Beginning Conversational French

Proper pronunciation is essential for excellent communication. So, whether you intend to travel abroad or simply want to learn a fun new skill, the Beginning Conversational French course will help you master the basics of French pronunciation.

The first lesson introduces the basics needed for conversations and pronunciation. You will then learn conversation lessons to navigate transportation and talk to hotel and restaurant staff. From numbers to currency and communication and more, upon course completion, you will be ready to apply your new skills in the real world.

The entire course includes cultural tips for traveling in France and introduces unique aspects of other French-speaking countries. The lessons also provide audio examples of pronunciation and vocabulary words that are written out phonetically.

Details
Syllabus
Requirements
Instructor
Reviews

Enrollment Options

$129.00

Select Instruction Type:

Self-Guided

3 Months Access

No Instructor. Course begins when you enroll.

Instructor-Moderated

6 Weeks Access

Study online with Instructor moderated discussion boards.

Select Course Start Date:

December 18, 2024

January 15, 2025

February 12, 2025

March 12, 2025

Enroll Now

$129.00

Self-Guided

Enroll Now

Details

Think you need multiple classes to understand beginner French? Discover how easy learning simple words and phrases for leisure and business can be. The Beginning Conversational French course makes pronunciation simple, with phonetic spellings for every word and phrase you need to learn French. This online course even includes audio so that you can hear and practice the language with little more than a click of your mouse! You will also learn cultural tips in each lesson that will make you more comfortable in a foreign setting. The skills you obtain will not only allow you to carry on a French conversation with ease but become prepared to speak French in a wide variety of settings and situations.

Upon successful course completion, you will know useful basic French that you can confidently use when traveling. You will also understand important tips to help you blend in with and relate to foreign cultures. You will be amazed at how easy it is to speak a new language!

Syllabus

Lesson 1 - French Pronunciation

In this lesson, you will learn the basics of pronunciation. Good pronunciation will help you communicate with native speakers. First, you will learn how to pronounce vowels. French uses the same alphabet as English, and the vowels are the same. Then we will move on to the consonants. After that, you will learn about stressing syllables and linking words together.

Lesson 2 - Conversation Basics

In this lesson, you will finally get to use all that pronunciation in some real sentences. You will start with some basic information and a few rules. Then, you will move on to frequently used words and some easy sentences. Finally, the lesson will talk about essential phrases and introduce numbers.

Lesson 3 - Culture, Conversation and Conjugation

This lesson explores French culture from museums to cathedrals while helping you build your sentence structure skills. The lesson provides the foundation for your conjugation knowledge combined with sightseeing highlights!

Lesson 4 - Numbers

In this lesson, you will learn numbers. You will start off by reviewing what you have already learned. Then, you will move on to the teens and twenties. You will keep going all the way to a billion! You will also learn the days and months. Calendars are a little different in France, and you will learn how to read them. You will learn words for today and tomorrow. Next, you will learn how to tell the time in French. Time is important to travelers. You do not want to be late for the opera!

Lesson 5 - Travel Welcome to France!

You are finally getting to the exciting part! In this lesson, you will learn all about transportation. You will start out at the airport and then learn words about taxis, buses, trains, and the subway. Given that weather is essential to travel, this lesson provides weather-related vocabulary and useful phrases, and a review of the metric system.

Lesson 6 - Accommodations

In this lesson, we are going to talk about lodging. You will learn vocabulary and dialogues for all sorts of lodging options, including hotels, youth hostels and even castles! You will also learn about requesting special items and information.

Lesson 7 - Bon Appetit

We are going to talk about food. First, you will learn about several types of French restaurants. Then you will learn general vocabulary about food and eating out. You will also learn words for various beverages and how to discuss dietary preferences.

Lesson 8 - Currency and Communication

In this lesson, you will learn about currency and several types of communication. First, you will learn about money in France. Then, you will move on to telephones, the mail, and technology.

Lesson 9 - Shopping

In this lesson, you are going to learn how to talk about shopping in French. First, you will learn words that are used in all stores. Then we will talk about souvenirs. You cannot go on a trip without buying souvenirs! Next, you will learn words for clothes and sizes. You will also learn names for colors and lots of various kinds of stores.

Lesson 10 - Entertainment

In this lesson, you are going to learn French for lots of different forms of entertainment. You will start with the movies and theatre, then move on to music and sports. After that, the lesson will talk about sports, from football to horseback riding. Finally, you will learn about beaches, gardens, and parks.

Lesson 11 - In Case of Emergency

In this lesson, you are going to learn about emergencies. Hopefully, you will never need to use this lesson. Life is unpredictable, though. It is helpful to familiarize yourself with these words. Lastly, you will learn exclamations!

Lesson 12 - Putting It All Together

In your final lesson, we will start our review. We will go over a few key points, such as pronunciation and linking words. You will even get a little more practice on those cumbersome nasal vowels. Then, you will learn how to make your own sentences. Next, you will learn how to ask questions, and we will cover a little sentence structure. Finally, you will learn some useful expressions.

Requirements

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.
You must have working speakers or headphones.

Software Requirements:

PC: Windows 10 or later.
Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Instructor

Sara Hardin

Sara Hardin is an educator with a focus on special education and language studies. She has taught special education at the elementary level for over a decade. Sara holds a BA in French, and lived in France to study at the university level. In 2000, she earned her master's degree in special education.

Reviews

Amy is an amazing and understanding instructor. It was great to feel that no question was a stupid one in this class. I would recommend it to anyone who has ever considered learning the language!

I enjoyed taking this French conversational course and I would highly recommend it to anyone. It covered all the important basics and more! Ce cours de francais est excellent!

I feel empowered to speak my level of French on my trip to France this year, despite 35 years passing since my high school French classes, and all because of these wonderful lessons, discussions, and links! Thank you.

I had mixed feelings about the course at the beginning because I felt it was a lot of material at one time, but then I came to appreciate all of the information that was given to me. I never thought I would learn so much French in so little time. Amy has a great sense of humor. I like her teaching style. She responded to the discussion area with "lightning speed". I knew I would not have to wait long for a response. I really felt like she was giving me a one-on-one. She did a terrific job. Chouette!

I have learned an incredible amount of French from this beginning class. I think that is mostly due to the class format and teaching style of the instructor. Merci beaucoup!

I truly enjoyed Amy's friendly conversational teaching style. This was my first on-line classroom experience, and I found it a delight. The audio for French pronunciation is extremely useful and worked well for me. I can see that a lot of thought and preparation went into providing this excellent on-line course.

I was surprised and appreciative at how in-depth the lessons were. Much more information than I expected. This is my first time taking an online class.

The course covered all pertinent topics. I liked the structure of the course. The instructor clearly is an expert in teaching as well as in the French language and it's instruction.

This is my first online course and I am very impressed. I know a lot of effort was put into this course in a very systematic way and I appreciated it. Thank you.