5 Main Difficulties when Learning French & How to Overcome Them
Nicole Baptista
Do you want to learn French, or are you currently learning French? There is no doubt about it, everyone will make mistakes when learning a new language. But what are the most common difficulties learners encounter when in the process of learning le français? We have put together a list of the five most challenging problems beginners come across when learning French, as well as a practical solution to each one. Let’s dive in...
Problem #1 : “Genders of nouns; how do I know which nouns are male or female?”
Solution:
Many European languages have gendered nouns, but in English? Not so much. Maybe this is the reason English speakers often find it difficult to understand why any object or thing should be considered “masculine” or “feminine”.
In French, masculine nouns are usually introduced with the article “le” (le frère= the brother). On the other hand feminine nouns take the article “la” (la soeur= the sister). Now, you may ask, is there any way to memorize which words are feminine and which are masculine more quickly? Sadly, there isn’t any logic behind why each noun is whichever gender. However, there are some tips to facilitate the process.
When referring to people, the gender of the noun will agree with the gender of the person. Look at these examples: Le garçon, la fille, la reine, le roi.
We can also often distinguish whether a noun/adjective is masculine or feminine by noticing the absence or the presence of an extra “e” at the end of a noun: eg: cousine = feminine as opposed to cousin= masculine. Or Portugais (Portuguese male) as opposed to Portugaise (Portuguese female)
Sometimes we can guess the gender of a word based on the word’s ending. There is a list of word endings which are either typically masculine or typically feminine. Here are some examples to get you started:
Masculine : words ending with ail - age - oir - eur - ois
Feminine : words ending with tion - tude - aille - eille - ance
Problem #2: “Le Subjonctif- it doesn’t exist in English, so what is it and when will I need to use it?”
Solution:
Understanding the subjunctive and when to use it is probably one of the most difficult parts of learning French. In modern English the subjunctive form is extremely rare, hence understanding the purpose of it in French can be confusing. In short, the subjunctive is a grammatical mood and it is used to express ideas and actions that are uncertain: doubt, judgment, necessity, emotion, possibility, wishing.
In French, the subjunctive is used after certain words/conjunctions that have two different subjects and two parts.
Eg. “Je veux que tu le fasses”- I want you to do it. (2 different subjects, I and you).
You will have to learn the subjunctive by remembering all the correct subjunctive verb endings, as well as all the verbs/expressions that trigger it. There really is no other way around it: repetition, repetition, repetition!
This link offers a great list of all the expressions/verbs that trigger the subjunctive.
Problem #3: I understand written French but when I listen to a French person speak I don’t understand much at all. How can I improve my listening skills”
Solution:
This is actually a very common problem because French learning (especially in schools) is so focused on textbooks that often the listening and speaking aspects are neglected. You might have a strong grasp of French vocabulary and grammar but when it comes to actually having a conversation, you could feel as though you understand very little. This can be extremely frustrating.
It is because your brain is not recognizing French sounds. And the solution to this problem is to get used to listening to French. This could be through listening to podcasts, finding a conversation partner, watching French movies with English subtitles or working with a French teacher one-to-one.
Problem #4 “Conjugations! There are so many tenses- where do I start?”
Solution:
Present, conditional, imperfect, passé composé… Verb conjugations in English are a piece of cake compared to French. (Let’s not even mention all the irregular forms!)
There is no way around it, the way to master French tenses is to really practice them regularly: reading them out and pronouncing them correctly. You can also listen to videos on verb conjugations if you learn better by hearing. I also recommend creating colorful postcards or flashcards for each type of tense as these are usually much easier to memorize (and are a lot easier on the eye).
The Bescherelle book was a life saver for me personally when I was learning my French verbs.
Problem #5: Pronunciation problems. How can I improve my pronunciation?
Solution:
French is a beautiful language but the fact is getting the pronunciation perfect is often a challenge. There are so many nasal sounds, contractions, silent letters, accents etc…
The best way to get around these traps is to work with a specialist French teacher. They can help you to avoid those pitfalls and correct you when making mistakes. To become good at speaking you must actually speak, and the best way to do this is with a professional.
French à La Carte can provide you with one-to-one help with pronunciation and all the other difficult aspects of French.
French à La Carte is specialized in one on one lessons in Paris and online. If you are looking for personalized and tailor-made lessons to your specific linguistic goals, why not contacting us.