Why Take French Lessons

French has never been a more prominent language that’s spoken not just across Europe, but in the United States. It’s why states like New York are making a big push to provide French lessons in their public schools. So why is French such an important language and why should you learn it?

Despite most people claiming that Spanish is the easiest language to learn for English speakers, it’s a close second to French. That’s because the English language actually comes from a combination of French and German, and the majority of its characteristics comes from the Gallic side. If you thought there were a lot of shared words in Spanish and English, the number of English words from French roots is endless.

Beyond the relative easiness of learning French, you can also gain access to many parts of the world with this language. Today, over 29 countries across five continents use French as their official languages, including Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Canada, Tongo, and many more. Learning French will open up new opportunities to travel new locations, discover career opportunities, and understand current events that affect these French-speaking nations. And if you’re wondering how learning to speak French will be a good investment for your future, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. In addition to the vastly growing population in Africa, France’s birth rate alone suggests that French will surpass German by 2025 to become the most spoken language in Europe.

In conclusion, the ratio of difficulty to benefit is much higher for learning French compared to some harder languages. It’s the easiest language to learn as an English speaker, offers tons of opportunity for travel and career growth, and you’ll be investing in a soon-to-be most popular language in Europe.
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How do I start learning French?

Now that you understand the major benefits of learning French, getting started is the next step. Given the demand for learning French, there are several popular methods that have been proven to work. However, since most of us learn French for various reasons, we should first distinguish why you want to learn French.

For simplicity, we’ll break it down to learning traditionally academic French, and modern spoken French. There’s no right or wrong way to learn, but the distinction is important. Native English speakers can easily tell when someone else is or isn’t a native speaker by the way they communicate.

Those that are seeking to learn academic French may be preparing for an exam (i.e. DELPH) or curious to learn the basic structures. For these individuals, using grammar and vocabulary textbooks makes sense. Most French certificate exams primarily focus on written and reading skills. Passing these exams will be easy when you master your sentence structures and vocabulary knowledge. You can use learning methods like:

• French language schools and classes near you
• Mobile apps or online courses that focus on grammar and vocabulary (i.e. Duolingo, Babbel, Rosetta Stone)
• Reading French books, articles, and papers
• Doing exercises in French from textbooks or online
• Reviewing words you don’t know using a French dictionary online
• Use Memrise to memorize and expand your French vocabulary

For individuals looking to learn modern and spoken French, you still need the basics of grammar structures and vocabulary, but the major focus will be on pronunciation and communication skills. This applies to people looking to learn French for traveling, work, personal relationships, and as a useful hobby. If you find yourself in this boat, it’s all about mastering your auditory and verbal skills. There’s several effective ways you can become a fluent speaker, including:

• Watching French movies and TV shows on Netflix or anywhere online
• Listening to French learning podcasts on-the-go
• Watching French video lessons on Youtube
• Attending local language exchanges in your city
• Taking private French language lessons online with a professional French teacher

While all of these learning methods are useful, working with a professional French teacher has been proven to be the fastest way to learn French. Especially when you take lessons online.

Why should I take French lessons online?

French lessons online offers the same personalized learning experience as learning in-person, with the major benefit of learning anywhere, anytime you want. All you need is a smartphone or a laptop. The other advantage of learning French online is that it is much more affordable. Since online marketplaces connect you with professional French teachers directly, you don’t have to incur the fees that are normally taken by language schools.

Last but not least, taking French lessons online means you have an unlimited list of quality French teachers to select from. Since you’re no longer limited to talent in your local city, you’re free to test and learn with different teachers at no risk. And when you use a website like Rype, you’ll only be presented with fully-vetted professional French teachers to book lessons with.

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