Learning a new language can be increasingly challenging—especially if you’re learning a language that dates all the way back to the Roman Empire and has multiple variations all over the world. According to About-France.com, French is an official or second language in 55 countries worldwide and almost 300 million people speak French as their native or second language. My childhood friend’s grandfather was the French teacher at my high school, so instead of taking Spanish—which would have been a tad more useful in the United States—I chose French. (Not to mention my birthday is also Bastille Day, some would call it a sign.) I started taking French when I was 14 years old. From there, I took French 1, French 2 and Honors French 3... Show more

Most everyone is familiar with this day, as it is celebrated nearly everywhere the world. Yet, when exactly is April Fools’ Day? And where did April Fools come from? April Fools’ Day is observed on April 1st every year. This day of jokes and pranks is believed to have stemmed from the 16th-century calendar change in France, when New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to January 1. This action was taken due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar. However, a few people were resistant to the calendar change, so they continued to observe New Year’s Day on April 1st, rather than the new date. They were referred to as the “April Fools”, and others started playing mocking tricks on them. This custom endured, and is practiced to this day... Show more

So, you’ve been studying French for a year or two. You feel like you have a pretty good handle on the most romantic of the Romantic languages. So you buy a ticket to a French speaking country. You’re confident about your skills and expect to woo the natives with everything you’ve learned. Then you step off your flight and suddenly reality hits you right between the eyes… You’ve studied French but you can barely understand native speakers. If they were to write down what they said or simply said it slower you’d probably be fine. You know the vocabulary and grammar they’re using. For some reason when they speak at a faster speed you can’t keep track of what’s going on. You pick out the first word, a few in the middle, and a phrase at the... Show more

In most cultures, it is custom to express gratitude in some way or another. The dictionary defines gratitude as follows: it is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Giving a sincere, thankful response to someone’s actions or words is often the ‘glue’ that keeps relationships together. This is true in most societies! Doing so in a foreign country also shows your respect and appreciation for the culture. Words have great power - use these ones sincerely and often! Table of Contents 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in French Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes Infographic & Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases - Thank You Video Lesson: ‘Thank You’ in 31... Show more

Learn 4 tools and techniques to stop translating in your head and start thinking in Going through lessons is enough to get by and learn the basics of , but to truly become fluent you need to be able to think in . This will allow you to have conversations with ease, read smoothly, and comprehensively understand natives. To do this, you need to go beyond just completing daily or weekly lessons. We naturally translate in our heads because it's viewed as the easiest way to learn the definitions needed when learning a language. This way of learning can actually hinder your skills and fluency later on. If your brain has to make neural connections between the word you're learning, what it means in your native tongue, and the physical object... Show more

Learn a little French everyday with the free French Word of the Day Widget. Check back daily for more vocabulary!papier toilette toilet paper (noun)J'ai acheté deux rouleaux de papier toilette.I bought two rolls of toilet paper.Sois sûr de toujours avoir du papier toilette en plus dans la salle de bain.Make sure you keep extra toilet paper in the bathroom.rouleau de papier toiletteroll of toilet paperOwn a blog or website? Share free language content with your readers with the French Word of the Day with Audio Widget. Click here for instructions on how to embed and customize this free widget!

Your Learning, Streamlined – The New Lesson Interface Your learning is about to get a whole lot easier. More than ever, learners are choosing mobile as the platform to study French. Mobile has always been a part of our DNA. We began our life on your iPod, and have remained by your side ever since. In our 11th year, we’re returning to our roots as a way to learn French on-the-go. How? With a brand-new lesson interface just for you. Hint: It will launch in beta later this month! If you want to secure access to this brand new upgrade, take advantage of the upcoming All Access Pass Sale! Click Here to Get 25% OFF All FrenchPod101 Subscriptions! (example taken from japanesepod101.com) It’s built from the ground-up to be a... Show more

Have you ever returned to FrenchPod101 lessons you’ve completed? Accessing a lesson once is enough to learn more French. But to master what you’ve learned, to understand French the second you hear it, to read with just a quick glance, and to speak smoothly, without thinking... you need to review. In this blog post, you’ll learn the 5 review tactics and learning tools that will truly sharpen your French (all of which I’ve been able to resources for on FrenchPod101.com). Create Your Free Lifetime Account and Start Learning the whole French Language from the Beginning! 1. Listen to lines over and over again! One of the best ways to learn French (or any language) is to listen to native speakers over and over again until you... Show more

Every French learner will have these fears – “I’m not good enough yet.” “I don’t think I’m making any progress.” “What if I never reach my goals?” French learning fears – we all get them from time to time. What are yours? And are they worth being scared of? In this blog post, we’re killing the top 4 French learning fears – 1) what are the fears learners tend to have the most and 2) how you can overcome them! Here are the top 4 language learning fears according to our users: 1. “I’m not good enough to start speaking yet.” Do you feel like you’re not good enough to start speaking yet? It’s a pretty common fear or misconception that most learners have. Here’s how you overcome it: The best way to get good at speaking is to... Show more

Discover 3 ways that German learning games and video games can help you learn and master German faster, retain more, and enhance your language skills. Create Your Free Lifetime Account and Start Learning the whole German Language from the Beginning! Can You Learn German Using Games? Yes, German learning games and even video games can help you learn and master German faster and improve overall comprehension. Research studies have concluded that video games enhance traditional learning methods and make mastering a new language like German fun and exciting. Without the firm foundation in grammar and vocabulary provided by conventional learning programs, however, you will not be able to learn German with games alone. But when... Show more