So you've chosen to learn French as a second language - good for you! French is a super-fun language to learn, and one of the most popular as well. By learning French, you'll be able to impress potential dates, employers at an interview, and of course, your friends and family. The best place to start learning French is with a beginner French program. Usually the best program is an audio CD set; it doesn't necessarily have to be expensive, like Rosetta Stone, nor does it have to be a multimedia CD set that works only on a computer.

I'm partial to listening to French CD's while I'm ironing, in the car, cooking, or even at work. Listening to audio CD's in French help you learn word syntax and maintain a flawless French accent, both of which are crucial to speaking French fluently and in such a way that other French or French-native-speaking people can converse intelligently with you.

I'd like to help you get started learning beginner French. Here's some of my favorite French phrases that are the most common and necessary terms to know. Who knows, you might even recognize some of them as having a use in the English language as well!

Simple answers:

Yes = Oui

No = Non

Okay (I agree with you) = D'accord

Why = Pourquoi

How = Comment

When greeting someone:

Hello = Salut, or Allo

Good day = Bonjour

Good evening = Bonsoir

Good night = Bonne nuit

When meeting someone for the first time:

My name is ___ : Je m'appelle ___

What is your name? = Comment vous appellez-vous?

Pleased to meet you = Enchante

When asking someone's forgiveness or pardon:

Pardon me = Pardon moi

Excuse me = Excusez-moi

I'm so sorry = Je suis desolee

Sorry = Desolee/Pardon

When ordering a meal or asking for something:

Please = S'il vous plait

Thank you = Merci

You're welcome = De rien

When all else fails...

I don't know = Je ne sais pas

So there you have it. These are some of the most commonly used words in the French language that you will need to master if you are going to survive while traveling in France, ordering at a French restaurant, or speaking with a French person. These not only make you sound intelligent, they are also fun to say. You might draw a little bit of humorous critique from nearby listeners as you learn to say each word, but don't worry, you'll catch on, just like I did.

But that brings me to the next most important step in learning beginner French. You need a guide that will help you learn French the right way and dispell any habits you might already have and prevent any new ones from creeping up. I'm not talking about a real live French teacher; I'm talking about an audio program that will help you learn the accent, the word combinations, and proper sentence structure so you can speak like a real French native.