Method
How to really learn a language — the foundation, for every level. This page will grow over time.
1Active listening
The absolute foundation: 4 short videos to learn how to listen actively, word by word. Watch them in order.
Active listening
Watch a video with two subtitles (the language you’re learning + one you already know), pause after each sentence, guess 1-2 words and write them in a notebook (word = meaning). Adjust the number of words to your level.
Focus on meaningful words
Prioritize “content words” (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs) over “function words” (prepositions, conjunctions…). Guess their meaning using the subtitle in your own language.
Dictionaries for tricky words
For small words you can’t guess, use a dictionary: 法语助手 (Chinese-French) or WordReference (French-English). Write the translation clearly, and circle words you keep seeing.
Pronunciation
For words that resemble ones you already know (e.g. “nommer”/“name”) but sound different, don’t rewrite the whole word: just underline the part that changes, with IPA in brackets if you know it.