RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE YOUR FRENCH
If you want to work on your general French, here are a few recommendations:
TELEVISION
You may watch French-speaking TV channels.
- The news on the French-speaking Belgian channel (RTBF). They are broadcasted every
day at 19:30 (Continental European time)
- The news on the French channel (France 2). Broadcasting time is 20:00
- French-speaking channel TV5 Monde offers programmes from public French-speaking
channels (from Belgium, France but also Switzerland and Canada)
You may of course watch those programmes on the internet.
Any programme will help you to progress.
It may even be profitable to choose a “stupid” programme (like TV series): scenarios are so
simple that you can focus on the language rather than on the “plot”.
FILMS
You may watch movies in French with subtitles in your mother language or in French depending
on your level.
INTERNET
Here are a few websites to learn French:
- French TV channel has a nice website. Type “TV5 Monde apprendre le français »
- The BBC also has its language website. Type « BBC Learn French »
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Lots of websites are free. Type “Apprendre le français en ligne” or “Français langue
étrangère” and you will find them. You may start with this site
Internet is of course very rich in videos. Why don’t you try You Tube in French !!
BOOKS
The following books are very good:
- Grammaire progressive du Français (CLE International)
- Vocabulaire progressif du Français (CLE International)
- Communication progressive du français (CLE International)
All three are divided into three levels:
- “débutant” = for levels A1 and A2 in the European Framework for Languages);
- “intermédiaire” = for levels B1 and B2;
- “avancé “ = for levels C1 and C2.
Make sure you do not only buy these books but also the corrections.
SPEAKING
Create or seize every opportunity to speak the language!
If you know people who speak French, practice with them!
READING
Newspapers, magazines and books
Magazines are generally easier to read than newspapers. Besides, you may choose magazines
with a focus on what you like (computers, sports, cinema…)
I rarely recommend books as the language is more sophisticated, more literate than the French
you need in everyday situations.
However, CLE International proposes “Lectures faciles”, i.e. stories with explanations and
vocabulary adapted to most levels.
Comics may be a nice option: they are shorter than a book and the language used is generally
similar to everyday French.
PROFESSIONNAL FRENCH
If you want to work on your “MSF French”, visit the websites of French-speaking sections.
The MSF France website is by far the best. You can find lots of videos and texts on every topic
(from malaria to stock management) which will help you to learn professional vocabulary and
even hear African or Haïtian accents.