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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abisproduction237 acquire50 acquiring18 advanced beginner479 authentic168 autonomouslearner238 babystage24 becomeamember235 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity115 community191 comprehensiblefrench277 comprehensibleinput272 comprehension286 course124 dailyfrench226 dailyreading32 fall17 fall lessons2 fle305 fluency107 freewrite50 frenchacquisitionforall34 frenchcommunity264 frenchculture297 frenchfluency19 frenchforall229 frenchjourney20 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient259 intensive183 intermediate743 journey202 language acquisition265 learner253 lefrancaisensemble242 listen319 live62 liveclass98 natural201 novice168 novice high277 novicehigh362 online learner223 process22 produce12 production44 progress137 reading288 reboot101 slow french347 speak85 speakfrench213 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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abisproduction237 advanced beginner479 authentic168 autonomouslearner238 babystage24 becomeamember235 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity115 comprehensiblefrench277 comprehensibleinput272 comprehension286 course124 dailyfrench226 dailyreading32 expressfluency83 fall17 fall lessons2 fle305 freewrite50 frenchcommunity264 frenchculture297 frenchforall229 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient259 intensive183 intermediate743 language acquisition265 learner253 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble242 lisenfrançais218 listen319 natural201 novice168 novice high277 novicehigh362 online learner223 progress137 prononcer5 pronounce31 pronunciation11 reading288 reboot101 slow french347 speak85 speakfrench213 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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abisproduction237 advanced beginner479 authentic168 autonomouslearner238 babystage24 becomeamember235 break6 cicommunity115 classes39 comprehensiblefrench277 comprehensibleinput272 comprehension286 course124 dailyfrench226 expressfluency83 fall17 fle305 french lessons7 frenchcommunity264 frenchforall229 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 holidays10 inputaloneissufficient259 intermediate743 language acquisition265 learner253 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble242 lessons36 lisenfrançais218 listen319 live62 natural201 novice168 novice high277 novicehigh362 online38 online learner223 personal13 reading288 reboot101 slow french347 speak85 speakfrench213 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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abisproduction237 advanced beginner479 authentic168 autonomouslearner238 babystage24 becomeamember235 cicommunity115 comprehensiblefrench277 comprehensibleinput272 comprehension286 course124 dailyfrench226 dailyreading32 expressfluency83 fle305 freewrite50 frenchcommunity264 frenchculture297 frenchforall229 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 inputaloneissufficient259 intensive183 intermediate743 july4 july20221 language acquisition265 learner253 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble242 lisenfrançais218 listen319 natural201 novice168 novice high277 novicehigh362 online learner223 reading288 reboot101 slow french347 speak85 speakfrench213 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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abisproduction237 apprendre14 autonomouslearner238 becomeamember235 chanson31 chansonfrancaise31 cicommunity115 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench277 comprehensibleinput272 comprehension286 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench226 fête de la musique5 film41 fle305 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity264 frenchforall229 frenchmovie20 frenchmusic4 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories108 inputaloneissufficient259 intermediate743 keeplearning42 keepmotivated209 language acquisition265 languageflow4 learner253 lefrancaisensemble242 lisenfrançais218 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 motivationbreak184 movie20 muguet10 music27 online french22 online learner223 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader181 reading288 slow french347 song29 speakfrench213 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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abisproduction237 apprendre14 autonomouslearner238 becomeamember235 cicommunity115 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench277 comprehensibleinput272 comprehension286 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench226 film41 fle305 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity264 frenchforall229 frenchmovie20 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories108 inputaloneissufficient259 intermediate743 keeplearning42 keepmotivated209 language acquisition265 languageflow4 learner253 lefrancaisensemble242 lisenfrançais218 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 motivationbreak184 movie20 muguet10 online french22 online learner223 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader181 reading288 slow french347 speakfrench213 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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abisproduction237 apprendre14 autonomouslearner238 becomeamember235 cicommunity115 cocreate22 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench277 comprehensibleinput272 comprehension286 copy3 dailyfrench226 enmaifaisdufrançais9 expressfluency83 fle305 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity264 frenchforall229 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories108 inputaloneissufficient259 intermediate743 keeplearning42 keepmotivated209 language acquisition265 languageflow4 learner253 lefrancaisensemble242 lisenfrançais218 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 may challenge7 maychallenge12 motivationbreak184 muguet10 online french22 online learner223 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 pleasurereading141 reader181 reading288 readingispower21 recordings13 slow french347 speakfrench213 stories40 teen18 teenstage16 thinkfrench28 thinkthat10 understand67 understanding22