How I became fluent in French in 3 years
Edition #3, The story of how I learnt French in 3 years
Hey! 👋 Welcome back to Irene's Marketing Lab, where marketing theory meets practice.
This week, I will be doing something totally different. I'll be sharing the story of how I became fluent in French in just 3 years!
Outline
My Story
Start with Why
Get your Mindset Right
Define what fluency means to you
How did I learn French?
Take Action
My Story
People often ask me how did I learn French so fast. Or questions like
How did you become so fluent so quickly?
or even
Can you teach me how to speak French?
My usual response?
Well, I tell them that I take regular conversation classes and that I stick with them week after week.
But hey, there's more to the story than just that. Learning a new language takes a lot more than just conversation classes.
I've been meaning to share my journey of learning French for a while now, and well, here it is. This is how I did it...
Let’s rewind to 3 years ago
3 years ago, I moved to France for my master's degree and I didn't speak French at all. Unless you count words like ‘Bonjour’ and ‘merci’ but that was about it.
In middle school, we had to choose a compulsory third language, but I chose Sanskrit over French…You see, I wanted to be an archaeologist when I was 13… 😛
I remember my first year at HEC Carrefours, the Annual Career Fair. It was 6 months into the course, and by that time, I had an A1/A2 level of French.
Rejections piled up, as most jobs required French.
“Your profile is perfect, we would love for you to join the team, but can you work in French?”
After being turned down around ten times in one day, I felt discouraged.
But that day, I promised myself I would speak French fluently by the time I finished my degree.
I told myself that I would speak French by the time of the next Carrefours…
Start with Why
Simon Sinek says we should always start with "Why." Well, What does that mean?
It is about figuring out the reason behind your goal. What's motivating you to achieve it?
For me, it was simple. I wanted to chat with recruiters in French and work in French in France.
So, my question to you is why do you want to learn French? What's your ‘Why’?
Once you figure out your Why, it will become your driving force.
Get your Mindset Right
Sure, I had my ‘Why’ figured out…but it was only the beginning.
Despite my determination, self-doubt often crept in (a totally normal feeling).
Every time I had moments of self-doubt, I reminded myself:
It is a long-term game. It will take time before I can see results and I just need to keep going. Eventually, the results will show.
I just need to put in my reps, need to put in my hours, and eventually, everything will fall in place.
Neuroplasticity; it's the idea that your brain can change and adapt over time. I visualized that every time I spoke in French, it was building and strengthening neural connections in my brain (nerdy, right?). With time, French would become as natural to me as English is now.
I decided to get 1% better in French every day.
I took ownership of my journey, understanding that my progress depended solely on Me and what I did.
Define what fluency means to you
You need to define what fluency means to you.
At what level would you consider yourself fluent?
For me, fluency meant:
Function socially and professionally without any difficulties.
Have smooth conversations with friends and colleagues.
Chat away in French for hours on end without running out of words.
Understand French TV or YouTube videos without really having to strain my brain.
What about you?
What does fluency mean to you?
Is it passing an exam?
Being able to interview in French?
Being able to talk to your spouse in French?
How did I learn French?
To be completely honest, I didn't really have a strategy at that time. I just figured out the next step as I went.
But now that I look back, I can divide my strategy into 3 stages:
Get your basics right
This is how I got started:
Duolingo
I started with Duolingo but did not find it that useful.
I realized it was not enough, it is more suited for casual learning, but I kept up with some streaks anyway.
Learn French With Alexa
This was a game-changer!
I started watching her YouTube videos online and loved it.
It was just so easy to understand, and entertaining to watch.
I ended up investing in her paid course, which was so worth it. It helped me build my grammar base.
French grammar is complex and there is so much I wasn't able to understand by just reading books, but Alexa’s videos just made everything so easy.
Grammar Books
I did some grammar books. I have always been a nerd, so I found it fun.
Memrise Flashcards
I found lists of the 100 most important words in French, and the 100 most important verbs on a website called Memrise, and kept revising them in my free time.
Reaching Intermediate Level
And this is how I made the jump from A2/B1 level to B2:
Memrise
I upgraded to flashcards for 1000 essential words and 500 important verbs on Memrise to take my vocabulary to the next level.
Language Learning with Netflix
This Chrome extension was a game changer for my vocabulary. While you're watching shows, you can just click on words and it gives you the meaning. If you're watching content in French, you've got to download it!
Grammar Books
I continued solving 1 grammar book monthly to keep brushing up on my French grammar
YouTube
I started watching kids' TV shows like Peppa Pig.
I love how since the show is for kids, they speak slowly and point towards words, making it a good vocabulary practicising exercise.
Podcast
I found Hugo Cotton's podcast helpful for understanding real-life conversations and quizzes.
I even invested in his paid course ‘Raconte ton histoire’. It's absolutely fantastic, especially for intermediate learners. I highly recommend it.
Italki
Once I had a good grasp of the basics of French grammar and had built up enough vocabulary, I started taking weekly conversation classes on Italki. It was a game-changer for improving my speaking skills.
Reaching Fluency
Moving from B2 to C1 was quite challenging, but Here's How I did it:
Italki
I bumped up my one-on-one sessions to 2-3 times a week. Yeah, it cost a bit, but it was absolutely worth it.
I realize that without taking online classes at italki, I would have never been able to reach the level I have today.
I absolutely recommend booking classes because when you're paying for classes, you're way less likely to skip.
After using Italki for over 3 years, I want to share 2 tips with you:
Set aside a monthly budget for your Italki classes to make sure to stick to a regular schedule.
When you're in the one-on-one sessions, focus on conversation over grammar. You can always brush up on grammar with YouTube videos or online courses.
I still take weekly classes!
Total Immersion
I basically surrounded myself with the French language.
Every show I watched, every song I listened to - it was all in French.
I mean, there was a point where it felt like French was the only language I was hearing!
Take Action
Now, it's time to put everything into action.
Before we wrap up, I have a simple exercise for you: Visualize where you want to be in the next 6 months or 12 months. Then, create a study plan. It doesn't have to be perfect.
Commit to making just a 1% improvement each day, and trust me, you'll see those gains add up over time!
The key is to take that first step, and the next one will become clearer as you go along.
So, buy that grammar book, and go to the library…or book that French lesson.
You've got this.
Disclaimer: Every now and then, I find it a bit challenging to fully express myself in French. Plus, I'm a tad self-conscious about my accent. But hey, it's good enough.
Just a heads-up - none of the tools or resources I'm mentioning here are sponsored. It's all based on what worked for me and my genuine recommendations.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment!
Edition #4: Google Analytics: Demo Account Walkthrough
✨ Quote of the Week
First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won’t. Habit is persistence in practice.
Octavia Butler
🌟 Recommendations of the Week:
All the resources I mentioned above:
🌠 Thank you for reading this newsletter.
🌟 I hope you found it helpful!
See you next week,
Irene
Hey Thomas! Wow, its soo cool you are able to talk to your spouse in Spanish!
I have never heard about Rosetta Stone, I will check it out! Thank you for the recommendation! :)
Cool! I tried to learn Spanish at one point but gave up. How much did you use the Netflix plugin? Which one was the most helpful besides immersion? Sorry for the bombardment.