FRENCH
5 Free Resources to Improve Your French Listening Skills
Plus grammar, vocabulary, and reading
Last year, while planning a visit to Quebec, I decided to re-learn French.
I studied French for three years at school. But back then, I hated it. And I never needed to use it anyway, so I ended up forgetting most of it.
Still, I was a good student, and I think I have a flair for languages, so, something remained in the back of my mind.
I figured taking some classes could help me a jump-start.
But I didn’t want to throw money away starting at the beginners level, so I went back and reviewed my high-school books. It seemed so easy now compared to the horror it was for me to study that language in my teenage years.
How wrong I was…
I was able to reach a B1 in a French level test — mostly out of luck — and was totally unprepared for what came next.
The first class was a shock, but it showed me my flaws
The teacher started with a conversation in French and I was unable to articulate a word!
Then, she gave us a level test of her own making, and it was a disaster: I had no idea what I was doing and felt out of place…
By the end of that class, I thought the course would be a nightmare.
But after the initial shock, I think it was worth it.
I do not excel in French, but I now dislike it less and can understand a bit more. The classes were compelling, as we spoke (or tried to) about current topics and were able to exchange different ideas.
But training your ear and your tongue requires immersion.
How to make up for this immersion if you are not in a French-speaking country? It is possible to simulate the listening part by relying on audio and video.
Written and spoken French are almost two different languages. And both require effort.
Here, I give you some free resources to train your ear for French. But first, let me tell you about my own experience learning it.
Mimicking Immersion in A Language
Watching the news is the best way to train your listening skills in any language. Documentaries work as well.
Why the news and documentaries? Because the journalists and the narrators speak in a clear, slowly paced, and grammatically correct manner.
Why watch instead of only listening? Because if you are watching, it is easier to understand the context and get the message more quickly.
The more you listen, the quicker and better you can pick the most common expressions and what they mean. I know this from experience, as when I first went to Spain, I learned a lot by watching the news, cartoons, and shows like Wild Frank.
Where to start learning French by listening?
Nowadays, most TV channels and radios have a website. And we are in the era of podcasts, so you also have that… Plus, there are a lot of resources on the Internet for grammar and vocabulary.
Here, I share with you some websites I’ve been using.
TV5 MONDE
TV5MONDE is a television channel. On their website, you can watch news and programs that have been aired on television, not only in France but also in Francophone African countries.
Besides, they have a section dedicated to learning, with more than 2000 interactive exercises, from beginner to advanced. They are grouped like classes based on a video. Just choose your level and a theme and start learning by listening.
RFI SAVOIRS
RFI is an international radio station that broadcasts in many languages. Besides more advanced articles and audio reports, they provide content adapted from the news to aid in learning French.
You can find audios in simplified French and practice your listening abilities with exercises:
Radio en Ligne
If you only want to listen, you can choose from a list of online radios and podcasts here:
Le Point du FLE
This website offers many resources. You can choose which part you need to improve — listening, reading, orthography… and even exercises to learn from songs.
L’OBS
This is an online magazine where you can read the latest news and chronicles. But what’s interesting is that they also provide lots of resources for learners, such as conjugation, dictionary, grammar rules, and exercises:
What Are You Waiting For?
These online resources can boost your listening skills by learning about topics you like. It’s the best way to keep motivated to learn a language!
You can make a plan to start your training or simply go with the flow and check it when you have some free time.
Thank you for reading! 😃
Have you used any of these websites before? What do you think?
Do you know other resources?
Let me know in a comment.
