If you’re still using the excuse that you don’t have time to learn French, think about how much time it takes you to get from home to work and back. If it takes at least half an hour to get there and half an hour back, that’s 5 hours a week. Learn more about how to learn French here. That’s enough time to pump up your French, isn’t it?
What Can You Do on The Road?
- Podcasts
If you’re the type of person who absorbs information better by ear – audialists, then podcasts will definitely suit you. Using your smartphone or tablet, you can download and listen to a file on any topic you like. If podcasts come with additional materials or descriptions, be sure to read them. There might be a mini-vocabulary or a set of phrases to help you understand what you hear.
- Video lessons
This type of pumping French is the most relevant. On YouTube, you can find a lot of lessons by native speakers explaining all the nuances of the pronunciation of sounds, rules of grammar and explaining the difference between similar words. Also, you can download and watch the latest news, interviews with your favorite actors or various Talk Shows. It all depends on your preferences and interests.
- Books
If you’re the type of person who sits with your nose in a book, pick up a book in French. It is better to start with one that you have already read in English. This way you’re sure to understand the plot, and you’ll memorize new vocabulary easier, or try adapted literature. Start at the Pre-Intermediate level and work your way up.
- Name things or say what you do
Do you know that our thoughts in French sound better than our spoken words? This is because our speaking apparatus is not used to the French language, and it is sometimes difficult to quickly switch from one language to another. We suggest that you play the game describe everything you see when you take public transportation, drive a car or walk to work.
You can start with simple objects: a tree, a sidewalk, a pedestrian, a zebra, a traffic light, a parking lot. What would all of these things be in French? Then you can build whole sentences. The black cat is crossing the road at the traffic light. He’s parking his car on the backstreet.
- Surround yourself with French
Translate your smartphone or tablet into French. Download apps to help you increase your vocabulary or repeat/learn grammar.
- Build an internal dialogue in French
We often talk to ourselves: making plans, discussing what happened during the day or the week, trying to make the right choice. All this can also be done in French. This exercise is useful because it will help you switch from your native language to French more quickly. Try it. You will like it!
- Homework
If you are taking French classes, you will definitely have time to do your homework. Do tests or learn a dozen new words from the lesson, repeat a grammar rule. But it is not advisable to write an essay in a moving vehicle. It is quite difficult.
- Songs in French
This method is more suitable for those who are behind the wheel. Choose the songs you like, turn up the volume and feel free to sing your favorite songs. Cheer yourself up and practice your French. If you need a stereo for your car, and you don’t know which one you should choose, this will help you https://www.walkermcguire.com/best-car-stereo-under-100-and-under-200/
Reasons to Learn Foreign Languages
- The opportunity to travel in a new way.
Travel does not have to be limited to a week in a hotel and pictures of yourself in front of the sights. Knowing a foreign language, even at an elementary level, will completely change your travel experience. Firstly, it is convenient because you will be able to explain yourself at the airport, hotel and cafes, to ask for directions from passersby, and to communicate with vendors in stores. Secondly, it will give you more freedom, allow you to meet new people, and to wander into unpopular with tourists, but this is no less (and often much more!) interesting places.
- Career advancement.
Here everything is obvious. Knowledge of a foreign language now offers significant advantages in employment in many areas. If you want to work in a multinational corporation, you’re much more likely to get a good position, not to mention the fact that a good command of two or three languages will open up fascinating career prospects for you.
- Study and obtain a residence permit abroad.
Did you know that since the 2014/2015 academic year, higher education in Germany is free for everyone, including foreign students? Or that universities in France have free programs that you can enter without entrance exams? That some universities in Holland give grants that fully cover the cost of master’s studies? This list could go on for a long time, as there are now plenty of opportunities in Europe to get a fairly high quality higher education for free, or for a reasonable fee. Why not take advantage of them?
When you study a language, you begin to better understand the country (or countries) where it is used to communicate. The better you know the language, history and culture of the country, the more chances you have to objectively assess whether moving to that country is worthwhile in your case and – if you do decide to move – the easier it will be for you to find the best way to obtain a residence permit.
- A chance to meet interesting people.
Learning a new language is a great chance to make new friends with whom you wouldn’t otherwise have – literally – a common language. You will inevitably connect with new people. These include those who are learning the language with you, your teachers and those with whom you interact on various online language learning resources. Plus you are much more likely to travel, and any trip is always a new encounter. You shouldn’t forget the romantic interest, either. No matter how you look at it, the chance of meeting your soulmate increases – simply because your social circle expands considerably.
Language is the surest key to another culture. We live in a global technogenic world, which is rapidly becoming smaller and smaller, and the ability to understand people who belong to another culture is becoming a vital necessity. People are inherently afraid of what they do not know. The better you get to know other people’s way of life, values, and customs, the more obvious it becomes that the differences between people are not as great as they first seem.
- Learning foreign languages broadens your horizons.
Learn languages for all the new opportunities you are bound to have – that you can’t even imagine yet. If you feel that you want to change something in your life, but you don’t know how to do it, just start doing something new for yourself. If you want to get somewhere, the main thing is to just start walking down the road. It’s quite possible that you’ll end up not at all where you imagined. But this is not necessarily bad news. It is quite possible that the new destination will also turn out to be a pretty good option. It works 100% with learning languages. Just start learning them, put your heart and soul into it, don’t stop when things go wrong, and new horizons – including ones you didn’t know you had before – will open up on their own.
Learning a foreign language expands the brain, reduces the risk of dementia, strengthens memory and improves concentration. Remember that and never stop on the way to your goal of learning French! We hope our article was useful to you!