Five Tips for Quickly and Easily Increasing Your French Vocabulary

If you are learning a new language you will find that having a large vocabulary is very important for speaking, reading, and writing in that language. French is a popular language to learn because its similarities to English make it easier for English speakers to learn it and because of its practicality. If you want to learn more French words, try these five quick and easy tips for increasing your French vocabulary.

Read French Newspapers, Magazines, and Books with a Dictionary

Even when you are just beginning to learn French, you can gain a lot of vocabulary from reading French newspapers, magazines, and books. The trick to learning words from books and stories that are too hard for you to read is to use a dictionary on all the words you can't read. However, don't bother with trying to understand what the book or article is about, simply write down the meanings of the words and add them to your flashcards or word list. Eventually, you will learn enough French words to understand the whole story.

Make a List of the Words You Use Everyday

As you talk to friends and family in your native language, take note of common words you use. Make a list of these words and use a French dictionary to find the French word equivalent. If you learn these French words, you'll eventually be able to have the same kinds of conversations in French.

Listen to French Songs

You can find French songs to listen to from most music stores. Listening to French music is a lot like immersion learning. If you listen to French songs all the time, you might not learn the exact meaning, but you will pick up on the flow of the words and learn to pick up the general meaning. If you can find the lyrics on-line, then you can use a dictionary to further learn the meanings of the words.

Watch French Television and Movies

Some cable and satellite providers have French television channels you can watch, and you can also rent or buy French TV shows and movies. Watching French television and movies is also like immersion learning as you can surround yourself with the sounds and words of French. Turn on English subtitles to help learn the meaning of the words being spoken, and turn on French subtitles to learn exactly what words are being said.

Get a French Pen-Pal

You can find many websites and on-line services that can help you find a French pen-pal. Whether you are learning Canadian or European French, you can find a pen-pal who natively speaks the kind of French you want to learn who wants to learn your native language. You can practice writing to each other in your chosen languages, and you can also correct each other's writings. You can also ask your French pen-pal questions about the French language.