Notes:

- Main Categories: Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking

- My personal favorites are in purple
- For questions, comments, or suggestions, you can comment or message me on reddit (tsannifer) :)

LEVEL CATEGORY TYPE NAME NOTES/TIPS LINK Useful for Other Languages?
Flashcards app with audio support. Either download a pre-made French
Mobile App,
(ALL) Reading, Listening Anki set or make your own as you go - utilizes a spaced repetition algorithm Yes - several
Desktop App
to help memorization
Short videos accompanied by listening comprehension questions. Also
(ALL) Listening Website Apprendre le Français avec TV5Monde sorts exercises by level (A1 through B2) and offers a "Test de http://apprendre.tv5monde.com/en
Connaissance du Français" / TCF
(ALL) Reading, Writing Website Clozemaster Gamified learning through "mass exposure to vocabulary in context." www.clozemaster.com Yes - several

Shortened episodes are free, full versions are paid. Covers scripted
(ALL) Listening Podcast Coffee Break French http://www.coffeebreakfrench.com/ Yes - Chinese, German, Italian, Spanish
convos and explains vocab/grammar concepts.
Chrome
Chrome extension to easily search verb conjugations (entirely in
(ALL) Reading, Writing Extension, Conjugaison française http://commentconjuguer.com/
Android App
French)
Has a library of audio clips by native Francophones, pronouncing
(ALL) Listening, Speaking Website Forvo https://forvo.com/languages/fr/ Yes - several
common words & phrases
Self-assessment tests. There is an English version of the site (www.
(ALL) Self-Assessment Website Français Facile www.francaisfacile.com
tolearnfrench.com)
A blog with regular updates of short conversation recordings +
(ALL) Listening Website France Bienvenue https://francebienvenue1.wordpress.com/
transcripts for French learners (everything is in French)
A mock proficiency test that includes grammar, vocabulary, and reading http://www.transparent.com/learn-
(ALL) Self-Assessment Website French Proficiency Test french/proficiency-test.html
comprehension
YouTube YouTube channel that focuses on teaching French https://www.youtube.
(ALL) Listening, Speaking French Sounds com/channel/UC2L9w7ozDeUl1w5ZjUPCOQA
Channel pronunciation/sounds. I recommend taking a look at the nasal vowels.

(ALL) Listening, Speaking Podcast FrenchPod101 (PODCASTS) French & English podcast for all levels Yes - several

Language Exchange /
Similar to HelloTalk and Tandem. Provides basic phrasebook to help get
(ALL) Listening, Speaking, Mobile App Hello Pal Yes - several
Reading, Writing
started, but it's a "freemium" model.
Language Exchange / Connect to speakers of your target language. You can exchange and
(ALL) Listening, Speaking, Mobile App HelloTalk correct text messages, send audio clips, and make live calls. Live video Yes - several
Reading, Writing calls are premium (but Tandem allows them for free)
Language Exchange /
(never used it) - a web site / social media site that allows people to
(ALL) Listening, Speaking, Website Interpals www.interpals.net Yes - several
Reading, Writing
search for and connect with language exchange penpals.
Reading, Writing, Includes audio clips to help with pronunciation, grammar concepts,
(ALL)
Listening
Website Language Guide - French http://www.languageguide.org/french/ Yes - several
reading/listening, etc.
Audio,
(ALL) Listening Librivox A resource for free audiobooks, with many available in French. www.librivox.org Yes - several
Website
Fill-in-the-blank vocab learning, lots of texts for reading comp, audio
Reading, Writing, Mobile App
(ALL) Lingvist recordings with transcripts for listening, and pronunciation/grammar www.lingvist.com Yes - French, German, Spanish, Russian
Listening & Website
guides
Litterature audio (in conjunction with
(ALL) Listening Website 6000+ free French audiobooks (website is entirely in French) http://www.litteratureaudio.com/
Wikisource)
Reading, Writing, Mobile App Vocab/expression builder. Of all the gamified learning apps, Memrise
(ALL)
Listening
Memrise www.memrise.com Yes - several
& Website has the best [non-robotic] audio clips + vids of native speakers.
Chrome Extension that allows you to translate words on web pages and then
(ALL) Reading Readlang http://readlang.com/ Yes - several
Extension review via flashcards.
Mobile App Flashcards site/app - you can search for other user-created decks or
(ALL) Reading, Writing Quizlet https://quizlet.com/ Yes - several
& Website make your own
Listen to native speakers speak, imitate them and record yourself, and
(ALL) Listening, Speaking Website Speechling https://speechling.com/ Yes - several
receive feedback on your accent.
Language Exchange / Connect to speakers of your target language. You can exchange and
(ALL) Listening, Speaking, Mobile App Tandem correct text messages, send audio clips, and make live calls. Supports Yes - several
Reading, Writing video calls for free.
A wiki full of free French texts. You can pair it with "Litterature audio" to
Wikisource (in conjunction with Litterature https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Wikisource:
(ALL) Reading Website develop some mix of reading/listening comprehension, as well as Accueil
audio) pronunciation practice (by mimicking the native speakers' pronunciations)
A dictionary that allows you to look up common expressions from EN-
(ALL) Reading, Writing Website Wordreference http://www.wordreference.com/enfr/
FR / vice versa.
Reading, Listening, YouTube 155 Minutes to Learn French with Vincent # Vincent speaks clearly and this is his first unit of lessons. He has over https://www.youtube.com/watch?
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER] v=kSrHmDBTDvQ
Speaking Channel Unit 1 100,000 videos on many different grammar/vocab concepts
Reading, Writing, Books / ***NOT FREE*** I have never used it but it's been recommended often
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER]
Listening
Assimil www.assimil.com Yes - several
Combo and may provide a good start for beginners.
Mobile App Flashcards & small quizzes. You can also write sentences and have
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER] Reading, Writing Busuu www.busuu.com Yes - several
& Website native speakers correct you.
https://www.amazon.com/French-Crash-
Reading, Writing, French Crash Course: A No-BS, Seven-Day $4.99 on the Kindle / $9.99 Paperback Course-Seven-Day-
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER] Book, Audio Learning/dp/1518675913/ref=sr_1_1?
Listening Guide to Learning Basic French NEVER TRIED IT, but there are good reviews and it includes audio
ie=UTF8&qid=1484351529&sr=8-1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
YouTube From the creator of the AWESOME "Complete Greek" Language Yes - German, Greek, Italian, Spanish,
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER] Speaking, Listening Language Transfer: Introduction to French v=LsG_0hyr_ro&list=PLeA5t3dWTWvvZln1pJ-
Swahili, Turkish
Playlist Transfer series. Great audio course that's 100% free. Ij8xOmS_3zH-4j
Reading, Writing, Beginners should check out the pronunciation guide on the website.
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER]
Listening, Speaking
Website Lawless French https://www.lawlessfrench.com/
Also has a lot of exercises/activities for every level.
YouTube The vids are in reverse order. Watch the last/4th video first, then 3rd, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER] Listening, Speaking Learn French Pronunciation list=PLtJL6GKh6j0W3tMIoHyYC0Q3hfGBb9Zdu
Playlist 2nd, and 1st. Covers pronunciation tips & common mistakes to avoid.
Reading, Listening, YouTube A nice way to ease into French with a semi-interactive (pausing once in https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLV1-
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER]
Speaking
Learn French with Alexa (Lessons 1-20) QgpUU7N3ZGbRMIrV24FCuvZoMt4xw
Channel a while to wait for you to repeat answers) instructor
IMO better way to start than Duolingo for absolute beginners.
Reading, Writing, Mobile App
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER] Memrise (French 1) Otherwise, go with Duolingo first and skip to higher Memrise levels.
Listening & Website
Mixed ***NOT FREE*** & I have never used it. A subscription service that
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER] Reading, Listening Subscription One Third Stories includes a book, audiobook, games, recipes, etc delivered monthly. https://onethirdstories.com Yes - Spanish
Service Books start in English and gradually end in French.
Reading, Writing, "Freemium" - more beginner lessons available for free than advanced.
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER]
Listening
Website Polly Lingual https://pollylingu.al/fr/en/courses/1 Yes - several
Never used it but the audio tracks sound pretty clear.
About $10 on Kindle - covers the basics of grammar (more so than the https://www.amazon.com/Schaums-Outline-
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER] Reading, Writing Workbook Schaum's Outline of French Grammar French-Grammar-Crocker/dp/0071828982
other workbooks below), from noun genders and up
Reading, Writing, Website, A wikibooks project-- has introductory lessons w/ audio and more
[ABSOLUTE BEGINNER]
Listening
Wikibooks: French https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/French
Book resources (haven't clicked through them) that might be useful.
A1 - A2 "Freemium" - Stories/articles accompanied by audio tracks, side-by-
Reading, Listening Mobile App Beelinguapp Yes - several
(Beginner) side EN/FR reading capability, & overall nice UI.
A1 - A2 Alice in Wonderland in bilingual format. You can read the story section-
Reading Website Bilingual Alice http://bilingualalice.com/ Yes - German, Italian, Spanish
(Beginner) by-section in both English and French.
A1 - A2 A site with a lot of exercises for grammar and vocab, as well as Yes - German, Italian, Korean, Latin,
Reading, Writing Website Conjuguemos https://conjuguemos.com/
Portugese, Spanish
(Beginner) printables/activities.
A1 - A2 Reading, Writing, Mobile App (2019 update) Useful; try the website and use the other features for a
Listening, Speaking
Duolingo www.duolingo.com Yes - several
(Beginner) & Website richer experience
A1 - A2 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
Listening Extra French Sitcom-style educational program to teach French to English speakers. list=PLHTO4tffa4bAL6jcoq00g--Gbfb8fg52r
(Beginner) Playlist
A1 - A2 Youtube https://www.youtube.
Reading, Listening Français en Dialogue Videos of recorded conversations with transcripts on the screen. com/channel/UCoejp2Yl88dVi0L3WRYtp2A
(Beginner) Channel
A1 - A2 Exercises to practice verb conjugation. I also recommend the rest of the
Reading, Writing Website Français interactif: verb practice https://www.laits.utexas.edu/fi/vp/
(Beginner) Français interactif exercises!
A1 - A2 https://ddotb.files.wordpress.
Reading, Writing Workbook French Grammar in Context French grammar workbook, best when you have basics down. com/2011/02/french-grammar-in-context.pdf
(Beginner)
A1 - A2 YouTube French Today: Learn French Vocabulary & https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
Listening As a Sims fan myself, I found this to be really cool and helpful. list=PLXAfwCr4--2uPMRb5a30tkW-L81_b-u5-
(Beginner) Playlist Pronunciation with Video Game Clips
A1 - A2 Reading, Writing, The podcast is mostly in English and is a good learning supplement.
Speaking
Podcast French Your Way www.frenchyourway.com.au
(Beginner) Recommended: subjunctive review episodes for A2-B1 learners.
A1 - A2 Cute, illustrated Instagram account that aims to help people learn https://www.instagram.
Reading, Writing Instagram Gaston Millefeuille com/gastonmillefeuille/
(Beginner) simple French vocab/sentences.
A1 - A2
Reading, Writing Book Le français par la méthode nature Credit: /u/StrikingIce; a book that teaches French by only using French https://ufile.io/xbmls9y2
(Beginner)
A1 - A2 Books, TV Children's books for easy reading, and you can find episodes of Le Petit
Reading, Listening Le Petit Nicholas
(Beginner) Show Nicholas by searching on YouTube.
Listening Comprehension for "Absolute https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
A1 - A2 YouTube It really should be for beginners. :P Very useful, quick listening
Listening list=PLtJL6GKh6j0X0fFVBERiwojQ5RnTXNEFL Yes - several
(Beginner) Playlist Beginners" comprehension exercises by FrenchPod101
A1 - A2 Reading, Writing, App lets you record yourself speaking scripted convos + learn
Listening, Speaking
Mobile App Mondly ("Learn & Speak French") Yes - several
(Beginner) vocab/grammar
Practice Makes Perfect: Complete French https://ddotb.files.wordpress.
A1 - A2 Best when you already know the basic foundations of French and want
Reading, Writing Workbook com/2013/07/practice-makes-perfect-
(Beginner) Grammar to master grammar. Also provides EN-FR & FR-EN glossaries complete-french-grammar.pdf
A1 - A2 Instagram, The website has some flashcards of movie stills paired with French www.sublexis.com
Reading, Listening Sublexis https://www.instagram.com/sublexis/
(Beginner) Website subtitles/audio tracks. IG has French "word of the day" type posts.
A1 - A2 Verb conjugation search engine with some word search games
Reading, Writing Website Verbix www.verbix.com Yes - several
(Beginner) available for French
A2 - B1 Games & activities to exercise knowledge of French (website is entirely https://www.ccdmd.qc.ca/fr/
Reading, Writing Website Amélioration du français
(Beginner-Intermediate) in French)
A2 - B1 Reading, Writing, https://www.thoughtco.com/a-vs-de-french-
Speaking
Article À vs De: French Prepositions A closer look at these prepositions and when to use them. prepositions-4080520
(Beginner-Intermediate)
A2 - B1 YouTube Free app available with transcripts. Videos entirely in French but Johan https://www.youtube.
Listening, Speaking Français Authentique com/channel/UCQpM25U6iqaRSO-SZxd5oDw
(Beginner-Intermediate) Channel speaks VERY clearly and slowly w/o sounding robotic
A2 - B1 YouTube https://www.youtube.
Listening, Speaking Fred Grün Helpful videos on spoken, colloquial French and other tips. com/channel/UCLfvSY_0TO701lP2_WZJUQw
(Beginner-Intermediate) Channel
A2 - B1 YouTube French Today: Learn French Grammar with https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
Listening Narration over Sims 4 gameplay to teach grammar. list=PLXAfwCr4--2txPWZXQJKd85K4A28Ua9-r
(Beginner-Intermediate) Playlist Video Game Clips
A2 - B1 Suggested first book in French - read slowly, 2-3 pages a day, out loud if https://www.ebooksgratuits.
Reading Book Le Petit Prince com/html/st_exupery_le_petit_prince.html
(Beginner-Intermediate) possible. Not easy at first, but well worth it!
A2 - B1 Use with the actual book to learn pronunciation and natural rhythm of https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Listening Audiobook Le Petit Prince Audiobook v=zOmyf6LIxX8
(Beginner-Intermediate) speech.
A2 - B1
Reading, Listening Website L'internaute News http://www.linternaute.com/
(Beginner-Intermediate)
A2 - B1 Tool that lets you click words on a website to get translations and
Reading Website Lingro http://lingro.com/ Yes - several
(Beginner-Intermediate) review them later.
A2 - B1 YouTube The next in FrenchPod101's series for listening comprehension https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
Listening Listening Comprehension for Beginners list=PLtJL6GKh6j0UTjmp04Sy92L_VCdyizdAh
(Beginner-Intermediate) Playlist exercises.
A2 - B1
Listening Website News in Slow French As the name suggests, news in slowly spoken French, with transcripts. https://www.newsinslowfrench.com/ Yes - German, Italian, Spanish
(Beginner-Intermediate)
A2 - B1 YouTube https://www.youtube.
Listening Oh La La, I Speak French! French lessons and dialogues/skits for French learners. com/user/ohlalafrench/featured
(Beginner-Intermediate) Channel
A2 - B1 Hundreds of dialogues with transcripts and listening comprehension
Listening Website Podcast Français Facile http://www.podcastfrancaisfacile.com
(Beginner-Intermediate) quizzes, dictations, etc.
A2 - B1 Reading, Writing, A news website with a section for those who want to learn & teach
Listening
Website RFI: Savoirs https://savoirs.rfi.fr/en
(Beginner-Intermediate) French. There are audios, activities, etc. available.
A2 - B1 https://www.scholingua.
Reading, Writing Website Scholingua Conjugation Trainer Exercises to help conjugate verbs com/en/fr/conjugation-trainer
Yes - German, Italian
(Beginner-Intermediate)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
B1 - B2 YouTube French & English subtitles: French locals are interviewed in this series
Listening Easy French list=PLA5UIoabheFMYWWnGFFxl8_nvVZWZSy Yes - several
(Intermediate) Playlist about various topics on daily life & culture kc
https://www.amazon.com/French-
Intermediate-listening-comprehension-
B1 - B2 Free with Kindle Unlimited intermediate-
Reading Workbook French Short Stories for Intermediate Level ebook/dp/B01N76M26J/ref=sr_1_3?
(Intermediate) Short stories & mini quizzes to test your reading comprehension skills
ie=UTF8&qid=1484347096&sr=8-
3&keywords=reading+comprehension+french
B1 - B2 Podcast where Jessica (French Your Way) interviews people entirely in http://frenchyourway.com.
Listening Podcast French Voices au/category/frenchvoices
(Intermediate) French. Transcripts and listening comprehension exercises available.
B1 - B2 YouTube French teacher's YouTube channel. She speaks in French, with French https://www.youtube.
Listening, Speaking Home Language com/channel/UCFu6uJDqU_6vCIyN9KpMPLg
(Intermediate) Channel subtitles.
B1 - B2 YouTube Video compilation with some little exercises/quizzes along the way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Reading, Listening Learn ALL French Holidays in 80 Minutes v=IQScQOZx9Rc
(Intermediate) Video Subtitles in both FR and EN.
B1 - B2 YouTube The next in FrenchPod101's series for beginner listening https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
Listening Listening Comprehension: Intermediate list=PLtJL6GKh6j0W1GFbzc5ANZqtidjrLUAGJ
(Intermediate) Playlist comprehension exercises.
B1 - B2 Popular songs are used in listening comprehension exercises. Listen to
Listening Website Lyrics Training https://lyricstraining.com/fr/ Yes - several
(Intermediate) parts of the song and fill in blanks.
B1 - B2 YouTube English subtitles - Stromae's music helps with learning homonyms and https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Listening Stromae's Racine Carrée Concert in Montréal v=eOZLDQm9c2E
(Intermediate) Video wordplay (plus he's freakin awesome)
Note: Once you're in B2/C1 and up, you probably want to venture over to the other tabs for films, TV, YouTube, music, podcasts, & reading. :)

B2 - C1 Blog (entirely in French) about the differences in spoken French,

Reading, Listening Website Français de nos régions https://francaisdenosregions.com/
(Upper Intermed to Adv) regionally in France and globally.
B2 - C1 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Listening French Listening Comprehension: Advanced v=4DKgSjgMbHE&list=PLtJL6GKh6j0Wr08Vna
(Upper Intermed to Adv) Playlist 6v0HuHmYNpsjWWf
B2 - C1 YouTube The next in FrenchPod101's series for listening comprehension https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
Listening Listening Comprehension: Advanced list=PLtJL6GKh6j0Wr08Vna6v0HuHmYNpsjW
(Upper Intermed to Adv) Playlist exercises. Wf
B2 - C1 Reading, Writing, Mobile App 5000+ advanced words and expressions. The audio clips get pretty fast, https://www.memrise.
Listening
Memrise - Advanced vocabulary com/course/885/advanced-vocabulary/
(Upper Intermed to Adv) & Website and they abbreviate "quelque chose" as qqch and "quelqu'un" as qqn
Language Exchange /
C1 - C2 Mobile App [All language exchange services like HelloTalk, At this point, you should probably focus on maintaining and refining
Listening, Speaking, Yes - several
(Advanced - Mastery) Reading, Writing
& Website Tandem, iTalki, etc] your fluency with native speakers & consumption of native content.
My favorites are in red! If you have any suggestions to add to the list, feel free to comment or send me a message on reddit (tsannifer)

CATEGORY NAME NOTES/TIPS LINK

Many of the resources here were found thanks to the good folks
/r/French
of the French & Language Learning subreddits. /r/French also has
Extra Help & www.reddit.com/r/French
a Discord (voice chat server) where you can chat live with
/r/languagelearning
francophones and aspiring francophones alike

Question suggestions for language exchange - could also use these

Extra Help 250 Conversation Starters https://conversationstartersworld.com/250-conversation-starters/
to practice speaking to yourself.

AU QUÉBEC ON NE DIT PAS ... MAIS (Completely in French) a humorous video some vocabulary
Extra Help https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2mELjiDgMk
ON DIT ...!! differences between France & Quebec

Conversations Questions, Language

Question suggestions for language exchange - could also use these
Extra Help Exchanges, and the Science of https://fluent-forever.com/conversation-questions/
to practice speaking to yourself.
Friendship
An expression/idiom search engine. Allows you to view & search
Extra Help Expressio.fr http://www.expressio.fr/index.php
for French idioms and their explanations. Entirely in French.

Extra Help HACK the Language | Listening Advice on how to improve listening comprehension. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dOQFMxpNOQ

How to Easily Guess the Gender of

Extra Help https://frenchtogether.com/french-nouns-gender/
French Nouns with 80% Accuracy
It is actually more important to learn to pronounce the different
Extra Help How to Pronounce the French "R" nasal sounds that don't exist in English, but learning the French https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCw_lEb1qXk
"R" is still a nice feeling!
Language Exchange - So What Do You Question suggestions for language exchange - could also use these
Extra Help http://www.tobefluent.com/2014/09/02/language-exchange-so-what-do-you-want-to-talk-about/
Want to Talk About? to practice speaking to yourself.
reddit user nonneb did a really good writeup on
Extra Help Language Learning: A How-To https://www.reddit.com/r/languagelearning/comments/5ian7q/language_learning_a_howto/
/r/languagelearning

Extra Help Let's Learn French! Grammar: Gender https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AoLLBwLfQE

Extra Help French Pronunciation: Accents A guide to accent pronunciation. https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/Language/French/Pronunciation/Accents#.WT-wsDKrOfc.reddit

Extra Help French Rhythm An explanation of the rhythm of spoken French https://www.thoughtco.com/understanding-french-rhythm-1369588

They also have a recipes section, if cooking would motivate you

Extra Help Larousse French Dictionary http://www.larousse.com/en/dictionaries/french
further! :)
(Entirely in French) - video explains the Quebecois accent as well
Extra Help QUÉBÉCOIS POUR LES NULS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYm83H5TOMM
as some expressions unique to Quebec.
Une liste des meilleurs podcasts https://www.buzzfeed.com/jenniferpadjemi/une-liste-des-meilleurs-podcasts-francais-que-vous-
Extra Help (As the name suggests) - A Buzzfeed list of French podcasts. devriez-e?utm_term=.av1eXBK4Q#.aqvJMzjdx
français que vous devriez écouter
What French Novel Should be Next on
Extra Help Site with an algorithm that helps you decide what to read. https://www.talkinfrench.com/what-french-novel-should-you-read-next/
Your To-Read List?
6 tips for getting out of a language
Motivation & Information http://flashsticks.com/6-tips-getting-language-learning-rut/
learning rut
Are You Stuck in a Language-Learning
Motivation & Information http://www.smartlanguagelearner.com/language-learning-plateau/
Plateau - and Not Sure What to Do?
The Challenge of Translating Harry Really interesting article that made me appreciate the French
Motivation & Information http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/arts-blog/challenge-translating-harry-potter-french
Potter into French version of the HP books a lot more.
A website that suggests language practice activities for you based
Motivation & Information Coachbot http://www.languagecoach.io/coachbot
on the amount of time you have at the moment.
Comment faire pour ne pas avoir peur A video (in French w/ French subtitles) for people who are afraid
Motivation & Information https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYd_nxy7_Ng
de parler? of speaking
Common European Framework of For my fellow 'mericans - explains the meanings behind each of https://en.wikipedia.
Motivation & Information org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages#Common_reference_levels
Reference for Languages / CEFR the proficiency levels (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2)
Lists some beliefs that people have which prevent them from
Distractive Beliefs Regarding Learning
Motivation & Information wanting to start a language, and gives encouragement to do it https://sitdownandwatchme.wordpress.com/2017/08/29/distractive-beliefs-about-learning-languages/
Languages
anyway
How Long Does It Take to Become
Motivation & Information http://www.languagesurfer.com/2012/08/21/how-long-does-it-take-to-become-fluent/
Fluent?
How Long Should it Take to Learn a
Motivation & Information http://blog.thelinguist.com/how-long-should-it-take-to-learn-a-language
Language?
How to Learn a Foreign Language http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2011/08/22/how-to-learn-a-foreign-language-without-spending-a-
Motivation & Information cent/
Without Spending a Cent

Motivation & Information How to Learn a Language At Home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcK2FNpNALI

How to Speak a Foreign Language

Motivation & Information http://www.universeofmemory.com/learn-to-speak-a-foreign-language-with-social-anxiety/
with Social Anxiety
French Speaking Countries &
Motivation & Information http://www.effectivelanguagelearning.com/language-guide/french
Locations
La langue française: The French Interesting video about the history of French and some grammar
Motivation & Information https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfxf4pV-zJg
Language concepts.

Motivation & Information Reasons to Learn French http://www.effectivelanguagelearning.com/language-guide/french/reasons-to-learn-french

The Romance Languages and What

Motivation & Information Cool information video on romance languages (French included) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o140Ni6yiM
Makes Them Amazing
My favorites are in red! If you have any suggestions to add to the list, feel free to comment or send me a message on reddit (tsannifer)

Title (Original / English) Type Notes Link (if any)

Weekly news reports with French subtitles. Videos are pretty
7 Jours YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/7jours
short (avg of less than 10min in length)
Vlogs about photography. No subtitles, but Chris provides a lot https://www.youtube.
Améliorer Ses Photos Youtube Channel
of visuals in his videos, so you can follow along. com/channel/UCUMgNkWzeMYNvgOZe6t0pHA
https://www.youtube.
ANDY YouTube Channel Youtube vlogs/skits - she speaks pretty fast
com/channel/UCFcM0GoHEl6vNBdff0jBHDw
https://www.youtube.
Arawen YouTube Channel Lots of Let's Play videos, particularly Civ 6
com/channel/UCUSLz9z_v1k8KpFzcCGw9Ng
Lots of shows, programs, etc. on many different and
Arte TV Website interesting subjects. Subtitle availability varies from video to https://www.arte.tv/fr/
video.
Au service de la France / A Very
Series Comedy (Netflix)
Secret Service

belge07 Youtube Channel Children's TV, multiple shows, French subtitles https://www.youtube.com/user/buenovelazquez

Probably best for advanced (C1-C2) learners. Extremely fast

bref. YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/bref
audio & no subtitles, humor vids about everyday life.
600+ videos about science, aimed at a younger audience, https://www.youtube.
C'est pas sorcier YouTube Channel
without subs com/channel/UCENv8pH4LkzvuSV_qHIcslg
Youtube vlogs: Cam immigrated from France to Montreal & https://www.youtube.
CAM c'est elle YouTube Channel
vlogs about different topics. com/channel/UCaaM57ky7I7NRR-4oeIocAQ
Youtube vlogs: she has a half Quebecois & half French accent. https://www.youtube.
Céline Geneviève YouTube Channel
She is French and is living in Quebec, often discusses culture. com/channel/UCvpfUk18y5HZGB09oggX7aA

Chef's Table: France Limited Series (Netflix)

Comme un chef / Le Chef Film Comedy (Netflix)

Youtube vlogs & skits - one of the most popular French https://www.youtube.
Cyprien YouTube Channel
"Youtubeurs" com/channel/UCyWqModMQlbIo8274Wh_ZsQ

Dix pour cent / Call My Agent TV Show Dramedy, available with French subtitles (Netflix)

Videos on scientific concepts. Most videos have French

e-penser YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/epenser1/
subtitles, some have English.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-
Echappées belles YouTube Channel, Series Travel series
HX7z7qJlbuYvhTa3VhGKQ
https://www.youtube.
Élie Pilon YouTube Channel Vlogs, Québécois accent
com/channel/UCOwPu82sPYIp9Uj5LlOBwWg
Popular cooking vlog that focuses on junk food / comfort food https://www.youtube.
FastGoodCuisine YouTube Channel
for the most part. com/channel/UCKq9JxyISqBHDd-fXfV3QtQ
News site: their YouTube channel uploads lots of videos daily,
France 24 (YouTube) YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/france24
as well as a 24/7 broadcast

JIGMÉ YouTube Channel Vlogs, skits https://www.youtube.com/user/lesclichesdejigme

La gloire de mon père Film

L'Auberge espagnol Film (Netflix)

L'Histoire au Quotidien La vie à l

Film A documentary on daily life during Louis XIV's reign https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfZcNl49_IA
époque de Louis XIV

La Haine Film

La Trêve / The Break TV Show Crime Drama, Belgian (Netflix)

https://www.youtube.
LaChaineDeJeremy YouTube Channel Youtube vlogs/skits - he speaks pretty fast
com/channel/UC6irqcoPrFw8GPXVYKLsMtw
https://www.youtube.
Laurent Caccia YouTube Channel Travel vlogs
com/channel/UC_lzD1wd5TzCkDyCQF5l9Ww

Le château de ma mère Film

Le dîner de cons / The Dinner

Film Comedy
Game
Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie
Film (Netflix)
Poulain / Amélie
https://www.youtube.
Le Monde des Langues YouTube Channel Vlogs about languages/learning languages
com/channel/UC1ipKNAWcHhmcqKUEGg1RMg
Le Salaire de La Peur / The Wages
Film Adventure, Action, Thriller https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEyQeSFsVMY
of Fear

Le temps des amours Film

Les Bronzés / French Fried https://www.youtube.com/watch?

Film Comedy
Vacation v=kWQ0FBq_6kM&index=9
Les Bronzés font du ski / French
Film Comedy, sequel to ^^^
Fried Vacation 2

Les Choristes / The Chorus Film

Similar to TED Talks: 15min lectures on different topics. No

Les Ernest Website https://www.dailymotion.com/les_ernest
subtitles.
Les Intouchables / The
Film
Intouchables
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0efyK_-
Les Langues de Cha' YouTube Channel Linguistics and sociology
Athm8yhyjNSqndQ
Les Quatre Cents Coups / The 400
Film
Blows
Les saveurs du palais / Haute
Film Dramedy, based on a true story (Netflix)
Cuisine
https://www.youtube.
Linguisticae YouTube Channel Vlogs about linguistics & languages
com/channel/UCofQxJWd4qkqc7ZgaLkZfcw/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSse-
Lolywood YouTube Channel Youtube skits
lNI1DQ4w-8lh7vfPUw
https://www.youtube.
Lysandre Nadeau YouTube Channel Vlogs & skits, Québécois accent
com/channel/UC27gFtH0PMx0O-oEdOSZggA

Masha et Michka TV Show Children's TV (probably for toddlers) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anxxfo7C0N0

Mon Oncle Antoine Film Québécois classic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ43h-gWZ6Y

Monsieur Lazhar Film

Moukass Gaming YouTube Channel A gaming YT channel https://www.youtube.com/user/Moukass1

The accompanying vlog channel to Moukass Gaming. Moukass

https://www.youtube.
Moukass Vlogs YouTube Channel does occasional videos where he speaks in French and/or
com/channel/UCvl6kImXzKP7WHAfcvkmh-Q
takes you around Morocco
https://www.youtube.
Natoo YouTube Channel Youtube vlogs & skits
com/channel/UCtihF1ZtlYVzoaj_bKLQZ-Q
https://www.youtube.
NORMAN FAIT DES VIDÉOS YouTube Channel Vlogs, skits
com/channel/UCww2zZWg4Cf5xcRKG-ThmXQ
https://www.youtube.
Pat la réalisation YouTube Channel Vlogs, skits
com/channel/UCvhe7CQpowQJwyog7VQWUyg

Persepolis Film

Polytechnique Film

No subtitles. Tech, video games, and travel vlogs. It's the https://www.youtube.
PP World YouTube Channel
personal channel of the tech journalist PP Garcia com/channel/UCPQsSFJurluaMOG1qL0Y7sA
For the tabletop roleplaying fans out there, this is a channel https://www.youtube.
Rôle'n Play YouTube Channel
dedicated to le jeu de rôles! com/channel/UCLklqggxR3UaYiJFiaSi7Ig

Quand on a 17 ans Film Drama about two boy teens who fall in love Netflix

https://www.youtube.
ScienceEtonnante YouTube Channel Subtitles provided.
com/channel/UCaNlbnghtwlsGF-KzAFThqA
A science-scentric YouTube docuseries. Includes French
Scilabus YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/scilabus
captions.
https://www.youtube.
Speed Game YouTube Channel Video game / livestreamer
com/channel/UCKNJiTmKrur10zxStf5Gztw
Vlogger/YouTube personality who plays video games --
SQUEEZIE YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/aMOODIEsqueezie
subtitles available in French & sometimes English
https://www.youtube.
YouCook Cuisine YouTube Channel Cooking series on YouTube that updates a few times a week.
com/channel/UCT4mPf6yV7QJMhRSckfwghA
My personal favorites are in purple. If you have any suggestions to add to the list, feel free to comment or send me a message on
Under construction!
reddit (tsannifer)

🎶MUSIC 🎶 🎤PODCASTS🎤
Artist Genre Example Song Podcast Link

1789: Les Amants de la

Musical, Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDZKoJ5XMco 2 heures de perdues http://2hdp.fr/
Bastille (stage musical)

Amir Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQysGibXphE France Culture https://www.franceculture.fr/

Angèle Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQKYEs4llzg Frenchspin: RDV Jeux & RDV Tech http://frenchspin.fr/

Awa Imani R&B, Hip Hop https://youtu.be/lPWLDhfks2k Transfert http://www.slate.fr/podcasts

Ben L'Oncle Soul Pop, Soul https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zywzvqYFOss French Voices / French Your Way http://frenchyourway.com.au/category/frenchvoices

Black M Rap, Hip Hop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmG2Ea_tYIE Inner French https://www.innerfrench.com/podcasts

Céline Dion Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bLD0tVep9M Podcast Français Facile http://www.podcastfrancaisfacile.com

Christine and The Queens Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzFYmz2lfT4

Claudio Capéo Chanson française https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXCbEMAu-V0

Cœur de pirate Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7vYo6l06lo

Corneille R&B, Pop https://youtu.be/WDr3qCcXKXk

Damso Rap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UGPKhSlvEE

Desireless (80's) Europop, electropop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PDmZnG8KsM

Eddy de Pretto Rap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1mtif1B8k0

Edith Piaf Cabaret, Chanson française https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3Kvu6Kgp88

Florent Mothe Pop, Rock, Jazz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG_IGg4MbBU

Françoise Hardy Chanson française https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwhX5V1Gn6w

Gaël Faye Hip-hop, rap, soul, slam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTF2pwr8lYk

Grand Corps Malade Slam Poetry https://youtu.be/BC7oHfBErr8

Hocus Pocus Rap, Hip Hop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jup8Jk-D3ps

Jacques Brel Chanson française https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZzyFQ-Qh18

Joyce Jonathan Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtCPWFo6MAE

Kyo Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY7KNY9gaMQ

Indila Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtNJMAyeP0s

Kendji Girac Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FndmvPkI1Ms

Kids United Pop, Created to support UNICEF https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV5oVYVGfNc

Lartist Rap, Pop https://youtu.be/NuXaPB_KWg8

Louane Pop, Dance, Alternative https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyqSAsR_Tms

Maître Gims Rap, Hip Hop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMltoD1jCGI

MHD Afrotrap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWHR0fS9jvQ

Mozart, l'opéra rock (musical) Musical, Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP6tQ7OEFlY

Nekfeu Rap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YltjliK0ZeA

Noir désir Alternative rock, post-punk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJS2otq6v4g

Oxmo Puccino Rap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX8Nn2LHjJw

Plastic Bertrand Punk, new wave https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32SkxLCZz_o

Ridsa Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VDC9LqAPvU

Roméo Elvis Rap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GaWM2a3FAc

Sacha Distel Jazz, Chanson française https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIEAfy9YGrU

Sexion d'Assaut Rap, Hip Hop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN2ozTZNJC0

Soprano Rap, Hip Hop, Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t62joHnEn3I

Stromae Electronic, Hip Hop, Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiKj0Z_Xnjc

The Shin Sekaï Hip Hop, Pop https://youtu.be/PuoUKKHqqyQ

Vianney Chanson française https://youtu.be/eLYyCFuPCX8

VITAA Pop, R&B, electropop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whj2unsvy0Q

Yelle Pop, Electronic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqYhuwu614Y

Yves Montand Chanson française https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo1C6E7jbPw

Zaho Pop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXDO6KYusW8

Zaz Jazz, Soul, Acoustic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm88QAI8I5A

Zazie Pop rock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB-zasOL29Y

News websites, books, etc. for intermediate levels and up. Books recommended for lower levels
remain on the Resources tab. If you have any suggestions to add to the list, feel free to
comment or send me a message on reddit (tsannifer)

Type Title, Author Link

Book Candide, Voltaire

Book Entres les Murs, François Bégaudeau

Book Harry Potter à l'école des sorciers (translated by Jean-François Ménard)

Book Harry Potter et l'Ordre du phénix

Book Harry Potter et la Chambre des secrets

Book Harry Potter et la Coupe de feu

Book Harry Potter et le Prince de sang-mêlé

Book Harry Potter et le Prisonnier d'Azkaban

Book Harry Potter et les Reliques de la Mort

Book L'étranger, Albert Camus

Book L’Élégance du Hérisson, Muriel Barbery

Book L’Enfant Noir, Camara Laye

Book L'Histoire de la France Pour les Nuls (French History for Idiots)

Book La Gloire de Mon Père, Marcel Pagnol

Book La Maison de Claudine, Colette

Book La Mécanique du Coeur, Mathias Malzieu

Book Le Comte de Monte-Cristo

Book Le Père Goriot, Honoré de Balzac

Book Le Ventre de l’Atlantique, Fatou Diome

Book Les Fleurs du Mal, Charles Baudelaire

Book Les Héritiers du Lusilière

Book Notre Dame de Paris, Victor Hugo

Book Soumission, Michel Houellebecq

Book Stupeur et Tremblements, Amélie Nothomb

Book Zazie dans le Métro, Raymond Queneau

News/Website Numerama http://www.numerama.com/

News/Website RTL http://www.rtl.fr/replay
What is this? How do I know my level? My "Fluent in a Year" Write-Up
I started learning on June 9, 2016. My goal was to I don't, really (at least not for sure!). I have never
become "fluent-ish" (I now evaluate that to taken any official certification exams. My level
somewhere around B2-C1) in one year. This is an (around B2-C1) is based off of the assessments of https://www.reddit.
outline of my schedule, separated by level, over time. my native French language exchange partners, as com/r/French/comments/6erc3r/my_experience_of_
This is NOT a how-to guide. I hope this will instead well as online practice exams. trying_to_become_fluentish_in/
serve as a resource for others to figure out their own
learning plan based on their own objectives.

Avg.
Frequency Resource(s) My Approach Pros Cons What I Wish I Did Differently
Hours

Absolute Beginner - A1
[approx. 1 month]
- Fun & addictive approach
Mode: Insane - Audio quality is mediocre, robotic, and Utilized a wider variety of resources
- Effective with grammar & vocab
1st Priority: maintain/review all skills to return them sometimes unclear even when slowed down right from the beginning & "immersive"
- Helpful community
Daily 5 Duolingo to "gold"
- Recognizes/accepts multiple possible answers
- Speech recognition needs some work materials (films, etc.). I was too
2nd Priority: Complete 1-2 additional rows of the - Lack of explanations on mobile (Android) intimidated by native content in the
(i.e. "I am going" & "I'm going" are equally
skill tree - Useless/gimmicky fluency calculator beginning.
acceptable in most cases)

A1 - A2 (Beginner)
[approx. 1.5 months]

Same as above until tree completed - then

Daily 3-4 Duolingo
maintained all skills
- Good memorization algorithm
- Audio quality is good
- Strict with what's on the flashcards and doesn't
Aimed to finish a minimum of one "circle" / tier a - Lots of vocab/courses available
Daily 0.5-1 Memrise (French 4)
day - Either by buying premium or by occasional "Try
accept synonyms or alternate translations.
- Won't necessarily help you "understand" rules
for Free" options - the native speakers feature is
a nice bonus
Read small portions (2-3 sentences at a time) either
silently for reading comprehension, with audiobook, - Larger learning curve as a first book compared
- Classic, cute, enjoyable story even for adults
Daily 1-2 Le Petit Prince or aloud to practice pronunciation. Tried to derive
- Simple language
to bedtime stories for young children, for
meaning from sentences before looking up example.
words/phrases in the dictionary or online.
Consumed more media from early on,
- Intimidating and potentially discouraging,
regardless of my ability to understand
Daily 0.5 Films, YouTube With subtitles in English - Helps with developing an "ear" for French particularly if watching films/videos with natural
(just to get a feel for the language &
speech and slang
natural rhythm of speech)

A2 - B1 (Beginner - Intermediate)
(approx. 2 months)
I probably should have dropped
Daily 0.5-1 Duolingo Mode: Serious (30 XP/day)
Duolingo earlier than I did
Continued to review vocab in addition
Aimed to finish a minimum of one "circle" / tier a to learning new ones - I didn't yet
Daily 1 Memrise (French 5)
day understand the concept of spaced
repetition
- Overwhelming and discouraging at times: you
- Great if you're already an HP fan have to keep in mind that you're using it as a tool
Daily 1-2 Harry Potter 1-2 Same method as for Le Petit Prince - Fun storyline - Uses the simple past, which is an uncommon
- Lots of vocab and verb tenses to learn with verb tense (never used in speech or casual
conversations)
- Difficult at first for shy or socially anxious
- Immersion will help EXTENSIVELY, especially people
having access to native speakers to help answer - Steep learning curve depending on who you
questions find yourself talking to Started speaking / seeking out native
- Methods in place to secure a safe environment - "Hit and miss" when it comes to finding a speakers sooner (around A1.5 maybe),
Written messages for the first few weeks, then
Daily 1-2 HelloTalk
audio clips
for language exchange (automatic detenction of reliable exchange partner or had just gathered the courage to
indecent material, etc.) - Women can be subject to unwanted attention speak verbally sooner instead of
- Ability to correct messages, record audio (but easy to ignore/block users) resorting to texts more often.
messages (and preview them before sending), - Relies on the user(s) to figure out what to talk
and make calls about, so having a conversation-starter list (see
"Extras & Motivation" tab) comes in handy.

Weekly 3 Films, YouTube With subtitles in English or French

Note: There was a 2-week period between B1-B2 where I ended up at home with literally
B1 - B2 (Intermediate) nowhere to go / nothing to do. As a result, I practiced for nearly 12hrs a day. 4-6 hours
[approx. 3 months - see note on the right -->] were spent consuming Youtube media & the rest was filled with vocab, grammar, and
language exchange practice.
I probably should have dropped
Daily 0.5 Duolingo Same as above Duolingo earlier than I did (end of A2-
ish)

Daily 1 Memrise (French 6) Same as above

Read aloud as much as possible, but transitioned
- The vocabulary in book 4 begins to increase, so
slowly to more silent reading since I was getting in a
Daily 1-2 Harry Potter 3-4
decent amount of oral practice with HelloTalk and
it's nice because it matches up somewhat with
your increase in competency.
Tandem
Started with French subtitles only and occasionally
Daily 1 Films, YouTube
tried no subtitles

Daily 1 HelloTalk, Tandem Audio clips and written messages.

Aimed to complete one section in a sitting, followed

by self-scoring using the answers in the back. If I
Practice Makes
scored >90%, I'd allow myself to move on to the - Helps drill/refine grammar knowledge, which
Perfect Complete
Weekly 2 French Grammar
next section. Otherwise, I would repeat either the helps with writing and speaking abilities, as well - Can be tedious
whole section or the specific exercises that gave me as confidence levels
Workbook
the most trouble, depending on the distribution of
errors.
- Live calls/conversations are essential to the
language learning experience.
I also used Tandem in the same way I used - Can be difficult to start (see "Extra &
Biweekly 1 Tandem (Live Calls)
HelloTalk (audio clips & text messages)
- Native speakers can help train you on correct
Motivations" to get yourself in the mindset!)
grammar/vocab as well as help you sound more
like a local
I wish I also recorded a video of myself
Occasionally (1-
"Judge My Accent" Submitted clips of me reading on /r/French to be speaking for ~5min to the best of my
2 times a 0.5 Submissions critiqued on the weekly "Judge My Accent" thread.
- Get an idea of how to improve your accent - Pretty nerve-wrecking if you're shy like me
ability every month (more for personal
month)
progress-tracking)
 B2 - C1 (Upper Intermediate - Advanced)
[approx. 3-4 months]

Reviewed old terms from French 4-6 as well as

Daily 1-2 Memrise
learned new vocab in French 7
I wish I summarized each chapter aloud
Daily 1-2 Harry Potter 4-5 to myself, in my own words, after
reading.
Podcasts: French - French Voices is extremely useful for listening
Daily 2 Voices, France Culture comprehension practice.

Weekly 1-2 HelloTalk, Tandem Audio clips, video messages, calls

Films, YouTube,
Weekly 4 Netflix
- Live calls/conversations are essential to the
language learning experience.
Live Call w/ Language I found a weekly language exchange conversation - Can be difficult to start (see "Extra &
Weekly 1 Exchange Partner partner via Ayni.
- Native speakers can help train you on correct
Motivations" to get yourself in the mindset!)
grammar/vocab as well as help you sound more
like a local
Practice Makes
Perfect Complete
Biweekly 1-2 French Grammar
Workbook
Occasionally (1-
"Judge My Accent"
2 times a 0.5 Submissions
month)

Note: I've met/exceeded my goal, but I've found a genuine love for the language and
"Now" (B2 - C1-ish + Maintenance) continue to try to practice every day. No real intention to reach C2 though.

Any reading material - books, news, etc.

*As of July 6, 2017, I'm on the last Harry Potter
book
*June 14, 2017: Just started summarizing each
Daily 0.5 Reading
chapter aloud to myself after completion, in order
to help with my speaking.
*July 31, 2017: I have finished the series! Joyeux
anniversaire, Harry Potter!!
French music has become a normal thing in my
music playlists, and I try to consume French media
Daily 0.5 Videos or Music
(usually YouTube) whenever I have downtime or
while I'm doing chores
Summarize my day & whatever else pops up in my I wish I did this WAY sooner, from the
Daily 0.5 Talk to Myself
head. moment I could talk in past tense.
Review for fun (mainly Memrise) and to refresh
Memrise, Duolingo,
Weekly 1 Lingvist
vocab, along with Memrise's "Advanced
vocabulary" sometimes
Language Exchange
Weekly 2 (Calls + HelloTalk /
Tandem messages)
*July 2017: I have stopped doing this because I'm
Occasionally (1-
"Judge My Accent" happy with my accent (it's not perfect, but I have
2 times a 0.5 Submissions been consistently understood by people, so that's
month)
good enough for me!!)
August 28, 2020 Update: I am not sure if anyone even reads my updates, but HI! It's been 4 years and some days since "Day 0" of my experiment. I went to France for the second time in the spring of 2019, which was great. My French really helped me
narrowly evade getting pickpocketed and to navigate what was happening when our train broke down on the last day of our trip! These days, I am admittedly out of practice when it comes to speaking and writing, but my reading and listening
comprehension skills are roughly still in tact. I am committed to refreshing the things I've gotten rusty on, though. I receive your kind comments and messages from time to time, and it helps to remind me why I fell in love with learning this language in
the first place. I really appreciate hearing about your goals and your experiences, and I am honored to have been able to contribute to the French-learning community. :) Keep going, everyone! I believe in you!
January 23, 2019 Update: Hello everyone. :) Updating this for those who are curious about the longterm results / ongoing efforts to keep my fluency. I recently entered a relationship with someone (complete chance) who has French heritage. I have
successfully spoken French with his family on multiple occasions, and we are going on a trip to France together in a few months. My partner is working on his own fluency so he can speak with his relatives better. Life is funny! Hope you all are doing
well on your journeys. On top of that, STILL conducting weekly exchange Skype sessions!
August 18, 2018 Update: My main method of practicing French these days is a one-hour French call every week on Skype (yep, with my same correspondent for the past two years!!) as well as regular video messages with another correspondent
throughout the week. I still try to talk to myself in the car, but I admit that this is scarce. I do find myself afraid of getting rusty, so I intend to pick up daily practice again!
July 22, 2018 Update: Hi guys!! I did it!! I went to France and survived a week speaking mostly French. It was a dream come true and I'm so happy I went through this whole thing to become "fluent-ish." I made great friends along the way and I got to
meet most of them on my trip. Hope you all are doing well on your language learning goals. :)
March 13, 2018 Update: Thanks for all the kind messages I've received these past months. I'm so happy to know that people are still using this spreadsheet and find it helpful. 💕
I'm gonna do a horrible segue into a shameless plug for my very first NOVEL! :)) Thanks to my language learning journey, I somehow found my way back to my old hobby of writing. Check it out if you like fiction/fantasy:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1980513074/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_apa_ux9PAbPMXEP5Z
January 14, 2018 Update: I'm going to France for the first time in May!! :) Woohoo!! Excited and nervous, but I think I might try to record a video/vlog or something in French to update on my progress around that time. Wishing everyone a fun-filled
learning journey! :)
November 14, 2017 Update: School happened! I paused Greek for now, but I still practice French when I drive home from work every day (20min), conduct a weekly exchange call, and speak with some French correspondants whenever I have time. :)
I'm also working on a (school) project that's driven by my love for French & language learning! Just wanted to say thanks to those who have sent me kind messages about my spreadsheet/personal experience writeup. Best of luck to all!!
August 25, 2017 Update: I recently started learning Greek (61 day streak on Duolingo!). I am spending NOWHERE NEAR the same amount of time as I did with French, but I am basically taking my experience with French (what I wish I did) and applying
it to my Greek learning. Going ok so far! I continue to practice French on a daily basis via speaking to myself for approx. 30min a day, consuming media regularly, and maintaining contact throughout the week with my exchange partners.