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.

[read more…]

abisproduction231 acquire50 acquiring18 advanced beginner473 authentic168 autonomouslearner232 babystage24 becomeamember229 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity111 community185 comprehensiblefrench271 comprehensibleinput261 comprehension280 course124 dailyfrench220 dailyreading32 fall17 fall lessons2 fle299 fluency107 freewrite50 frenchacquisitionforall34 frenchcommunity257 frenchculture295 frenchfluency19 frenchforall223 frenchjourney20 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient253 intensive177 intermediate737 journey196 learner247 lefrancaisensemble236 listen313 live62 liveclass98 natural195 novice168 novice high271 novicehigh356 online learner217 process22 produce12 production44 progress131 reading282 reboot99 selftaught48 slow french341 speak85 speakfrench209 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”

[read more…]

abisproduction231 advanced beginner473 authentic168 autonomouslearner232 babystage24 becomeamember229 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity111 comprehensiblefrench271 comprehensibleinput261 comprehension280 course124 dailyfrench220 dailyreading32 expressfluency80 fall17 fall lessons2 fle299 freewrite50 frenchcommunity257 frenchculture295 frenchforall223 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient253 intensive177 intermediate737 learner247 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble236 lisenfrançais212 listen313 natural195 novice168 novice high271 novicehigh356 online learner217 progress131 prononcer5 pronounce31 pronunciation11 reading282 reboot99 selftaught48 slow french341 speak85 speakfrench209 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).

[read more…]

abisproduction231 advanced beginner473 authentic168 autonomouslearner232 babystage24 becomeamember229 break6 cicommunity111 classes39 comprehensiblefrench271 comprehensibleinput261 comprehension280 course124 dailyfrench220 expressfluency80 fall17 fle299 french lessons7 frenchcommunity257 frenchforall223 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 holidays10 inputaloneissufficient253 intermediate737 learner247 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble236 lessons36 lisenfrançais212 listen313 live62 natural195 novice168 novice high271 novicehigh356 online38 online learner217 personal13 reading282 reboot99 selftaught48 slow french341 speak85 speakfrench209 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.

[read more…]

abisproduction231 advanced beginner473 authentic168 autonomouslearner232 babystage24 becomeamember229 cicommunity111 comprehensiblefrench271 comprehensibleinput261 comprehension280 course124 dailyfrench220 dailyreading32 expressfluency80 fle299 freewrite50 frenchcommunity257 frenchculture295 frenchforall223 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 inputaloneissufficient253 intensive177 intermediate737 july4 july20221 learner247 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble236 lisenfrançais212 listen313 natural195 novice168 novice high271 novicehigh356 online learner217 reading282 reboot99 selftaught48 slow french341 speak85 speakfrench209 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.

[read more…]

abisproduction231 apprendre14 autonomouslearner232 becomeamember229 chanson31 chansonfrancaise31 cicommunity111 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench271 comprehensibleinput261 comprehension280 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench220 fête de la musique5 film41 fle299 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity257 frenchforall223 frenchmovie20 frenchmusic4 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories102 inputaloneissufficient253 intermediate737 keeplearning42 keepmotivated203 languageflow4 learner247 lefrancaisensemble236 lisenfrançais212 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 motivationbreak178 movie20 muguet10 music27 online french22 online learner217 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader175 reading282 selftaught48 slow french341 song29 speakfrench209 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.

[read more…]

abisproduction231 apprendre14 autonomouslearner232 becomeamember229 cicommunity111 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench271 comprehensibleinput261 comprehension280 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench220 film41 fle299 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity257 frenchforall223 frenchmovie20 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories102 inputaloneissufficient253 intermediate737 keeplearning42 keepmotivated203 languageflow4 learner247 lefrancaisensemble236 lisenfrançais212 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 motivationbreak178 movie20 muguet10 online french22 online learner217 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader175 reading282 selftaught48 slow french341 speakfrench209 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:

[read more…]

abisproduction231 apprendre14 autonomouslearner232 becomeamember229 cicommunity111 cocreate22 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench271 comprehensibleinput261 comprehension280 copy3 dailyfrench220 enmaifaisdufrançais9 expressfluency80 fle299 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity257 frenchforall223 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories102 inputaloneissufficient253 intermediate737 keeplearning42 keepmotivated203 languageflow4 learner247 lefrancaisensemble236 lisenfrançais212 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 may challenge7 maychallenge12 motivationbreak178 muguet10 online french22 online learner217 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 pleasurereading139 reader175 reading282 readingispower21 recordings13 selftaught48 slow french341 speakfrench209 stories40 teen18 teenstage16 thinkfrench28 thinkthat10 understand67 understanding22