How to Overcome the Fear of Speaking French in a Group

No need to be fluent to join a French conversation!

When learning French, it can feel intimidating to throw yourself into a conversation group for the first time! Many students wait for ages before they finally feel ready to try… But you know what? You don’t need to know the language of Molière perfectly to join a conversation! In this article, I show you exactly how to overcome the fear of speaking French in a group. 🐓

1. Forget about perfection and start speaking

You know the old saying: Fait est mieux que parfait (= Done is better than perfect)! And that’s even truer when it comes to learning a language. After years of teaching French, I can tell you this: the best way to improve is simply to dare to speak. No matter how many mistakes you make, no matter how strong your accent sounds, just speak.

Here’s why 🧠: the more you talk, the more confidence you’ll build — simply by seeing that you’re capable of expressing yourself in a foreign language! Even the smallest conversation is already a victory! And with confidence comes progress. 

Little by little, your French will start to sound smoother, words will come to you more easily, and conversations will feel more natural. But if you don’t speak, you’ll stay stuck at the same level — and your fear will only feel more real. That’s the vicious circle you want to break!

2. Understand you don’t need tons of vocabulary to express yourself

Sometimes, my students feel stuck because they think they don’t have enough vocabulary to say what they want. So even when they have something interesting to share, they stay silent.

I just think that it’s too bad… Because here’s the truth: even without the exact words, there are lots of strategies you can use to communicate your message! For example:

Use the negative form

If you don’t know a word, chances are you know its opposite. Imagine you want to say “C’est ennuyeux” (= “It’s boring”) but can’t remember the word “ennuyeux”, you could say:

• Ce n’est pas intéressant. (= It’s not interesting)

• Ce n’est pas captivant. (= It’s not captivating)

Use the magic sentence 

Another great strategy is to use this magic sentence:

👉 Comment dit-on “boring” en français ? 

(= How do you say “boring” in French?)

Learn this one by heart — and just replace “boring” with the word you’re missing 😜. It’s a lifesaver!

Try synonyms

You shouldn’t wait until you have the perfect vocabulary to express yourself! There’s always a way to say what you mean with simpler words. Let’s take the word “ennuyeux” for example. It has a lot of synonyms: 

• inintéressant;

• soporifique;

• monotone.

Explain the word you’re missing by defining it

Another great way to say what you want is to describe the word you’re missing. For example, imagine you don’t know the French word for “fog”. Instead, you could try to define it like this:

• des nuages bas = low clouds;

• Quand les nuages sont juste au-dessus du sol = When the clouds are right above the ground;

• Quand on ne peut pas voir à plus d’un mètre de distance à cause des nuages = When you can’t see more than a meter ahead because of the clouds.

3. Understand your fear of speaking French

It is very important to identify what’s blocking you. Are you scared of being mocked? Do you constantly compare yourself to other learners, or even to natives? Are you ashamed of your accent? Is it something else, more personal?

Whatever it is, recognizing your fear is important. Once you can name it, take a moment to reflect and try to understand where it comes from. You’ll be able to rationalize it and realize that it’s just a fear — probably linked to past experiences, not to present reality. Remember: we are often our own harshest critics.

Sharing your fears with friends can also help. You’ll often find that many people are going through the same struggles!

➡️ Have a look at some of our students' testimonials about their fear of speaking French and how they overcame it! 💪

4. Remember why you started learning la langue française

Your big goal

Always keep your goal in mind. Whether it’s traveling, reaching level B2, preparing for a job interview, or being able to talk to people at a French dinner, having a clear target is the key to staying motivated and overcoming your fears.

Small steps towards fluency

And to achieve this, you need to take it one small step at a time. Each little victory brings you closer to your big goal. 🧘

👉 For example, if you’re in a Francophone country, you could challenge yourself to:

• order a coffee in French at a café;

• join a cultural activity to go once a week — a book club, a running group, a choir, a pétanque game — and try to chat with people there.

• create a Whatsapp group with friends, organize meetups and agree to communicate only en français!

👉 If you’re learning your favourite language right here in Australia, you could:

• join a conversation group and start by introducing yourself to other students;

• share one opinion in class, even if it’s short;

• challenge yourself to raise your hand at least once each session;

• try to find Francophone buddies.

  
  

Each little success adds up. And if you do it regularly, speaking French in a group will feel more and more natural. You might even start to enjoy it!

5. Remember how languages are learned

Learning a foreign language is an integrative process. It means you need to put yourself out there to apply everything you’ve been taught 😁. When you challenge yourself to speak with Francophones, your brain has no choice but to draw on all the resources it has to get your message across.

Little by little, your brain adapts to using a new language and creates fresh neural connections. The more time you spend with natives, the more you’ll naturally start to mirror their intonation, gestures, and rhythm. And even if progress feels slow at first, your brain is quietly integrating all these tiny adjustments behind the scenes.

➡️ Psst… discover fun ways to boost your French listening skills outside the classroom! 🎧

To sum up: How to overcome the fear of speaking in a French group

• Forget about perfection — it’s better to make mistakes than to stay silent.

• Don’t get stuck just because you can’t find the right word, explore other ways to express yourself.

• Identify what’s holding you back.

• Keep your big goal in mind.

• Understand the natural process of learning a language!

I hope this article helped you. And if you still feel anxious about speaking the language of Ratatouille, why not join our French conversation group — here in Melbourne or online? It’s a great way to practice in a friendly, non-judgmental environment and start getting used to speaking in a group (even if you’re shy 😉), without any pressure!

➡️ Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. 🙂