Posts Tagged ‘silent letters’

Have you ever entertained the thought of learning French? What stopped you? Is it because you feel it is too hard? Is it because you are inundated with different courses and methods to use that you don’t know which ones to choose? Yeah, learning a new language can pinch your purse. But it doesn’t have to be that way! You’re about to chance upon some great tips on getting the hang of the French language and accent, quickly and easily.

The truth is learning French is a daunting task. It is the language where the French – English dictionary will not turn out to be your best friend. This is because of the big difference in grammar and pronunciation of English to the French language!

For example: You might want to mention to your hostess in France that you are hot. And instead of saying “J’ai chaud” – I’m hot, you’d say “Je suis chaud”. Translated literally in the English language they both mean I am hot, however in French it means something far vulgar than that. (More like telling a woman that she is good at making love!) So a slight misuse in the English – French dictionary can prove to put you into a highly uncomfortable position.

Moreover, with the amount of silent letters in French, you could get a hammer when you ask for bread!

In other words learning basic French on your own will prove to be a daunting task. However with the right tools, accent and key rules ie. the right information you can be confident in getting your way round France (or anywhere else for that matter), easily.

FOLLOWING ARE SOME GREAT TIPS:

~ A fantastic, and what has proved to be, a very successful idea, is to find a French mate with whom to talk French. You teach your pal English and he/she will teach you French. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you pick up the language.

Or if you can’t find a live mate with whom to talk French, then get a French online pal. You can find one in many French forums.

~ If you’re thinking of traveling with your kids there is a remarkable site created by the US government to educate children in popular foreign languages. All games and lessons in the language is FREE. Some adults have actually taught themselves a language through this site.

~ When choosing a course to learn French, be very careful not to buy a course that focuses mainly on grammar and vocabulary. You need to know how to SPEAK it.

~ Use every opportunity you have to read anything French that comes your way. Any person you meet who talks French, tell them that you are trying to learn the language and try to lead a conversation in French. Practical learning will accelerate your learning skills very quickly.

Author: Chane Orlinski
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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French is the second most taught language in the world only after English. French as well as English is the official working language of the International Red Cross, NATO, the United Nations, the International Olympic Committee and many other International Organizations. And France was the United States first ally.

There is no secret to learning a new foreign language. It requires a commitment to daily practice, energy and patience. French is a difficult language to learn because many sounds are very different from English. French pronunciation is very tricky because there are a lot of silent letters and it uses nasal sounds which we do not use in English.

The Best Ways To Learn French

The best way to learn to learn French is to travel to France and study at a language school. That is the total immersion method and the most effective to quickly learn French. When you are in France then you must speak French throughout the course of your day.

Thee next best option to learn French would be to take a class at your local community college. It should be taught by a native speaker and you will make new friends and you will learn to correctly pronounce the new sounds that go along with learning French. Another great option is on line French lessons if you can commit to be tied to your computer for an hour each day. The most flexible way to learn French is an audio course. By having the lessons on CD or in MP3 files you can take them along in your personal CD or MP3 player and practice while driving, working out or walking. The down side to this method is that you still need to find a French speaker to practice with. Some courses mainly focus on vocabulary and grammar. If you want to learn French you really need to start speaking it right away.

Quick Tips On Practicing French

Check if your local community college has a French club then you could have other French speakers to practice with on a weekly basis. You could also see if any members of your church speak French and ask them out for lunch or coffee and practice with them.
Buy or rent French films. By hearing the language you quickly become familiar with the different sounds that you will need to be learning anyway. Listen to French audio lessons daily.

The best method that I have found for learning French is the Rocket French Interactive Audio Course.

Author: Anthony Mcgarry
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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