How to Learn French by Yourself in 13 Simple Steps

More than 220 million people in the world speak French, whether as their first or second language and this is the second most widely learned language and the sixth most widely spoken language. There are many studies on how learning a second language can benefit you, starting from further developing your skillset thus increasing your career opportunities and all the way to reaping cognitive advantages like being smarter, better multitasking, memory improvement, changes in one’s perception and decision-making process.

1. Create a Comfortable Environment for Maximum Learning: The language itself is hard enough, so you don’t need extra distractions from an uncomfortable learning environment. When the body is comfortable, so is the mind, and when the mind is at ease, learning becomes easier as well. At home, you’ll be learning in a space you’re familiar with, and you don’t need to get all dressed up or endure a cramped subway ride to get there. You can just sit down, slippers on, tea in hand and get learning.
2. Read as much as you can: Alternate between traditional study methods and more playful ones. Do you love detective novels? Why not read them in French? If you prefer lighter reads, buy magazines and use them to learn new vocabulary in relation to your passions. Comics are a very useful way of learning French, a mix of text and images facilitate the understanding and learning of French.
3. Learning French Online: Most of the online learning applications make use of the vocabulary-based approach. You learn French by associating words with pictures of the objects they represent. Say goodbye to lessons on grammar rules. You will pick up the structure of a language along the way. You can improve your vocabulary very quickly with this method because you repeat words over and over. A major plus is that you can learn at any time and in any place that suits you. 
4. Sentences over words: Context is everything, and language learning research has shown that learning new words in the context of a sentence that shows its meaning is more effective than learning a word on its own.
5. Do written French exercises: The first step of doing written exercises when you’re learning French by yourself is to find a way to check yourself! Doing exercises on your own is useless if you can’t check to make sure you’ve answered correctly. Written exercises tend to be the bane of many students’ French learning experiences, but don’t knock this useful practice tool.
6. Immerse into French Media: Listening to French podcasts and French music, watching French television and movies (with or without subtitles) and reading books in French are all great ways to interact with the same media that real French speakers consume every day around the world — and many of them are totally free to access, especially if you already have a library card or Netflix subscription, for example.
7. Find a partner: Find a native French speaker wishing to learn your mother tongue and alternate between conversations in French and in English. Everyone wins! If your spouse or a friend is also learning French, speak in French when you are together! Progress and fun guaranteed!

8. Listen: Actively listen to other people speaking: notice how they use certain expressions and do not hesitate to ask for explanations. Even when you are busy doing something else, put on a French radio program: passive listening can also help you progress.

9. Write in French with a Goal in your Mind: The key is writing with a specific goal in mind, such as practicing the simple future or the different uses of the conditional—which is really how French teachers in lower and intermediate levels function as well.

10. Stock up your Media Libraries: It can be hard to keep up with the Joneses in terms of all the latest trends, but when it comes to learning French from home, don’t find yourself left in the dust!  On your computer, download and bookmark comprehensive French learning content. That way, any time you’re at your computer you can pick up where you left off with your favourite language resources.

11. Turn up to French with your Hobbies: Cooking is a hobby for some and—unless you have a private chef on staff or food delivery on speed-dial—a necessity for everyone. Look for French-language videos, magazines, books or blogs devoted to your preferred past times. For instance, you can use French magazines to follow the latest fashion trends or keep up with your favourite sports teams.

12. Translate French Into English As Little As Possible: When you are a total beginner, some translation is going to occur. As you advance in your French studies, try as much as possible to avoid translating. It makes your brain waste 30% more time and energy and will fool you into making a mistake when the literal translation doesn’t work – which is unfortunately often the case in French!

13. Practice: Take advantage of your moments of solitude to repeat the words and expressions you have learnt out loud. Don’t be scared to talk to yourself in order to work on your pronunciation!

Learning French alone only becomes easier when you take advantage of all the resources that are around you. Use this list of ideas for how to learn French by yourself as a jumping-off point. If you want to get creative, the sky’s the limit!

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