Learn French Words & Phrases from an Expert

If you’ve been wanting to learn a language but aren’t quite sure where to start, taking up French is a great option for many reasons. Plus, with the added accessibility of French lessons online, learning French words, phrases, and grammar from the comfort of your home has never been easier.

Why You Should Learn French Words and Phrases

Learning a new language, no matter what language it is, can have noticeable benefits for your cognitive health. In fact, studies show that learning a language can improve your memory, boost your problem-solving skills, and increase your comprehension in your native language as well as the one you’re learning.

Whether it’s learning to speak a language, playing an instrument, or learning to draw and paint, learning a new skill can improve your life in several distinct ways. For one, developing a routine around building your skill can help to strengthen your other routines such as eating well, being productive at work, spending time with loved ones, and exercising. For another, the sense of discipline you develop while practicing your skill can improve your sense of self-confidence and happiness throughout your day-to-day life.

Of the world’s many languages, French is one of the most widespread throughout several continents including Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Plus, according to leading language experts, the number of international Francophiles is on the rise and will continue to increase throughout the coming generations. Learning French will allow you to keep up with the changing world and maintain a keen understanding of multiple cultures.

If world travel is one of your goals in life, particularly to a French-speaking country, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to learn French. When you have a good understanding of the local language, you’ll have a much easier time getting around in a foreign country. Plus, you’ll be better able to immerse yourself in the culture of the country you’re visiting if you can speak to locals, understand the music, and learn about a region’s history in its original language.

Where Do French Words Come From?

Many people refer to French as the language of love. In fact, there are five global languages that are referred to as the romance languages, although the term doesn’t mean what you might expect. The term “romance language” loosely translates to “romanica loqui,” which refers to the act of speaking in the fashion of the Romans. These languages include French, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, and Romanian, all of which are descendants of Latin.

The French language has a rich history that began thousands of years ago in a Western European region known at the time as Gaul. Though the original language spoken in Gaul was of Celtic origin, the area was conquered by the Roman empire as early as the 1st century B.C. Thereafter, the language in the area became romantic, or spoken in Roman fashion.

The language spoken in France and surrounding regions was deeply affected by the presence of Roman Latin in the first few centuries B.C. When the area was eventually invaded by the Germanic peoples, French words and phrases were impacted again by the influence of a new culture. However, by the 9th century, the French language was more or less solidified into what it is today, though the language has seen some changes over the centuries as all languages do.

Today, French isn’t only one of the primary languages spoken in 33 countries; it’s one of six languages officially spoken by the United Nations. Learning to speak French words and phrases can help to connect you to a huge global community as well as a wide variety of historically significant texts, art pieces, and musical compositions.

Why You Should Take French Lessons Online

If you’ve decided that French is the language you’d like to learn, you’re in for an exciting journey of cultural discovery. In today’s world, there’s a countless number of online resources at your disposal that cost very little or are even free, and you can use these resources to get started on the basics like learning how to say common French expressions or understanding simple French pronunciation guidelines.

Though the resources you find online can be extremely helpful, serious French students should consider signing up for French lessons online with TakeLessons. Learning a completely new language is more than just learning French words and phrases. In order to actually speak and comprehend the language in real time, you’ll have to gain an understanding of how French grammar is organized and how sentences are usually constructed.

During your individualized French lessons, your qualified instructor will take you through the basics of common words and numbers, sentence organization, and even how to sound like a native speaker with an authentic French accent. Your French teacher will know what the best structure is for your lessons based on your specific needs, your distinct learning style, and how quickly you’d like to advance.

Some people wish to learn a language simply to expand their skillset, take in their favorite piece of art in its original form, or dive deep into a culture from afar. However, learning a language with the direct goal of visiting its country or region of origin is also extremely common. If you’re planning a trip to France or another French-speaking country, an exceptional online French teacher at TakeLessons will help you to make sure that you’re prepared to get around the country without incident and communicate easily with locals.

Since French is spoken in so many countries and cultures around the world, there are many distinct dialects that have noticeable differences in accent, sentence structure, idioms, and other details. If you’re planning on visiting a location that has its own dialect of the French language, such as French Canada, you can easily find a teacher on TakeLessons that is experienced in the distinct dialect you’re looking to learn and can center your French instruction around that manner of speaking.

French Lessons Online vs. In-Person: What’s Better for You?

There’s no doubt that taking French lessons is the best way to improve your speaking and comprehension abilities in a much faster and more effective manner than if you were to learn on your own. However, once you’ve decided to invest in French lessons, you’ll have to determine whether in-person or online lessons are right for you.

In-person lessons allow you to create a real connection with your French teacher, which makes the learning process much smoother and helps to ease any anxieties you might have about the difficulties of learning a new language. However, in-person lessons can be expensive and inconvenient, especially if your teacher of choice doesn’t live nearby and you have to factor travel time to and from your lessons into your already busy day.

French lessons online offer the exact same one-on-one benefits as in-person lessons from the safety and comfort of your own home. With online lessons, you’ll never have to worry about taking hours out of your day to commute to your French lessons or getting acclimated to an unfamiliar new place. Though some French teachers are willing to travel to their students, you may not feel comfortable taking a lesson in a brand-new subject with someone you’ve just met in your home. Taking lessons online in a space that you already feel comfortable in can help to diminish those anxieties.

During your French lessons, your teacher will lead you through basic French words and numbers as well as introductory sentence structure and grammar. As your lessons progress, the words and phrases you learn will become more advanced and your teacher will expect a higher level of authenticity in your pronunciations. As long as you have a reliable Internet connection, you can work on these skills with an online French teacher just as well as you could in-person.

Find an Online French Teacher on TakeLessons

TakeLessons features a wide variety of highly trained, experienced French instructors for new students to browse. As you take a closer look at the online French teachers on our site, you’ll be able to determine which levels each teacher prefers to work with, what their education background is like, and their starting rate for lessons.

One of the best ways to get to know your potential French teacher before booking a lesson is to read the reviews that their former students have left for them on their personalized profile. These reviews will help you to develop an understanding of their teaching style, their sense of humor, and what a lesson with them is truly like. You can also learn about a teacher’s experience and teaching styles in their own words by reading their bio.