Hello
Yes indeed it is hard to understand the spoken French. What I need is to hear a sentence, have it said in English, and then French again at the same time see it written.
French-language radio is yet another source of authentic listening practice. Listening to the news and talk shows provides exposure to French as it’s really (and quickly!) spoken, and even listening to music can be an excellent way to improve your aural comprehension.
How to access French radio
If you’re in France, just turn on your radio and choose a station. If not, many stations offer streaming – here are some to consider.
RFI – Radio France International offers news and music from all over the world. They also have a number of features aimed at learners, including the particularly useful Journal en français facile: a 10-minute news summary every day at 8pm GMT and streamable any time after that.
Europe1 covers news from France, Europe, and the world.
France Culture is a great source of fascinating info about French, francophone, and world culture.
France Info offers news, history, culture, and more.
France Inter provides news and features on a wide variety of topics.
Mouv’ offers music and “young persons’ programming.”
You can find hundreds more French radio stations, including lots of music and regional stations as well as stations from other countries at listenlive.eu.
More French listening | Learn French through music
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Author info
Laura is a French expert and Kwiziq's Head of Quality Control. Online educator since '99, Laura is passionate about language, travel, and cooking. She's American by birth and a permanent ex-pat by choice - freelancing made it possible for her to travel extensively and live in several countries before settling permanently in Guadeloupe. Laura is the author of Lawless French, Lawless Spanish, and other websites and books on French, Spanish, Italian, English, and vegetarianism. She spends most of her spare time reading, playing with food, and enjoying water sports.
Comments: 3
Although I am only a free subscriber I find the free writing challenges both motivational and challenging. Thank you
Most or all of these radio stations are available for free through tunein radio, which can be accessed online or on a mobile device through their app. I listen for hours every day while driving and have dramatically improved my listening comprehension and vocabulary this way.