The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
I moved to Montreal 10 months ago, speaking very minimal French. Sure, I could ramble my way through ordering a cup of coffee but in no way could I hold a conversation or understand someone if they spoke quickly.
My partner is a fluent French speaker and while being in a household with someone who can correct you and converse with is beneficial, it is not going to teach you the language in full.
My first brush with Quebecois French was when my partner introduced me to Occupation Double. I was a major fan of The Bachelor and when he mentioned that there was a a similar show in Quebec, I asked if we could watch it together.
But I soon realized I was going to need to do a little more than watching reality TV to improve my French skills.
I have tried numerous study methods to learn the language, like creating hundreds of cue cards that I couldn’t seem to memorize, trying and translate songs, and journaling in the language. It can be frustrating when your progress hits a wall so here are seven ways I have managed to maintain momentum.
Someone wearing headphones sits on chair in front of a MacBook.Wes Hicks | Unsplash
Online classes
The provincial government offers both online and in-person French instruction for both newcomers to Quebec who are permanent residents or citizens. Through Apprendre le Français, you can sign up to be evaluated by a professor who will then place you in the level most suitable to you. It's a free and reliable way to learn the language in a group setting
One-on-one classes
I have to admit that personalized classes were by far the most beneficial for me. The personalized instruction mixed with mandatory communication in the language pushed me out of my comfort zone. There was no hiding in the corner during classtime. With an instructor teaching you individually you are free to ask as many questions as you’d like and have difficult concepts explained in more detail if needed. The downside to this method of instruction is that it can be expensive but there are plenty of affordable online services where you can be connected with a tutor. One I highly recommend is Preply.
Listening to podcasts
A tip that was given to me by a tutor I had when I first moved to the city was to listen to others converse as much as possible. Being in an environment where people are speaking the language is the best way to begin recognizing verbs, discerning where one word ends and the other begins, and understanding the accent. With podcasts, you are able to listen to content on topics you are interested in as well as decrease the speed of the show, so you gain a better understanding of the vocabulary. Using this method, you can measure your success by increasing the speed of the show until you understand everything at regular speed.
The cover of Tintin comic "Objectif Lune" with a car of astronauts driving toward a rocket.Girl with red hat | Unsplash
Reading
Once you grasp the basics of a new language, reading is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your learning. Heading to the library and picking out picture books in French, making sure they only have a few words per page, is an amazing start to your language journey. Slowly moving on to read kids books, then chapter books leads to fast progression, especially before bed or in the morning. Reading magazine articles is another great way of immersing yourself in the culture of a place and learning every day conversational terms. A favourite of mine is Elle Quebec and for easier to understand articles there's Les AS de l’info.
Watching French TV shows and movies
Being in Canada, there are plenty of French Canadian shows and programs that you have access to on paid subscription platforms like Netflix as well as free streaming sites like the CBC. When you are just a beginner, watching French Canadian TV with subtitles on and at a slower speed works perfectly for learning. As you advance you can switch the subtitles to be in French to help you better understand pronunciation and the accent. It will take you a while to be able to watch a show and completely understand without subtitles but I promise you it is one of the easiest ways to study.
Someone orders something off of a menu while a server looks on.Fraser Cottrell | Unsplash
Having “French only” zones
Once you feel confident enough to have simple conversations in French, setting up “French-only zones” is one of the best things you can do for your learning. It is always anxiety-inducing when you start speaking in a new language and can even feel embarrassing to stumble in front of a stranger but your learning will speed up exponentially once you begin.
For me, my “French-only zones” are the grocery store, my local cafe, as well as restaurants. When I am there I will attempt to only interact with the cashiers and servers in French. Soon you will know the standard script that goes along with these settings and understand some of the unique vocab that you’ll need (this is how I learned all the different ways to describe how you like your eggs cooked).
Often in Montreal, when people hear an Anglo accent or can tell you’re tripping up they will automatically switch to English. While you may feel tempted to give up, keep trying to converse in French. They probably won’t even notice that they switched.
It's normal to speak "broken" French for a long time
Something a tutor said to me that really stuck is that when you learn a new language, you also need to learn how to speak simply. Expressing yourself in as few words as possible, or with only words you know. My tutor told me "Speak like you are five years old, not like you’re 25."
When you are learning a language as an adult you will try to translate exactly what you would say in your native tongue into the new language but that can’t be done. The way things are expressed, and your knowledge level, are different and you’ll wind up making more mistakes. It is normal to speak in simple sentences and have to use more words to communicate a thought than is required by an advanced speaker. That is okay and you got this.
Good luck on your French learning journey!
