Hi, everyone, and welcome to The French Street, a place where you will find many resources if you’re interested in learning French and other things about France.
I’m not a native French speaker, but I fell in love with the language when I started studying it and have been trying to perfect it ever since. I love how it sounds, but it can be a complicated language. If you’re also struggling to learn it, you’re in good company. You’ll love it here.
My Story
My story with French goes back to 2017. I used to watch videos on YouTube, and I learned a bit. However, If I really wanted to step it up, I realized I needed a tutor. I did some research and found many options. I contacted a teacher, took a demo class, and I liked it. I took a lesson per week on Saturdays for some months until I had to look for another teacher due to our conflicting schedules.
Looking online, I found another teacher. He was younger, and his approach was somewhat different from my previous teacher’s. I took a weekly lesson, and I was learning a lot, but still, I needed more practice.
Since I didn’t know any French speakers where I live, I tried one of the many apps online to get to know some people. I came across Meetup, and I signed up for a group.
That group was multicultural, and there were members from other countries. Their focus was languages and games. I went, and I liked it. I eventually became a regular attendee.
I met a Congolese girl, and we became good friends. Her native language is French and mine is Spanish. She was interested in learning Spanish, so I offered to help her. She taught me French in exchange. Oh, my! Did I struggle with it in the beginning! Fortunately, she was too patient, and I thank her for that.
My friend told me about another group she attended on Wednesdays. She said they gathered at a restaurant and spoke only in French. She invited me, but I was hesitant at first. I didn’t feel ready yet to speak with native speakers.
I continued practicing, and I eventually decided to go. I wish I had done it earlier. All the people were really nice, and they helped me a lot. I even made a few good friends along the way.
Why I Want to Help You
Have you felt stuck while learning French? Are you struggling to understand French vocabulary, grammar, and the like? You’re not alone!
Would you like to learn or improve your French? You’ve come to the right place! If you’re also interested in the French world in general, you will find many resources here.
I will try to provide you with tips and strategies to help you on this journey. It’s not easy, but it can be done.
The French Street’s Goal
As I mentioned earlier, I’m not a native French speaker. I just happen to love the language and culture. However, I’ve learned a good deal along the way. I started from the ground up, and I’m sure you can, too!
If someone tells you French is easy, that’s not necessarily true. It may be easy for them, but remember we’re all different. Don’t feel bad if you’re struggling with it. We’re here to help!
Our main goal is to motivate others to continue on their French quest, and if we can have fun on the way, much better!
I hope you find the stuff here interesting. Although this won’t necessarily be a language course, we will cover some topics we all struggle with. Bienvenue!
Sincerely,
Enrique
thefrenchstreet.com
Hi Enrique. Your written English is so good I thought you were a native of England or America ! Thanks for an excellent and useful website which I am sure will be a great resource for all of us French language learners. Will you be including Spanish at some point ?
J’ai étudié le français depuis environ cinquante ans, mais je lutte toujours avec les difficultés de la langue parce que je n’étudie pas systématiquement !
Parfois je me sens déséspéré parce que j’ai oublié tellement de vocabulaire et de la grammaire et j’ai appris, assez tard, que la langue écrite et la langue parlée sont presque deux langues différentes ! Mais, je ne pourrai jamais renoncer à l’apprentissage du français. C’est une belle langue même si c’est difficile.
Merci encore une fois et bonne continuation.
Hi, Alan,
I appreciate your comment. I’ve studied English since I was like 12, and it’s far from perfect. I make mistakes now and then, but that’s the beauty of languages.
I must say your French is really good. You mentioned you didn’t study systematically. How did you learn French? I’m curious about it.
I’m glad you found this useful. In regard to your question, I might include Spanish at some point.
À bientôt!