How to boost speaking French

Words don’t come easy, to me…

“Words” sung by F.R.Davi, who, in 198,2 sings how it’s not always easy to find the right word in our native language, let alone in French. 

Don’t we just know that!!

Many of my students have asked how they can boost their recall of French words in spontaneous conversations. They want to speak with more confidence and feel like their learning has not been for nothing. 

So let’s look at how tapping into your feelings will make a massive difference to how you memorise in a way that the words just pop out exactly when you want them in the right situation. 

You will learn:

• How you can boost your word recall more easily when speaking

• How tapping into your feelings will make a big difference

• How you can apply this in your own life

What's a real conversation?

This mini-lesson is about how feelings rather than facts or more French words are often overlooked as one of the most essential things needed for a conversation.

Surely you have been there, you have learnt all your words and you have an opportunity to speak French and something is still not quite right.

Oui! You ask questions like “Do you like chocolate? Do you like going out?”.

However, rather than feeling natural, it feels a bit like well an interrogation and you love thinking is that it? Is that what speaking French is all about?

If that is the case it is likely that it wasn't a real conversation. Indeed, one way you actually connected with the person that you were talking with… 

Shift your questions to focusing on feelings

Often when speaking French, you get so caught up in trying to recall words that you forget that you can be talking with another human. That is why shifting focus from facts or more French words to engaging people's feelings can be really useful in forming real interpersonal connections. The fastest way to do this is to shift our questions to focusing on feelings so that we can be more present in the conversation and go beyond just learning facts about someone like what their favorite colour is.

How to extend into feelings

I want you to be able to have a real connection at a deeper level so you really connect with someone. We are looking for a more detailed response than just yes or no, even more detail than a short response like my favorite color is blue. Indeed, we want to extend the conversation into feelings.

For example, try:

“ Where do you live? France! Wow! That's amazing!” 

This is where the feeling part comes in:

“What do you love most about France?”

By asking this follow-up question, you have shown that you appreciate their first answer and asking for more information. It shows that you are present and you are connecting deeper.

Then by asking about their feelings - what do they love most about France - you have elicited a more personal response that speaks to them as humans.

Let's face it!

Would you enjoy just answering a list of pre-learned questions and answers or do you want to learn about the person you're talking to?

As well as open up opportunities to share your experiences and feelings as well. When we come out of a conversation when we feel really satisfied it was a good one, it's because we have connected.

It's not only about feeling understood that you also understand going beyond facts and pre-learnt questions into asking feelings makes a substantial positive difference to the conversation.

Connecting on a human level is a huge part of what speaking real French is all about. 

Now, you know what you need to create real conversations with people. Connect with them!