Have you been wondering how to learn French easily? In this article, we share some of the best solutions for learning French at beginner, intermediate, and advanced level. Read on to find out about:
- How to make a good study plan;
- Studying French abroad;
- Taking learning online;
- Free online learning recommendations.
If you’re looking for easy ways to improve your French online, then take a look at our General Français course!
How to learn French easily: immerse yourself!
It’s a well-known fact that learning any skill becomes easier the more you do it. Another well known fact is that language learning in particular becomes easier the more a learner is immersed in conversation and exposure to French words and sounds. Everyone’s dream would be to learn French while sleeping, but actually the most effective and at the same time easiest way to learn a language is find as many ways as possible to fill your life with the language.
Here are our top five tips and best ways to learn French.
Watch French videos with subtitles
Lots of us like to kick back in the evenings with a little screen time, whether it be a series on Netflix, a classic film, or your favourite vlogger on YouTube. There are two great ways to turn this into a French learning experience:
- Watch your favourite series and films with French subtitles
- Watch YouTube videos, French films and shows with subtitles in French (or English if you’re at beginner level)
This is a good, simple method of making even the most passive moments of your day a productive learning experience.
Fill your ears with French
If you want to improve your French conversation level, the best possible way to do so is by listening to as much spoken native-level French as possible. The sooner you achieve a good level of understanding spoken French, the sooner you’ll be able to participate in conversations yourself, even as a beginner. Here are a few easy ways to integrate French audio into your daily life:
- Discover French music
- Listen to podcasts in French
- Download a new e-books in French for your commute
- Listen to the morning new bulletin on a French radio station, so you can also learn French in the car
These are definitely some of the most effective methods of learning French on your own.
Learn new words by reading
So far we’ve mainly been speaking about ways to improve your comprehension of French conversation, but what about speaking up yourself? The key to feeling ready to strike up a conversation as a beginner is having the right words to express yourself. And having the right words is a question of vocabulary. We have a few good suggestions for how you can level up your French vocabulary by incorporating French words into your daily life:
- Write your shopping list in French
- Use French for writing notes, reminders, and your to-do list
- Switch your phone language into French
- Read books in French as often as you can (but also websites, social media, newsletters) and write down words you want to learn
Don’t waste time learning words that you’ll never use: focus your attention on vocabulary that will serve you in everyday conversations.
Play games in French
The easiest way to learn French playing games. Yes, you heard us right, playing games. You’re much more likely to stick with your French study plan if you can find a way to make it fun. While learning French entirely through games may not be the best idea, they can be a good, easy way to reinforce new vocabulary and build confidence.
There are lots of ways to incorporate games into your French study:
- Download a free app to play on your phone when you have a spare minute
- Buy a French crossword puzzle book (beginner level!)
- Try taking online quizzes in French
Learning French will feel easy if you inject every lesson with a bit of fun.
Practice French conversation with yourself
If you’re still a beginner in French and you’re not quite ready for conversation practice with natives, or other people in general, you can still count on one reliable language partner: yourself.
By speaking to yourself in French, it’s easy to turn everyday tasks into a quick lesson in French. You can become your own tutor by describing your daily routine (“I’m going to wash my face, then I’ll turn the lights off”) or repeating hard-to-pronounce words until you can get the sound right.
Make a good study plan
The key to your French language learning project is to make a plan and stick to it (or as closely to it as possible). While you’re here figuring out how to learn French easily, draw up the steps you’ll take to go from beginner to dream level in the time available to you.
Here are our suggestions for how to learn French easily using a good study plan.
Set a goal
Before starting your personal learning course, make sure to define your goal – what level in French do you need/want in order to fulfill your objectives?
A little and often
Once you have a goal, figure out how much time you have to reach it, then divide your time across your days and weeks into bite size chunks. We’re not suggesting learning the French past tenses in one day: instead, set small, manageable goals, like ‘I’m going to learn one new word a day’.
Make practising French easy
Your study plan shouldn’t be just lessons, courses and books, or a small period of demotivation will have you going off the rails. Include more fun, engaging tasks in your plan, like playing games, watching series, and listening to podcasts.
Use language learning resources
The easiest way to learn French is to lean on a good learning resource. This could be a grammar book or a tutor, or a more dynamic method like language apps, online courses or e-learning platform and websites.
Track your progress
Your study plan should respond to your changing needs and progress. Check in with yourself every few weeks to see what you’re doing well at which things need more work.
Go on a study break in a French-speaking country
Language is less about courses and studying, and more about people. If you’re not learning French in a French-speaking country, it may be easy to forget that sometimes. The easiest way to learn French and stay motivated to improve your level is to engage in French conversation with people as often as possible.
One way to practice French with native speakers is to travel to a French-speaking country. Not only is it great practice, but your trip can also function as the end goal of your study plan.
Did you know that speaking French can take you across the world and beyond France, to countries such as:
- Canada
- Senegal
- The Ivory Coast
- Belgium
- Madagascar
- Switzerland
If you’re still wondering how to learn French easily, think about booking your next vacation in one of these spots!
The easiest way to learn French is to study online
We hope you’ve already picked up some good tips for how to learn French easily by yourself, but one thing is for sure: every good student needs a good learning resource to rely on.
Of course, learning resources can include trusty grammar books, audio tapes, and in-person French lessons, but studying online is quickly becoming the most popular method of all. Here are a few reasons why an e-learning platform is the easiest way to learn French, especially for beginners:
- Online learning is flexible: learn where and when you want
- Good platforms provide a variety of content, from exam preparation to general English
- You can combine traditional lessons with games and fun activities
- The best platforms have tutors available for help when needed
- You can often begin with a free trial
The world has become more accustomed to doing things online, and online learning solutions have evolved significantly during this time. Next time you check out an e-learning platform, you might be pleasantly surprised!
The best free websites for learning French online
If you’re new to the online learning world, you may need some pointers finding your way. Here are our top three recommendations for taking your French lessons online without breaking the budget.
GlobalExam
Even the top e-learning platforms like GlobalExam have learning resources you can access for free with a starter trial. The easiest way to learn French is with variety, and on this platform you can find exam preparation, business English courses, and grammar and vocabulary lessons.
Le Conjugueur (Figaro)
This online French study resource is a little different. Here, you won’t find French courses and lessons, but instead the focus is completely on mastering French conjugations. Check this website out for lists of verbs by conjugations, words of the day, and memory tips.
LearnaLanguage.com
This website is totally free and includes topics like French Greetings and Survival French, as well as learning games like the Memory Machine and Soccer. On the minus side, the website isn’t very user friendly, although all their content is totally free.
How to learn French online with Global General
If you’re a beginner or looking for a more relaxed approach to learning French, GlobalExam has developed the antidote to tired courses and boring lessons: Global General. Our platform seeks to combine the necessary language training with fun activities, to make online learning the easiest way to learn French.
On Global General, you can find:
- Courses for A1, A2, B1 and B2 levels
- High quality grammar and vocabulary lessons
- Learning through flashcards and trivia
- 150 hours of learning content
- A progress tracker
- Feedback from tutors
- Exercises with corrections
Learning French doesn’t have to be difficult and boring. Make achieving your language goals easy and join us on Global General.
Wondering what the easiest way to learn French is? In this article, GlobalExam shares some top tips for how to learn French easily and level up your language skills.
