How to really learn French (or any language)?
- Samantha
- Sep 15
- 3 min read
Many adults believe that learning French means memorizing grammar rules, drilling vocabulary lists, or completing endless exercises. While these activities may help in the short term, they often create more stress than progress.
Again and again, I meet students who tell me the same story: “French is so difficult.”
They’ve studied for months or even years but still feel blocked when it comes to speaking.
They know the rules, they recognize words on paper, but when they open their mouth, nothing comes out.
The result?
Frustration, embarrassment, and sometimes the feeling that they will never be able to truly communicate in French. And it’s not because they aren’t smart or motivated.
The problem is that too much focus has been placed on theory and not enough on practice.
This is why so many learners end up stuck in what I call the “understanding trap”: they can understand French when they read or listen, but struggle to transform that knowledge into real conversation.
But here’s the truth: fluency doesn’t come from grammar books it comes from speaking.
So, what’s the real solution?
To answer this, let’s take a look at how children learn languages.
When babies learn their mother tongue, they don’t open grammar books. They don’t study verb conjugations or irregular rules. Instead, they listen, repeat, and most importantly, they speak.
Step by step, they make mistakes, get corrected by parents or peers, and slowly shape their speech. No child ever learned to speak fluently by memorizing the past tense of irregular verbs. They learned by trying, failing, and trying again.
As adults, we often fear making mistakes.
We wait until we “know enough” before daring to speak. But the truth is: fluency comes through speaking, not before it.
Every time you say a sentence aloud, you are:
Training your mouth and brain to work together
Building automatic responses in real situations
Learning how to adjust when you don’t know a word
Gaining confidence to interact outside the classroom
Think of it as a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets.
Does that mean grammar and vocabulary are useless? Of course not.
They are tools, like the bricks and mortar of a house. But speaking is what gives the house life, it’s where you actually live.
Grammar gives structure, vocabulary gives content, but conversation brings it all together.
Without speaking, grammar stays theoretical, and vocabulary stays locked in your memory.
To learn a language the way children do, focus on these strategies:
Speak daily, even if only for a few minutes.
Practice in real-life contexts: order coffee, ask directions, start small conversations.
Don’t fear mistakes, they are signs of progress.
Surround yourself with the language: listen, repeat, and imitate.
Join conversation groups or classes where the focus is on speaking, not just theory.
The secret isn’t more textbooks or apps.
The secret is practice through speaking. Children don’t wait until they are perfect but they just try, and that’s why they succeed.
So if you really want to learn French, follow their example: stop waiting, start speaking.
That’s exactly what we do in my French Conversation Classes. Small groups, real-life topics, and lots of speaking practice so you can feel confident using French in everyday situations. If you’re ready to learn like a child again (but with a bit more guidance 😉) contact me.
Hi I'm Samantha! With Experience the French, I aim to provide you with the opportunity to:
Learn French differently: Move beyond traditional methods and embrace a practical, engaging approach that focuses on real-life communication and conversation.
Understand the cultural impact of your expatriation: Gain insights into how culture shapes your experience abroad, from navigating workplace dynamics to building meaningful connections in your new environment.
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