Here’s why you can’t understand Quebecois French, even though you did years of “Paris” French
I get this comment all the time…
Teachers in Canada don’t teach Quebec French. They only teach standard French. So I still have trouble understanding the French spoken in Quebec.
You’re not alone!
Quebec French can be difficult to understand
There are some key differences that make it a bit harder to understand when you don’t have specific training to understand it.
There are more contractions than in standard French
Some of the vocabulary is different
The pronunciation is different
There are new expressions to learn
Quebec French retains some characteristics of older forms of spoken French, that have since then disappeared in France
There are a few grammatical differences between the two varieties
Teaching Quebec French is not easy, because it’s used mostly in conversation (and in movies, tv shows, etc.) and is not taught formally
Many teachers view some characteristic of Quebec French as “mistakes” to avoid, and never explain why a particular word or structure is commonly in Quebec.
Because most teachers are not equipped to teach Quebec French, it is particularly difficult for French learners to understand the French spoken in Quebec.
But not anymore…
Understand Quebec French and Break Through the Intermediate Plateau
Learning a language is like a funnel
Many people start, but few people finish…
In other words, there are a ton of people who take courses at the beginner level, fewer at the intermediate level, and very few at the advanced level.
In the end, many people give up or stop making progress because
They quit
They don’t have a good teacher
They don’t get enough practice time
They lose motivation
Life gets in the way
What makes me different as a teacher is that I’ve gone through this process myself in several languages. I’m a language student myself who has successfully learned English, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese and now learning new languages.
You might know me from my Instagram account, where I have over 30K followers
I grew up in a French-speaking part of Quebec.
At the age of 12, I discovered that I could learn a language on my own, and I did so with English and Italian.
From the age of 20, I learned Spanish, German and Portuguese.
I then pursued a career in web marketing.
But in my late thirties, that passion returned.
I went back to university to study modern languages.
For a few years, I gave over 3000 private lessons on Italki to hundreds students, with a five-star rating. Here’s what some of my clients have said about my courses
My passion is to teach Quebec French the same way I learned languages
That is, through reading and active listening.
I base my methods on Stephen Krashen’s Comprehensible Input theory. I am a firm believer that the human brain is wired to learn languages through comprehension— not through memorization and the study of grammar rules (although those have a place!).
Does that sound good?
Let’s get your French to the next level!
I’ve put a lot of time into learning those languages, and I didn’t always have the right resources.
I understand the hurdles and the difficulties!
When creating my membership French With Frederic, I wanted to create the kind of resources I would have wanted to have as a language student.
A focus on content and culture
Lots of classes and opportunities to practice
Help with reading books and understanding movies
A constant source of motivation
One problem is the cost 💵
Most people think that you can learn a language without spending a dime, but in reality, you often get what you pay for. And that’s a big obstacle for a lot of people.
Let me give you some examples:
When studying German, I often took courses at the Goethe Institut. Each group class costs $600 for around ten classes. The price is the same for virtual or live classes.
I took over 200 private lessons in German and the same in Italian. Each class cost me between $35 and $65, for one hour.
In Quebec, taking university costs at least $600 per class for Quebec residents, and a lot more for non-residents.
Many French teachers offer programs in some ways similar to my community, but cost 600 euros per year.
I created French With Frederic with all the resources and coaching you need, along with a focus on Quebec French and culture. There’s nothing quite like it out there, and the price can’t be beat.
As a paid subscriber, you will get
42 weeks of classes per year, members-only content every week.
4-5X+ a week conversation classes on Zoom
Intermediate (B1) class on Tuesday at 7 p.m. (Eastern)
Advanced (B2+) class on Tuesday at 8 p.m. (Eastern)
Beginner’s (A2) class on Wednesday at 1 p.m. (Eastern)
French Canadian culture with
, on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. (Eastern)Conversation meetings with members
Other special activities for members and opportunities to practice your French
A private podcast to watch or listen to the recorded classes you missed
Transcript of every class or turn on subtitles
Notes of every class
You can watch the video or listen to the classes as a podcast (on your favorite platform too, like Apple Podcasts or Spotify)
Club de lecture & cinema 📖 🍿Learn French through French Canadian literature and movies!
Every month, we study either one book or two movies.
There are two classes per month.
Recordings in case you miss it!
Access every article and podcast on my site (including formatted transcripts of my podcasts, and exclusive audios)
Exclusive members-only podcasts and lessons
How the conversation classes work
Every Monday morning, you’ll receive an email detailing the courses and activities available during the week. You can then add the courses that interest your to your calendar.
The classes are 45-60 minutes long.
In the Monday email, I also announce the topics for each classes. Sometimes, there’s an article to read or a video to watch ahead of time.
We are normally 12-15 students for each class. Sometimes we have more people, but sometimes we have less. That’s why I keep adding new activities and classes to give everyone a chance to practice.
The classes are entirely in French but I can give translations of words in English.
If you’re at a conversational level (A2+) these classes are for you. You don’t have to speak fluently to join. Feel free to participate, or just listen and wait until you’re ready to speak.
I keep adding new activities and classes as the community grows.
Still on the fence about joining French With Frederic? Get this $199 bonus if you sign up today
French With Frederic members get more for their money than with any other group classes, memberships, private lessons, etc.
But here’s something more.
I’ve been working on the following program for more than six months.
This course presents a unique methodology to teach Quebecois French.
To teach Quebec French, I decided to use one of the most well-known books in the French language. Le Petit Prince, by St-Exupéry!
I have adapted The Little Prince, or “translated it” — into Quebec French.
But that’s not all.
It’s formatted as a course.
Each chapter is recorded, with a Quebecois accent.
Every change, new vocabulary and new grammatical structures are explained.
There’s a complete video presentation to explain the main aspects of Quebec French.
You’ll also have access to the complete audiobook of Le Petit Prince en québécois.
This course will allow you to
Understand Quebecois French
Become familiar with the main differences that make Quebec French so particular
Acquire important Quebecois vocabulary