Oops I… forgot to learn French

Yikes right? 

Ok let me explain first. I am part French, and not to pull a Dolezal but I never truly identified as French. My first language was Spanish, then a little French was thrown in there, then I learned English. My world consisted of a Spanish-speaking household, constant contact with a Spanish-speaking extended family, attending a Spanish-speaking church, having Hispanic friends, and of course doing school in English. You’ll notice that nowhere in the periphery of my childhood did French emerge. The only slight persistent pervasiveness of French was contact with my paternal grandparents and the occasional scolding in French so as to not embarrass Spanish-speaking guests. 

I was always interested in speaking French and boasted a slightly higher level than my brother, which eventually led me to take 2 years of French in highschool. With my very basic understanding of French in my back pocket I took off to Paris so I could once and for all learn French. Why I didn’t review or take classes from my mother, who is a French teacher, or my father, who is a French native, is beyond me. 

I know enough French to live relatively problem free in France, keeping in mind that my classes are in English and a majority of my friends speak English and/or Spanish. I can order coffee, get directions, call the doctor, argue with officials when needed (which is relatively often in France), and engage in long conversations riddled with bad grammar. I’ll be the first to admit that learning French has stumbled down my list of priorities since I’ve been in Paris; classes, friends and travel took over and it is actually easy to forget that I live in a country where I don’t speak the language. 

I will be the first to admit that learning French has stumbled down my list of priorities since I’ve been in Paris; classes, friends and travel took over and it is actually easy to forget that I live in a country where I don’t speak the language. 

How to learn a new language

If you are trying to learn a language I do have some tips that the newly focused me has been employing for a bit now and have helped exponentially.

Tip #1

First, PRACTICE! Yes, a fairly obvious tip but regardless one I forget or sidestep often because of convenience or embarrassment. People will appreciate the effort you are making to speak their language and most will do their best to help you out. I am fortunate enough that I can practice with my parents, grandparents, friends, and quite literally everyone on the street but often it feels safer to practice with people you are close to. If no one around you speaks your target language, turn to social media or learning platforms to see if you can find a language buddy to practice with. I’ve attended language exchange events in Paris where people of all different backgrounds gather and practice their French together for a few hours. 

Tip #2

Secondly, take a couple of minutes everyday to learn. I was incredulous when my mother, a professional French teacher’s number one recommendation for me to learn French was to do Duolingo everyday. The Duolingo app helps you learn a language in a fun and effective way and as a highly competitive person, I’ve loved the game-like aspect of the platform. 

Tip #3

Third on the list, translate everything in your head. Whether it’s reading an article or listening to a stranger’s conversation on the train, translate it to your target language in your head. It is often through this method that I realize that I don’t know how to conjugate a verb, have trouble with a certain tense, or find connecting words that I don’t recognize. This method helps you sound more natural and less academic when speaking your target language. 

Tip #4

My fourth tip comes from a recommendation from my French teacher. She advised me to buy a notebook and everytime I came across a word I didn’t know, to write it down along with its definition and a couple of short sentences using the word. As an incredibly visual person, this last tip was extremely helpful to me and physically writing down the word and a short story with it ensured that I immediately learned the meaning of the word and how to use it. Now I have a notebook filled with words I use everyday and can come back to review. 

I am far from fluent but I’m on my way and I’m taking steps to get there.