Why You Don't Understand French People

And How to Finally Crack the Code

Picture this: You’ve been learning French for over a year. You can conjugate verbs, you know your vocabulary, your grammar is solid. You’re feeling confident. Then you decide to watch a French movie to celebrate your progress.

Five minutes in, you’re staring at the screen in disbelief.

Is this even French? All you caught was “bonjour” and “merci.” The rest? An incomprehensible blur of sounds that might as well be an alien language.

Welcome to one of the most frustrating moments in every French learner’s journey. But here’s the truth: you’re not failing. There are very specific reasons why real French sounds so different from classroom French.

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Le Désespéré, par Gustave Courbet

1. It’s Not Just About Speed

Yes, native French speakers talk fast. But speed is only the tip of the iceberg.

French speakers are efficiency experts. They minimize mouth movements, blur sounds together, and skip anything that isn’t absolutely necessary. Your French teacher enunciates clearly because that’s their job. Real French people? They’re just trying to get their coffee order in before the metro arrives.

The real problem? There’s a secret code transforming the French you learned into the French you hear.

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2. Meet the Sneaky three

If you want to understand spoken French, you need to be familiar with three key linguistic phenomena: contractions, liaisons, and élisions.

But beyond these basic features you probably already know, spoken French often involves more subtle processes as well, which I like to call “The Sneaky Three” (les trois filous) : érosion, affaiblissement, and fusion.

Here’s a quick example of what you’re up against:

What you learned: “Je ne sais pas”
What you hear: “J’sais pas” or even “Chais pas”

@learnfrenchwithtimo

Learn French with Timo on Instagram: "The way you say je ne sai…

See the pattern? Real French drops, blends, and transforms in ways your textbook never warned you about. And this happens in every single conversation.

During my next workshop, we’ll decode all three of these transformations so you can recognize them instantly.

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3. But Wait, There’s More

Just when you thought you were getting it, French throws two more curveballs:

Idiomatic expressions that make zero sense literally: When someone says “J’ai un chat dans la gorge” (I have a cat in my throat), they’re not dealing with a feline problem, they just have a scratchy throat.

Slang and verlan (backwards French): When someone says “Wesh, cette meuf est grave chelou,” none of those words are in your textbook. (Translation: “Yo, that girl is really weird.”)

Add regional accents from Paris, Marseille, Lyon, or Québec into the mix, and you’ve got a perfect storm of comprehension chaos.

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4. The Solution: Stop Guessing, Start Training

Here’s what most students do wrong: they keep watching French content, hoping their comprehension will magically improve. But without understanding why you can’t understand, you’re just reinforcing frustration.

You don’t need more exposure. You need the right approach.

Join My Special Workshop: “Cracking the Code of Real French”

I’m hosting a special workshop on January 28th where I’ll show you exactly what you need to do to go from lost to confident when listening to real French.

This isn’t theory. This is practical, targeted training that tackles the exact problems you’re facing right now.

In this workshop, you’ll learn:

• How to recognize and decode The Sneaky Three in real time

• Which patterns actually matter (and which ones you can ignore)

• The most essential slang and idioms you’ll encounter daily

• Proven techniques to train your ear effectively

• The best resources and how to use them strategically

Think of it as your decoder ring for real French.

This workshop is exclusively for premium members. If you’re not already a member, upgrade here to get instant access to the workshop registration link and your full library of advanced French resources.

Link available below after paywall.

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5. You’re Not Bad at French, You Just Need the Right Tools

Every single fluent French speaker you know went through this exact phase. The difference? They figured out the code. Some took years of trial and error. Others had someone show them the way.

Your brain is incredibly adaptable. With the right training, those blurred sounds will separate. The contractions will click. The liaisons will make sense. The slang will become familiar.

One day—sooner than you think—you’ll be watching a French movie and realize you’re not reading the subtitles anymore. You’re just understanding.

But you can’t get there by doing the same thing that got you here. You need a strategic approach designed specifically for comprehension.

The special workshop will give you exactly that.

So the next time you put on a French movie and feel lost, remember: you’re not bad at French. You’re just at the turning point where textbook French meets real French.

And I’m here to help you bridge that gap.

Ready to finally understand real French? Join me on January 28th for just the price of a coffee. Become a premium member now to access the workshop link below. Can’t make the live session? All premium members will receive the full recording.

Allez, bon courage!