Learning French takes practice and a commitment to new vocabulary. Try to imitate the steps taken when you started learning your mother tongue. Learn the pronunciation and vocabulary, then increase the difficulty of the poems and books you learn to read French.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Learning French Words
Step 1. Purchase an English to French dictionary
Learning to read French requires understanding new vocabulary. The more you search and learn new words, the better your reading skills will be.
Step 2. Start a free language learning program on Duo Lingo
Sign up at www.dulingo.com. Choose an English to French study program.
- This free program includes a guide to reading, listening, understanding and speaking French.
- This program will teach you vocabulary based on common terms in the French language and culture.
Step 3. Learn to pronounce vowels in French
The following are important pronunciations to learn to read French aloud.
- Pronounce "e" like you would say "a" in "about."
- Pronounce the "e" with an additional forward accent to "ay," as in "pay."
- Say the "e" with an extra accent backwards or the umlaut becomes an "uh," as you would when you say " set."
- Say "a," with or without an accent like you would say "a" in "father."
- Pronounce "ou" like "oo" in "food."
- Pronounce "au," "o" and "eau" like the "oa" in "boat."
- Say "u" by placing your tongue behind the bottom of your teeth and saying "oo" as in "food."
- Pronounce "y" like "ee," as in "seed."
Step 4. Practice your reading skills by imitating pronunciation at www.newsinslowfrench.com
You can read French while you listen to it. Stop the recording and practice imitating the pronunciation.
Part 2 of 2: French Reading List
Step 1. Buy a book for learning to read French for beginners
If none of the bookstores or University bookstores sell them, you can search for "French reading programs" on Amazon.com.
Step 2. Buy a French children's book
The French translations of Goodnight Moon (Bonsoir Lune) and The Very Hungry Caterpillar (La Chenille Qui Fait Des Trous) give you the opportunity to start reading French by understanding the plot.
Step 3. Continue to French children's books, such as La Chaise Bleue and Qui Est Le Plus Ruse
Forcing yourself to read books with new plots will help you understand them.
Step 4. Start reading French poetry and song lyrics
Try the songs "Je Ne Veux Pas Travailler" by Pink Martini and "Chanson Pour Les Enfants L'hiver." You can find the lyrics and the song online.
Step 5. Read French news articles
You can find French articles online or at www.transparent.com/learn-french/articles/. Use your dictionary frequently to learn new vocabulary.
Step 6. Purchase the books "Le Petit Prince" by Antoine de Saint Exupery and "Le Spleen de Paris" by Charles Baudelaire
Step 7. Switch to intermediate and advanced French books
Guy de Maupassant's stories, Charles Perrault's tales and French translations of your popular books are good literature to check out if you're not ready to read books by higher-level authors.
