Glenn Nora - Learn French for Beginners & Dummies

Learn French for Beginners & Dummies

By Glenn Nora

Introduction

Y ou are ready to jump in and learn to speak French as a beginner. Learning a new language is always a big step and you made the right choice.

We will learn the basics of French pronunciation and grammar, as well as a wide range of conversational topics to add to your vocabulary. Each chapter builds on the previous one to help repeat previously learned topics and develop a better grasp on the language. Be sure to spend ample time on each chapter in order to allow the lessons to take hold. Also feel free to complement this book by making flash cards of what youve learned to help retain the knowledge.

This book includes many suggestions for practice exercises. The more you challenge yourself to think outside the box, the more benefit you will get. Think about how you might express something in English, then try to recreate that same sentence in French. Doing so will help you learn how to speak and write more naturally, and it will stick with you better. Once youve finished an exercise, double check yourself by entering your French phrases and sentences into an online translator and making sure they translate back into English correctly.

Just like hobby or study you take on, the key is regular practice. Aim to spend at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, practicing your French. Before you know it, youll be a confident French speaker!

Chapter 1: Alphabet, Accents, and Pronunciation

G ood news! The French alphabet is very similar to our own English alphabet. Both alphabets include the same 26 letters, theyre just pronounced slightly differently. Read through each letter below out loud a few times, then close the book and see if you can recite the alphabet from memory.

A Ah

B Bay

C Say

D Day

E Err

F Eff

G Szhay

H Ahsh

I Ee

J Szhee

K Kah

L Ell

M Emm

N Enn

O Oh

P Pay

Q Koo

R Air

S Ess

T Tay

U Oo

V Vay

W DOO-bluh-vay

X Eeks

Y EE-grek

Z Zed

How did it go? Dont worry if it feels strange, the more you practice, the more natural it will feel. Here are a few notes that will help your pronunciation sounds more authentic.

• For many of the letters, such as B, P, and T, make the letter sound breathy. For instance, instead of ending in a harsh ay sound, which is natural to American English, lighten the end of the syllable a bit. It should be somewhere between an ay sound and an eh sound.
• The rs in the letter E are not harsh either. E can also be described as sounding like uhh. This sound is very common in French, but is not naturally heard in the English language, and may take more practice than the other letters. To practice, say your best French Oui, oui ! (pronounced wee-wee). Do you feel the shape your lips make and the way your tongue is clenched? Mimic that feeling when pronouncing the French letter E to sound more authentic.

• The French Q has a similar feeling when it is spoken. In English, we usually say Kyoo with the Y sound in it. Instead, when pronouncing the Q in French, purse your lips more and say Koo to help make the right sound.

Now youre getting it! Warm up your vocal cords before each chapter by reciting the French alphabet 1-2 times.

T here are 5 accents in the French language. Lets take a look at each individually.

Cdille () pronounced say-DEE-yuh. This accent is only used on the letter C, and it looks like a tiny little hook hanging off the bottom of the letter. It is used to indicate that C should be pronounced as an S (as opposed to a K).

Aigu () pronounced ay-GOO. This accent is only used on the letter E and is an upward slash over the letter. It is used to indicate that the E should be pronounced ay. Think caf.

Grave (, , ) pronounced grahv. This accent is a downward slash over the letter and is used to differentiate between words. For example, ou means or, but o means where.

Circonflexe (, , , , ) pronounced SEER-con-flex. This accent looks like a little party hat over the vowel and is used to indicate words that used to have an S in them, but it was removed. For example, la fte (pronounced lah fet) means party or feast. There was once an S following the first E in fte, but it has since been removed. The circonflexe generally has no effect on the pronunciation or meaning of the word.

Trma (, , ) pronounced TRAY-ma. This accent is used to break up two syllables within the same word, such as in Nol.

T he French language certainly has a unique way of pronouncing words. To get a better idea of it, lets take a look at the word Illinois . Hopefully you know that the S at the end of Illinois is silent, but when native English speakers first see the word they naturally want to pronounce the S. However, Illinois is derived from French, and in most French words, the last letter is silent, or at least not fully pronounced. When it is spoken fast, it is often hard to notice that the last letter is silent. None the less, it is important to pay close attention, because the last letter plays a key role in grammar.

French is classified as one of the romance languages. Just like the other romance languages, Spanish and Italian, all nouns are cataloged as either masculine or feminine. Adjectives describing masculine words are left unaltered, but adjectives describing feminine words usually have an E added to the end of them. When the E is added, it alters the pronunciation of the word.

Lets take a look at the following example:

• Blond this is the male version of the term blond, for light hair. It is pronounced blon.
• Blonde the E at the end of the word indicates that this is the female version of the term for light hair, and it is pronounced blond.

Is your head spinning yet? The concept of masculine and feminine words can seem overwhelming to someone who is new to romance languages, but with practice youll be comfortable with them before you know it!

As with any rule, there are, of course, exceptions. When a word precedes a vowel, the last letter of that word will be pronounced. One of the most common examples is in the phrase Ils ont , which means They have. Normally Ils is pronounced Eel, and the S is silent. However, because ont , pronounced own, begins with a vowel, the S is pronounced at the end of Ils . When spoken properly, the two words actually blend together to sound like Eelzown or Eel Zone.