One of the reasons why I decided to study abroad in France was to improve my French language skills. I’ve only been studying French for about a year and a half, but I’m already in love with the language. While it’s one of the things I was most excited about coming to France, it was also the most nerve-wracking. For some background information, I’ve always been better at reading and writing in French. I was okay at speaking, but my oral comprehension has always been the most difficult for me. Coming to France, I was excited to practice my French with native speakers and improve my skills rapidly throughout the semester. However, it hasn’t been as easy as I anticipated. I knew it was going to be difficult and full of challenges, but it’s definitely been harder for me to grasp than I thought.
When I first arrived, I was a little overwhelmed. It took a few days for me to truly realize I was in another country that spoke a different language. I was so used to hearing English and understanding conversations around me in the US that when I arrived in France, it was like a shock to my brain. From the moment I got off the plane and walked through the airport, I was surrounded by French. From the signs, the advertisements, the PA system, all the way to customs, it became surreal: I was in France.
It definitely took a few weeks for me to get comfortable speaking French on a daily basis–in restaurants, cafes, stores, etc. Now I have no problem ordering in French at a restaurant or asking a question at a store. While most of the time I’m able to keep my interactions entirely in French, I still have many interactions in English; sometimes it’s easier for both of us if we just do it in English. However, I try to speak French as much as possible–even if they respond to me in English, I still try to respond in French.
I have had a few negative experiences where I tried to speak French or understand what they were saying and I just couldn’t. In these instances, they were often rude and would glare at me. It was a little shocking at first, but I just learned to take it with a grain of salt. I recognize that this is not my first language, and some things might get lost in translation or be misunderstood. But the important thing I try to remember is that I’m trying and that’s the best I can do. I have had some positive experiences, however, where a French person would correct my pronunciation or grammar if I made a mistake. At first, I was a little taken aback and frustrated that they would correct me, but then I saw it as a great way to learn from my mistakes and improve.
Living with a host family has been the most beneficial for improving my language skills. I truly feel my French has improved throughout the last 3 months, and most of it is due to the homestay. Living with a French family, my oral comprehension has drastically improved to where I can confidently understand the majority of our conversations at dinner. However, that being said, I still find it challenging to communicate and respond in French. While I can understand what they are saying, I tend to fall flat on my responses. Typically, I form a response in my head in English, but then find myself not knowing how to say it in French. Changing from thinking in English and then translating to French to directly thinking in French has been my number one goal these last few months. It’s truly the best way to grasp a language. After all, language is just the attachment of meaning.
However, I’m still far from where I want to be. Learning another language is by no means easy and is probably one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in my life. Nonetheless, it’s one of the most rewarding. Language is the gateway into an entire new world, one that you never would have experienced otherwise. For those of you who are currently studying another language or have in the past, you know how difficult it can be to express yourself, something I’ve encountered numerous times. It’s almost as if you have two different personalities based on the language you’re speaking. As I approach my last month of study abroad, I’m taking advantage of all the opportunities I have to continue to improve my French skills and can’t help but look back on how much I’ve grown (even if I don’t always notice it).
To conclude this blog post, here are some important phrases that I’ve learned since coming to France:
- “Bonjour” (the single most important word in the French vocabulary; you MUST ALWAYS say bonjour before starting a conversation; otherwise, it is seen as rude or impolite, and that’s when you can encounter the “rudeness” the French are stereotyped for)
- “C’est pas grave” (simply means “it’s not serious” or “it’s no big deal” as the English equivalent)
- “En fait” (means “in fact” and is used very often in conversations or as a filler word)
- “Profit bien” (translates to “profit well” but means “have a good time” or “enjoy” – my host mom says this phrase all the time)
- “Bah ouais” (I hear this all the time on the streets and with my host family; it generally translates to “well yeah”)
À bientôt!
Kadence Grimm
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