Using the “French comprehensible input” method means consuming French content (articles, books, videos, shows, movies, podcasts…) instead of studying vocabulary and grammar. It allows to learn the “real French”, the one actually spoken nowadays, as opposed to unnatural, and sometimes outdated, French that you find in textbooks. The aim of this blog is to support you in learning French in a pleasant way with that method.
Learn more about the “French comprehensible input” technique
Hey, did you know all my posts are available in comprehensible French? I advice you to try to read this post in native French before the English version to practice reading in French! Please note the English version is not a literal translation.
How to use this blog in order to learn French with the “comprehensible input” method?
On this blog, I share advice to use the “comprehensible input” method, aka “language acquisition”, in an efficient way. I also explain how to find resources in comprehensible or native French.
But your new way of learning starts right now, on this blog! All my articles are available in an easy-to-read but natural French. To help readers, I use simple sentences, synonyms, and explain tricky expressions.
Your goal is to read those articles in French and try to understand new words or expressions by yourself. You shouldn’t use a dictionary or translation service at first.
Understanding on your own is the best way to remember newly discovered vocabulary and sentence constructions, and to develop a natural feel for French and speak naturally. (By the way, if you think the level of the articles is too difficult, please let me know in the comments so I can try to adapt!)
I also advise you to try writing a little text about anything you just read in French, to practice writing but also to help remembering new words and sentences.
This blog is aimed at people who can already read and write, at least in a basic French. My goal is not to publish lessons on the basics of the language.
“Comprehensible input”: learning French without dictionary or translation service
It might seem difficult at first. However, as soon as you know the very basics of French, Comprehensible input is the best way to keep on learning and it allows you to acquire a natural French from the start.
The two main advantages of the method are:
- You’ll develop a natural way of speaking and writing in French, while being able to consume native content faster. In order to speak naturally, you have to hear and read the language as it’s used in real life, and not as it’s portrayed in textbooks. Moreover, it’s not always possible to find one-on-one translations from your mother tongue to the language you’re learning, so studying vocabulary lists is less efficient than understanding the target language without having to translate it in your head.
- You’ll remember more easily. It’s called “language acquisition”. Instead of studying vocabulary lists and grammar rules by heart (as we usually do at school), your brain learns new words and expressions with a concrete context by consuming content you’re interested in. In addition, it’s more fun than studying!
To be able to read according to the Comprehensible input method, you have to find texts that are the right level for you. You have to understand enough to be able to guess the meaning of unknown words, and the general meaning of the sentences. But texts also have to contain elements that are new to you, otherwise you wouldn’t learn anything.
If you just learned about this technique, I invite you to try it right now! Find texts with the right level (on this blog for example, or check Mon journal en français for day-to-day stories) and start reading without dictionary or translation service.
Even if it proves difficult at first, keep going! It’ll become easier and easier, and more and more efficient with time.
When you’re done reading a text once, you can read it a second time with some help (dictionary or translation service) if necessary. It’s better to check for individual words translation, and only use full-text or sentence translation if you’re still confused, or if you want to double-check how much you understood.
Pick a first text on this blog, and start learning French with the comprehensible input right now. Have fun 🤓
