Make it fun. French is one of the primary languages used in areas such as fashion, literature, dance, cooking and the cinema. Provide a motivation for learning the language with dance lessons. Study the history of ballet and then watch a performance.
Read works by famous French writers such as Madame De Sevigne. Read her letters in English and then in the original French.
Create meals centered around French cuisine. Explore the works of famous French chefs, such as Escoffier and Careme. Learn the names of commonly used cooking tools as well as the French words for various foods.
Study the history of fashion. Learn about important French designers such as Chanel and Madame Vionette. Master terms in French to describe body parts and fabrics.
Immerse yourself in French movies. Watch movies with English subtitles. See if you can do a quick translation of your own while watching a performance by Marianne Cotillard or Jean Moreau.
Practice speaking the language. Written French uses the same alphabet as written English. The spoken language, however, has several major differences. Work on proper pronunciation of the four major French nasal vowels. These can be hard for English speakers to master. Pay close attention to the way the nose in used when these vowels are spoken. Learn which words have silent letters and which do not. Join a local club devoted to French if possible. Look for one with a good mixture of native speakers and those just starting to learn the language. Many clubs have a set meeting time during the year in an informal setting such as a bar or park. Consider a visit to a country where French is widely spoken, such as Canada, Comoros, Morocco or Belgium. This will give you an opportunity to practice your spoken French.
Look for cognates. Cognates are words that have similar meaning and spelling. Modern English has borrowed many words from the French language. This means that you may already know words in French. For example, the words "absent," "ego," "hanger," "machine," "magazine," "panda," "radio" and "taxi" all mean the same in French as they do in English. Cognates can provide a pleasant sense of recognition as you study, and they make learning a bit easier.