French the natural way: is it OK to translate?

Coucou les French learners,

This week, I got a good question from a new member who struggles to acquire French. This new member wants to remain anonymous and he is a total French beginner. He commented in the Chat:

I’m struggling to understand anything without translating every single word.

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acquire50 acquiring18 advanced beginner466 authentic168 autonomouslearner225 babystage24 becomeamember222 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity107 community178 comprehensiblefrench264 comprehensibleinput254 comprehension273 course124 dailyfrench213 dailyreading32 fall17 fall lessons2 fle292 fluency107 freewrite50 frenchacquisitionforall34 frenchcommunity250 frenchculture295 frenchfluency19 frenchforall216 frenchjourney20 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient246 intensive170 intermediate730 journey189 language acquisition252 learner240 lefrancaisensemble229 listen306 live62 liveclass98 natural188 novice168 novice high264 novicehigh349 online learner210 process22 produce12 production44 progress124 reading275 reboot96 selftaught48 slow french334 speak85 speakfrench205 teenstage16 tips50 tpr19 translate7 translating6 translation4 upper beginner449 write59

French the natural way: 5 tips to improve your French pronunciation

Coucou les French learners,

Two weeks ago, I posted Antony’s question about having the correct pronunciation in French. The challenge of the French language is pronunciation. It is challenging to read in French because spelling does not match pronunciation.

There are also all those “weird”

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advanced beginner466 authentic168 autonomouslearner225 babystage24 becomeamember222 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity107 comprehensiblefrench264 comprehensibleinput254 comprehension273 course124 dailyfrench213 dailyreading32 expressfluency77 fall17 fall lessons2 fle292 freewrite50 frenchcommunity250 frenchculture295 frenchforall216 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient246 intensive170 intermediate730 language acquisition252 learner240 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble229 lisenfrançais205 listen306 natural188 novice168 novice high264 novicehigh349 online learner210 progress124 prononcer5 pronounce31 pronunciation11 reading275 reboot96 selftaught48 slow french334 speak85 speakfrench205 storyasking15 summercourse8 teenstage16 tips50 upper beginner449 write59

French the natural way: back to you!

Coucou les French learners,

Here we are after a much needed summer break! Here are a few pictures about our family time on the beach and in Spain (Galicia & Navarra).

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advanced beginner466 authentic168 autonomouslearner225 babystage24 becomeamember222 break6 cicommunity107 classes39 comprehensiblefrench264 comprehensibleinput254 comprehension273 course124 dailyfrench213 expressfluency77 fall17 fle292 french lessons7 frenchcommunity250 frenchforall216 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 holidays10 inputaloneissufficient246 intermediate730 language acquisition252 learner240 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble229 lessons36 lisenfrançais205 listen306 live62 natural188 novice168 novice high264 novicehigh349 online38 online learner210 personal13 reading275 reboot96 selftaught48 slow french334 speak85 speakfrench205 storyasking15 summer28 summer20222 teenstage16 timeoff1 upper beginner449 write59

French the natural way: French reboot

Coucou les French learners,

Est-ce que vous profitez de l’été ? Are enjoying summer?

Un tournesol ( lisez l’histoire du tournesol ! ), un château de sable au bord de l’océan Atlantique et un coucher de soleil.

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advanced beginner466 authentic168 autonomouslearner225 babystage24 becomeamember222 cicommunity107 comprehensiblefrench264 comprehensibleinput254 comprehension273 course124 dailyfrench213 dailyreading32 expressfluency77 fle292 freewrite50 frenchcommunity250 frenchculture295 frenchforall216 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 inputaloneissufficient246 intensive170 intermediate730 july4 july20221 language acquisition252 learner240 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble229 lisenfrançais205 listen306 natural188 novice168 novice high264 novicehigh349 online learner210 reading275 reboot96 selftaught48 slow french334 speak85 speakfrench205 storyasking15 summer28 summer20222 summercourse8 teenstage16 upper beginner449 write59

French the natural way: listen to songs

Coucou les French learners,

June 21 is the official start of summer, youpi ! And to celebrate the longest day of the year, we have La Fête de la Musique. Live music is everywhere in parks and in the streets of cities and villages in France.

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apprendre14 autonomouslearner225 becomeamember222 chanson31 chansonfrancaise31 cicommunity107 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench264 comprehensibleinput254 comprehension273 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench213 fête de la musique5 film41 fle292 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity250 frenchforall216 frenchmovie20 frenchmusic4 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories95 inputaloneissufficient246 intermediate730 keeplearning42 keepmotivated196 language acquisition252 languageflow4 learner240 lefrancaisensemble229 lisenfrançais205 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 motivationbreak171 movie20 muguet10 music27 online french22 online learner210 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader168 reading275 selftaught48 slow french334 song29 speakfrench205 stories40 subtitles5 teen18 teenstage16 thinkfrench28 thinkthat10 understand67 understanding22

French the natural way: let’s watch French movies!

Coucou les French learners,

Do you still remember the lines from your favorite movie? Well, you can do the same with a French movie.

Watching a movie in French gives you lots of input, although not all comprehensible! Watching French movies helps you experience the culture and French as it’s actually spoken by real French speakers.

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apprendre14 autonomouslearner225 becomeamember222 cicommunity107 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench264 comprehensibleinput254 comprehension273 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench213 film41 fle292 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity250 frenchforall216 frenchmovie20 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories95 inputaloneissufficient246 intermediate730 keeplearning42 keepmotivated196 language acquisition252 languageflow4 learner240 lefrancaisensemble229 lisenfrançais205 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 motivationbreak171 movie20 muguet10 online french22 online learner210 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader168 reading275 selftaught48 slow french334 speakfrench205 stories40 subtitles5 teen18 teenstage16 thinkfrench28 thinkthat10 understand67 understanding22

French the natural way: a state of flow

Coucou les French learners,

C’est le printemps, ça se sent ! It is spring, we can feel it!

Sweet spring comes back, and revives the birds, zephyrs, and flowers, and my voice.

This weekend, Angus shared his French journey in the Community Chat:

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apprendre14 autonomouslearner225 becomeamember222 cicommunity107 cocreate22 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench264 comprehensibleinput254 comprehension273 copy3 dailyfrench213 enmaifaisdufrançais9 expressfluency77 fle292 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity250 frenchforall216 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories95 inputaloneissufficient246 intermediate730 keeplearning42 keepmotivated196 language acquisition252 languageflow4 learner240 lefrancaisensemble229 lisenfrançais205 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 may challenge7 maychallenge12 motivationbreak171 muguet10 online french22 online learner210 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 pleasurereading136 reader168 reading275 readingispower21 recordings13 selftaught48 slow french334 speakfrench205 stories40 teen18 teenstage16 thinkfrench28 thinkthat10 understand67 understanding22