Bonjour mes amis 🌿

Let me ask you something: Have you ever tried to memorize the conjugation of the French verb “aller” (to go)?

You know the drill – je vais, tu vas, il va, nous allons, vous allez, ils vont. You write it down. You repeat it. You quiz yourself.

And then… a week later, when you actually need to use it in conversation, your mind goes blank. 🤯

But the truth is… rote memorization doesn’t work for language acquisition. Your brain isn’t designed to store isolated verb tables like a filing cabinet.

It’s designed to recognize patterns through meaningful context and repeated exposure.

And “aller“? It’s one of the trickiest verbs in French because it’s completely irregular. There’s no logical pattern to follow – je vais doesn’t look anything like nous allons!

So when you try to force-memorize it, your brain has nothing to anchor it to. It’s just random sounds with no meaning attached. 📚❌

What Your Brain Actually Needs 🧠✨

Before you can USE “aller” correctly, you need to HEAR it – a lot. In different forms. In different contexts. In situations where the meaning is clear.

Your brain needs to absorb “tu vas” while watching someone go somewhere. It needs to hear “vous allez” in a question about the future. It needs to encounter “nous allons” in a story about a group heading on an adventure.

When you understand “aller” in context – when you see what it means, feel what it expresses, and experience it as part of a living moment – THAT’s when it sticks.

Not through memorization, but through comprehension.

Not by forcing it into your brain, but by letting your brain absorb it naturally. 🌱

This is exactly why Story Listening is so powerful. And I have the perfect example to show you.

Three Frogs, One Rainbow, and the Verb “Aller” 🐸🌈

My Dear Man & I just released a new Story Listening video on YouTube, and I think you’re going to love it: “Les trois grenouilles et l’arc-en-ciel“ (The Three Frogs and the Rainbow).

Watch it here → https://youtu.be/e71tV4rHx8A

It’s a fable about three frogs who spot a beautiful rainbow and decide to hunt for the treasure at the end of it. But will they find it? And what happens along the way? 🏆✨

Here’s what makes this story special for learning “aller“: throughout the tale, you’ll hear the verb in different forms – “tu vas” (you go), “vous allez” (you [plural] go), and more – all woven naturally into the adventure.

But here’s the beautiful part: you won’t be thinking about grammar. You’ll be thinking about the frogs! What are they doing? Where are they going? Will they succeed? Is there really treasure at the end of the rainbow? 🤔💭

While your conscious mind is absorbed in the story, your unconscious brain is doing the real work – noticing patterns, absorbing structures, connecting “aller” to movement and intention and future action.

You’re acquiring the verb without even realizing it. That’s the magic of comprehensible input! 🧠💫

How to Use This Story (The Right Way!) 🎯

Step 1: Watch the video and focus ONLY on the story. 👀🎧

Don’t analyze the grammar. Don’t pause to translate. Don’t stress about catching every word.

Just follow the three frogs on their adventure. What happens? How does it end? Let yourself be curious and engaged.

That’s where acquisition happens!

Step 2: Narrate the story in your own words. 🗣️✍️

After watching, tell the story back – either by speaking it aloud or writing it down.

Use your mother tongue if you need to. Mix in French words you remember. Or challenge yourself to use more French!

There’s no “right” way – only YOUR way.

Try to use “aller” in the right form (tu vas? vous allez? ils vont?), but don’t worry if you make mistakes. This isn’t a test!

This is you checking: Did I understand the gist of the story? Can I tell what happened to those three frogs? 🐸

That understanding – the gist – is the most important part of acquisition. If you can retell the story in any language, it means you comprehended the French.

And that comprehension is what allows your brain to eventually produce correct French naturally. 🌟

Ready to Acquire French the Natural Way? 🇫🇷✨

If this approach speaks to you – if you’re tired of memorizing verb tables that don’t stick and ready to learn French through compelling stories that actually work – I’d love to welcome you to my program.

Join us at aliceayel.com →Click here!

Inside, you’ll find hundreds of stories just like “Les trois grenouilles et l’arc-en-ciel” – carefully crafted for comprehensible input, organized by level from beginner to advanced, complete with transcripts and audio so you can watch, read, and listen your way to fluency.

You’ll also join a supportive community of fellow learners who understand exactly what you’re going through, share their narrations, celebrate progress together, and prove every day that it’s never too late to acquire a new language.

No more grammar drills. No more frustration. Just beautiful stories, natural acquisition, and real progress – one story at a time.

Your French journey is waiting. And it starts with a story about three curious frogs and a rainbow… 🐸✨

À bientôt!
Alice 🌷

P.S. After you watch the frog story, come back and tell me: Did they find the treasure? I’d love to hear what YOU think the story teaches us! 💭