Mistakes to avoid
Method mistakes
- waiting until you're "ready" to speak;
- learning word lists without context;
- using only one app;
- translating word for word from your language;
- studying hard one week, then nothing for a month;
- neglecting pronunciation at the start.
Common language mistakes
| Mistake | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Je suis 20 ans. | J'ai 20 ans. | age uses avoir |
| Je vais à la France. | Je vais en France. | en with feminine country names |
| J'ai allé. | Je suis allé(e). | aller takes être in the passé composé |
| Il faut que je vais. | Il faut que j'aille. | il faut que takes the subjunctive |
| Je n'ai pas des amis. | Je n'ai pas d'amis. | des becomes de after a negation |
| Si j'aurais… | Si j'avais… | no conditional after si |
🇫🇷 Research and writing: My French
This guide was researched and written by the team at my-french.com, a platform for learning French as a foreign language and the owner of learnfrench.wiki. Put theory into practice: lessons from A1 to C2, quizzes, games, a verb conjugator and a community of learners at my-french.com.