How To Practice Listening in French
Listening is a key part in learning a new language quicker than usual. But the trick is in how to do it properly. Here, we’ll show you how to do it.
Learning a new language and becoming fluent in it is quite difficult to do, but with the right approach and an eagerness to learn, it can be done in about a year or even less! But how does one get there? My answer: practice listening in French as much as you can!
In this article, we will explore the tips and tricks on how to properly listen to spoken French, and how this can be used to learn quickly.
There are different ways and methods presented by different French schools and French books as well as tutorials. Many of them emphasise one thing – it is always easier to learn if you are truly immersed in the language, and do you know how this can be done?
Through constant listening.
Many students who study languages in school as part of their curriculum end up not being able to speak the language. This is because force-feeding the learners with rigorous teaching methods just won’t work for everyone. Language learners need to experience it themselves, and this can be achieved through regular listening to the language being spoken.
Don’ts in Learning French
Before we proceed to the tips in listening to French, here are some DON’TS that you need to remember while learning a new language.
- Don’t be lazy. No matter how smart you are, it won’t come to you like magic. Always find time to insert learning in your free time. This could mean listening to French songs in the car, or watching French movies at night.
- Don’t make it seem like a very hard burden. You’ll learn faster if you’re having fun.
- Don’t keep memorizing long lists. Instead, learn by thorough immersion.
So here is a list of ten tips and tricks you can use in practising your French language listening habits.
Do’s in learning French
1. Try to learn like a baby.
Think about how little babies learn a language: by imitating what they hear, repeating the word over and over, learning to recognize what it means, and by never being self-conscious in saying it. So why can’t we try learning a language this way too? Listen to the spoken French as often as you can and keep imitating the pronunciation and the words. Never be afraid to keep practising saying the words no matter how funny you think you sound at first.
2. Always start learning the pronunciation before anything else.
Understanding the sounds of a language will boost your listening comprehension and will make it easier for learning to flow.
3. Spend a lot of your free time listening to French being spoken.
If there are words that you can’t seem to understand, write them down and look them up later. Or–you can read while listening!
4. Immerse yourself by listening to French radio.
There are many French stations on the internet that you can stream online. My favorite for French learners is the one from RFI (Journal en français facile), which comes with a transcript. Go here.
5. Watch a lot of French movies
Choose those without English subtitles on the screen. The non-verbal cues will be your guide to understanding what the characters on screen are saying. Plus, the emotions the film evokes will help you better understand and remember the words in the dialogue.
Some great French films to start with are Amélie, Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis, Jeux d’enfants and Ne le dis à personne. You can also check out this article for a list of French movie recommendations as well as a guide on how to use movies to learn French.
6. Listen to French music.
There are so many talented French artists that you will delight in listening to, and it will also help you retain in your memory the French words being sung.
Learn the words of the songs by heart (this is quite easy to do especially if you love the melody) and find out what those words mean. Check out our guide on how to use music to learn French. You’ll find plenty of playlists there, too!
7. Watch French videos on YouTube.
There is a wide array of free Talk in French videos you can find on YouTube. Find time to do some French listening practice for free.
8. Make a recording of French words
and listen to it again and again.
9. Watch French TV.
Here’s our list of French TV shows and where to watch them.
10. Talk to native French speakers.
This is the best way to listen to (and learn) French. If you can, go on a trip to a French-speaking country, but if this isn’t possible for the time being, find French speakers to converse with.
Not only will this give you the right kind of practice that you need, you can also clarify the words with them or ask them to speak a little bit slower so you can catch up. Language exchange apps and local conversation groups are good places to find some.
Conclusion
The more you hear a word being spoken, the more familiar it becomes. This can make it easier to recall it in future conversations.
So keep yourself busy with listening to the spoken French language. Grab the opportunity, get your French listening practice time. Soon enough, you will have a natural grasp of the words without too much difficulty.
