How can I practise speaking french?

Getting into the habit of speaking French can be one of the most daunting parts of learning the language. Our students often ask, how can I practise speaking when I have no one to speak with?

It’s a good question, and it’s why we’ve sought to provide ways to connect with other French speakers, as well as to improve your speaking skills in isolation. In this blog, we outline three of the best ways to improve your oral skills in French.

Our speaking practice sessions are designed to kickstart your French speaking skills and help you practise in a relaxed, classroom-style environment with other learners. These small classes of around ten students take place online, with different sessions catering to all levels, from beginners to advanced. The regular, one-hour speaking practice sessions occur weekly over the course of ten weeks, while the two-hour intensives occur daily over the course of five days, and are ideal for those who want to make rapid progress.

One of the best ways to improve your spoken French is to immerse yourself in an environment where it is the national or regional language. Seeing French written and hearing it spoken everywhere you go can be a little scary for learners, but it forces you to adapt and to use the language in everyday situations.

Of course, going to a French-speaking country isn’t as simple as opening a textbook, but that’s why we started our French immersion experiences in Aix-en-Provence. These trips combine classes with sight-seeing and cultural excursions in the beautiful city of Aix, where you’ll get to sample the best of French cuisine, culture and history - all while putting your French skills into practice.

The trip will be happening again this year, from 26th to 31st October. Click here to find out more.

Watching YouTube can be another great way to improve your speaking skills, in particular videos designed to help you with things like pronunciation and conversational confidence. Alexa’s ‘Speak French With Me’ playlist features a series of videos with dialogues designed to put you in the shoes of someone conversing with Alexa herself. It’s a great way to practise the kind of conversations you might have in a French-speaking country without worrying about what your interlocutor might think of your ability.

Did you know you can have a conversation on anything in French with our chatbot, Frenchbot? Speaking with Frenchbot is a fantastic way to get into the habit of practising your oral skills on a regular basis, and she'll provide you with weekly lesson prompts to encourage you to communicate and learn about important aspects of French culture.

Frenchbot is available as a chat partner in both Telegram and Facebook Messenger.

• Don’t be embarrassed! Far from finding your attempts to speak French humorous, most natives will be impressed by your attempts to speak the language and improve your skills
• Practise often. It’s important to make it a regular habit if you want to make sustained progress and make speaking French become second nature
• Think in French. Thinking precedes speaking, so it’s a good idea to formulate your thoughts in your target language to get you into the right mindset. This is particularly useful for learners who might not have anyone to speak French with on a regular basis
• Listen to your favourite French-speaking artists and read the lyrics. If you're feeling bold, you can even record yourself and compare your pronunciation with them. Focus on vowels, and how sounds are linked together with liaisons, and be careful not to pronounce the last consonants.
• Read a French book out loud. Start with short easy stories and read them out loud. It will help you focus on the sounds as well as the meaning of the texts. Don't forget to keep a list of the new words you encounter so you can revise them later on.