I show you how to improve your French fluency every Saturday. Subscribe here: https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/youtube-welcome
Learning French isn’t easy. But if you want to make it easier for yourself, one of the best things you can do is manage your expectations. Let’s talk about “The Management of Learning French.”
You’ve likely found some sort of motivation to start your French learning journey… but how do you maintain that motivation? How do you set realistic goals? And where should you look for the best, most up-to-date learning resources?
If you’ve ever wondered if you’re too old to learn French, you’re struggling to get re-started after an extended break, or you simply want to be more strategic about learning a new language — today’s lesson is for you!
0:00 – Intro
0:30 – Managing Expectations
3:30 – Structuring the Learning Approach
8:53 – Phases of Learning French
14:55 – Tips for Staying Motivated
17:22 – Outro
⭐ DOWNLOAD THE PDF OF THIS LESSON
* Read, save and/or print the full written lesson here (free) – https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-hard-to-learn-french&source=youtube
🇫🇷 LEARN FRENCH WITH GÉRALDINE
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* Actual spoken French is almost a completely different language than technical written French, which is what you were taught in schools. We specialize in everyday spoken French: speaking and understanding it, at all ages and levels. – https://www.commeunefrancaise.com
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At Comme une Française, we specialize in everyday spoken French. We focus on three unique aspects that are different from school French, self-study books, Duolingo, etc:
1. We focus only on the specifics of speaking/understanding/being understood in everyday French and have unique ways to help you learn it properly & faster.
2. We focus on shortcuts to help you make progress faster, which also means we tell you exactly what you can stop learning to prioritize what’s really important.
3. We use French culture as the subject to make it fun and interesting for adults.
Take care and stay safe.
😘 from Grenoble, France.
Géraldine
source
Merci!! xx
my biggest challenge is pronunciation. Thank you! You are a wonderful teacher.
thank you for the sharing!
Geraldine, greetings from very humid Tokyo. Your enthusiasm is wonderful. I've been a teacher of English for 37 years (about to retire) , and can echo much of what you are saying in terms of motivating students. Spaced repetitions, Anki, reading text while listening to native speakers reading that text. When I was in Toulouse (3 months study, summer before last, amid la canicule!!) I made a little diary and noted down what I saw or was thinking about as I took evening walks along the Garonne. Lots of computer searches to help me, but then I'd try and memorise it. Must get back into that habit again.
I've just discovered an AI program called Langua. To find it you need to go to Langua Talk, which links you to online teachers but there you will also find Langua itself. Its better than ChatGPT as its dedicated to language learning. I'm about to sign for a year, but there are free bits there too. Worth a look.
When I go back to Toulouse I intend to get language exchange partners – 30 minutes English, then 30 minutes French, over a coffee. I found language exchange meetings in bars and cafes pretty useless – too noisy and most wanted to practice English and lacked patience with my slow and shaky French. That one doesnt work. I want one-on-one sharing, at least for a while.
Anyway, love your site and your indefatigible enthusiasm.
Je suis en France en ce moment. Oui, la vie associative est quelque chose étonnant pour moi en tant qu'américain. 1, 3 millions associations dans un pays d'environ 70 millions c'est énorme. Les clubs, les associations, elles existent bien entendu chez nous mais l'étendue ne sont pas aussi importante. Alors, c'est un bon avis de s'y engager je crois.
Thank you for a really helpful video.
There are lots of great ideas here – I'm going to watch it again and take notes.
Your suggestions about using age to our advantage and to focus on our own interests and motivations are really helpful.
I've been learning French again since I was 57, I moved to France at age 59 and now I'm 64.
Great channel, everything is just great. Thank you, in a terrible hurry ❤. I would like to type more, and say something else, but I gotta go shopping, it is so important
Salut ma plus che[ ` ]re *Geraldine* ! C´est si bon d´encore une fois te revoir et de pouvoir re[ ´ ]fle[ ´ ]chir sur tout ce que tu nous conseillais la` 😊 Je dois avouer que pour moi le de[ ´ ]fi le plus grave en vrai c´est ma compre[ ´ ]hension – ou son manque absolu – du franc,ais parle´/ quand c,a se parle, ou` il a presque l´air a` peu pre[ ` ]s comme si mon esprit se fige juste et je me sens peu d´autre sauf n´e[^]tre qu´enveloppe[ ´ ]e (de)dans, genre, quelque < onde sonore > a` laquelle pour la plupart je ne pige rien et bien su[^]r c,a me va pas du tout 🙄 mm si qnd mm j´ai pour seul but d´acque[ ´ ]rir la mai[^]trise de la langue aussi bien que les < vraies francophones depuis naissance > , voila` quoi…. ~Avec tant de reconnaissance et bcp de bisous ❤🩷💖🩷❤
Je pensé que "bon aprés midi" a pour Good afternoon? Quoi tu pensé?
"Be patient and kind with yourself." This is vital for any language-learning journey. And it's always a long journey: don't ever get suckered by deceptive YouTube clickbait hype that implies there are magic shortcuts or workarounds. There aren't. You can definitely work harder and more efficiently, but any language will take years to get good at. (Many native English speakers in the US make it all the way through high school and still have terrible grammar and spelling and almost no idea how to write clearly, coherently, and correctly. That's eighteen years wasted to become merely conversationally fluent at a mediocre level.)
What you need is dedication, consistency, self-awareness, and boldness. Learn and practice everday, in ways that you find help you progress better. Focus on subject matter that genuinely interests you. Focus on what you have trouble with instead of just sticking to what comes easily. Don't be afraid of failure or sounding "stupid" when talking. You will never advance if you don't set aside your ego and just go for it. Failing is a great way to get better at something, as long as you remain observant and non-judgmental: notice it, fix it, practice it. But don't feel bad. Language is very complex and hard.
Thanks, Geraldine. I am finding it difficult to figure out which CLE Progressif books to get and in what order! I would be about a B1 level. Any tips for figuring out the system? The books are expensive and I would like to avoid making a mistake.
I do Busuu, which has real French speakers plus you must pass a quiz after each section, and I use Duolingo to also assist repetition. I also watch Easy French & French stories on Youtube. I've also gotten some study cards, plus listen to French music.
However, I am starting to be at an impasse where I can comprehend the written but it's now I am starting to feel if I need to reply to someone, or my wife asks to say something in French, my mind goes blank. I think it's due to making sure I say it correctly and what to say that it also sounds correct.
I have looked into ChatGPT French conversation tools to help me get over the hump, I know it's not the same as a real person but I can't get my dog to respond when I speak to him. Has anyone else used an AI method, and what sites or apps did you use?
My greatest challenge is understanding spoken French. I am still not at the stage where I can think in the language, so I'm translating in my head as someone talks and I miss things. Thank you for a great video!
Merci beaucoup 🙏🙏
Merci
I show you how to improve your French fluency every Saturday. Subscribe here: https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/youtube-welcome
On ne comprend jamais tout à fait une langue avant d’en comprendre au moins deux
In late June, I visited France for the first time. A shop owner complimented my pronunciation, and it was the best moment 🥹
Besides the shows you mentioned, I watch "C'est pas sorcier" on Youtube. It's a kids show but they talk about all areas of science and explain how things work with videos and amazing practical models. You learn science AND French. It keeps me engaged because it's learning more deeper than what you would with a normal conversation.
A few years ago at the age of 70 I had to resurrect my 3 years of high school French. My husband and I spent 3 delightful weeks in Paris. Some weeks prior to our trip I started digging for my lost French. I found Geraldine here. It was with some consternation I found out the French I had learned in high school in Germany sounded very different from the way Geraldine spoke, or a few others I listened to. I worked on my accent, and did ok in that department.
Memorizing words… not so much.
I started watching French movies, with English and sometimes French subtitles. I listened to my old French music, Francoise Hardy, (RIP) Michael Polnaref, France Gall (RIP).
Once in Paris I read all the ads while waiting for the Metro, read the signage in French in museums, read the menus, etc. I did ok, and that’s all I wanted. Parisians appreciated my efforts, and politely corrected me when I mispronounced. Most French people I met were very friendly and helpful. I think if you make an effort with the language it will be a better experience for both you and the French people.
One thing I want to point out is that learning a language now is so much easier than it was before the Internet. Now you can listen to the language spoken by native speakers. You have apps that translate for you. If I had had that opportunity back in the day I’d be fluent now!
Thanks Geraldine, you rock!