Multiplication is a shortcut for adding the same number many times. Instead of adding 4 + 4 + 4 slowly, you can say '3 times 4' and get the answer faster. Once you see multiplication as repeated adding — and as rows and columns — the times tables stop being something to fear and start to make sense.
The times sign × means 'groups of'. So 3 × 4 means 'three groups of four', which is 4 + 4 + 4 = 12. Multiplication is just repeated addition written the short way, and it saves a lot of time when the groups are big.
A clear way to picture it is an array — rows and columns of dots. Three rows of four dots is 3 × 4, and you can count 12 dots altogether.
Just like adding, multiplication can be done in any order and gives the same answer. 3 × 4 and 4 × 3 both equal 12 — three rows of four has the same number of dots as four rows of three, just turned on its side.
This is really useful: it halves how many facts you need to learn, because knowing 6 × 7 also gives you 7 × 6. It also lets you multiply in whichever order is easier for you.
The times tables are just the answers to these facts, and knowing them by heart makes all later maths faster. A few tricks help: multiplying by 10 just adds a zero (7 × 10 = 70); multiplying by 2 is doubling; multiplying by 5 gives answers that always end in 0 or 5; and anything times 1 stays the same, while anything times 0 is 0.
Practise a little each day and the facts stick. They are the toolkit you'll reach for in division, fractions, area, and almost everything ahead.
Try these. Pick an answer to see whether it's right and why.