5 Top tips

What would you say to someone who’s unsure about learning French?

If someone’s unsure about whether they should learn French, I’d say go for it! What have you got to lose? It’s really good fun, it keeps your brain active, and you’ll probably surprise yourself by the fact that you already know some French words.

What has learning French meant to you personally?

Learning French has meant absolutely loads to me personally. I started again in 2017 after 31 years of not doing any study, and I actually felt really emotional at doing it. I had the time finally to focus on doing something for me, having taken early retirement from my job. And the support I got from the Open University helped me get my confidence back, and I’ve gone all the way through to getting a 1st class degree in Language Studies with French and German. That’s just something I never thought that I’d be able to achieve.

I would say that learning French has meant that I am now able to appreciate the culture more, the different aspects of French society which contrast to the society that we live in. And not only the culture, but it’s allowed me to appreciate the language itself, its history, the people, in general.

What tips would you give to someone who’s about to start learning French?

So, a few tips if you’re just about to start learning French. Just listen to as much French as you can. Even if you don’t understand it and it seems really fast at first, it will get easier, and you will get used to the sound of the language.

Get as much exposure to all things French as possible. Keep the motivation going. Get on it, and get going! The more you do, the easier it becomes to meet the new stuff. Make it a habit – do something every day. Listen to French music or radio. Watch French films and French news. These can all be done online these days, so find some French websites that interest you.

If you are about to start learning French, I would say try to immerse yourself in French culture as much as possible. So, simple things such as listening to French music, watching French films. It could be YouTube videos that are in French, listening to French podcasts, reading children’s books even, things like that, just to get a sense of what the culture and language are all about. You don’t have to necessarily understand it – as long as you’re immersed and exposed to the language, that will really help you be in that headspace, so that you can effectively start learning the language.

If you’re thinking of starting a beginners’ French course, there’s quite a lot you can do to prepare. I’d start by thinking about why you want to learn French. Is it because you want to travel to a French-speaking country, or is it connected with a hobby you might have? Or could it be the start of a degree course? I think if you’re really, really clear about why you’re doing it, and what you want to get out of it, then you’re probably far more likely to succeed.