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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abisproduction204 acquire50 acquiring18 advanced beginner446 authentic168 autonomouslearner205 babystage24 becomeamember202 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity102 community157 comprehensiblefrench244 comprehensibleinput234 comprehension253 course124 dailyfrench193 dailyreading32 fall17 fall lessons2 fle272 fluency107 freewrite50 frenchacquisitionforall34 frenchcommunity229 frenchculture295 frenchfluency19 frenchforall196 frenchjourney20 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient226 intensive150 intermediate710 journey169 language acquisition232 learner220 lefrancaisensemble209 listen286 live61 liveclass97 natural168 novice168 novice high244 novicehigh329 online learner190 process22 produce12 production44 progress104 reading255 reboot81 selftaught48 slow french314 speak85 speakfrench195 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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abisproduction204 advanced beginner446 authentic168 autonomouslearner205 babystage24 becomeamember202 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity102 comprehensiblefrench244 comprehensibleinput234 comprehension253 course124 dailyfrench193 dailyreading32 expressfluency67 fall17 fall lessons2 fle272 freewrite50 frenchcommunity229 frenchculture295 frenchforall196 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient226 intensive150 intermediate710 language acquisition232 learner220 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble209 lisenfrançais185 listen286 natural168 novice168 novice high244 novicehigh329 online learner190 progress104 prononcer5 pronounce31 pronunciation11 reading255 reboot81 selftaught48 slow french314 speak85 speakfrench195 storyasking15 summercourse8 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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abisproduction204 advanced beginner446 authentic168 autonomouslearner205 babystage24 becomeamember202 break6 cicommunity102 classes39 comprehensiblefrench244 comprehensibleinput234 comprehension253 course124 dailyfrench193 expressfluency67 fall17 fle272 french lessons7 frenchcommunity229 frenchforall196 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 holidays10 inputaloneissufficient226 intermediate710 language acquisition232 learner220 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble209 lessons36 lisenfrançais185 listen286 live61 natural168 novice168 novice high244 novicehigh329 online38 online learner190 personal13 reading255 reboot81 selftaught48 slow french314 speak85 speakfrench195 storyasking15 summer28 summer20222 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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abisproduction204 advanced beginner446 authentic168 autonomouslearner205 babystage24 becomeamember202 cicommunity102 comprehensiblefrench244 comprehensibleinput234 comprehension253 course124 dailyfrench193 dailyreading32 expressfluency67 fle272 freewrite50 frenchcommunity229 frenchculture295 frenchforall196 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 inputaloneissufficient226 intensive150 intermediate710 july4 july20221 language acquisition232 learner220 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble209 lisenfrançais185 listen286 natural168 novice168 novice high244 novicehigh329 online learner190 reading255 reboot81 selftaught48 slow french314 speak85 speakfrench195 storyasking15 summer28 summer20222 summercourse8 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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abisproduction204 apprendre14 autonomouslearner205 becomeamember202 chanson31 chansonfrancaise31 cicommunity102 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench244 comprehensibleinput234 comprehension253 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench193 fête de la musique5 film41 fle272 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity229 frenchforall196 frenchmovie20 frenchmusic4 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories75 inputaloneissufficient226 intermediate710 keeplearning42 keepmotivated176 language acquisition232 languageflow4 learner220 lefrancaisensemble209 lisenfrançais185 listentostories41 live61 liveclass97 motivationbreak151 movie20 muguet10 music27 online french22 online learner190 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader148 reading255 selftaught48 slow french314 song29 speakfrench195 stories40 subtitles5 teen18 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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abisproduction204 apprendre14 autonomouslearner205 becomeamember202 cicommunity102 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench244 comprehensibleinput234 comprehension253 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench193 film41 fle272 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity229 frenchforall196 frenchmovie20 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories75 inputaloneissufficient226 intermediate710 keeplearning42 keepmotivated176 language acquisition232 languageflow4 learner220 lefrancaisensemble209 lisenfrançais185 listentostories41 live61 liveclass97 motivationbreak151 movie20 muguet10 online french22 online learner190 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader148 reading255 selftaught48 slow french314 speakfrench195 stories40 subtitles5 teen18 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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abisproduction204 apprendre14 autonomouslearner205 becomeamember202 cicommunity102 cocreate22 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench244 comprehensibleinput234 comprehension253 copy3 dailyfrench193 enmaifaisdufrançais9 expressfluency67 fle272 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity229 frenchforall196 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories75 inputaloneissufficient226 intermediate710 keeplearning42 keepmotivated176 language acquisition232 languageflow4 learner220 lefrancaisensemble209 lisenfrançais185 listentostories41 live61 liveclass97 may challenge7 maychallenge12 motivationbreak151 muguet10 online french22 online learner190 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 pleasurereading126 reader148 reading255 readingispower21 recordings13 selftaught48 slow french314 speakfrench195 stories40 teen18 thinkfrench28 thinkthat10 understand67 understanding22