Earlier this year, I mentioned to a colleague that I wanted to take a French class focused on grammar. She immediately gave me a look as if I'd said the most absurd thing and replied, "Why? That's so boring!" I had to explain that, while it might sound strange, I’ve realized my favorite way to learn languages is through grammar—its structure and rules. Please tell me you're one of the weirdos too and join my team!
As a visual learner, relying only on conversation classes doesn’t work for me. I need to see the words written out for everything to make sense. Otherwise, I’m just Joey Tribbiani trying to speak French! I remember learning the word montgolfière from the 8-year-old I was taking care of. I couldn’t repeat it, so she had to break it down for me: "mon as in 'mine,' gol as in 'goal,' and fière as in 'proud'." Let me tell you, I was not that proud of my listening skills at that moment!
I’ve already shared my French learning journey in a previous blog post, and because I enjoy grammar so much, I initially started studying on my own. After mastering the present tense, I ambitiously moved on to the passé simple—which was a huge mistake for a beginner! While it’s great to be somewhat of an autodidact, I’ve learned that having a structured class with a teacher and an educational institution makes the experience so much better.
Given my love for grammar, I started attending “Ateliers de grammaire” with Tin, and it has been a game-changer. When I received the materials for the first class, I eagerly sat down with my notebook and color markers, ready to color-code the sentence structures. Verbs in green, pronouns in pink, complements in orange—oh, the beauty of it! By the next class, I was prepared to tackle the exercises alongside my classmates, all of whom are members of the French Library.
If you’ve been learning French with Duolingo or other apps and find that you're ready to dive deeper, I highly recommend taking a class with us. Not only will you improve your French, but you'll also learn proper phonetics and meet other like-minded learners. It’s an entirely different experience that will undoubtedly help you progress more quickly.
Another important tip: know your learning style! You can read more about learning styles in this Indeed article, "What Is My Learning Style," or take a test here to find out. I’m a mix of visual and read/write learner, which explains why I gravitate towards grammar study over listening exercises. Once I understood that, I sought out a class tailored to my needs. But don’t worry if grammar isn't your thing—there are plenty of other classes and activities at the French Library that suit different learning styles. If you’re a kinesthetic learner, for instance, our “Fun French Cooking” event is perfect for you. For auditory learners, we offer conversation classes and the "Listen Up" class to practice listening skills. If you prefer a mix, our Theater Club might be the right fit.
The best part of being an adult is having the freedom to choose what we want to learn based on our needs, desires, and personalities. I love learning and honing my skills in a way that’s enjoyable, and I’m loving my French classes. Yes, I’m biased but trust me—these classes will make you happy and excited too!
As a visual learner, relying only on conversation classes doesn’t work for me. I need to see the words written out for everything to make sense. Otherwise, I’m just Joey Tribbiani trying to speak French! I remember learning the word montgolfière from the 8-year-old I was taking care of. I couldn’t repeat it, so she had to break it down for me: "mon as in 'mine,' gol as in 'goal,' and fière as in 'proud'." Let me tell you, I was not that proud of my listening skills at that moment!
I’ve already shared my French learning journey in a previous blog post, and because I enjoy grammar so much, I initially started studying on my own. After mastering the present tense, I ambitiously moved on to the passé simple—which was a huge mistake for a beginner! While it’s great to be somewhat of an autodidact, I’ve learned that having a structured class with a teacher and an educational institution makes the experience so much better.
Given my love for grammar, I started attending “Ateliers de grammaire” with Tin, and it has been a game-changer. When I received the materials for the first class, I eagerly sat down with my notebook and color markers, ready to color-code the sentence structures. Verbs in green, pronouns in pink, complements in orange—oh, the beauty of it! By the next class, I was prepared to tackle the exercises alongside my classmates, all of whom are members of the French Library.
If you’ve been learning French with Duolingo or other apps and find that you're ready to dive deeper, I highly recommend taking a class with us. Not only will you improve your French, but you'll also learn proper phonetics and meet other like-minded learners. It’s an entirely different experience that will undoubtedly help you progress more quickly.
Another important tip: know your learning style! You can read more about learning styles in this Indeed article, "What Is My Learning Style," or take a test here to find out. I’m a mix of visual and read/write learner, which explains why I gravitate towards grammar study over listening exercises. Once I understood that, I sought out a class tailored to my needs. But don’t worry if grammar isn't your thing—there are plenty of other classes and activities at the French Library that suit different learning styles. If you’re a kinesthetic learner, for instance, our “Fun French Cooking” event is perfect for you. For auditory learners, we offer conversation classes and the "Listen Up" class to practice listening skills. If you prefer a mix, our Theater Club might be the right fit.
The best part of being an adult is having the freedom to choose what we want to learn based on our needs, desires, and personalities. I love learning and honing my skills in a way that’s enjoyable, and I’m loving my French classes. Yes, I’m biased but trust me—these classes will make you happy and excited too!
Bruna Franco
Marketing & Membership Manager
Bruna first joined the Center as a member, looking for an opportunity to practice French and to be around French culture. She is now thrilled to be the Membership Manager and to provide members with the amazing experience she was previously able to enjoy herself. She is a native Portuguese speaker who, by the age of eight, knew she wanted to be multilingual someday. Working at the French Library now seems like a dream come true.
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