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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abisproduction212 acquire50 acquiring18 advanced beginner454 authentic168 autonomouslearner213 babystage24 becomeamember210 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity102 community166 comprehensiblefrench252 comprehensibleinput242 comprehension261 course124 dailyfrench201 dailyreading32 fall17 fall lessons2 fle280 fluency107 freewrite50 frenchacquisitionforall34 frenchcommunity238 frenchculture295 frenchfluency19 frenchforall204 frenchjourney20 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient234 intensive158 intermediate718 journey177 language acquisition240 learner228 lefrancaisensemble217 listen294 live62 liveclass98 natural176 novice168 novice high252 novicehigh337 online learner198 process22 produce12 production44 progress112 reading263 reboot89 slow french322 speak85 speakfrench199 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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abisproduction212 advanced beginner454 authentic168 autonomouslearner213 babystage24 becomeamember210 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity102 comprehensiblefrench252 comprehensibleinput242 comprehension261 course124 dailyfrench201 dailyreading32 expressfluency71 fall17 fall lessons2 fle280 freewrite50 frenchcommunity238 frenchculture295 frenchforall204 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient234 intensive158 intermediate718 language acquisition240 learner228 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble217 lisenfrançais193 listen294 natural176 novice168 novice high252 novicehigh337 online learner198 progress112 prononcer5 pronounce31 pronunciation11 reading263 reboot89 slow french322 speak85 speakfrench199 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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abisproduction212 advanced beginner454 authentic168 autonomouslearner213 babystage24 becomeamember210 break6 cicommunity102 classes39 comprehensiblefrench252 comprehensibleinput242 comprehension261 course124 dailyfrench201 expressfluency71 fall17 fle280 french lessons7 frenchcommunity238 frenchforall204 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 holidays10 inputaloneissufficient234 intermediate718 language acquisition240 learner228 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble217 lessons36 lisenfrançais193 listen294 live62 natural176 novice168 novice high252 novicehigh337 online38 online learner198 personal13 reading263 reboot89 slow french322 speak85 speakfrench199 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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abisproduction212 advanced beginner454 authentic168 autonomouslearner213 babystage24 becomeamember210 cicommunity102 comprehensiblefrench252 comprehensibleinput242 comprehension261 course124 dailyfrench201 dailyreading32 expressfluency71 fle280 freewrite50 frenchcommunity238 frenchculture295 frenchforall204 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 inputaloneissufficient234 intensive158 intermediate718 july4 july20221 language acquisition240 learner228 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble217 lisenfrançais193 listen294 natural176 novice168 novice high252 novicehigh337 online learner198 reading263 reboot89 slow french322 speak85 speakfrench199 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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abisproduction212 apprendre14 autonomouslearner213 becomeamember210 chanson31 chansonfrancaise31 cicommunity102 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench252 comprehensibleinput242 comprehension261 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench201 fête de la musique5 film41 fle280 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity238 frenchforall204 frenchmovie20 frenchmusic4 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories83 inputaloneissufficient234 intermediate718 keeplearning42 keepmotivated184 language acquisition240 languageflow4 learner228 lefrancaisensemble217 lisenfrançais193 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 motivationbreak159 movie20 muguet10 music27 online french22 online learner198 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader156 reading263 slow french322 song29 speakfrench199 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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abisproduction212 apprendre14 autonomouslearner213 becomeamember210 cicommunity102 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench252 comprehensibleinput242 comprehension261 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench201 film41 fle280 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity238 frenchforall204 frenchmovie20 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories83 inputaloneissufficient234 intermediate718 keeplearning42 keepmotivated184 language acquisition240 languageflow4 learner228 lefrancaisensemble217 lisenfrançais193 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 motivationbreak159 movie20 muguet10 online french22 online learner198 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader156 reading263 slow french322 speakfrench199 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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abisproduction212 apprendre14 autonomouslearner213 becomeamember210 cicommunity102 cocreate22 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench252 comprehensibleinput242 comprehension261 copy3 dailyfrench201 enmaifaisdufrançais9 expressfluency71 fle280 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity238 frenchforall204 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories83 inputaloneissufficient234 intermediate718 keeplearning42 keepmotivated184 language acquisition240 languageflow4 learner228 lefrancaisensemble217 lisenfrançais193 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 may challenge7 maychallenge12 motivationbreak159 muguet10 online french22 online learner198 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 pleasurereading130 reader156 reading263 readingispower21 recordings13 slow french322 speakfrench199 stories40 teen18 teenstage16 thinkfrench28 thinkthat10 understand67 understanding22