FROM THE INTRODUCTION

The differences between formal written French and conversational spoken French are quite significant, yet largely ignored by traditional French textbooks and classes. 

Typically, students are told that “Je ne sais pas” means “I don't know” in French, when in fact “Je ne sais pas” sounds just as formal as “I do not know” in English... and it’s therefore hardly used by native speakers in everyday conversations. When using common phrases, the French naturally opt for simplified sentence constructions and practical pronunciation rules. I believe intermediate and advanced students should learn real French if their goal is to be able to effectively communicate with it outside of the classroom.

Since authentic spoken French is rarely taught at school, interacting with native speakers who speak fast and traveling to French-speaking countries can feel overwhelming at first. Being able to identify and process the basic patterns of conversational French is the key to a smooth transition.

Luckily, this guide will help you become familiar with those patterns so you won’t need to figure it all out on your own!

This essential guide is about standard spoken French, i.e. what native speakers normally sound like in everyday interactions regardless of their age, education level, and social background. It isn’t so much about French slang--though some examples will include extremely common slang terms. 

You’ll most definitely feel better equipped for real-life conversations in French after exploring the material offered in this course :)

This guide includes:...

• A 38-page printable guide to spoken French (PDF)

• A 26-slide presentation with recorded comments, pronunciation tips and cultural tidbits 

• A 9-slide practice activity that clearly breaks down a short dialogue between two French people--Stéphanie and Christophe--as it gets converted from a formal written text to an informal spoken exchange. Some common slang terms are added as an option.

• 2 practice exercises that will allow you to test and strengthen your spoken French skills by exploring the transcripts of two real-life video interviews with famous French artists Audrey Tautou (actor), Cédric Klapisch (director) and Faïza Guène (author).