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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abisproduction235 acquire50 acquiring18 advanced beginner477 authentic168 autonomouslearner236 babystage24 becomeamember233 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity113 community189 comprehensiblefrench275 comprehensibleinput265 comprehension284 course124 dailyfrench224 dailyreading32 fall17 fall lessons2 fle303 fluency107 freewrite50 frenchacquisitionforall34 frenchcommunity261 frenchculture295 frenchfluency19 frenchforall227 frenchjourney20 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient257 intensive181 intermediate741 journey200 language acquisition263 learner251 lefrancaisensemble240 listen317 live62 liveclass98 natural199 novice168 novice high275 novicehigh360 online learner221 process22 produce12 production44 progress135 reading286 reboot101 slow french345 speak85 speakfrench211 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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abisproduction235 advanced beginner477 authentic168 autonomouslearner236 babystage24 becomeamember233 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity113 comprehensiblefrench275 comprehensibleinput265 comprehension284 course124 dailyfrench224 dailyreading32 expressfluency82 fall17 fall lessons2 fle303 freewrite50 frenchcommunity261 frenchculture295 frenchforall227 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient257 intensive181 intermediate741 language acquisition263 learner251 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble240 lisenfrançais216 listen317 natural199 novice168 novice high275 novicehigh360 online learner221 progress135 prononcer5 pronounce31 pronunciation11 reading286 reboot101 slow french345 speak85 speakfrench211 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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abisproduction235 advanced beginner477 authentic168 autonomouslearner236 babystage24 becomeamember233 break6 cicommunity113 classes39 comprehensiblefrench275 comprehensibleinput265 comprehension284 course124 dailyfrench224 expressfluency82 fall17 fle303 french lessons7 frenchcommunity261 frenchforall227 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 holidays10 inputaloneissufficient257 intermediate741 language acquisition263 learner251 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble240 lessons36 lisenfrançais216 listen317 live62 natural199 novice168 novice high275 novicehigh360 online38 online learner221 personal13 reading286 reboot101 slow french345 speak85 speakfrench211 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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abisproduction235 advanced beginner477 authentic168 autonomouslearner236 babystage24 becomeamember233 cicommunity113 comprehensiblefrench275 comprehensibleinput265 comprehension284 course124 dailyfrench224 dailyreading32 expressfluency82 fle303 freewrite50 frenchcommunity261 frenchculture295 frenchforall227 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 inputaloneissufficient257 intensive181 intermediate741 july4 july20221 language acquisition263 learner251 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble240 lisenfrançais216 listen317 natural199 novice168 novice high275 novicehigh360 online learner221 reading286 reboot101 slow french345 speak85 speakfrench211 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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abisproduction235 apprendre14 autonomouslearner236 becomeamember233 chanson31 chansonfrancaise31 cicommunity113 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench275 comprehensibleinput265 comprehension284 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench224 fête de la musique5 film41 fle303 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity261 frenchforall227 frenchmovie20 frenchmusic4 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories106 inputaloneissufficient257 intermediate741 keeplearning42 keepmotivated207 language acquisition263 languageflow4 learner251 lefrancaisensemble240 lisenfrançais216 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 motivationbreak182 movie20 muguet10 music27 online french22 online learner221 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader179 reading286 slow french345 song29 speakfrench211 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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abisproduction235 apprendre14 autonomouslearner236 becomeamember233 cicommunity113 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench275 comprehensibleinput265 comprehension284 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench224 film41 fle303 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity261 frenchforall227 frenchmovie20 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories106 inputaloneissufficient257 intermediate741 keeplearning42 keepmotivated207 language acquisition263 languageflow4 learner251 lefrancaisensemble240 lisenfrançais216 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 motivationbreak182 movie20 muguet10 online french22 online learner221 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader179 reading286 slow french345 speakfrench211 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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abisproduction235 apprendre14 autonomouslearner236 becomeamember233 cicommunity113 cocreate22 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench275 comprehensibleinput265 comprehension284 copy3 dailyfrench224 enmaifaisdufrançais9 expressfluency82 fle303 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity261 frenchforall227 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories106 inputaloneissufficient257 intermediate741 keeplearning42 keepmotivated207 language acquisition263 languageflow4 learner251 lefrancaisensemble240 lisenfrançais216 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 may challenge7 maychallenge12 motivationbreak182 muguet10 online french22 online learner221 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 pleasurereading141 reader179 reading286 readingispower21 recordings13 slow french345 speakfrench211 stories40 teen18 teenstage16 thinkfrench28 thinkthat10 understand67 understanding22