If you're planning a trip to Paris, you should think about learning conversational French before you go. Being able to speak the language makes your trip more fun and interesting. Learning a new language may not be as difficult as you think, especially if you plan ahead. No matter what your age, it's possible to learn French well enough to communicate when you're on vacation. Here are some tips that might help.

Study With A French Teacher

When you're learning conversational French, it's important that you speak it well enough to be understood by native speakers. The best way to do that is to study with a French teacher. Learning from books helps too, but being able to read French and speak it are two different things. You need to learn skills like pacing when speaking and inflections. Proper pronunciation is important too along with accent control. You can take conversational French lessons in a group setting or you can take individual lessons. Individual instruction might prepare you for your trip quicker if timing is important.

Use Language Learning Software

There are several language learning courses available and your French teacher might be able to recommend a good one. While listening to spoken French may not be the best way to learn to speak it, it will help you learn to understand it when you hear it spoken in a native accent. If you combine software learning with instruction from a live teacher, you'll have the optimal method for learning to speak French in the shortest amount of time.

Take A Translation App With You

Download a translation app on your smartphone before you go on vacation. This is a huge help when you struggle to communicate. An app is quicker to use than a translation dictionary and it is easier to carry around too. With an app on hand, you'll be able to find words you don't use very often and you'll be able to communicate effectively in an emergency. Using an app may not be the quickest way to communicate, but it ensures you'll be able to communicate in France with people who don't know how to speak English.

The good thing about learning conversational French is that you can learn it quickly. You don't waste time learning things that aren't necessary for common conversations as a tourist in France. Being able to read French and understand it when it is spoken is not enough when you want to immerse yourself in Paris.