Learning French is very fun and exciting, but it can also be very stressful and difficult at times. In fact, learning any foreign language can be difficult. I have put together five of the most basic yet effective steps for learning French. Again, these steps can be used for any language.

1. BE REALIST YET OPTIMISTIC: Anyone can learn French, but not everyone learns as quickly as the next. Be sure to set reachable goals for yourself. As you advance in your learning, dont forget to evaluate how yourself. What ways do you learn best? Discover this and then you can create a realistic plan of attack to start learning French. Once you have your plan of attack, learning French will become much easier.

2. KEEP IT SIMPLE: Dont try to start off learning difficult terms or phrases. Think of learning French as a beginner and keep to simple yet practical terms and phrases in the beginning. Start by learning basic French vocabulary and common phrases. Then you can practice making your own sentences. Think about things that you say everyday in English and make list. Then start learning these essential conversational pieces. Also, get a good dictionary that has explanations for common words and their idiomatic uses. There are several great reference dictionaries out there.

3. BE A COPY CAT: Buy some language learning software or CDs and listen to the speakers and then try to copy them. I also highly recommend searching for popular French movies books, music cds, etc. Play a short portion and try and understand as much as possible and then play it over and over again. As you do this mimic what each person says. Focus on pronunciation and accent. This will help you train your ear and help you get used to different vocal patterns and mouth movements that make speaking French difficult and intimidating. This will also allow you to learn from natives and prepare you for the real thing.

4. LOOK FOR PATTERNS: When you start to learn more complex grammatical concepts, the next step is you want to try and simplify every idea. You dont need to know the fine details or to be able to make a valid argument regarding the value of prepositions. Conjugations - Especially in Latin languages there are patterns for every conjugation. Learn and memorize patterns of 5 verbs and then apply all of the same patterns to all of the other verbs that you learn. Some people will look at conjugations and feel overwhelmed and maybe even give up, but conjugations are simple if you take the time to learn and memorize the patterns that can be applied to all verbs. Note: This principle is not perfect because there are exceptions and irregular verbs that do not follow the regular patterns, but looking for patterns is a very efficient tool. Then you can practice making your own sentences. Think about things that you say everyday in English but probably dont think about and make list. Then start learning these essential conversational pieces. Sounds - When you start focusing on pronunciation, again you want to look for patterns. Break each word into syllables and annunciate each one. Look for groups of letters that make specific sounds when grouped and then you will be able to recognize them in new words, large complex words. This will allow you to break the words down to smaller parts that are not as difficult to sound out. Once you do this star,t saying the word slowly focusing on each syllable. As you become comfortable begin saying the word at a normal speed. Dont fall into the pitfall of trying to say words at the speed a native would speak. This will only hurt you in the long run. Others will understand that you are learning and will appreciate the fact that you are speaking correctly and clearly. Remember the tortoise wins the race.

5. READ OUT LOUD: This is an essential and very powerful step in learning to speak French fluently. This will allow you to use all of the previous mentioned techniques. I recommend starting with easy books like comics or books for 8 - 12 yr olds. These are great because they are not written to be difficult and they are very conversational allowing you experience 'real-life' conversation. Dont forget to keep your dictionary close by because you will most likely need to look up words. By reading out loud you will learn new vocabulary for specific situations and see how it is used in real life situations. Secondly, this is a great opportunity to speak the language. Practice reading the words slowly and clearly breaking them up into syllables if necessary. By reading out loud you will be able to get used to making the new sounds, using muscles in new ways that is associated with a new language without the pressure of having others around you. Lastly, you will start to learn new words, recognize words you already know which will help you remember them, and you will learn new sayings and recognize patterns.

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