Whether you commute long distances, have long drives home after a day at work or school, or spend lots of time in the car with other people while traveling—there are so many opportunities to use your car as an effective platform for learning French (and any other language).
Do you love road trips? Well, here’s how to learn French in your car. Read this blog post and maximize the use of your road trips.
How to learn French in your car
When you think of learning a new language, the first place that springs to mind is a classroom; however, there are many more places where you can learn a foreign language and become fluent.
You need to think outside the box and find ways to make learning accessible anywhere. The car is arguably one of the most useful locations for learning languages, thanks to its frequent appearance in our lives.
Why learning in the car is a great idea
One of the best reasons to learn in the car is that it’s super accessible and convenient. You can fit it into your schedule whenever it’s most convenient and in whatever location works best for you.
And because you’ll be sitting down while you do it, you can learn it without any extra effort, making your car an ideal place to slip into French mode whenever you need to take a break from the rest of your life.
Another great reason to learn in the car is that it’s a perfect place to practice active learning, which makes the process much more effective.
Since you’re not in a classroom with a teacher, you’ll have to actively seek the materials you need to become fluent.
You’ll have to create your French immersion environment, which can often be more effective than simply listening to audio or watching someone else speak French.
Step 1: Find your favorite learning tools
If you’re serious about learning French in your car, you’ll want to use some tools. Various apps, videos, and even traditional books can be great ways to help you get started.
Some of the most popular apps for language learning include Duolingo, which offers fun, gamified courses in various languages, and Babbel, which offers more standard, textbook-like courses.
If you want to listen to audio, you can find hundreds of podcasts, audiobooks, and even radio stations in French. You can also find many videos on YouTube with subtitles in French to help you practice reading.
You can use whichever format works best for you, but finding the right materials is important. You don’t want to choose the first video or podcast that you find.
You want to find one that’s interesting enough to keep you engaged and excited to keep learning. It doesn’t have to be your favorite thing, but it should be engaging enough that you don’t get bored and tune out every five minutes.
Step 2: Find French content that you enjoy
Finding French content you enjoy will make learning more enjoyable and, ultimately, more effective. If you love comedy, try searching for stand-up routines in French.
If you want to watch something more dramatic, find French movies you think you’ll enjoy. If you want to hear what real people are saying, not just actors, try finding interviews with French-speaking people.
You don’t have to stick to short YouTube videos, either. If you’re looking for something more in-depth, find a book in French that you’d like to read. It can be anything—ensure it’s at an appropriate reading level for your fluency.
Step 3: Show up consistently and be proud of the time you spent there
The key to making the most of your time learning in the car is consistently showing up. If you try to do 10 hours in one weekend and then never pull out the textbooks again, you’ll likely get bored and give up before you even get halfway to fluency.
Try to make it a regular habit. Start with 15-20 minutes per day and build from there. It’s important to set realistic goals that you can maintain consistently.
If you try to set too lofty goals, you’ll be much more likely to lose interest before you even reach that point. Make sure you’re proud of the time you spent there.
It’s easy to feel silly when you’re in the car by yourself, especially if you’re doing something like reading. Don’t let self-consciousness stop you from achieving your goals!
It’s important to stay consistent and proud of the work you’re doing.
Final words
The car is a fantastic place to learn a new language. It can be a little challenging at first, but once you’re regularly using it for language learning, it can become easier and even fun.
All you need to do is find some interesting materials, ensure they’re at the right level for you, and then show up consistently. There are many benefits to learning in your car, whether for a business trip or an upcoming vacation.
It can be a great way to make the most of your downtime and make it accessible to anyone.