Learn French your way with a TakeLessons expert

From the smell of freshly baked baguettes from the local bakery, to views of the romantic châteaux (castles) in the Loire Valley, to the diverse array of masterpieces displayed in the museums of Paris - France has so much to offer! If you’re taking a trip to this beautiful country soon, keep reading to learn how to plan the perfect itinerary so you can enjoy France at its best. We’ll share about the weather, what to order when dining out, a few little known sites, and many more help

For many students, having a conversation in French can be intimidating. Luckily, tutor Nadia B. is here with tips to help you get started chatting it up with some new French friends... As you learn French, practicing it through conversation can become a regular part of your life, by following these easy tips. Before you know it, you will be practicing - and speaking - French with fluency! 1. Try a Meetup The easiest way to practice conversational French is to find a group of French

Congratulations! You've landed in a French-speaking country, and you're ready to converse with the locals. However, you quickly realize that despite your years of studying French, you don't know the first thing about how to say hello, introduce yourself, or ask for directions. Don't worry – we'll get you up to speed in no time.  Ready to say hello to the French-speaking world? Heading to a French-speaking country soon? Chances are you'd love to get a head start on some useful French gre

Learn how to talk about the most important people in your life in this French vocabulary lesson from tutor Emmanuel N.... French Vocabulary Words to Describe Your Family Bonjour, mes amis (Hello, my friends)! Let’s talk about our familles et amis (families and friends). If a man decides to marry a woman, she is sa femme (his wife), and he is son mari (her husband). Next, they might decide to settle down and start their own family. Most families have une mère et un père (a mother and

Just like in English, there are a lot of French idioms and phrases that don't quite translate. Some are fairly easy to figure out (for example, someone who "drinks like a hole," is drinking a great deal). Others are less obvious, especially when you are just starting to learn French. Here are some of the strangest French idioms and phrases you're likely to come across in an otherwise normal conversation. 15 French Idioms & Funny Phrases 1. Coup de foudre Only in French is it a good th

Mixing up your tu's and vous? Let French tutor Carol Beth L. break it down for you... When you're starting out in a new language, all the grammar rules can seem daunting. But don't worry – we're here to help break down the basics! In this post, we'll take a look at when to use tu and vous in French. Let's get started with some basic French grammar practice to help you! Is French Grammar Difficult? Many people believe that grammar in French is difficult, but this is not necessarily the

Last week, French tutor Carol Beth L. treated us to a great lesson on conjugating regular verbs. This week, we look at conjugating common irregular French verbs... French grammar is full of irregularities and exceptions. They make sense when you understand the phonetic and grammatical in's and out's of the language, but can still be difficult to navigate – especially at the beginning. Covering every single irregular French verb out there, therefore, is a difficult task to tackle in just one

You know the best way to learn French is to practice every day, but where should you start? One of our favorite ways to study any language is listening to podcasts! Not only do you get the benefit of hearing spoken French, podcasts also contain interesting tidbits of vocabulary and culture you might not get in a textbook. And besides that, podcasts are simply fun. One of our favorite French podcasts is One Thing In A French Day, a podcast that chronicles one woman's life in France a

C'est le printemps! The sun is finally coming out, and Willy M. is here to share the French vocabulary you need to know for spring! Springtime is here, and with it comes a whole new set of French vocabulary words you need to know if you're hoping to get the most out of this season.  Whether you’re an intermediate student or a beginner, these essential French words will help you talk about nature, animals, and more as the days grow longer and warmer.  What Are Words Associated With

With the right study plan in place, you can make learning to speak French a lot easier! Take this advice from French tutor Carol Beth L. to create a study plan that is, in a word, magnifique! Are you looking to learn to speak French but don't know where to start? Or maybe you've been studying for a while but aren't seeing the results you want. Check out these 10 essential study tips for learning French and see how you can improve your language learning skills! How Many Hours of Study Does