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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abisproduction236 acquire50 acquiring18 advanced beginner478 authentic168 autonomouslearner237 babystage24 becomeamember234 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity114 community190 comprehensiblefrench276 comprehensibleinput268 comprehension285 course124 dailyfrench225 dailyreading32 fall17 fall lessons2 fle304 fluency107 freewrite50 frenchacquisitionforall34 frenchcommunity263 frenchculture296 frenchfluency19 frenchforall228 frenchjourney20 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient258 intensive182 intermediate742 journey201 language acquisition264 learner252 lefrancaisensemble241 listen318 live62 liveclass98 natural200 novice168 novice high276 novicehigh361 online learner222 process22 produce12 production44 progress136 reading287 reboot101 selftaught48 slow french346 speak85 speakfrench212 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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abisproduction236 advanced beginner478 authentic168 autonomouslearner237 babystage24 becomeamember234 beginner french28 beginnercourse68 cicommunity114 comprehensiblefrench276 comprehensibleinput268 comprehension285 course124 dailyfrench225 dailyreading32 expressfluency83 fall17 fall lessons2 fle304 freewrite50 frenchcommunity263 frenchculture296 frenchforall228 frenchreaders66 improve19 improvement15 inputaloneissufficient258 intensive182 intermediate742 language acquisition264 learner252 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble241 lisenfrançais217 listen318 natural200 novice168 novice high276 novicehigh361 online learner222 progress136 prononcer5 pronounce31 pronunciation11 reading287 reboot101 selftaught48 slow french346 speak85 speakfrench212 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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abisproduction236 advanced beginner478 authentic168 autonomouslearner237 babystage24 becomeamember234 break6 cicommunity114 classes39 comprehensiblefrench276 comprehensibleinput268 comprehension285 course124 dailyfrench225 expressfluency83 fall17 fle304 french lessons7 frenchcommunity263 frenchforall228 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 holidays10 inputaloneissufficient258 intermediate742 language acquisition264 learner252 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble241 lessons36 lisenfrançais217 listen318 live62 natural200 novice168 novice high276 novicehigh361 online38 online learner222 personal13 reading287 reboot101 selftaught48 slow french346 speak85 speakfrench212 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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abisproduction236 advanced beginner478 authentic168 autonomouslearner237 babystage24 becomeamember234 cicommunity114 comprehensiblefrench276 comprehensibleinput268 comprehension285 course124 dailyfrench225 dailyreading32 expressfluency83 fle304 freewrite50 frenchcommunity263 frenchculture296 frenchforall228 frenchreaders66 frenchtraditions29 fvr53 inputaloneissufficient258 intensive182 intermediate742 july4 july20221 language acquisition264 learner252 lecture28 lefrancaisensemble241 lisenfrançais217 listen318 natural200 novice168 novice high276 novicehigh361 online learner222 reading287 reboot101 selftaught48 slow french346 speak85 speakfrench212 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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abisproduction236 apprendre14 autonomouslearner237 becomeamember234 chanson31 chansonfrancaise31 cicommunity114 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench276 comprehensibleinput268 comprehension285 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench225 fête de la musique5 film41 fle304 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity263 frenchforall228 frenchmovie20 frenchmusic4 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories107 inputaloneissufficient258 intermediate742 keeplearning42 keepmotivated208 language acquisition264 languageflow4 learner252 lefrancaisensemble241 lisenfrançais217 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 motivationbreak183 movie20 muguet10 music27 online french22 online learner222 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader180 reading287 selftaught48 slow french346 song29 speakfrench212 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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abisproduction236 apprendre14 autonomouslearner237 becomeamember234 cicommunity114 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench276 comprehensibleinput268 comprehension285 conference5 conferenceinthecloud3 dailyfrench225 film41 fle304 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity263 frenchforall228 frenchmovie20 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories107 inputaloneissufficient258 intermediate742 keeplearning42 keepmotivated208 language acquisition264 languageflow4 learner252 lefrancaisensemble241 lisenfrançais217 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 motivationbreak183 movie20 muguet10 online french22 online learner222 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 reader180 reading287 selftaught48 slow french346 speakfrench212 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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abisproduction236 apprendre14 autonomouslearner237 becomeamember234 cicommunity114 cocreate22 comprehend52 comprehensiblefrench276 comprehensibleinput268 comprehension285 copy3 dailyfrench225 enmaifaisdufrançais9 expressfluency83 fle304 flow9 fluentinfrench58 frenchcommunity263 frenchforall228 frenchonline68 frenchreaders66 frenchwithstories107 inputaloneissufficient258 intermediate742 keeplearning42 keepmotivated208 language acquisition264 languageflow4 learner252 lefrancaisensemble241 lisenfrançais217 listentostories41 live62 liveclass98 may challenge7 maychallenge12 motivationbreak183 muguet10 online french22 online learner222 optimalfrench57 optimalinput74 parlerfrançais24 pleasurereading141 reader180 reading287 readingispower21 recordings13 selftaught48 slow french346 speakfrench212 stories40 teen18 thinkfrench28 thinkthat10 understand67 understanding22