A Basic Understanding Of The French Language

When you start learning French, you might be pleasantly surprised to find that you already have a bit of a head start. There are a surprising number of French phrases and words that are part of the English language, some which were introduced during the Norman Conquest and some much later. In fact, more than 25% of English has its origins in French or at least has some influence from it, so some French translations may be as simple as taking away the accents! For example, words such as competition, force, role, routine and table all have French roots.

There are also a number of words and phrases that the average person may know, and which were introduced later, so they have not been 'anglicised'. Some of these are occasionally even used in conversation or in writing. For example: bonjour (hello), au revoir (goodbye), baguette, blasé, brioche, café, charlatan, cliché, clique, crèche, crème brûlée, croissant, décor, entrepreneur. The list could go on.

There are already many points of familiarity that can give you a good starting point for learning French. Words that come from a similar source like some of those above are called cognates. With such a large number of cognates, even a native speaker of English who's never tried to learn French may be surprised about how many words they already know.

Moving on from your starting point of writing down the words you already know, another idea is to join an immersion class, where you learn by speaking French the whole time. If it's impossible to join one of these, you can effectively do the same thing by watching movies or streaming TV with subtitles. Hearing French while reading English subtitles will help you pick up a number of common words and phrases - and a few unusual ones.

If you do get a chance to practice your French with someone, it's worth noting that there are informal and formal phrases in French, so be careful about how you say certain things in a formal situation. As things get more complicated, this is where you may need to call the services of a company specialising in French translations! Until then, here are a few phrases and words for beginners - including both formal and informal options.

Your beginner's French translation dictionary
Bonjour - Hello
Bonsoir - Good evening
Bonne nuit - Goodnight
Salut - Hello / Hi (informal)
Merci - Thank you
S'il vous plaît - Please
Comment allez-vous? - How are you? (formal)
Ça va? - How are you? (informal)
Très bien - Very good
Comment vous appelez-vous? - What is your name? (formal)
Tu t'appelles comment? - What's your name? (informal)
Comment? - pardon?
Comprenez-vous? - Do you understand? (formal)
Tu comprends? - Do you understand? (informal)

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The Benefits of Having Strong French Skills in Canada - Or Why Your Child Needs a French Tutor!

Distinguish Between Standard and Canadian French

They are different. French spoken in France uses different words and speech patterns than that spoken in Canada or, more specifically, Quebec. It has taken over 500 years for the French spoken in Quebec to evolve to its present form. The separation of an ocean between Canada and France means that one word means two different things in each country. Here is an example: m'ennuyer. In English, this means boring. The French believe this verb is outdated while the Canadian French still use it. For some French-speaking areas in Canada, the word means "homesick." Do you see the difference?

When you start thinking of hiring a French tutor for your child, find one who teaches the French spoken in the Quebec province. Here is another linguistic example of the differences between Canadian French and French as it is spoken in France:

"Avoir" - Literally, this means that it has already snowed today. Figuratively, it means something very different: "to just fall off the turnip truck."

By now, you understand why it is so important to find a tutor who teaches the proper form of French for you and your child. If you hire one who is trained to teach French as it is spoken in France, you and your child will experience some odd looks and long pauses.

Learning the Basics
While it is important to learn the proper form of French, it is even more important to learn Canadian French. Several very common words between the two forms are said differently in the two countries.

Breakfast, lunch and supper in Canadian French are different from the words used in International French; Hi and bye have one meaning in Canada: salut. In International French, salut only means hi.

Further Language Distinctions
Canadian French is the official language of Canada and is called Royal French. Quebec has its own version of standard French.

Taking this even further, two Canadian linguistic forms - Chiac and Joual - are different from standard Canadian French. A third form - Verlan - is spoken in Canada, but not in France. Not every Canadian French speaker learns and speaks Joual French.

The Bottom Line
You want to be understood, and to understand others when you communicate with the Canadian French-speakers. For this reason, when you book a tutor to teach you and your child French, interview the tutor in detail and find out exactly what kind of French he will be teaching you. The conscientious tutor will take the time to teach you Canadian French, making it easier for you and your child to communicate with your friends and neighbors.

This is called a win/win situation! You invest in your child's future when you hire a tutor. Your child invests in his/her own future by learning a second language, which will open many doors of employment.

Experts suggest the importance of summer sessions to keep your child's gray cells dynamic. During minimized summer learning sessions, the tutor will focus on course improvement, where appropriate and all-around motivation for the upcoming school year.

You can expect to receive regular progress reports from tutors Mississauga. But how does one chart progress in a newfound eagerness to learn and a sparkling self-confidence?

The Tutor Bright employs are certified French tutors with extensive knowledge of the French curriculum, for academic assessments & assistance with French classes and French immersion. Click here to get an idea about our French tutors services.

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Learning French Software: Tips to Help You Out

One of the most important aspects of learning French online is picking out the right learning French software. There are many available to you, but a fair share is not good. The sole purpose of some software is to take your money and provide you with something you can find at your local library. Then, there are others out there that are very valuable, providing you with all the information and resources you need to get you started on your way. The key is to determine what the good programs are and what the bad ones are.

Reputation

Honestly, this is one of the deciding factors in determining whether a software program is good or not. Are you looking at software that is made by a company that people have heard of before? You may not have heard of them before, but that doesn't necessarily mean the company is not legit. A quick search on the company will tell you exactly what the company is all about. Do they have a webpage and do they have accreditation by the BBB? Chances are if they are accredited, they are legit and you should have no problems in terms of being scammed.

Guidance

This is another important aspect in terms of whether a software program is serious about helping you achieve your goal in learning French. When I say guidance, I mean do they have a learning program in place that will maximize your learning. There are programs available that let you do all the work. You are in charge of your own learning. You set the learning plan and you follow it accordingly. For many beginners, that is a daunting task. You are learning a new language, how are you going to know where to start? Good quality programs will have a learning plan set in place for beginners. They will guide you through the learning process and answer every question you may have. Not leave you in the dark.

Additional Options

This isn't necessarily a make-or-break factor in whether a program is good or bad. People have different preferences. Some people are auditory learners, meaning they learn the best by listening. There are programs available that teach in an audio format only. Some are visual learners, and there are programs that cater to that too. A program that offers different aspects of learning, such as written, oral, reading, and grammar is a program that is more serious about teaching you French. It is serious about teaching you all aspects of the language. With the audio only program, you will not be getting much value in terms of culture lessons, written, reading, and grammar lessons. If you plan on traveling to a French speaking culture, then this type of program would not be good for you. That is why it is important to be weary of the additional options that are available to you in a software program.

There are many other aspects to look at when choosing a learning French software program. However, with research and understanding of what you are looking for in a software program, choosing the right program should not be difficult.

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Learning French Language

Learning a new language is going to require much time and effort. There is no way around it. There are no magical tools or programs available out there that will have you learning French without effort on your part. Fortunately, there are programs that will assist you in your learning. Heck, just go to your local library, I'm sure you can find books on the subject. Here are a few tips to help you in your journey of learning French online.

Research, research, research

You want to learn French online. That much you know. Now you have research to do. So you decide that a self learning program would be best for you. Not an online class. Okay, that's fine. However, there are many programs out there like this. Some are genuine programs. Some are scams. You have to put in the effort to research what program or tool you think is best for you. Some offer more variety than others. Do you want to sacrifice online games and quizzes for an online community where you can communicate with others? Do you want both options? Are downloadable audio lessons really important to you? These are just a few of many questions you should ask yourself when researching an online program that will assist you in your learning.

Set your goals

So you pick your program, and you are really happy with it. That is great. That is a very important step when you want to learn French online. Now, the next important step is setting your goals. Do you want to learn French fast? Are you a slow learner? Do you have a busy life and this is just a little hobby? These questions will help you decide how important it is to learn the language. If it is really important, obviously your goals will be much higher, and at a quicker rate. If I'm just a casual learner, maybe I just want to learn 100 words per month. Take my time with it. If I feel I catch on quick with anything I do, and I want to learn French fast, I might want to learn 100 words within a week. Setting your goals, and sticking to them will help you stay on course.

Don't be discouraged

So you feel that you have done your research. You picked a program that is right for you. You set your goals. You mapped them out nicely. However, for some reason you are not picking up the language as you hoped. The key is to keep your head up. Don't be discouraged because you feel it is not going as planned. The plan is not set in stone. You are in control of your own learning. Just make small amends to your goals. Instead of learning 100 new words per week, like I just mentioned, move it down to 50. That's not a big deal. What is a big deal is getting so frustrated with yourself that you give up entirely. Or getting so frustrated with your program you chose that you ditch it and pick a completely new program. It has nothing to do with the program or yourself. We are human. Some people pick things up slower than others. No big deal. Stay positive.

This is going to be a bumpy ride. Learning a whole new language is not going to be easy. It is extremely important that you know what you are looking for in a program that will assist you. If you don't know what you want in a program, or you wish to get out of learning French, than how is anybody supposed to help you? Researching and having that idea in mind will help you set everything else in motion. Learning French online requires time and effort, it also involves patience and a level head.

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