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...

6 Weeks / 24 Course Hrs

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Learning method

Self-Guided

$165

No instructor. Study on your own schedule

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Instructor-Moderated

$150

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Starting April 16 | May 14

Details + Objectives

Course code: bcf

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!

What you will learn

Learn common phrases that will make your trips to the many French-speaking regions of the world more pleasant
Learn dialogue specific to various settings and situations
Practice the best pronunciations of French words and phrases
Pronunciation of French words and phrases
Proper conjugation of French verbs
Proper use of grammar and punctuation
Learn how to write the date and time in French
Learn how to discuss travel, transportation, and accommodations in French
Learn how to discuss the weather and seasons in French

How you will benefit

Travel with confidence as you learn how to effectively speak and comprehend French.
Learn how to communicate easily with those who speak French
Practice French pronunciation

How the course is taught

Instructor-Moderated or Self-Guided online course
6 Weeks or 3 Months access
24 course hours

Outline

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Instructors & Support

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.

Instructor Interaction: The instructor looks forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.

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.

FAQ

Instructor-Moderated: A new session of each course begins each month. Please refer to the session start dates for scheduling.

Self-Guided: Your course begins immediately after you enroll.

Instructor-Moderated: Once a course session starts, two lessons will be released each week for the 6 week duration of your course. You will have access to all previously released lessons until the course ends. You will interact with the instructor through the online discussion area. There are no live sessions or online meetings with the instructor.

Self-Guided: You have 3 months of access to the course. After enrolling, you can learn and complete the course at your own pace, within the allotted access period. You will have the opportunity to interact with other students in the online discussion area.

Instructor-Moderated: The interactive discussion area for each lesson automatically closes two weeks after each lesson is released, so you're encouraged to complete each lesson within two weeks of its release. However, you will have access to all lessons from the time they are released until the course ends.

Self-Guided: There is no time limit to complete each lesson, other than completing all lessons within the allotted access period. Discussion areas for each lesson are open for the entire duration of the course.

Instructor-Moderated: Students enrolled in a six-week online class benefit from a one-time, 10-day extension for each course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.

Self-Guided: Because this course is self-guided, no extensions will be granted after the start of your enrollment.

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.