How and why to learn French ?
Once you have
come to France, one of the most important and intelligent things for you, is to
invest in learning French.
If you are a student:
It’s important for you to learn French because once you will finish your
studies, you will look for a job. And more than your MBA, your French language
skills will be useful for you to help you getting a job here.
If you have
invested 10,000 euros for your class, invest 1000 – 2000 for French as well.
Don’t think you will learn French once you get a job. That’s like telling I
will put products in my shop once customers will come. Your employer is like
your customer and will only come towards you if you have things to offer.
Not learning
French is like wasting thousands of euros of potential salary every month.
If you are
working here: Your requirement is different, since you have already got a job
here, and have a friend’s circle of Indians. Here, knowing the French language
will assure you an easier professional ascension, and a better social
interaction with your colleagues and the society here.
Unlike the
students, often your course fees are returned by your office.
How to learn French:
There are many
ways of learning French.
One of the
cheapest ways you will find, is courses in the Mairie (townhall). The advantage
is that the course fees are cheap, since the courses get subvention from the
French tax payers’ money. However, the flip side is that the teacher may or may
not be comfortable in English to answer your queries.
One to one: You
can take one to one lesson from French native speakers, who offer classes. One
of the examples here will be Fabienne Barbeau, a wonderful kind-hearted lady
who have been helping Indian students since long time, and who also offers
private French lessons at a very reasonable rate.
In a school:
Learning in a school is another way, and many including teachers think that
group learning offers ways of teachings, like games, which one to one cannot.
For learning in school, there is Alliance Française, and Centre Zenith, to name
a couple.
AllianceFrançaise is one of the oldest schools. Their rates are relatively higher.
Classes are good.
Centre Zenith is
a new school offering affordable and quality French learning experience.
Quality of teachers here is among the best one can get in Paris. These native
teachers have at least a master’s degree in French language with 5 to 10 years
of teaching experiences. Besides, the teaching is done in English. Centre
Zenith is unique in Paris to offer all those qualities.
Centre Zenith may also send a teacher to your office if that suits you more.
Take advantage
of being in France
Come out of your
own environment. It’s great to watch Indian TV channels through internet, but
then you are not taking any advantage of being here. Give time to French TV
programs.
I have heard
people saying that I do not understand French and hence what is the point
watching the French TV. Come on man. When we are born, we do not understand any
language and still pick up the language of our parents only by listening.
Listening is a great way to introduce words to our brains which it can then
store. I read somewhere, 60% of learning of a new language can be done only by
listening.
When I first
came to France, I was watching 2 hours of French TV (and without understanding
a word at the beginning) and in 3 months’ time I could start a basic
conversation with people.
Watching French
TV is an investment that you cannot avoid, if you are serious about learning
French.
Secondly, be
with French friends. Go out with them for a drink, or at their place. And if
life has brought you a French boyfriend / girlfriend, your French learning will
be even faster, as that will help you to be around a French speaking environment.
For those who
are new and student, may also think to do a service exchange, of getting free
housing against taking care of children or old people. It’s a win win in every
way, as apart from getting free room (and that means over 500 euros saved every
month), you are also in a French speaking environment which will turbo boost
your French learning ability.
What is your
reason for learning French, dear reader?
Sourav Choudhury is a social entrepreneur living in France since 2003 and working for the cause of Indian community of France, since 2007. He is founder of multiple projects: the largest social network of the Indian community of France, a French language school for english speaking expatriates, this website, and few other projects.