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!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Cordy

If you are a native speaker of English, or even if you have learned English to a high degree of competency, you already have a natural skill to your advantage, that you can capitalize upon to learn French fast. Many English words are derived from Latin based words, due to invasion of Britain by the Romans and the Normans, who spoke French. This means that thousands of French words are already known to us, in some form or other, even before we start to learn French.

Although, as an English speaker, you do will enjoy certain advantages in learning French words, your knowledge of other languages related to French will also play an important role in whether you can learn French fast. If you happen to have a background in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese or even Romanian, you will have a further advantage in your efforts to learn French fast.

This is because the grammatical structures of these languages is similar to that of French, which means the general concepts underlying the patterns of verbs, tenses and sentence structure will not require the same amount of elucidation they would if you were coming from a background of English only.

Have you studied any other languages successfully in the past? It doesn’t matter whether these languages are related to French, the mere process of having learned a foreign language before, sets the scene for any language learning that follows, and makes it that bit easier.

Looking at what we’ve discussed so far, what immediate advantages do you have to offer yourself to begin to learn French fast? Those represent just the first step.

To learn French fast, you need to get hold of a comprehensive language course to work from, that stimulates as many learning channels as possible at the same time, that is to say, visual, auditory and kinesthetic. A computer-based course is the most effective way to do this, because the entire course is accessible, literally, at the touch of a button. This helps you to learn French fast, because you won’t have to fumble your way through the pages of a text book, or constantly have to find your place on an audio tape or CD, that distracts you from the learning task at hand.

In addition to the positive factors you already possess, you can also speed up your learning of French using certain techniques and strategies that you can acquire. Learning how to concentrate for longer periods of time than the average modern mind is used to will help you focus on learning the French language better.

Also, learn how to use mnemonic techniques, such as association, to aid you in learning French vocabulary, because words are the building blocks of language. The faster you learn them, the faster you learn French! For example, the French for bear is ‘ours’, which sounds a lot like ‘horse’ but with the ‘h; dropped. You only need to imagine bears doing a horse race and you’ve immediately got that word under your belt. Now that’s fast learning!

Finally, to learn French fast, you will have to put in several weeks of intensive study, learning for at least an hour each day, and practicing in your free moments by reviewing the material studied in your active learning sessions.

If you put your mind to it, and you’re willing to study hard, you should be able to learn French fast, relatively speaking.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_Byrnes

Roughly around 200 million people around the world speak French. This number includes people who speak French as a native language, as a second language and students of all ages who do not live in a francophone (French-speaking) country but have learned French. In fact French as a foreign language is the second most commonly taught language worldwide after English. It is also the only foreign language that can be useful throughout the world as well as in the United States. French comes in second after English on the list of the world’s 10 most influential languages. Proof of this is the pivotal role French holds. It is one of the official working languages in dozens of powerful international organisations such as the European Union (EU), United Nations (UN), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Trade Organisation (WTO), and a host of other worldwide institutions.

The French language of today is a direct result of long periods of evolution. France, throughout its long history, had been invaded by different ethnic tribal groups. The most distinguished of these are the Franks. They adopted the Latin being spoken at that time. Thus, the French language is a descendant from Latin. It is also known as one of the Romance languages which include Catalan, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. They are called such because their parent tongue Latin was the language of the Romans. Over the years, the early French language has undergone changes in words and grammatical structures. It has evolved into today’s global French.

Frenchspeak – Here, There and Everywhere

The French-speaking world spans the entire globe with its language heard in all the continents. Aside from English, French is the only language spoken as a native or first language on 5 continents.

In Europe, French is the official language of France, Luxembourg, Monaco, Belgium and Switzerland. France with a population of more than 60 million is one of the most modern countries in the world. It is one of the predominant leaders in the European Union. French is a co-official language in Switzerland. This picturesque country is one of the world’s richest countries. It is the centre of many international associations. Belgium, in the half past century, has emerged as a progressive European state. Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is home to the headquarters of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

In Africa, the French-speaking countries include Algeria, Burundi, Benin, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Comoros. Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Guinea, Madagascar, Morocco, Rwanda, Togo, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Tunisia, Mauritius, Reunion and Seychelles.

In the Americas and the Caribbean, French is spoken in Canada, Haiti, French Guiana, Martinique and Guadeloupe (these last three are French territories).

In Australia and the Pacifics, Vanuatu and the overseas French territories French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis and Fortuna are French-speaking.

In many other countries, French plays a significant role either as an administrative, commercial or international language. Some of these countries are Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Egypt, Greece, India, Italy, Laos, Lebanon, Mauritania, Poland, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom (Channel Islands), United States particularly Louisiana and New England, the Vatican City and Vietnam. Clearly, the French language is spoken everywhere.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Nicosia

Think about it, children from all over the world in Europe, Africa and America have been learning to speak French fast for as long as the French language existed. They do it quite naturally, by growing up in a French-speaking country or having French-speaking parents.

Pardon? You don’t have French-speaking parents, you don’t live in a French-speaking country, and you’re not a child? Quite true, but the same rules that apply to children also apply to you! The best way to learn French fast is by listening to it as it is spoken clearly, simply, and naturally, by native French speakers.

One of the most convenient ways to accomplish this is to purchase a good quality audio-based French language program. The speakers are extremely easy to understand, and the programs are humorous and engaging. A good French audio learning program will emphasis clearly on listening and speaking rather than reading because this is the best way for a person to learn French fast and effectively. It is also important to learn how to read and write the French language, that’s why some of these French learning programs will also provide you with software games with which you can learn French grammar, vocabulary and learning verbs in a fun interactive way.

But if all you did was sit in front of your computer and listen to audio lessons, the joy of learning French would vanish quickly. It’s not enough to learn French fast, you need to retain it, and you can only do this if you actually use the language. The best way to do that is to make French friends. Seize any opportunity you can to actually speak the language with a native speaker.

Where can you find one? I’ll bet that with a little effort, you can find dozens! Visit your local College and make an appointment to speak with the French teachers. If none of them are native speakers of French, they undoubtedly know some. French people are naturally charming, and they love it when you can talk with them in their own language, even if at first you do it very badly! Once they find out you are learning French, they’ll want to speak French with you all the time. As this occurs, you’ll be astonished at how effortlessly your command of the language will grow. You’ll learn French faster that way than by any other method you could choose.

Undoubtedly your new French speaking friends would like to share their world and culture with you, make use of these unforgettable opportunities whenever they are presented to you. Listen to French popular music, watch French movies, with or without subtitles, and eat in French restaurants. And of course, if you can, visit a French-speaking country for a total immersion experience! That is the best way to master the French language fast and in a fun way!

Gerrit founded the popular language learning site http://www.listenhear.info/
Do YOU want more ways to learn French fast? Visit the Rocket French language review site for more info and receive your very own FREE 6 day French language program.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerrit_Du_Plessis

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!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Cordy