French Accentby Maxime
Learning French through movies and TV shows offers a fun immersion into the language. This method has many advantages: it motivates you, makes studying more enjoyable, exposes you to authentic French, and allows you to hear various expressions in context.
However, it's important to be aware of its limitations. Simply watching movies and shows passively is not enough to make significant progress, as watching a screen does not involve speaking practice or interaction.
Moreover, without a structured approach, you risk remaining a spectator without actively absorbing the language. Therefore, it's essential to adopt a thoughtful strategy to benefit from this immersion while compensating for its weaknesses.
Here, I will explain how to make the most of movies and TV shows to improve your French comprehension and expression, while avoiding common pitfalls, so you can progress effectively.
Watching French-language productions in their original version is an excellent complement to your learning. Here is a non-exhaustive list of the advantages of these little pleasures, which might wrongly be considered guilty indulgences:
Natural French for your ears – You get used to authentic French spoken by native speakers. Although the pace is often faster (for rhythm reasons) than in real life, the intonations closely reflect what you would hear in everyday conversations. This makes it an effective way to immerse yourself in the language as it is actually used (idiomatic expressions, slang, different language registers). With repeated exposure, your ear will become more attuned, and your listening comprehension will improve.
Vocabulary enrichment – Movie dialogues are full of common words and expressions. You will have the opportunity to memorize vocabulary in context, making it easier to retain new terms. Each scene can teach you new sentence structures that are useful in daily life.
Improved pronunciation – By listening to actors, you will hear the correct pronunciation of words. Imitating their way of speaking will help you place intonation and stress like a native speaker. There's no doubt that this is an enjoyable way to practice pronunciation without feeling like you're studying.
Cultural discovery – Cinema and TV shows reflect culture. In addition to language, you will discover elements of French culture: lifestyles, humor, historical or social references. This makes learning more concrete and stimulating, as you associate the language with images and stories.
In short, movies and TV shows offer complete linguistic and cultural immersion. They strengthen your listening comprehension, enrich your vocabulary, and help you speak more naturally – provided you use them wisely.
While watching movies and TV shows helps with progress, certain mistakes can limit your improvement. Here’s how to avoid them:
Being passive in front of the screen – Simply watching without any active effort is tempting, but it’s not very effective. A passive attitude reduces attention and memory retention. So, turn your viewing into an active listening exercise (see tips below) to avoid staying in "spectator mode."
Choosing content that is too complex – Watching a very difficult French film full of slang or with a complicated plot can be discouraging. If the level is too high, you won’t understand enough and might lose confidence. Not all movies are suited to your level. So, choose films or episodes with progressive difficulty that match your current level. There’s no need to understand everything 100% from the start – the important thing is to follow the general story without feeling overwhelmed.
Relying too much on subtitles in your language – This is a common mistake: turning on subtitles in your native language and reading instead of listening. Over time, depending too much on subtitles in French or in your language hinders your ability to understand spoken French without written support. Your brain may focus too much on the text and train your ear less. However, you can still use French subtitles, but only when necessary, to stimulate your listening comprehension.
By avoiding passivity, choosing your programs wisely, and managing subtitles intelligently, you will get much more out of your French movie sessions.
How can you turn your movie or TV show nights into real French practice? Adopt an active and progressive approach. Here are some concrete methods and tips:
Select content suited to your level
Choosing the right movie or series is essential for effective progress. At first, avoid complex plots and dialogues full of slang, as they can make comprehension more difficult. Pick content with accessible vocabulary, on topics that interest you and that you already know a little about. This will make it easier to understand and help you focus on the language rather than the plot.
It's also best to start with a relatively short movie with a small cast, so you don’t get lost in the dialogues. Over time, you can gradually choose more challenging works as your comprehension improves.
Use subtitles progressively
Subtitles can be a valuable tool if used correctly. To start, it’s recommended to watch a movie whose story and context you are already familiar with. This allows you to focus more on the language without having to follow a new plot.
Whenever possible, try starting with French subtitles (VF subtitles). This helps you connect spoken and written French without relying on your native language. If a passage is really too difficult, you can exceptionally activate subtitles in your language, but switch back to French as soon as possible.
Always prioritize French subtitles, as they generally match exactly what is said in a French-language film. However, be cautious: if the movie is dubbed from another language, the subtitles may differ from the audio. This is because dubbing adapts to lip movements and cultural nuances, whereas subtitles are often a more faithful translation of the original text.
The ultimate goal is to be able to watch movies without subtitles, but don’t hesitate to use them occasionally if needed.
Take vocabulary notes, but accept that you won’t understand everything
Watching a foreign-language film also means accepting that you won’t understand everything immediately. It’s normal to come across unknown words and not try to translate everything right away. The key is to stay exposed to the language and let the context help you infer meanings.
Keep a notebook and a pen handy to jot down frequently occurring words or expressions whose meanings you can guess from the context. There’s no need to pause constantly to look up translations! The more you encounter a word in different contexts, the clearer its meaning will become.
When looking up a definition, always prefer an explanation in French rather than a direct translation into your native language. This will help you think directly in French and integrate vocabulary more effectively. Regularly noting down useful words and sentence structures is a great way to memorize and reuse them later.
Repeat dialogues out loud
Imitate the actors! When you hear an interesting line, pause the video and try repeating it out loud, mimicking the pronunciation and intonation.
This exercise, known as shadowing, is excellent for improving your speaking skills: it helps make your speech more fluid and enhances pronunciation. Repeat a sentence several times until it feels natural.
To take it further, you can even record yourself and compare your pronunciation with the original. It may feel challenging at first, but it’s one of the most effective ways to learn to speak French more naturally.
Combine movies and series with other learning methods
Don’t rely solely on cinema! Watching movies and series is a great fun complement, but it’s not enough to make real progress.
To improve your French faster, it's essential to include interactive approaches, such as conversation classes (you can find mine in the course section or by clicking here: the first 30 minutes are free, so why hesitate?), language exchanges, or speaking practice apps.
Movies provide you with vocabulary and help you understand spoken French better, but they don’t replace active practice with a partner or teacher. By combining different methods and practicing regularly, you will progress in a more balanced way. Plus, varying your learning strategies will help keep you motivated and avoid burnout.
By applying these tips – wisely choosing content, actively watching with appropriate subtitles, taking notes, repeating, and diversifying your practice – you will turn your leisure time into truly effective learning moments.
Don’t let subtitles become an obstacle: use them as a stepping stone, not as a permanent crutch.
To help you choose, here is a selection of movies and series. These works, highly recommended by teachers and learners, combine engaging storytelling with accessible language. Feel free to draw inspiration from this list for your next French practice sessions:
Intouchables (2011) – A touching dramedy inspired by a true story, about the unexpected friendship between a wealthy quadriplegic and his caregiver from the suburbs. The film is both funny and moving, with authentic dialogues that take you "from laughter to tears" (recommended level: B1).
Les Petits Mouchoirs (2010) – A choral film (dramedy) about a group of friends on vacation facing unexpected truths. Very popular in France, this movie is "deeply moving" and full of emotions (recommended level: B1+ to grasp all nuances).
La Famille Bélier (2014) – A heartwarming dramedy centered on a hearing teenager in a deaf family. The language is simple, and the family setting makes comprehension easier. This moving story was an international success (recommended level: B1).
L’Arnacœur (2010) – A lively and humorous romantic comedy. Alex, a professional heartbreaker, has one week to seduce a soon-to-be-married woman. The tone is light, and the romantic/everyday vocabulary is accessible (recommended level: A2/B1), making it ideal for beginners.
Un gars, une fille (TV series) – A sketch comedy series
depicting the daily life of a French couple.
The very short episodes (around 5 minutes) cover everyday situations
like grocery shopping, dining out, or vacations, using informal language.
It’s an excellent series to learn practical vocabulary in context
while enjoying the couple’s funny interactions.
Note that this series originally comes from Quebec and also exists in a Quebecois version
with actors from Quebec.
This makes it a great opportunity for those who want to vary accents
and discover different French expressions.
By watching both versions, you can not only expand your vocabulary
but also better understand cultural and linguistic differences
between France and Quebec.
Scènes de ménages (TV series) – Another hit comedy series, featuring short scenes depicting the lives of couples from different generations. The dialogues are lively and rooted in everyday life, making it a great way to learn common and colloquial expressions. Since the episodes are short and independent, you can watch them gradually without difficulty (ideal from B1 level).
French cinema is full of movies and series suited for learners: dive into these stories to improve your French while having fun!
In conclusion, using movies and TV series to learn French can significantly enhance your comprehension and speaking skills, provided you stay active in your approach. Choose content you enjoy and apply the practical tips mentioned above. You will improve your French almost effortlessly, comfortably sitting in front of a good movie.
So, are you ready to give it a try? Enjoy your viewing and happy learning, everyone!