How to Think in French and Stop Translating

If you really want to get fluent, you’ll need to learn how to think in French. No more translating back and forth between your native language. 

Thinking in French is actually easier than you may think. Today, we’ll go over some useful hacks to put your brain in French mode and block out your native language.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

1. Stop Translating

First things first, stop using your native tongue as a crutch. If you’re always mentally translating between French and English or another language, you’ll never reach the level of fluency that you’re truly capable of. 

If you really want to start thinking in French, you’ve got to learn it like a baby. Babies don’t learn to speak by translating individual phrases back and forth between the new language and a language they already know.

This takes practice, and it’s not like turning on a light switch. Be patient with yourself when you fall back on translation, but stay committed to gradually weaning yourself off from this crutch.

2. Visualize French Words

Associate French words directly with visual stimuli, rather than merely with the English terms. For example, if you’re learning the word eau, don’t think of the English word “water,” but rather picture water flowing out of a faucet.

Similarly, if you want to remember the word fenêtre (window), visualize a window with sunlight spilling through it. This is the idea behind labeling items around your house with their French names. 

You can use Vocabulary Stickers to do this easily. They come with more than 100 durable, removable labels for household objects. As you see them daily, you’ll soon start to associate objects with their French names automatically. 

3. Read for Context

When you’re reading a book or other written material in French and you come across an unfamiliar word, don’t stop to look it up. Just keep reading and try to figure out what it means based on the context. 

When you read for context, your brain puts together the pieces of the puzzle and often figures out what those unfamiliar words mean on its own. If you really need to look a word up, read its definition in French rather than in English. 

This gives you good practice for when you’re talking to a French speaker and can’t look up every word they say in the moment. Plus, reading for context will make new words much more memorable since your brain will recall the moment you worked out their meanings. 

4. Immerse Yourself in French Content

If you usually listen to a podcast while you get ready for work, switch to a French podcast. For some educational material, try watching a TED talk in French. If you like to keep up with current events, watch the news in French.

And if you tend to watch TikToks or reels on your lunch break, spend that time watching video clips from French media with a program like FluentU.

5. Diversify Your Learning Material

Thinking in French means being able to express a wide range of ideas. You won’t have a broad enough understanding of the language if you’re only using one type of learning tool.

Pair your French textbook with some books of various genres. Watch movies in French from all eras, including the classics and modern hits. Stay informed on current events by reading several different French magazines and newspapers.

Diversify your exposure to the French language so that your brain takes in the greatest variety and volume of French language usage possible. 

6. Learn Your Most-used Expressions in French

To learn the most useful words and phrases in French, think about those you often use in English. If you notice certain expressions that show up frequently in the content you read, watch or listen to, learn those in French, too. 

Try to repeat these words and phrases as often as possible, both out loud and in your head, in the same contexts where you use them in English. This will help you train your brain to automatically think in French throughout your day.

Plus, you’ll be practicing expressing yourself the same way you do in English, which will come in handy when you start making friends with French speakers. That may mean picking up some French slang for casual conversations.

7. Narrate Your Daily Routine

As you go about your day, try narrating what you’re doing in French, as if you were a character in a book. Put that daily routine vocabulary to the test and try narrating your routine first using je (I).

Then try it out using other pronouns such as elle/il (she/he), tu (you), etc. for practice. Soon enough, this vocabulary will become ingrained in your brain because of the associations with the actions you’re doing.

Narrating your routine using the different pronouns is another way to practice conjugations and get accustomed to expressing any idea in French. And it’s much more interesting and relevant than doing verb conjugation drills! 

8. Find a Language Exchange Partner

There’s nothing like having a French conversation with a real, live person to force your brain to start thinking in French straight away. You’ll probably feel some uncomfortable pressure, but you can use this to your advantage. 

The need to keep the conversation going prevents you from constantly translating back and forth between French and English. Yes, you might have to suffer through some awkward, stilted conversations at first.

With practice, you’ll eventually be able to enjoy seamless, flowing communication in French. Plus, you and your language partner can exchange your own learning tips, hold each other accountable and provide moral support. 

9. Practice Conversations in Advance 

If you live in an area with French speakers, prepare yourself for conversations with them by going through the dialogue in your head first. For example, you can practice how you’re going to place your order at a French café.

If there aren’t any French speakers you can interact with, use your imagination to have a conversation with an invisible, French-speaking friend or repeat real conversations you’ve had throughout the day but in French. 

Try to do this without reverting to your native language. If you don’t know how to say something that you want to say in French, try to find a synonym in order to express yourself.

10. Cook a French Recipe

One of the best ways to test your French comprehension is by making a recipe in French and seeing how well it turns out. While cooking, we tend to repeat measurements and instructions in our minds or out loud. 

This is a great opportunity to practice thinking in French and maybe even try out a new dish. This French recipe site has a number of easy-to-make dishes, with pictures to show what the final product should look like. 

Cooking in French is also a great way to learn vocabulary related to cooking and ordering food. You’ll get practice with essential verbs, and the step-by-step process will help prevent you from slipping into your native language.

11. Sing Songs in French

Singing along to some of your favorite French tunes provides another great opportunity to practice thinking in French. As you listen and sing, try to pick out key nouns or verbs that you recognize.

Build a picture in your mind’s eye or imagine the music video in your head to go along with the lyrics. Then try watching the actual music video. This will give you a visual component that will further improve your understanding and recall. 

Singing songs is a fun and effective way to learn a new language. While having any song stuck in your head can be annoying, it will at least be productive if it’s a French song!

12. Commit to the Process

Again, thinking in French isn’t going to happen instantaneously. It takes time and commitment. Commit to a certain amount of time each day or week to immerse yourself in the language.

Remember to be patient with yourself and accept that you’re going to make mistakes, which is part of the learning process. Don’t beat yourself up if an English thought pops into your head. It happens.

Thinking in French takes lots of practice before it becomes automatic. Just take advantage of those occasional English thoughts by translating them back into French the second they pop into your head.

 

Thinking in a new language can seem daunting at first, but eventually, you’ll notice yourself having thoughts in French without even trying. 

These tips and mental tricks will help you put your brain in French mode so that thinking in French becomes a habit. Master them and you’ll set yourself up for language success.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)