Okay, so I wanted to learn French for ages. Like, really wanted to. But the big problem? I’m super shy. The thought of speaking a new language, making mistakes in front of people… yeah, not fun for me.
I remember looking at language classes first. Seemed like the normal thing to do. But I went to an open evening for one, saw everyone chatting, imagined the role-playing exercises, and I just couldn’t. My stomach literally hurt thinking about it. I knew I’d clam up or just sit there silently, feeling like an idiot. So, that was out.
Finding My Own Way
So I thought, okay, what can I do? I needed a way to learn without that immediate pressure of speaking to strangers. I started digging around online, looking for stuff I could do alone, at my own pace.
Here’s what I ended up doing:
- Apps, apps, apps: I downloaded a bunch of language apps. You know the ones. Duolingo, Memrise, Babbel. The good thing was, I could just tap away, do the little exercises, listen to the pronunciations without anyone watching me. It felt safe. I focused hard on the reading and writing parts first.
- Passive Listening: I started surrounding myself with French sounds. Put on French music playlists while I worked (even if I didn’t understand much at first). Watched French movies and cartoons with English subtitles initially. Then slowly switched to French subtitles. The goal was just to get my ear used to the rhythm and flow, no pressure to understand everything.
- Talking to Myself: This sounds silly, I know. But I started saying simple things out loud when I was alone. Like, “Je bois du café” (I’m drinking coffee) or describing objects around me. “Le livre est rouge” (The book is red). It felt less scary than talking to a real person. I used Google Translate to check pronunciation sometimes, repeating after the robot voice.
Slowly Building Confidence
It was a really slow process, honestly. For months, my French was mostly in my head or mumbled quietly to myself. I spent a lot of time on grammar websites, trying to figure out the rules because understanding the structure made me feel a bit more secure.
The first time I actually used it was terrifying. I went to a French bakery near my place. I practiced ordering a croissant in my head about fifty times while waiting in line. “Un croissant, s’il vous plaît.” My voice was shaky, I probably went bright red, but the baker understood! He just replied “Voilà,” and gave me the croissant. It was such a small thing, but it felt HUGE for me.
That little success gave me a tiny boost. I realised maybe I could do this, just in my own quiet way.
Finding Low-Pressure Practice
After that bakery win, I knew I needed some speaking practice, but still couldn’t face a group class. I looked for online tutors. Specifically, I searched for tutors who mentioned being patient or good with anxious learners. Found one who was super understanding. We started with text chat alongside the video call, so I could type if I got stuck speaking. Our first few sessions were mostly me listening and giving very short answers. It was still nerve-wracking, but way better than a classroom.
Gradually, session by session, I started speaking a little more. The tutor was great, never made me feel dumb for mistakes. We just talked about simple things – hobbies, daily routine. It was controlled, one-on-one, and that made all the difference.
Where I’m At Now
So, am I fluent? Heck no. Am I suddenly not shy? Definitely not. But can I understand a fair bit? Yes. Can I have a simple, basic conversation in French if I have to? Also yes, though it still makes my heart pound a bit.
The point is, being shy doesn’t mean you can’t learn a language. It just means you might need to find a different path. For me, it was about building a foundation privately, getting comfortable with the sounds and structures first, and then finding very low-stakes ways to practice speaking when I felt ready. It took longer, maybe, but it worked for me. It was about managing the fear, not pretending it wasn’t there.
