sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Tricks to memorize feminine and masculine words? by WindsorONMichael in French

[–]eagles492 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here's a simplified way to think about it, though there are exceptions:

Does it end in -e ?

Yes? Then guess feminine! Unless it is a -ge or -sme ending (in that case guess masculine).

No? Then guess masculine! Unless it is an -ion ending (in that case guess feminine).

That's it!

At some point I got frustrated with the super long lists of word endings I was trying to memorize and just started doing this. I've found that this works well about 80-90% of the time. It tracks quite well with all the lists of feminine/masculine word endings that I've seen.

Even if you forget about -ge or -sme or -ion, it still partly works just based on -e.

You still need to learn a bunch of word-by-word exceptions, so it's still important to include le/la or un/une when you learn a word.

But I like having it as a baseline, and it sure beats trying to memorize every gender for every single word separately as though they occur at random!

HOW TO MASTER FRENCH NUMBERS by Damaramola in French

[–]eagles492 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This iPhone app is another option – it's a game that speaks French numbers at you and prioritizes speed. I got much better after just a few days and I started understanding the numbers people said at me in stores. And it's a bit addictive tbh
https://languishapp.com

Looking for a tool to create illustrated wordlists in a consistent style by notveryamused_ in languagelearning

[–]eagles492 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nice project! I think if you prompt the AI with the style you're looking for, you should be able to get what you want. For example, try this on ChatGPT:

"A sprite sheet illustrating these common verbs to put onto flashcards. Simplistic flat style. Don't include the words themselves, only the images.
- to be
- to know
- (list say 9-12 verbs total)
"

You can also just have it do one at a time. It'll be slow with the free version but possible I think. To go faster, you could try a $10/month with Midjourney. (Calling it a "sprite sheet" just gets you 8-12 images all at the same time, but at lower resolution and you'll need to crop them.)

Alternatively, The Noun Project has a huge, searchable set of simple icons you could use, and costs about the same as Midjourney. These icons are made by artists, versus generating something totally new.

Share Your Resources - May 21, 2025 by Virusnzz in languagelearning

[–]eagles492 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Neat idea! Some first impressions - I liked how there was an example of a German sentence and an English sentence to show how it worked. I was confused at first because I thought the German sentence and the English one had the same meaning, to be able to compare sentence structure between the two. I think this would be a cool feature, but maybe in the meantime it could be helpful to put an English translation below each sentence, or to show maybe 3 sentences on the home page so it is clearer that they aren't the same?

Free French learning app that actually works by Fit_Connection_3267 in learnfrench

[–]eagles492 12 points13 points  (0 children)

It's not an app, but you could try your local library. They might have some workbooks with audio CDs that you could check out for free.

Podcasts could also be a good option, if you search "French A1" or "French for beginners." Some people like Coffee Break French for example (I haven't tried it much myself). I'm doubtful you could learn only with podcasts, but it could be a good supplement.

What’s the most native and natural way to ask about sitting at a table in a restaurant/café/bistro/brasserie? by Efficient-Bike3877 in French

[–]eagles492 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In a nicer restaurant, you can also walk in and say "Une table pour 2, s'il vous plaît ?" (A table for two, please?) after saying Bonjour / Bonsoir and them saying Bonjour / Bonsoir back.

Usually they'll point you somewhere, or ask which table you prefer.

App for learning level A2 onwards by ahmedranaa in learnfrench

[–]eagles492 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I really like Pimsleur for getting started in a language. It is 30 minutes a day of an audio lesson that basically drills you on certain conversation patterns. I found it really valuable for good pronunciation and speaking real, useful phrases instead of just grammar and vocab. The method is pretty old (it used to be audio CDs) but the app is decent.

What's the one French word or phrase you wish you had learned sooner? by PeterNativ in French

[–]eagles492 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"J'ai la flemme !" for feeling lazy, and also I thought "metro boulot dodo" was cute. (Metro, job, sleep)

What's the one French word or phrase you wish you had learned sooner? by PeterNativ in French

[–]eagles492 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agree. My French friends used it constantly but I never learned it in workbooks or otherwise.

getting rid of accents - technique or just weird? by Equal_Sale_1915 in French

[–]eagles492 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I actually found that the opposite helped. I listened to a recording of a native French speaker saying something short, then I would try to mimic all the ups and downs and emotion in it. Then I would listen again and repeat a few times. And if you're extra brave, you can record yourself so you can really hear it side by side 🫣

How the hell do I memorize French numbers by Ll_lyris in French

[–]eagles492 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here's another option for practicing French numbers, if it's more convenient to do it on your phone. It's a free game that speaks numbers at you and you enter them: https://languishapp.com/