This article will show you how to make meaningful progress online by applying the 80/20 rule, focusing on what truly matters, and avoiding the traps that make most beginners quit after week two.

It’s a fair question. After all, nobody dreams of flipping through verb conjugation charts at midnight. Most people imagine themselves ordering a croissant at a Parisian café, flirting with a charming stranger, or finally joining that French conversation group without panicking. Grammar? That feels like a detour—or worse, an obstacle course with no croissant at the finish line.

Researchers have found that the 1,000 most common French words cover about 80% of everyday speech. That’s the power of the 80/20 rule: focus on the essentials, and you’ll understand and say much more than you expect.