by: Catherine Smith
French is a beautiful language. It is one of the rare languages where you can express all emotions. I feel romantic every time I speak it and learning French has added so much to my travels. When you learn a foreign language, you will also gain knowledge of the culture, geography, history and daily life. The French language is spoken in many countries on all the continents.
France is the world's top tourist destination (60 million tourists yearly). In France there is always something to explore - from the Gothic cathedrals of the north to the Romanesque churches of the centre and west, the chateaux of the Loire, the Roman monuments of the south, the ruined castles of the English and the Cathars and the Dordogne's prehistoric cave-paintings.
So what are the best ways to learn French? Taking a class is an excellent way to learn. You will be able to have conversations in French with other learners and your tutor. You can also learn by listening to tapes and there are some excellent online courses.
I feel that learning a new language should be fun; otherwise it is too easy to lose motivation and give up. So think up some new and creative ways to enhance your learning.
Read comics, magazine and newspapers in French. One of my favourite ways to learn was to invest in some children’s French books with not too many words and lots of pictures. Just as a child learns English (or their first language), so you will pick up French.
Listen to French music. Even better buy a French CD with a lyric sheet, so you can follow the song. It may not seem like you are learning, but you will be taking it in.
French movies are fantastic. You can even watch your favourite English movies with French subtitles/dubbing.
You will soon find that if you do these things, along with following a course, you will come on in leaps and bounds.
Learning French can help you learn other languages like Spanish. Learning French can help you improve the interpersonal skills you bring to an international career in computer technology, pharmaceuticals or engineering.
