I moved to France back in 2011 with very basic French (read: virtually none). I couldn't order, I couldn't say anything well.
My technique:
- I started with children's books with audio, but ensured I read for at least 1 hour every day
- I did Anki religiously every day
- I changed my smartphone, laptop, etc to French
- I only tried to make French friends
- I only listened to French music
- I only listened to French (tech) podcasts
- I bought a book on how to pronounce all the French sounds
I have to say that the first 3 months were very lonely. After that, I could talk, interview, and eventually joke in French.
I'm now fluent.
What could I have done better? I should have focused more on listening and speaking than reading. I love fantasy novels, and hence had a brilliant vocabulary on esoteric words (like different types of swords, etc) that were practically useless day to day.
My technique: - I started with children's books with audio, but ensured I read for at least 1 hour every day - I did Anki religiously every day - I changed my smartphone, laptop, etc to French - I only tried to make French friends - I only listened to French music - I only listened to French (tech) podcasts - I bought a book on how to pronounce all the French sounds
I have to say that the first 3 months were very lonely. After that, I could talk, interview, and eventually joke in French.
I'm now fluent.
What could I have done better? I should have focused more on listening and speaking than reading. I love fantasy novels, and hence had a brilliant vocabulary on esoteric words (like different types of swords, etc) that were practically useless day to day.