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[Skip to content](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#content "Skip to content") - [Home Page](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/) - [French Courses](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/french-courses) - [30-Day French Challenge](https://school.commeunefrancaise.com/30-day-challenge/join-now) - [French Conversation Club](https://school.commeunefrancaise.com/french-conversation-club/join-now) - [Free French Resources](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog) - [Contact Us](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/contact) - [Student Login](https://school.commeunefrancaise.com/) - [Home Page](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/) - [French Courses](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/french-courses) - [30-Day French Challenge](https://school.commeunefrancaise.com/30-day-challenge/join-now) - [French Conversation Club](https://school.commeunefrancaise.com/french-conversation-club/join-now) - [Free French Resources](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog) - [Contact Us](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/contact) - [Student Login](https://school.commeunefrancaise.com/) [](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/) # How to Start Learning French (For Beginners) - January 23, 2019 [Download this Lesson as a PDF](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6IjQzMjIiLCJ0b2dnbGUiOmZhbHNlfQ%3D%3D) So, you’re a complete beginner in French. Maybe you remember a word or two from your high school lessons, but not much. You think you *maybe* still know how to ask if you can be excused to go to the toilet, but everything’s still a little rusty. But this year, it’s decided. You’ve made the commitment. **You finally want to learn French\!** Maybe you want to learn so that you’ll be more prepared for your upcoming trip to France… maybe you want to reconnect with some distant family living in Provence, or discover your grandmother’s heritage from Normandy… maybe you want to impress your spouse with a super romantic talent… or maybe it’s just for the fun of learning a new skill\! No matter what your motivations are for learning French, there’s always one question that all beginners ask: **Where do you start?** French is a difficult language. You have to worry about pronunciation, understanding spoken French (which can be really, really fast), dealing with sometimes complicated grammar, understanding local accents, not to mention the conjugation… Plus there are almost too many choices when it comes to resources for learning beginner’s French. There are hundreds of “French for beginners” books and CDs on Amazon. There’s also Duolingo, Rosetta Stone and other apps. What about a children’s book? A podcast? Some of these resources are outdated, others are just plain wrong… and it can be hard to find a reliable, modern, fun method that suits you, your needs and your busy life. BUT, don’t worry – I’m here to help! By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a clear, concrete plan on how to learn French from scratch, with confidence. Let’s dive in\! ## Want all the vocabulary of the lesson ? [Download Lesson as PDF](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6IjQzMjIiLCJ0b2dnbGUiOmZhbHNlfQ%3D%3D) ## Want to read this lesson later ? [Download Lesson as PDF](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6IjQzMjIiLCJ0b2dnbGUiOmZhbHNlfQ%3D%3D) ## 1\) Why do you want to learn French? First of all, think about *why* you want to learn French. As with learning anything, knowing your “why” is key to getting on the right path and keeping yourself motivated along your learning journey. I always recommend that beginners write down their reason. Don’t just keep it in your head, where you can forget about it when things get hard (because they will get hard!). Write it down in your learning notebook, or even write it on a piece of paper and stick it to your mirror so you see it every day. In my experience, there are some common reasons why people want to learn French. They are: - **To learn French language skills:** “I love French, it’s my favorite language. It’s a beautiful language. I’ve always wanted to learn, it’s been on my bucket list for years.” You want to feel the pride and excitement of embracing a new hobby, perhaps one that you’ve wanted to start for a long time. - **To learn practical French you can actually use:** “I’m going to France soon to visit, live or study and I want to be comfortable and speak with the locals.” You want to feel like you can ‘get along’ when you visit France because you have the confidence and the knowledge to speak French. - **To connect with family & friends:** “I want to connect with my french friends, in-laws, family, French husband/wife.” You want to feel you can exchange more than polite smiles with your French in-laws or integrate and make friends in France instead of just hanging out with other expats. - **To better understand French culture:** “I want to connect with my heritage: my grand-mère is from Normandy and I’ve always wanted to learn.” OR “I love French culture (especially the music, not to mention the cheese and wine) and I’d love to learn words and phrases that help me connect with it on a deeper level.” You want to feel exposed to new and exciting things: new people, new ideas, a greater appreciation for French culture that maybe even runs in your blood. Do any of these reasons sound familiar? Maybe even a couple of them do! Before you continue with this lesson, take a minute to pause and think. What is your reason for wanting to learn French? Write it down! And share it with me in the comments 😉 ## 2\) Common difficulties for beginners in French Okay, let me tell you a little secret that I think is going to help you. No matter what your French learning goals are (whether you want to learn French speaking, or want to learn how to write a romantic love letter in French, whatever), there are **three areas** where French is most difficult for English-speaking learners. I want to take some time to talk through each of these with you and explain why they’re so hard, and so common. That way you’ll feel less alone (and less likely to give up) when you come across them. **1\. French pronunciation.** Some sounds are hard to say, plain and simple. There’s the nasal-y “an/ein”, as well as the French R. Then there are some sounds that might even seem impossible to hear or say, like “u/eu”. My Mexican mum still can’t pronounce a few common French sounds, after 36 years in France, while being bilingual! Sometimes when she’s at the market she even rephrases what she wants to say (“Deux oignons doux”) to avoid having to repeat herself 10 times\! Relax. Yes, you’re going to sound and look ridiculous when you’re trying to practice articulating these sounds in front of your bathroom mirror. But with context, when you actually speak French, you’ll mostly be understood. **My shortcut for beginners:** You can avoid 99% of the pronunciation mistakes tourists make by learning NOT to pronounce the silent letters in the new words you learn. This puts you on the right path from the start and will save you time in the future. I’m tired of C1 students saying “Bon appétit” with the T. You can do it. For example: cross the silent letters with a pencil from the words you learn\! **My tip for perfectionists:** Be aware of the differences between written and modern spoken French from the start. This will save you headaches when you hear French in real life, right away. Spoken French is a bit like music, it HAS to “sound right”. We make “la liaison” where words merge into each other, we eat letters and cut words. It will help you avoid sounding like a rigid textbook or old-fashioned French (which I compare to speaking English like Hamlet in a Shakespeare play). **2\. Gender of nouns** French nouns all have a gender : masculine or feminine (no neutral). And most of the time, the rest of the phrase has to agree with the gender of this noun: the adjective, the article and the verb. Argh\! Students learning French, especially beginners, focus way too much on the gender of nouns. But can you keep a secret? No French person actually cares. My friend Christina ([see video lesson with her](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-one-american-went-from-french-beginner-to-fluent)) has been in France for 15 years and is also bilingual. BUT, she completely gave up on learning the gender of nouns in French! Her French is still completely fantastic, but when she’s speaking French she just gives up getting the gender right. (When she’s writing emails, it’s a different story— she looks for the gender on the internet.) **My shortcut for beginners:** ONLY learn the gender of nouns you NEED. Don’t worry about the lists of vocabulary you’ll only use once a year. And relax. Again, French people know it’s hard. Some even find your mistakes sexy. You’ll remind them of Jane Birkin. 😉 **My tip for perfectionists:** Always check the gender of nouns you use when writing in French by using autocorrect or a spell checker on your computer. Be ruthless in your writing when you’re using a computer (but take it easy on yourself when you’re speaking). **3\. French grammar, conjugation and… all their exceptions** Learning French is endless. So don’t assume you’ll learn all its grammar and conjugation at an A1 level before moving to A2. People don’t even know it all at C2. Even French people don’t know everything\! Instead, double down your efforts on learning the correct foundations when it comes to French grammar and conjugation. Don’t try to “self-teach” yourself these complicated things. It’s going to be way more difficult, and chance are you’ll focus on the wrong elements. Want some tips on what you *should* focus on? - **Beginner verbs:** first group verbes (ending in -er) + être, avoir, aller, vouloir - **Beginner conjugation:** present + shortcuts, as below - **Shortcuts for conjugation:** for example, aller + infinitive (instead of learning the future tense, which we don’t really use in spoken French) **My shortcut for beginners:** Make short sentences. I say this all the time when I correct students’ homework in my live program “Le Salon de Géraldine”: MAKE SHORT SENTENCES. Sounds like, “duh”. But by making short, well structured sentences, you make less mistakes and you’ll be more confident in your French. Mistakes don’t matter but clarity does. **My tip for perfectionists:** Grammar and conjugation are the biggest trap for perfectionists. Forget about the subjunctive, the “en” VS “y”, the passé simple (tip: never learn this one). Focus on modern spoken French grammar instead, like dropping the “ne” in negation, replacing “nous” with “on” and conjugation shortcuts. You’ll sound French very quickly this way. **BONUS: Waiting to speak perfectly to start speaking.** Ok, this applies to all languages, but it’s a problem that’s very common when it comes to people learning French. I’m constantly hearing students who are already at a B2 level confessing they’re too shy to speak French. This is a common perfectionist trap. All you really need is a big hug and some reassurance. So here it is, virtually 🙂 Don’t wait – practice your French speaking now\! ## 3\) How to learn French according to your goal Full disclosure: NONE of the resources I recommend here are affiliate programs or links. I don’t earn any money by sharing them and the creators didn’t ask me to. These are resources that I recommend in real life to friends of friends who want to learn French, as beginners. I picked methods that are available online or all around the world. If I don’t mention a resource, it’s NOT because I don’t like it. Please share your experience in the comments if you love a method I didn’t share here. **First, let’s go back to your reason for wanting to learn French.** We talked about this at the beginning of the lesson. What’s your “why”? Which category that I mentioned most closely relates to your “why”? Below, I’ve made some recommendations based on those categories. **You want to learn French language skills (only)** ***You’re not very serious about learning French, it’s just for fun.*** **My recommendation: Duolingo.** It’s free and accessible, plus it’s popular and is played like a game. I rarely recommend Duolingo because it provides no cultural context, teaches you lots of useless vocabulary and the forums about French are often wrong. But it’s a start, their repetition system is great and I know lots of students who started with this app. My partner started Spanish with Duolingo to meet my Mexican family and it’s was a good fit for our 2-week stay because I provided the cultural elements and told him what lessons were useful while he was learning. ***You’re serious about learning French language skills.*** **My recommendation: Learn live, like with your local Alliance Française or any other (good) French class with a teacher.** If you can join a real life class to get the foundations of French right, do it! You’ll have a live teacher who can take care of you as you learn and answer any questions you might have. What’s tricky with live classes is that you need someone reliable to tell you if the French taught is right or not. Of course, some classes may also be over budget, not available in your city, or don’t really work with your busy schedule – so this isn’t for everyone. **My other recommendation: Learn online, with ‘French for Beginners by Géraldine.** My first online program for beginners will open next week, in late January 2019. [You can already pre-register to be notified when we open by clicking here\!](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/french-courses) With this class, you’ll master all the French basics and give yourself a solid foundation of French. PLUS you get unlimited access to the course with lifetime access to all lessons, so you can learn on your own schedule. (Of course, the downside is that you don’t have a live teacher to correct your pronunciation right away – so if this is something you think you need, it’s probably better to find a live class.) **You want to learn practical french you can actually use** ***For a purely “tourist” or short professional stay*** **My recommendation: Earworms** An efficient, organised phrasebook. Doesn’t cover culture at all but the French is 99% right and the phrases are perfectly suited for a visit to France. I recommend purchasing the app to get the audio + the text all at once. ***For interaction with locals, in French*** **My recommendation: → Earworms + ITalki** ITalki is a platform where you can find teachers and practice partners to learn a language online in 1-1 sessions. The strategy I recommend is to learn from Earworms and practice your French with Italki afterwards. This way, your pronunciation is corrected by a teacher and you can add a little bit of real life and French culture to your French. Extra tip: Pick a francophone native teacher. If you’re visiting a francophone country that’s not France, pick a teacher from this country so they can teach you slang, regionalisms and customs from there. **You want to learn French to connect with family & friends** **My recommendation: Any of the above + a BIG French customs/culture element.** Do not rely only on your ‘French 101’ background to connect with French people. You’ll do much better by adding some subtleties of French culture. My recommendations according to your learning style: - **Books:** Pamela Druckerman’s Bringing up Bébé and David Lebovitz’s The sweet life in Paris - **Video lessons:** Comme une Française’s free lessons on cultural customs and big embarrassing mistakes + my more advanced programs (when you’re ready, of course…) **You want to better understand French culture** **My recommendation: Any of the above (optional) + French-related resources with English subtitles** For cultural French, don’t pressure yourself into reaching a C2, bilingual level. Just follow your passion. I’d recommend the basics of French 101 above but focus on written comprehension rather that speaking and writing. Use your French as a way to understand French resources on your French heritage. You can also explore French customs and cultural subtleties, to understand your family’s choices and life. **French cultural resources you’ll enjoy:** - Echappées belles - Des racines et des ailes - C’est pas sorcier (any episode on History) - Many other documentaries on <https://www.france.tv/documentaires/> (art, cuisine, history, travels…) - Documentaries on Arte : <https://www.arte.tv/fr/> The goal is just for you to grasp enough French to understand the French subtitles and enrich your knowledge of French culture, beyond the clichés. ## To sum it all up... Learning French from scratch can be scary, but once you’re clear on what you want to achieve and know what to do, everything gets easier. I hope your found your path, let me know in the comments below what you’ll do to get started\! My program “French for Beginners by Géraldine” will open next week. If you want to receive all the details, here’s the link to [“French for Beginners”](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/french-courses). That way you’ll be able see to see for yourself if it’s a good fit for you. Bonne chance \! ## Want to save this for later ? [Download Lesson as PDF](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6IjQzMjIiLCJ0b2dnbGUiOmZhbHNlfQ%3D%3D) And now: → If you enjoyed this lesson (and/or learned something new) – **why not share this lesson with a francophile friend?** You can talk about it afterwards! You’ll learn much more if you have social support from your friends 🙂 → Double your Frenchness! Get **my 10-day “Everyday French Crash Course”** and discover **more spoken French** for free. Students love it! Start now and you’ll get **Lesson 01** right in your inbox, straight away. [Click here to get started](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/) Et bonne année 🙂 ## Join the conversation\!   **Raymond from Nicaragua** says: [May 27, 2019 at 5:11 am](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950907) I hope I can join a Course very soon with a real french native teacher\! [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950907)   **Natasha Gouws** says: [February 8, 2019 at 6:33 pm](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950457) Hi We recently moved to Montreal from South Africa, my company is quite French & got me a French tutor so I currently have 2 lessons a week but I feel it’s going too slow. We focus a lot on learning French step by step but I want to be able to start communicating with people. I’ve noticed I can understand when I read French but I really struggle to understand when they speak. Most of my colleagues are immigrants and speak French so it’s not necessarily Quebecois. I think I fall in the 3rd category but any assistance will be greatly appreciated. Both my kids are attending French schools so I am a bit under pressure to get the ball on the roll in order to be able to communicate with the school and maybe offer assistance when they have homework. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950457) -   **LearnFrenchFast** says: [June 4, 2021 at 9:39 am](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952953997) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTtlWmXMksA> [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952953997)   **Peter Goble** says: [January 31, 2019 at 12:48 am](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950386) Géraldine you kick-started my journey on the road to genuine spoken French when I came to live in France three years ago, mainly (I think) by your engaging personality and lively teaching style. Ça roule ma poule got me my first genuine laugh from two young coiffeuses, and I’ve learned and used more drôleries since. Laughter is a great motivator. Now I’ve turned to duolingo because it seems to adapt and direct its learning content more directly to my trajectory of attainment and highlights my weaknesses. I also benefit from the media content and practice in listening to and responding to (recorded) francophone speakers in realistic exchanges. It also rewards creativity and, most important in these austere times, it costs nothing. I shall still follow you, and enjoy your cultural insights and insider tips though, and wish you well\! Peter in La Manche [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950386)   **Marietta** says: [January 26, 2019 at 12:27 am](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950364) Je veux apprendre français pour parler français quand je voyage en frace. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950364)   **Anna** says: [January 25, 2019 at 11:58 am](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950362) Chère Geraldine, (ou Géraldine?) ce matin, en buvant un café avec mon mari, je veux vous écrire un mot. I am continuing in english as most people reading this are english-speakers. You make the link between FRENCH and REAL LIFE. THAT IS SUPER IMPORTANT\! It seems so obvious but few teachers or programs talk about it. An example: when in France, do always say ‘Bonjour’ first to the person you want to address, (even if you don’t speak any french yet!) In ALL situations, talking to your neighbour, in the tourist office, in a restaurant and on the market. If you don’t do it, people will think you are RUDE. That is how it comes across. THANK YOU GERALDINE. Merci bien Geraldine. Toi, tu es TOP\! [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950362)   **Monica** says: [January 24, 2019 at 8:28 pm](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950361) Do you have any suggestions for resources specific to Francophone Africa? Thank you\! [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950361)   **Anne Bennett** says: [January 24, 2019 at 11:50 am](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950359) Salut Géraldine J’ai appris français sur et en dehors pour cinquante ans. Je pense que je suis le niveau FLE B2/C1?? J’ai un cours français un fois par semaine avec une prof française et nous utilisons Bien Dire. J’ai parlé avec une amie française de temps en temps sur Skype. J’ai utilisé les ‘apps’ Reverso et Microsoft translator. J’ai trouvé votre leçon très utile, parce que c’est le phrase que j’ai oublié peut-être?? Aussi nous sommes aimons les vacances en France. À bientôt Anne [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950359)   **Ev** says: [January 23, 2019 at 7:20 pm](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950352) I am learning French to try to improve my memory. I often forget simple English words. Unfortunately I also forget the French words that I am trying to learn. I have been at it for more than a year on duolingo and still haven’t progressed beyond the present tense. On the other hand I love crosswords, sudoku and other puzzles and learning French has become my favorite puzzle. I do a little bit every day and really look forward to your Tuesday lessons. Thank you so much Geraldine! Ev [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950352)   **Gloria** says: [January 23, 2019 at 5:25 pm](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950334) Pimsleur works best for me. I need to hear the words first, and then see them. Their French 1 was updated in 2018, and teaches the “on” form versus “nous.” I found myself thinking in French after only 30 days. My sister used Assimil 20 years ago, and went on a bicycle trip across France afterward and could converse well there. The stories in their lessons are fun, and I am doing Assimil too, but needed Pimsleur to really “get” it. I took an immersion class in French in college and dropped out. (I later found Manderin Chinese to be easier than French.) so I am happy to find a way that actually works. My sister and I are going to France in May, which was my goal for finally learning French. I love your videos, but until now your trainings were beyond my skill level. Thank you for the beginner tips. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950334) -   **[Géraldine Lepère](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/)** says: [January 23, 2019 at 7:15 pm](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950351) Glad you learned so much with Pimsleur, Gloria! I love it when students share their learning methods. Thank you. You’ll have a fantastic time in France, this May. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950351)   **Patricia Romain** says: [January 23, 2019 at 11:32 am](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950330) Merci pour cette leçon. J’avais habité en France pour six ans est j’apprends la langue avec memrise.com. Maintenant je parlé avec mes amis français dans notre village. Aussi j’aide les françaises d’apprendre la langue anglaise. Je commencerai les formations avec une formatrice d’apprendre les conjugaisons maintenant parce que j’ai une problème avec ça. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950330) -   **[Géraldine Lepère](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/)** says: [January 23, 2019 at 7:14 pm](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950349) Bravo Patricia ! Tu es sur la bonne voie \! [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950349)   **daphne** says: [January 23, 2019 at 6:08 am](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950328) Bonjour, Plus en française svp Geraldine! J’adore les leçons en français même s’ils sont difficiles de comprendre. J’ai mon dictionnaire Collins! Je prefer d’apprendre la langue plutôt que d’apprendre a l’apprendre! Cela a-t-il du sens! Excuser moi, c’est mon opinion pas ce que je ne décline pas l’occasion de practiquer la belle langue française. Merci Geraldine, vous êtes super\! [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950328) -   **[Géraldine Lepère](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/)** says: [January 23, 2019 at 7:13 pm](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950347) Bonjour Daphne, Merci pour ton message. Je propose une leçon en français par mois. Cette semaine, j’ai créé une leçon pour les débutants, qui n’auraient pas compris une leçon en français. Ravie que tu aimes pratiquer, je t’invite à ne pas mettre de côté les techniques d’apprentissage, cependant, au risque d’apprendre des choses inutiles ou obsolètes, et de perdre beaucoup de temps. Ca arrive trop souvent à des étudiants et c’est trop dommage. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950347)   **Barbara from canada** says: [January 23, 2019 at 1:33 am](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950326) If you watch YouTube videos in French, I recommend that you google “Karambolage YouTube”. This is a series of short videos on the ARTE TV site, none more than 17/18 minutes and usually quite amusing as they present cultural issues. THEN, as soon as you see the YouTube screen, tap the upper right corner before you start the video, and a line of 3 dots will appear.Tap that. A menu drops down, and the bottom choice is “playback speed”. Reduce the speed….it’s digital so the voices are normal, but slower. Listen again, and again and again so your ear can get attuned to the French. Increase playback speed as you wish. It’s great! I use that tip with students learning English and they are all super happy with this trick. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950326) -   **John** says: [January 23, 2019 at 2:13 pm](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950331) Salut Barbara from Canada Wow ~ such a useful tip. I’ve just given your Karambolage suggestion a try and I think it’s a brilliant little tool. I’ve found that to adjust the speed of speech on the video you should left click on the settings button at the bottom of the screen (looks like a sort of cog wheel) which produces a small pop-up screen with self evident speed settings that you can adjust while the video is running. Excellent … Thank you again, and thank you Géraldine for your superb weekly posts that throw open the whole language subject, thus making these discoveries possible. Merci merci 😀 [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950331) -   **[Géraldine Lepère](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/)** says: [January 23, 2019 at 7:14 pm](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950350) You’re welcome, John. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950350) -   **[Géraldine Lepère](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/)** says: [January 23, 2019 at 7:10 pm](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950345) Karambolage is a fantastic program, I love it too. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950345) -   **Peter** says: [January 24, 2019 at 11:13 am](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950357) Another tip I found recently on YouTube – on a laptop/desktop, hit the left arrow to rewind 5 seconds. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950357)   **Patricia** says: [January 23, 2019 at 1:13 am](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950325) My biggest problem is listening comprehension. I want to hear conversations with a written translation. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950325) -   **Gloria** says: [January 23, 2019 at 5:31 pm](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comments/3952950335) Pimsleurreally teaches you to listen and understand. You can do it while driving. Plus they also have the written materials after the auditory lessons, which I found essential. But you hear it first, and understand it perfectly before you read it. 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- January 23, 2019 [Download this Lesson as a PDF](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6IjQzMjIiLCJ0b2dnbGUiOmZhbHNlfQ%3D%3D) So, you’re a complete beginner in French. Maybe you remember a word or two from your high school lessons, but not much. You think you *maybe* still know how to ask if you can be excused to go to the toilet, but everything’s still a little rusty. But this year, it’s decided. You’ve made the commitment. **You finally want to learn French\!** Maybe you want to learn so that you’ll be more prepared for your upcoming trip to France… maybe you want to reconnect with some distant family living in Provence, or discover your grandmother’s heritage from Normandy… maybe you want to impress your spouse with a super romantic talent… or maybe it’s just for the fun of learning a new skill\! No matter what your motivations are for learning French, there’s always one question that all beginners ask: **Where do you start?** French is a difficult language. You have to worry about pronunciation, understanding spoken French (which can be really, really fast), dealing with sometimes complicated grammar, understanding local accents, not to mention the conjugation… Plus there are almost too many choices when it comes to resources for learning beginner’s French. There are hundreds of “French for beginners” books and CDs on Amazon. There’s also Duolingo, Rosetta Stone and other apps. What about a children’s book? A podcast? Some of these resources are outdated, others are just plain wrong… and it can be hard to find a reliable, modern, fun method that suits you, your needs and your busy life. BUT, don’t worry – I’m here to help! By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a clear, concrete plan on how to learn French from scratch, with confidence. Let’s dive in\! Want all the vocabulary of the lesson ? [Download Lesson as PDF](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6IjQzMjIiLCJ0b2dnbGUiOmZhbHNlfQ%3D%3D) Want to read this lesson later ? [Download Lesson as PDF](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6IjQzMjIiLCJ0b2dnbGUiOmZhbHNlfQ%3D%3D) 1\) Why do you want to learn French? First of all, think about *why* you want to learn French. As with learning anything, knowing your “why” is key to getting on the right path and keeping yourself motivated along your learning journey. I always recommend that beginners write down their reason. Don’t just keep it in your head, where you can forget about it when things get hard (because they will get hard!). Write it down in your learning notebook, or even write it on a piece of paper and stick it to your mirror so you see it every day. In my experience, there are some common reasons why people want to learn French. They are: - **To learn French language skills:** “I love French, it’s my favorite language. It’s a beautiful language. I’ve always wanted to learn, it’s been on my bucket list for years.” You want to feel the pride and excitement of embracing a new hobby, perhaps one that you’ve wanted to start for a long time. - **To learn practical French you can actually use:** “I’m going to France soon to visit, live or study and I want to be comfortable and speak with the locals.” You want to feel like you can ‘get along’ when you visit France because you have the confidence and the knowledge to speak French. - **To connect with family & friends:** “I want to connect with my french friends, in-laws, family, French husband/wife.” You want to feel you can exchange more than polite smiles with your French in-laws or integrate and make friends in France instead of just hanging out with other expats. - **To better understand French culture:** “I want to connect with my heritage: my grand-mère is from Normandy and I’ve always wanted to learn.” OR “I love French culture (especially the music, not to mention the cheese and wine) and I’d love to learn words and phrases that help me connect with it on a deeper level.” You want to feel exposed to new and exciting things: new people, new ideas, a greater appreciation for French culture that maybe even runs in your blood. Do any of these reasons sound familiar? Maybe even a couple of them do! Before you continue with this lesson, take a minute to pause and think. What is your reason for wanting to learn French? Write it down! And share it with me in the comments 😉 2\) Common difficulties for beginners in French Okay, let me tell you a little secret that I think is going to help you. No matter what your French learning goals are (whether you want to learn French speaking, or want to learn how to write a romantic love letter in French, whatever), there are **three areas** where French is most difficult for English-speaking learners. I want to take some time to talk through each of these with you and explain why they’re so hard, and so common. That way you’ll feel less alone (and less likely to give up) when you come across them. **1\. French pronunciation.** Some sounds are hard to say, plain and simple. There’s the nasal-y “an/ein”, as well as the French R. Then there are some sounds that might even seem impossible to hear or say, like “u/eu”. My Mexican mum still can’t pronounce a few common French sounds, after 36 years in France, while being bilingual! Sometimes when she’s at the market she even rephrases what she wants to say (“Deux oignons doux”) to avoid having to repeat herself 10 times\! Relax. Yes, you’re going to sound and look ridiculous when you’re trying to practice articulating these sounds in front of your bathroom mirror. But with context, when you actually speak French, you’ll mostly be understood. **My shortcut for beginners:** You can avoid 99% of the pronunciation mistakes tourists make by learning NOT to pronounce the silent letters in the new words you learn. This puts you on the right path from the start and will save you time in the future. I’m tired of C1 students saying “Bon appétit” with the T. You can do it. For example: cross the silent letters with a pencil from the words you learn\! **My tip for perfectionists:** Be aware of the differences between written and modern spoken French from the start. This will save you headaches when you hear French in real life, right away. Spoken French is a bit like music, it HAS to “sound right”. We make “la liaison” where words merge into each other, we eat letters and cut words. It will help you avoid sounding like a rigid textbook or old-fashioned French (which I compare to speaking English like Hamlet in a Shakespeare play). **2\. Gender of nouns** French nouns all have a gender : masculine or feminine (no neutral). And most of the time, the rest of the phrase has to agree with the gender of this noun: the adjective, the article and the verb. Argh\! Students learning French, especially beginners, focus way too much on the gender of nouns. But can you keep a secret? No French person actually cares. My friend Christina ([see video lesson with her](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-one-american-went-from-french-beginner-to-fluent)) has been in France for 15 years and is also bilingual. BUT, she completely gave up on learning the gender of nouns in French! Her French is still completely fantastic, but when she’s speaking French she just gives up getting the gender right. (When she’s writing emails, it’s a different story— she looks for the gender on the internet.) **My shortcut for beginners:** ONLY learn the gender of nouns you NEED. Don’t worry about the lists of vocabulary you’ll only use once a year. And relax. Again, French people know it’s hard. Some even find your mistakes sexy. You’ll remind them of Jane Birkin. 😉 **My tip for perfectionists:** Always check the gender of nouns you use when writing in French by using autocorrect or a spell checker on your computer. Be ruthless in your writing when you’re using a computer (but take it easy on yourself when you’re speaking). **3\. French grammar, conjugation and… all their exceptions** Learning French is endless. So don’t assume you’ll learn all its grammar and conjugation at an A1 level before moving to A2. People don’t even know it all at C2. Even French people don’t know everything\! Instead, double down your efforts on learning the correct foundations when it comes to French grammar and conjugation. Don’t try to “self-teach” yourself these complicated things. It’s going to be way more difficult, and chance are you’ll focus on the wrong elements. Want some tips on what you *should* focus on? - **Beginner verbs:** first group verbes (ending in -er) + être, avoir, aller, vouloir - **Beginner conjugation:** present + shortcuts, as below - **Shortcuts for conjugation:** for example, aller + infinitive (instead of learning the future tense, which we don’t really use in spoken French) **My shortcut for beginners:** Make short sentences. I say this all the time when I correct students’ homework in my live program “Le Salon de Géraldine”: MAKE SHORT SENTENCES. Sounds like, “duh”. But by making short, well structured sentences, you make less mistakes and you’ll be more confident in your French. Mistakes don’t matter but clarity does. **My tip for perfectionists:** Grammar and conjugation are the biggest trap for perfectionists. Forget about the subjunctive, the “en” VS “y”, the passé simple (tip: never learn this one). Focus on modern spoken French grammar instead, like dropping the “ne” in negation, replacing “nous” with “on” and conjugation shortcuts. You’ll sound French very quickly this way. **BONUS: Waiting to speak perfectly to start speaking.** Ok, this applies to all languages, but it’s a problem that’s very common when it comes to people learning French. I’m constantly hearing students who are already at a B2 level confessing they’re too shy to speak French. This is a common perfectionist trap. All you really need is a big hug and some reassurance. So here it is, virtually 🙂 Don’t wait – practice your French speaking now\! 3\) How to learn French according to your goal Full disclosure: NONE of the resources I recommend here are affiliate programs or links. I don’t earn any money by sharing them and the creators didn’t ask me to. These are resources that I recommend in real life to friends of friends who want to learn French, as beginners. I picked methods that are available online or all around the world. If I don’t mention a resource, it’s NOT because I don’t like it. Please share your experience in the comments if you love a method I didn’t share here. **First, let’s go back to your reason for wanting to learn French.** We talked about this at the beginning of the lesson. What’s your “why”? Which category that I mentioned most closely relates to your “why”? Below, I’ve made some recommendations based on those categories. **You want to learn French language skills (only)** ***You’re not very serious about learning French, it’s just for fun.*** **My recommendation: Duolingo.** It’s free and accessible, plus it’s popular and is played like a game. I rarely recommend Duolingo because it provides no cultural context, teaches you lots of useless vocabulary and the forums about French are often wrong. But it’s a start, their repetition system is great and I know lots of students who started with this app. My partner started Spanish with Duolingo to meet my Mexican family and it’s was a good fit for our 2-week stay because I provided the cultural elements and told him what lessons were useful while he was learning. ***You’re serious about learning French language skills.*** **My recommendation: Learn live, like with your local Alliance Française or any other (good) French class with a teacher.** If you can join a real life class to get the foundations of French right, do it! You’ll have a live teacher who can take care of you as you learn and answer any questions you might have. What’s tricky with live classes is that you need someone reliable to tell you if the French taught is right or not. Of course, some classes may also be over budget, not available in your city, or don’t really work with your busy schedule – so this isn’t for everyone. **My other recommendation: Learn online, with ‘French for Beginners by Géraldine.** My first online program for beginners will open next week, in late January 2019. [You can already pre-register to be notified when we open by clicking here\!](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/french-courses) With this class, you’ll master all the French basics and give yourself a solid foundation of French. PLUS you get unlimited access to the course with lifetime access to all lessons, so you can learn on your own schedule. (Of course, the downside is that you don’t have a live teacher to correct your pronunciation right away – so if this is something you think you need, it’s probably better to find a live class.) **You want to learn practical french you can actually use** ***For a purely “tourist” or short professional stay*** **My recommendation: Earworms** An efficient, organised phrasebook. Doesn’t cover culture at all but the French is 99% right and the phrases are perfectly suited for a visit to France. I recommend purchasing the app to get the audio + the text all at once. ***For interaction with locals, in French*** **My recommendation: → Earworms + ITalki** ITalki is a platform where you can find teachers and practice partners to learn a language online in 1-1 sessions. The strategy I recommend is to learn from Earworms and practice your French with Italki afterwards. This way, your pronunciation is corrected by a teacher and you can add a little bit of real life and French culture to your French. Extra tip: Pick a francophone native teacher. If you’re visiting a francophone country that’s not France, pick a teacher from this country so they can teach you slang, regionalisms and customs from there. **You want to learn French to connect with family & friends** **My recommendation: Any of the above + a BIG French customs/culture element.** Do not rely only on your ‘French 101’ background to connect with French people. You’ll do much better by adding some subtleties of French culture. My recommendations according to your learning style: - **Books:** Pamela Druckerman’s Bringing up Bébé and David Lebovitz’s The sweet life in Paris - **Video lessons:** Comme une Française’s free lessons on cultural customs and big embarrassing mistakes + my more advanced programs (when you’re ready, of course…) **You want to better understand French culture** **My recommendation: Any of the above (optional) + French-related resources with English subtitles** For cultural French, don’t pressure yourself into reaching a C2, bilingual level. Just follow your passion. I’d recommend the basics of French 101 above but focus on written comprehension rather that speaking and writing. Use your French as a way to understand French resources on your French heritage. You can also explore French customs and cultural subtleties, to understand your family’s choices and life. **French cultural resources you’ll enjoy:** - Echappées belles - Des racines et des ailes - C’est pas sorcier (any episode on History) - Many other documentaries on <https://www.france.tv/documentaires/> (art, cuisine, history, travels…) - Documentaries on Arte : <https://www.arte.tv/fr/> The goal is just for you to grasp enough French to understand the French subtitles and enrich your knowledge of French culture, beyond the clichés. To sum it all up... Learning French from scratch can be scary, but once you’re clear on what you want to achieve and know what to do, everything gets easier. I hope your found your path, let me know in the comments below what you’ll do to get started\! My program “French for Beginners by Géraldine” will open next week. If you want to receive all the details, here’s the link to [“French for Beginners”](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/french-courses). That way you’ll be able see to see for yourself if it’s a good fit for you. Bonne chance \! Want to save this for later ? [Download Lesson as PDF](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6IjQzMjIiLCJ0b2dnbGUiOmZhbHNlfQ%3D%3D) And now: → If you enjoyed this lesson (and/or learned something new) – **why not share this lesson with a francophile friend?** You can talk about it afterwards! You’ll learn much more if you have social support from your friends 🙂 → Double your Frenchness! Get **my 10-day “Everyday French Crash Course”** and discover **more spoken French** for free. Students love it! Start now and you’ll get **Lesson 01** right in your inbox, straight away. [Click here to get started](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/) Et bonne année 🙂 Join the conversation\! I hope I can join a Course very soon with a real french native teacher\! [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950907) Hi We recently moved to Montreal from South Africa, my company is quite French & got me a French tutor so I currently have 2 lessons a week but I feel it’s going too slow. We focus a lot on learning French step by step but I want to be able to start communicating with people. I’ve noticed I can understand when I read French but I really struggle to understand when they speak. Most of my colleagues are immigrants and speak French so it’s not necessarily Quebecois. I think I fall in the 3rd category but any assistance will be greatly appreciated. Both my kids are attending French schools so I am a bit under pressure to get the ball on the roll in order to be able to communicate with the school and maybe offer assistance when they have homework. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950457) - <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTtlWmXMksA> [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952953997) Géraldine you kick-started my journey on the road to genuine spoken French when I came to live in France three years ago, mainly (I think) by your engaging personality and lively teaching style. Ça roule ma poule got me my first genuine laugh from two young coiffeuses, and I’ve learned and used more drôleries since. Laughter is a great motivator. Now I’ve turned to duolingo because it seems to adapt and direct its learning content more directly to my trajectory of attainment and highlights my weaknesses. I also benefit from the media content and practice in listening to and responding to (recorded) francophone speakers in realistic exchanges. It also rewards creativity and, most important in these austere times, it costs nothing. I shall still follow you, and enjoy your cultural insights and insider tips though, and wish you well\! Peter in La Manche [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950386) Je veux apprendre français pour parler français quand je voyage en frace. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950364) Chère Geraldine, (ou Géraldine?) ce matin, en buvant un café avec mon mari, je veux vous écrire un mot. I am continuing in english as most people reading this are english-speakers. You make the link between FRENCH and REAL LIFE. THAT IS SUPER IMPORTANT\! It seems so obvious but few teachers or programs talk about it. An example: when in France, do always say ‘Bonjour’ first to the person you want to address, (even if you don’t speak any french yet!) In ALL situations, talking to your neighbour, in the tourist office, in a restaurant and on the market. If you don’t do it, people will think you are RUDE. That is how it comes across. THANK YOU GERALDINE. Merci bien Geraldine. Toi, tu es TOP\! [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950362) Do you have any suggestions for resources specific to Francophone Africa? Thank you\! [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950361) Salut Géraldine J’ai appris français sur et en dehors pour cinquante ans. Je pense que je suis le niveau FLE B2/C1?? J’ai un cours français un fois par semaine avec une prof française et nous utilisons Bien Dire. J’ai parlé avec une amie française de temps en temps sur Skype. J’ai utilisé les ‘apps’ Reverso et Microsoft translator. J’ai trouvé votre leçon très utile, parce que c’est le phrase que j’ai oublié peut-être?? Aussi nous sommes aimons les vacances en France. À bientôt Anne [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950359) I am learning French to try to improve my memory. I often forget simple English words. Unfortunately I also forget the French words that I am trying to learn. I have been at it for more than a year on duolingo and still haven’t progressed beyond the present tense. On the other hand I love crosswords, sudoku and other puzzles and learning French has become my favorite puzzle. I do a little bit every day and really look forward to your Tuesday lessons. Thank you so much Geraldine! Ev [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950352) Pimsleur works best for me. I need to hear the words first, and then see them. Their French 1 was updated in 2018, and teaches the “on” form versus “nous.” I found myself thinking in French after only 30 days. My sister used Assimil 20 years ago, and went on a bicycle trip across France afterward and could converse well there. The stories in their lessons are fun, and I am doing Assimil too, but needed Pimsleur to really “get” it. I took an immersion class in French in college and dropped out. (I later found Manderin Chinese to be easier than French.) so I am happy to find a way that actually works. My sister and I are going to France in May, which was my goal for finally learning French. I love your videos, but until now your trainings were beyond my skill level. Thank you for the beginner tips. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950334) - Glad you learned so much with Pimsleur, Gloria! I love it when students share their learning methods. Thank you. You’ll have a fantastic time in France, this May. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950351) Merci pour cette leçon. J’avais habité en France pour six ans est j’apprends la langue avec memrise.com. Maintenant je parlé avec mes amis français dans notre village. Aussi j’aide les françaises d’apprendre la langue anglaise. Je commencerai les formations avec une formatrice d’apprendre les conjugaisons maintenant parce que j’ai une problème avec ça. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950330) - Bravo Patricia ! Tu es sur la bonne voie \! [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950349) Bonjour, Plus en française svp Geraldine! J’adore les leçons en français même s’ils sont difficiles de comprendre. J’ai mon dictionnaire Collins! Je prefer d’apprendre la langue plutôt que d’apprendre a l’apprendre! Cela a-t-il du sens! Excuser moi, c’est mon opinion pas ce que je ne décline pas l’occasion de practiquer la belle langue française. Merci Geraldine, vous êtes super\! [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950328) - Bonjour Daphne, Merci pour ton message. Je propose une leçon en français par mois. Cette semaine, j’ai créé une leçon pour les débutants, qui n’auraient pas compris une leçon en français. Ravie que tu aimes pratiquer, je t’invite à ne pas mettre de côté les techniques d’apprentissage, cependant, au risque d’apprendre des choses inutiles ou obsolètes, et de perdre beaucoup de temps. Ca arrive trop souvent à des étudiants et c’est trop dommage. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950347) If you watch YouTube videos in French, I recommend that you google “Karambolage YouTube”. This is a series of short videos on the ARTE TV site, none more than 17/18 minutes and usually quite amusing as they present cultural issues. THEN, as soon as you see the YouTube screen, tap the upper right corner before you start the video, and a line of 3 dots will appear.Tap that. A menu drops down, and the bottom choice is “playback speed”. Reduce the speed….it’s digital so the voices are normal, but slower. Listen again, and again and again so your ear can get attuned to the French. Increase playback speed as you wish. It’s great! I use that tip with students learning English and they are all super happy with this trick. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950326) - Salut Barbara from Canada Wow ~ such a useful tip. I’ve just given your Karambolage suggestion a try and I think it’s a brilliant little tool. I’ve found that to adjust the speed of speech on the video you should left click on the settings button at the bottom of the screen (looks like a sort of cog wheel) which produces a small pop-up screen with self evident speed settings that you can adjust while the video is running. Excellent … Thank you again, and thank you Géraldine for your superb weekly posts that throw open the whole language subject, thus making these discoveries possible. Merci merci 😀 [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950331) - You’re welcome, John. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950350) - Karambolage is a fantastic program, I love it too. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950345) - Another tip I found recently on YouTube – on a laptop/desktop, hit the left arrow to rewind 5 seconds. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950357) My biggest problem is listening comprehension. I want to hear conversations with a written translation. [Reply](https://www.commeunefrancaise.com/blog/how-to-start-learning-french#comment-3952950325) - Pimsleurreally teaches you to listen and understand. You can do it while driving. Plus they also have the written materials after the auditory lessons, which I found essential. But you hear it first, and understand it perfectly before you read it. 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