| Celebrate Bastille Day by improving your French: Posted: Whether you are just a beginner, or someone who has spent a number of years learning French, it is important to keep your language skills well honed, and to find ways to improve these skills as often as possible. If you have at the very least a basic knowledge of French, then you can follow these steps to advancing your knowledge of a language that is spoken in 57 countries and territories around the world.[1] Steps - Work on your pronunciation. Smooth flowing French means continual practice at acquiring a good accent. Good pronunciation helps to ensure that you are easily understood and will enable you to enjoy speaking the language more fluently. Ways to improve your pronunciation include:
- Listen to native French speakers and repeat what they say. Watch a good French movie and imitate your favorite actor's accents. Listen to native French speakers on your iPod or MP3 player as you're traveling to work, and repeat what they say (when appropriate).
- Sing French music. Download your favorite songs and sing along. Music is an excellent method by which to perfect accent, and most times, you won't even notice the effort involved.
- Ensure that you have a good French teacher. If you're not studying as part of your college curriculum, take up French classes after work, or on the weekends. Your teacher should be able to help correct your pronunciation by picking out your weaker points and giving you specific exercises to improve your intonation, inflexion, and sound linking.
- Revise your grammar constantly. Even though you have already learned certain grammar points, it continues to be important to revisit your grammar learning until the individual points become second nature. This can be made a lot more fun and engaging if you use multimedia to assist:
- Use your iPod or MP3 player to listen to grammar drills. Do this while exercising, traveling, relaxing on your bed, etc.
- Use computer games and exercises to improve your grammar. There are many games and exercises available for free online, or you can purchase CD-Roms for your computer. Do a search of "French grammar games", "French spelling games", "French verb games", etc., and see what suits your interests most. Look for games that French speakers play - these will be an excellent way to improve your French.[2]
- Increase your vocabulary. As with your native language, aim to make learning vocabulary a lifelong learning process. While learning vocabulary gets easier the more you do it, and the faster you are able to work out meanings by context and association, it can be helpful to continue learning vocabulary as a discrete exercise in its own right. The best ways to do this include:
- Keep a notebook for writing down words you discover when reading, etc. You can choose to look them up later rather than constantly interrupting a good read with dictionary hunting. It is helpful to use categories for the words, such as travel, clothes, body, fashion, car, movies, etc. to make finding the words easier, and to provide contextual association in your mind.
- Make use of Post-It notes to write down the names of household items.
- Create a scrapbook. Cut out pictures of items by theme and add the French words to them. A craft exercise on the one hand, a French lesson on the other!
- Use events that interest you to provide intrinsic motivation for learning new words. For example, if you're a soccer (football) fan, why not watch the games in French, and learn the words in French?[3]
- When you learn a new word in your native language, look it up in French at the same time.
- Read the instructions accompanying your appliances and software in French. Most manuals now come in a range of languages, making it easy for you to learn new technological or technical terms quickly, with the ability to cross-check with the English version.
- Aim to learn 5 new words every day - that amounts to 35 new words a week, 1820 words a year!
- Buy a visual dictionary in French. It does not need to have any English in it, although bilingual visual dictionaries do exist. This is an inspiring and very useful way to learn a wide range of vocabulary and is particularly helpful for technical terms that you might need for work, or for a hobby.
Find French books in your favorite genre - Read French as often as possible. Reading will expand your vocabulary and broaden your immersion in the language. You will learn easily while reading because you're enjoying yourself. Just be sure to pick books that interest you, fiction or non-fiction.
- Many DVDs now come with the option of French. Switch to French when watching - whether it is dubbed or subtitled, you're still learning using an engaging medium.
- Listen to French radio stations. There are hundreds of stations broadcasting in French and many of them can be easily accessed online.[4] You can also check out what French options are available on foreign language stations in your location.
- Find a conversation partner. Plenty of French speakers would like to improve their English in return for helping you with your French. It's great practice, and a native speaker can easily set you straight on all sorts of details that never appear in textbooks. You can practice with a conversation partner in a number of ways:
- As pen-pals over the Internet using email, chat clients or IRC;
- Using social networking clients (use Twitter, etc., only in French);
- Get onto a French wiki and edit only in French and communicate with the other people on the site in French;[5]
- Talk with French pals using software like Google Talk or Skype; or,
- If you find somebody in your area, have conversations regularly, in person.
- Most importantly, don't just talk. Remember to also perfect your French listening skills. Being a language that is spoken quickly, with much liaison, listening for understanding French well is a vital skill.
- Go French for the weekend. Grab a buddy who has a more advanced level of French, or someone who is a native French speaker, and aim to speak nothing but French with them for a day or two over the weekend. Go shopping, dining, and having fun--all in French.
- Travel. Visit a French speaking country and soak up the language and culture all at once. Don't just limit yourself to France or Belgium - if you live in North America, Quebec is on your doorstep, and with there are many other French speaking countries, regions, and cultures around the world in Africa, the Pacific, the Caribbean, etc. It's a good excuse for a vacation and a learning experience!
- Book into a language school in a French country or city. Try to live with a local family so that you speak French all the time.
- Look for volunteer work, or casual work. Working is an excellent way to improve your ability in another language quickly. If you get to work in a busy industry, such as waiting or cooking, you will be compelled out of necessity to improve your French very quickly.
- Teach English as a Second Language in a French-speaking country. You will need to have a good grasp of both languages for this one, and as you teach, you will definitely learn!
Naturally, it's best if in French but it's important to start somewhere! - Read French history. Read widely, because French history extends well beyond France.
- Learn as much as you can about French cultural works, such as art, fashion, and movies.
- Dine on French food occasionally, or learn to make your own. Read up on French cuisine and history.
- Learn about French politics. Again, don't focus simply on France but remember to look at other French-speaking countries.
Video Tips - A French-English dictionary is vital. Purchase a good quality version as soon as possible and use it frequently.
- Check out reputable media sites for French learning activities, such as the BBC.
- Stay focused on your progress. Sometimes it might seem that the learning is not going anywhere but persevere; your mind is storing away the learning diligently.
Things You'll Need - Internet access
- Up-to-date grammar books
- Up-to-date dictionary
- Notebook
- DVDs, books, other media
- iPod or MP3 player, free French podcasts
- Travel ideas
- Pals to speak French with
Related wikiHows Sources and Citations |
| 5 Steps to Escaping the Dreaded "Friend Zone" Posted: Oh no! You're in love. Or in like. But the object of your affection thinks of you as more of a brother or sister than anything else. It's notoriously hard to get out of the "friend zone" but if you really want to escape, follow these steps. Steps - Break the "Nice Guy" Stereotype. Most guys (and girls) who find themselves in the "friend zone" are usually susceptible to many of the characteristics of the "nice guy" stereotype...Pretty much someone who wants to avoid making other people uncomfortable at any cost, but usually at their own expense (not communicating their needs). In this case, you're romantically attracted to someone, but you don't want to "pressure" them into a relationship, or "ruin" the friendship by expressing your interest or making a move, so you hold back in a variety of ways. But when you make other people's feelings more important than your own (rather than trying to find a happy balance) you communicate to people (subconsciously) that your own feelings don't matter. This makes it seem like you have low self-worth, which is the opposite of confidence. While some people are attracted to ever agreeable mates, the person who assigned you to the "friend zone" probably is not.
- Stop Being Needy. One of the reasons you might be more interested in this person more than they are in you is because you really, really, really want to be in a relationship! You might be coming off as a little desperate, which is quite the attraction killer. You might be rushing things emotionally. You might also be placing this person on a pedestal, because you're so caught up in the idea of the relationship, that you're quick to assume this person is "perfect". Examine your own neediness. In one word, relax. There will always be many more encounters besides this one, so stop treating it like the last one you'll ever have.
- Think about the difference between a friendship and a romantic relationship. If you think a romantic relationship should just be a great friendship with physical intimacy thrown into the mix, then it's understandable to look for common ground first, and wait for the physical attraction to kick in sooner or later. But not everyone sees relationships this way. Some people expect a "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" to play a particular role in their lives in order for physical attraction to emerge. The person who you want to be more than friends with probably has a bigger distinction between "friend" and "romantic partner" than you do. Many people (both male and female) expect to be courted in some way. You have to understand, also, that many psychological issues play out in the relationship arena that don't in friendships. Some people, for example, look for a romantic partner who can play more of a parental role than a friend would. Figure out what the person you're pining for wants in a boyfriend or girlfriend. Then decide whether you want to be that for them.
- Note that some people are attracted to toxic relationships. If your love interests keeps getting involved with people who treat them badly, despite your advice, you might just have to accept that they're working through some issues. You could spend your entire life waiting for them to "see the light" or you could move on and find someone who actually (through their actions, not their words) wants a healthy relationship.
- Break the touch barrier. For many people, a big distinction between "friendship" and "relationship" is the way they touch. There are more platonic ways to touch someone, and more romantic ways, and the boundary is different for different people. But if you're terrified of touching someone the wrong way, to the extent that you hesitate and never touch them first, your intentions are good and all, but your "touch paralysis" isn't helping you at all in the romantic department. Take a few little "touch risks". Reach for their hands, hair, shoulders, ankles, and back. Don't just always wait for them to do it first. If they don't like it, they'll definitely let you know. But touching someone communicates to them that you find them attractive, and also that you're reasonably confident. Both of these things can make someone feel more attracted to you.
- There are more tips in How to Touch a Girl and How to Hint for a Kiss from a Guy.
- Note that some people are very affectionate with their friends; the person you're interested might be all about cuddling with you, and think nothing more of it than friendliness, while you feel like you're getting mixed signals.
- Realize that you're "tying up" your feelings by staying friends with someone who isn't romantically interested in you. So you've left your pushover habits behind, you've stepped up to role that he or she is looking for an a relationship, you've crossed the touch barrier, and this person still wants to be "just friends". Maybe they're simply not attracted to you, for reasons you'll never know. But you still have feelings for them. Is it wise to continue spending time with them?
Consider that it'll be difficult to develop feelings for someone else if your feelings for this person are fueled every time you hang out. Consider that you'll struggle with feelings of jealousy and frustration when that person dates. Consider that even if you do manage to develop feelings for someone else, your heart might always be torn and confused, and it'll be hard to give your new flame your undivided affection. Sometimes the best thing to do is to take the friendship down to the level of acquaintance. The person might feel offended, perhaps as if you don't value them as just a friend, but remember (and explain to them if necessary) that you can't control how you feel, just like they can't control how they feel, and you need to make room in your life and heart for someone who feels about you the way you feel about them.
Video Warnings - If you decide to let go of someone who doesn't return your affection, you might find that suddenly they're attracted to you. Be careful, then. This might tell you that they love the "thrill of the chase". If you find they lose interest when you become interested again, you've got a cat-and-mouse game on your hands--not the recipe for a healthy relationship.
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