How should I listen? With subtitles or not?

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I’ve been listening to french songs and programmes. I do understand it. It also depends on how it’s spoken. Should I watch programmes with subtitles? I’m worried I might have to rely on words to help me with french. I’m sorry if I sound stupid. I just stress so much sometimes.

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Try doing it first with and then without on the same piece :stuck_out_tongue:

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I really like watching “French with French subtitles”. It´s a good way to reduce the gap between reading comprehension and listening comprehension.

I guess French with English subtitles is better than nothing.^^

“I just stress so much sometimes.”

Just try to have fun in French and with French, just hang out with it. ^^
The more enjoyable your learning process , the more more time you´ll spend on learning the language.

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4

Some language learners advise against the use of subtitles, but songs and programs are also texts that can be studied with hints and/or translations. If you can think of subtitles as a loose-translator to aid in your understanding while you watch and listen closely, you may learn and notice a great deal.

Subtitles are like training wheels. They are there to help you find some balance between the known and the unknown. Use them until you gain more confidence in your ability to comprehend the language. Keep listening. In time you’ll discover how off the mark subtitles can be, you’ll even hear phrases and expressions that don’t get translated. Eventually, you’ll take the training wheels off.

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5

Thank you everyone your help. I will try to calm down and I will try watch without subtitles. Then sometimes with them on when I need help.

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When I started watching TV and films in French, I didn’t really want to rely on subtitles. If you want to, that’s fine, but I wanted to be able to ‘train’ my intuition. I wanted to be able to learn to guess the meaning of whole phrases, even when knowing only a word or two.

I started by watching simple things that I loved during my childhood. Disney does a marvelous job of dubbing their animated films in foreign languages, including the music. There are certain of their films I prefer in French now :slight_smile:

I moved on by watching dubbed American and British TV series that I was a little bit familiar with. You might laugh, but I watched the entirety of UK Skins in French.

After that I was ready for French TV and movies.

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