aside at least 30 minutes per day to learn French would be ideal.
Throughout the day, try to use the French language as much as possible. Write your shopping list in French, for example, and watch French-language television or read the news in French.
When a language is used in practice rather than just in theory, learning is much faster.
Learn French with the help of a coach
It is not advisable to live in your little world while learning French. If you want to improve, you must be open to criticism.
Support is essential because, without it, you risk repeating your mistakes. You can avoid this with the help of one-on-one coaching.
A coach is typically an experienced language instructor who guides how to maximize study time. With the assistance of a coach, you can obtain answers to your questions as well as immediate feedback on your errors and progress.
If you combine active coaching sessions with independent study, you will gradually improve and eliminate all possible small and large language learning mistakes.
How to learn French on your own: a wrap-up
- It is possible to learn French on your own; all you need is the right approach and motivation.
- Be aware of your goals to keep your motivation high and to give your progress meaning.
- Although a good dictionary and grammar book is a good place to start, they are insufficient for learning French. They must be combined with other tools and deliberate practice.
- Readings and music in French can be used to improve your language skills and make language learning more enjoyable.
- You can improve your speaking skills and French pronunciation by using audio lessons.
- Attempting to schedule your lessons and establish a routine will aid your progress.
- With 1:1 coaching and ongoing feedback from native language experts, you can eliminate errors.
