Learning French.........

[Panter]

Ok, I've just got back form a work trip to Berlin so I've gone all European again.

As somoene who hasn't travelled abroad very often I always feel inspired to do more of it so I'd like to try and learn another language.
Much as I love Germany, France is only a short hop away (I probably live closer to France than I do to most forumers here) so French would be the obvious choice.

Are those "teach yourself" kits any good? or would it have to be at night school or something? anyone have any experience or learning French to home?

Cheers

Chris

 

[alecstilleyedye]

non, nein, nay, no

 

[Aperitif]

You forgot:

"Santé Chris"

 

[yello]

You should watch French telly if possible, as that's an excellent way to pick up current language and tune your ears in to it.

Agreed. Especially the tuning part. Once the ears are tuned, you will realise you actually know quite a lot of the words already... English and French share many many words... they're just pronounced differently.

As for the self learn bit, I would recommend Michel Thomas CDs. A VERY simplistic approach but gets you up and running speaking quickly. You will be understood speaking Michel Thomas French... but it doesn't help you understand! Well, not much. That said, it gets you quickly into the 'learning playground' (i.e. communicating in the real world) when you can start the process of learning French as it's actually spoken!

That's what is freaking me out at the moment (in my French learning) - the way French is spoken. I'm constantly amazed at the way things are said and the way sentences are structured... I can understand but I just wouldn't say it that way myself! I still speak in English really, just using French words.

 

[John the Monkey]

I try to read the front page of Le Monde every day, to keep my GCSE level French a little bit current (seeing as I'm the one who has to translate on EVERY sodding family holiday, and then put up with my mother in law arguing by proxy with waiters etc).

 

[Aperitif]

Ha ha John - I try and read L'equipe and Midi Libre...just keeping pace you understand.
SWOMBO is French I get nailed -often. But, I can play the 'con' easily
Masculine and feminine stuff is a flippin' nuisance. Viz. La Tour v Le Tour et seq.

And then there's the regional accents to consider. Parisien - ok ish... listen to the same stuff in the Languedoc - I'm listening without seeing.

 

[Melvil]

Doing a conversational French course (with lots of emphasis on grammar and tenses) with a private tutor at the moment (about 6 of us in a class) and it's very good, tho' not sure if you live anywhere near Edinburgh.

 

[HelenD123]

I try to read the front page of Le Monde every day

That's a good idea. I did French to 'A' level and got to a stage where I could almost watch a film without the subtitles but I'm sure I'm very rusty now. I'm pretty useless at speaking french though.

 

[yello]

And then there's the regional accents to consider.

True. I too find Parisian French pretty clear and simple. It's almost text book French. The accent around here is Berrichone... and it's virtually unintelligible to me! To be fair, it's dialect as much as accent. French is, it may sound odd to say, almost a made up language. It's certainly comparatively new. An attempt to unify a nation.

Most regions of France have their own dialects. You can still find elderly people that don't speak 'French' at all, only the local dialect. So don't expect the French to speak French! They're as likely to make as many mistakes as a non-native speaker!

 

[John the Monkey]

That's a good idea. I did French to 'A' level and got to a stage where I could almost watch a film without the subtitles but I'm sure I'm very rusty now. I'm pretty useless at speaking french though.

I'd have loved to have carried on to A-Level, but my school had a very strict Arts/Sciences division at the time, and I couldn't do my other subjects with a language. I still feel miffed about it to this day.

 

[Aperitif]

Unlucky John.
I stopped Language of love at 'Oh!' level - I'm now on my 'Eh?' level
Learning by degrees...but drifting OT - sorry.

 

[HelenD123]

John - that's a shame. I did it with Chemistry and History which was a bit unusual I guess. As long as it fitted into the timetable we had a pretty free hand in what we took.

 

[HelenD123]

Is it me, or is this thread a bit more highbrow than we've had of late...

 

[byegad]

Having failed the old 'O' Level French three times at successively lower grades, 7-8-9. I never thought I'd manage to speak French.

After three weeks on my own in France I could make myself understood.

After ten years of two week holidays, I can take my son to hospital for a badly cut finger, see a GP for tonsilitis in myself, explain to ANY waiter that my wife is medically banned from Red Wine, Cheese and Chocolate, and be asked by a Belgian which part of France I come from.

Practice, practice, practice and a little study did it all.

I also get by in German (2nd and 3rd yr at school) and Dutch (a good self study course).

 

[Panter]

Thanks peeps, some great advice there.

I may try that then, with the CD's and then reading and listening to frech to "learn it properly."

I'm just looking to be able to get by really, to be able to venture into deepest France and be able to do the basics without the fear of realying on furious pointing and hopeless mimes

Best advice of all? Get a French speaking Girlfriend

Hmmm, I'll put it to the Wife but I'm not hopefull.........