If you’re looking for easy to learn French, in bite-size pieces, you’ll probably enjoy those online French classes that use the themed approach.

If it’s new to you, the themed or thematic approach to learning French has been around in printed French books for a while now. Rather than try to learn a set of French words – for example, 50 French words beginning with the letter A – the thematic approach goes for a particular subject and then teaches you what appear to be a random selection of French phrases associated with it.

Actually, although they might appear random, the selection is usually well thought out. The idea being to give you a basic grounding in that particular subject.

The idea has now spread to French lessons on the internet. So for example, a set of free French lessons online, based on themes, would perhaps look at visiting a French restaurant or cafe. It would teach you the words you needed to get a drink, to ask for something to eat, etc. Other subjects might be driving in France or the French weather. Anything can be covered.

In the French language, simple things like saying hello and goodbye can actually have a remarkable number of alternatives. Themed French learning sites turn this kind of thing into a snap shot of French life. This is effective because it’s entertaining and simple. The information is delivered with a friendly, fun attitude. You are learning French almost without realizing it.

The internet can go far beyond printed information, of course, and offers us a terrific bonus that a French book could never give – and that’s the ability to answer back or ask questions. Blogs that offer you the opportunity of learning French for free can also provide you with the chance to get more than is already there. If you have a query you can follow it up by posting a question for the blog owners – and anyone else who visits.

These can then become truly interactive free French lessons. Anyone could pitch in and help you. It’s easy to learn French this way because it’s involving and it’s fun.

Can I recommend a site that uses a theme approach for learning French free? Try this one: Learning French Free. There are tips and ideas for speaking “real” French, plus pro lessons that you can get for nothing.

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To your astonishment, you quickly find out during a tour of Old Quebec that not everybody speaks English. As you venture into the province of Quebec, it is becoming more and more obvious that some remote places are totally French and at this point the language barrier is no longer a word but indeed a reality.

Now that you are really into a situation where you have to use all the French that you have learned, you should jump at the occasion and make the best of it. Using the French that you took in school to have access to the most basic needs for your survival during your vacations is priceless.

You are lost in a City that you don’t know, the first person you see can possibly be a savior. At this point you are quickly reviewing in your mind all that you have learned in your French class. The most common greeting words come to mind. After you have greeted that first person you met and told him in French where you are from, you’ll need to know where would be the closest hotel or motel around. After all, there is nothing better than a good shower and a good night sleep to bring back all the French lessons.

The most common question most people trying to learn French ask is how long is it going to take before they can fully understand a normal French conversation. Most people learning French, think that French people speak way too fast! It is all a matter of perception.

One thing for sure when learning French or any other languages is that you cannot force the ear to hear! The ear has to listen naturally in order to become cultivated and to get use to the French accent, intonation and rhythm of the the French language.

The next morning you are well rested and ready for another day in a totally French environment. That is exactly what the doctor ordered or was it the French teacher who said that in order to learn French, there is nothing better than total French immersion.

Ordering breakfast and asking for the toilet, en francais, at this point is quite easy. After all you covered these lessons in your French 101 class. What a great feeling of satisfaction to know that you can make it somewhat in a totally French environment.

Going through a full day in French can be a challenge for any non French-speaking person. But once you have mastered the basic French words such as “bonjour – comment allez-vous? Mon nom est, pouvez-vous me dire, où est-ce que je suis? Où est l’hotel? Où est la station d’essence? Où est l’autoroute? Où est le restaurant? Quel heure est-il? J’ai faim! J’ai soif! Merci beaucoup!” You are sure of not dying of thirst or hunger.

There are other important words such as “how much is it? Do you take credit cards? Do you like hockey?” And more that you must also know in order to have a most memorable vacation in a French city. If you don’t know them, you can visit my web site and sign up for your free French lessons.

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Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not against classroom learning of French – in fact I think it’s a very good way to learn and I did have a little private tutoring. The problem for me, and I’m sure for many busy people, is finding the time on a regular basis to attend class. With private tutoring I could at least vary the times to suit myself but it is a very expensive option. A few hundred dollars doesn’t go very far on one-to-one French lessons!

On the other hand a few hundred dollars can get you an astonishing variety of learn to speak French software. Prices start at just over $10.00 and although packages exist that will take several hundred dollars off you I don’t think it’s necessary to spend that much to get a good basic level of the French language.

There are far too many French language software programs for me to cover them all. A quick search will turn up literally hundreds. What I can try to do is tell you about some of the alternatives and what I see as the benefits.

Let’s start with the benefits.

Learn to speak French software will allow you to learn at your own pace. Any time you have access to a computer you can learn some French. Some products in the middle price range – say around $100.00 – will also have French MP3s, sound files that you can copy to an MP3 player or onto a CD so you can have French lessons while you’re walking around, on the train or driving.

Modern French language software incorporates a variety of systems to help you learn French quickly. Digital flash cards, memory games, involving and entertaining animations or movie clips. All these things keep your French learning varied, and if they keep you interested you’re more likely to learn French fast. For the traditionalist you should also find transcripts of any audio that you can print out and read. Supporting your French lessons by reading the texts is always a good idea anyway.

The alternatives?

The number of French software alternatives will depend on your budget. It’s probably not true of all cheap French software but at the bottom of the range those I’ve tried are quite limited. There are some good starters for kids but if you’re looking to speak fluent French you’d be better off with something a bit more complex.

Unfortunately of course this means a bit more expensive. However, if you compare $100 spent on learn to speak French software with money spent on private lessons it soon seems a bargain and for your money you can get systems like Rocket French that boast that they will have you confident in the French language in as little as eight weeks. Some systems offer free trials too.

At the top end you can buy systems for several hundred dollars that if followed to their conclusion will teach you a great deal of French. Whether the additional expense is worth the detailed grammatical knowledge is difficult to quantify. If you’re visiting France on holidays then you can probably get what you need in the mid-range but if you’re intending to live here permanently it might be worth it. Unless you’ve got deep pockets you’ll need to investigate each alternative carefully!

Conclusions?

So is learn to speak French software really the easy way to learn French? I would have to say that much as I enjoy a good read, books cannot compete with modern French language software systems. They can be not just educational but also involving and fun! There is no comparison with how we learned when I was at school. Whether your eighteen or eighty you will learn French faster.

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But with so many choices, how do we know which software to learn French is best?

1. Can you try it first?

With a lot of software you can get a free sample to try. At least a couple of the French language programs offer the same. If you can get some free French lessons it will help you decide whether the package is for you. Even if you don’t particularly like it, you got a few French lessons for nothing!

2. Is it interactive?

Now that may seem like a silly question. Surely all French language software is interactive. Sadly not. Some are just re-formatted versions of the old “listen-and-repeat” tapes that have been around for years. Beware cheap French language software, it’s probably of little value.

3. How does it handle French audio?

Again you might expect any French software to take advantage of the abilities of your PC and provide you with audio files. Surprisingly some don’t. When you’re looking for software to learn French it is a definite advantage if the audio is in MP3 format so you can download it to a player or CD. That way you get the extra benefit of lessons on the move, away from your computer.

4. How does it handle actually speaking French?

Assuming your software has proper audio components, are they voiced by an English person speaking French or a native French speaker? I’d say it was of far greater benefit to listen to and learn from a French person if that’s the language I was learning.

5. How are French grammar, verbs and vocabulary handled?

One of the major benefits of learning French from software on your computer has to be the degree of interactivity. Good French software will involve you and challenge you. Does the program you’re looking at offer video clips or illustrated lessons? Does it use game play to make learning French fun?

6. How far can it take you?

When looking for software to learn French consider how far you can go with the package. Is it just a beginner’s course? Will you have to pay more for intermediate lessons? Or is it a package that will take you right from no knowledge through intermediate success to advanced French learning?

7. What guarantees do you have?

OK, your French software program might claim to teach you perfect French in a week (unrealistic) or capable French within a couple of months (achievable) but do they actually offer any guarantees? There are some that offer your money back if not satisfied. A guarantee like that would certainly make me more confident in their ability to deliver. I learn or it costs me nothing – can’t beat that.

Language learning has come a long way since I was a kid and software to learn French can be stimulating and engaging which is bound to help you learn faster and more thoroughly. Like all software there are a vast range of products and prices and it’s difficult to choose. I hope the above will be of assistance.

Get top tips and advice on learning French, six free professional French lessons and a personal view of living and working in France at FrenchLife4Real!

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For a start you’ve got the internet. It’s a huge resource for learning the French language with many sites where you can start to learn absolutely free. A lot of them provide French on MP3 clips so you can actually hear the language. That’s the way you want to learn. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not completely anti-book, but a book can’t speak. How are you going to learn French properly without knowing how it’s spoken?

Here’s an example. If I try to write down how to pronounce the French alphabet you’d get something like this: aah, bay, cay, day, euh, efah – well you can’t do much with that can you? But if I actually speak it to you, if you could actually hear my voice… I think you can see what I mean.

So learning French on your computer is definitely the way forward. The internet can not only give you French MP3s but also on a few sites, like the BBC, video clips as well. These walk you through situations like getting a cab, asking directions, ordering food. Again you’ve got the benefit of hearing spoken French and these videos bring the whole thing to life. They’re entertaining, and if you’re being entertained you learn faster because it all seems so much easier.

You will soon find that you run out of free places online to learn French. After all, most free services are just trying to get you to sign up to some kind of paid service. I don’t think there’s a problem with that, that’s business. If they didn’t get paid we probably wouldn’t have these services at all. Just take advantage of the free French lessons you can find and move on.

The thing is, if you want to continue to learn French fast you’re probably going to have to eventually put your hand in your pocket.

Learning French on your computer is still the way to go though because now we’re moving into software to learn French – and great stuff it is too!

Whether you’re five or ninety-five there’s French software that can help. There’s just as broad a rage of prices too. At the bottom end you tend to get what you pay for, and to be honest although it’s not practical for me to check them all, those I have seen don’t offer a great deal. For $20.00 I’m afraid you don’t get a great deal more that the free stuff.

However, for not a lot more (and certainly way less than a course of private French lessons) there are some amazing programs like Rocket French. This is what learning French on your computer should be like, utilizing all the abilities of your PC. It’s fun, it’s interactive, it’s got games which will provide you with a bit of a challenge and you’ve got French MP3 sound files so you can copy them to a player or a CD and continue to learn while you’re out walking around or in the car maybe.

So much as I like a good book, if you want to learn French fast, with the minimum difficulty, learn French on your computer!

Get top tips and advice on learning French, six free professional French lessons and a personal view of living and working in France at FrenchLife4Real!

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The growing use of French speaking software is because of how well it mimics, almost exactly the way you would want to study with a real French teacher.

The various programs actually often utilize a French native speaking instructor so the French always is correct. The nuances such as enunciation and pronunciations, as well as grammatically correct French phrases is a very popular feature on some of the best French software available today.

Online French lessons really encourage the student to interact with the French software and the multimedia formats really lends to a results driven, pleasurable experience.

The best foreign language software that teaches French allows the new French student to move at their own pace. The learning is fun because of the way the French speaking software makes the learning experience interesting and upbeat. They accomplish this by using auditory as well as visual learning cues just like the traditional French classes that you would have to drive miles to attend. But with the French software you can learn from the convenience of your home and the comfort of your couch instead of some stuffy French classroom.

Another big plus for learning to speak French with online software, especially with the best French software products is you are empowered with the ability to accelerate your learning curve due to the amount of valuable cutting edge learning tools provided. Plus, the ongoing online support that is made available with the top French speaking software gives you a 24 hour a day raise your hand and ask the teacher a question type of ability.

So you can learn fast, or slow, and always have the software as well as human support.

The result is whether you plan on traveling to a country where they speak French, or if you simply want to impress a date by speaking French when ordering your French meal. After you have completed your French software you will be excited because you will be speaking French fast and be able to speak it with the confidence you would want.

In summary, selecting the right software program to learn to speak French is a really important task. You would want your French software to have the interactive tools as well as the ongoing support we have mentioned here. Speaking French fluently, and quickly with the best French software available online means you have a lot of choices.

Enjoy your journey and we hope these tips have been helpful for you.

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I am, of course, referring to Rocket French, a breakthrough in modern language learning developed by a collaboration of French and English speakers so both sides of the coin are covered. And that’s something that’s so important. I can’t overstress the need to learn French from a French person. It’s absolutely vital for French pronunciation.

I don’t want to sound too serious – especially when we’re trying to make learning French fun, but I think this is key. If you’re trying to learn French from someone who was born speaking English, I don’t care how good he or she is, they aren’t French and the difference is clear. Honestly, I’ve lived and worked in France for over two years now (and been visiting for fifteen before that) and my French isn’t bad at all – but a French person knows instantly that I’m not from around here! They might compliment me on my ability with the French language, but they know I’m a foreigner. When you start to learn French you really don’t want that disadvantage from day one – you want to be listening to a French person giving the lesson so you can try and duplicate the pronunciation and intonation accurately. I know it’s not always easy – but you want to hear that French accent – not a mid west American one!

Fortunately with Rocket French, that’s what you get – so straight out of the box you’re on the right track.

I’m quite lucky in that one of my friends over here is a French teacher – as in she’s French. She actually teaches English and German to her French students during school time, and she makes a bit extra doing private classes for English speakers evenings and weekends. I introduced her to Rocket French a while back and now she recommends it to all her classes. She agrees with me that its light-hearted approach encourages fast learning but she also says that because it’s been conceived by French speakers it has absolutely correct grammar construction, something she says is vital. She’s also very keen on the fact that a whole section has been dedicated to verbs – an area that’s critical for good French but which is sometimes not covered well enough. The fact that it’s interactive and challenging to use rather than the traditional learning-by-repetition method is a bonus. Overall, she says she sees new students grasping the language not only faster but also that they speak better, more accurate French.

Rocket French calls itself an eight week course but to be honest there’s no-one breathing down your neck so you make your own timetable. However you approach it, imagine going from no French to competent, confident command of the language in just two months. How satisfying will that be?

So lets learn French, you say – my advice would be to strap yourself into the Rocket!

Get top tips and advice on learning French, six free professional French lessons and a personal view of living and working in France at FrenchLife4Real!

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For the purposes of this article we’ll say that you want to learn basic French enough to order a cup of coffee, or a beer, or something to eat maybe. We’ll call basic French the amount you need to get by in everyday situations like popping into a shop for a bagette or a newspaper, filling the car with petrol, that kind of thing. If you want to learn basic French at that level it really needn’t take you any time at all.

I’m an Englishman, living and working in France. It’s nearly thirty years since the basic French I learned at school so I when I moved here two years ago it was pretty much like starting again. I would in no way claim that I’m now a fluent French speaker but we live in a part of rural France with very few English speakers and very few tourists so on a day to day basis we have to speak French. So although I’m no teacher I feel fully qualified to comment on what I think are the best ways to learn basic French from a practical, real-world point of view.

So here we go. My top seven tips to learn basic French:

1. Go to French lessons. A personal tutor is best but a rather expensive option Many schools and colleges offer French evening classes at very reasonable rates. Going “back to school” may be an uncomfortable idea for many of us but you can’t beat structured lessons with a French-speaking teacher. If it’s an actual French person, so much the better. It’s much better to have someone whose English isn’t perfect than an English speaker whose French isn’t perfect!

2. Get a home study course. Some of the home study courses now available come on CD or as MPEG files so you can carry them around with you or listen to them in the car. Some can be downloaded to your PC. The idea is to have some way of learning wherever you go.

3. Search for French courses online. There are far to many to mention here but a few minutes searching can turn up some useful basic French sites.

4. Get a book or two on basic French, buy them or get them from the library. CDs, MPEGs and online lessons are all very good but sometimes there’s no substitute for a book. There’s just something about reading that sticks in the mind more than listening on its own.

5. Write French down. If you’re doing a course you’ll probably be doing this anyway but if not, write down what you’re hearing on a CD or MPEG, get a French Dictionary to check what you’ve done. I can’t tell you why but writing stuff down is an incredibly powerful way to learn.

6. Make as structured and regular an approach as you possibly can to learning basic French. Doing two hours today and five minutes tomorrow isn’t going to help. Sure, it’s sometimes difficult to find the time but you’ll get on much faster if you can apply regular study – even just half an hour a day.

7. It’s an expensive way to do things – and you’ll want to have had a bit of practice at home first with some audio lessons – but absolutely the best way to learn basic French is of course to visit France and talk to French people. For most of us that first contact or first sentence is quite scary but I have always found that if you make the effort the french people are delighted to try and help you.

The real point here is that when you’re trying to learn basic French, as with learning any subject, if you can immerse yourself in it you’ll make much faster progress. You might not want to do all the things listed above but if you do two or three different things you’ll avoid getting bored and your basic French language skills will improve at a speed that will surprise you.

Get top tips and advice on learning French, six free professional French lessons and a personal view of living and working in France at FrenchLife4Real!

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