Online Education

Many individuals would like to speak a second language and to learn how to speak French is not a difficult as you might have thought. If you are planning a vacation to France or have French friends then you can benefit from learning French as it can help you enjoy your time. If you have French friends then you can keep working on your French by regularly conversing with them in French. If you already speak Spanish or Italian then speaking French may not be that difficult as all languages are based on Latin so many words and phrases are similar.

You no longer need to attend regular classes to learn French, as there are many different avenues of study available to you. It can be difficult to attend regular classes as many busy individuals cannot make the time commitment. Some people who attend these classes may need to work at a slower pace. You also may find that there aren’t any French classes offered in your area. For those that may be vacationing in France, you will probably want to focus on conversational French. If you plan on living in France or doing business with French companies, then you also would need to learn how to read and write French. This will include learning a lot more grammar than you would for conversational French.

Even if you are only learning to speak French for a quick trip you need to understand some of the basic grammar, as there is a formal tense and less formal tense for speaking French. The tense you use will depend on whether you are speaking to friends or people you have just met. Some of the basics that will be covered in all French courses are articles, verbs, adjectives, sentence structure, pronunciation guidelines, gender, verb tenses and plurals.

The most effective way to learn French is to completely immerse yourself in the language and a language exchange program can be the best way to accomplish this. You will be hearing French all the time and will be forced to speak French. You cannot fall back to English because no one will understand. Eventually you will even begin to dream and think in French so you don’t have to constantly be translating all of the time. Additionally you will learn all of the French slang and sayings that cannot be learned in a more formal French course.

If you are looking for online courses then there are many to choose from. A lot of the online French programs are available for free. French is a widely spoken language so you will get good use out of it, particularly if you are traveling in Europe. Online courses are great for those who are self-motivated and can stick to their studies, as practice is very important when learning a second language.

The University of Texas has instructional videos and audio lessons to help you improve your fluency. Bonjour.com also offers a chance to increase your fluency as well as phrase translation services. At the France-pub.com site you can find exercises and quizzes to help you practice your French.

If you need help with grammar and essential phrases then Frenchassistant.com is a great site. It also provides translations and vocabulary tests. You can find beginner and intermediate vocabulary lessons at learner.com. You can also do an independent study in French online at Carnegie Mellon University. The school offers online clips and interactive videos.

Other universities that offer online programs include Capella University, Strayer University online, The Art Institutes, University of California, University of Arizona, DeVry University, Westwood College, South University, Keiser University and many more.

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