jay88

How long did it take you guys/girls to learn half decent french where you can communicate at a decent level and understand most important things ?

I got the rosetta stone software and a dictionary, i hope if i put in 2-3 hours learning everyday i speak/understand at a half decent level in 2-3 months, do you think this is achievable ? how did everyone else get on (also have a french friend who can help and ill watch tv and stuff)

Ka Ora!

Had it covered after 2, 4 month stays in hospital When I say covered I could communicate my needs and my displeasures. I still never got English TV. Nearly got a Strait Jacket chucked in for free though.

andyandcass

Hi
We are in the process of learning at the moment we have a couple of books with dvds 15 minute French etc, but we have struggled a bit as they are more tourist French so we have decided to just go for it, we move there next week we have got some lessons booked with a lady who lives local she is English and teaches French at home and our French neighbor introduced us but hopefully our daughter will pick it up quickly when she starts school as she is only 10, we have been made aware that we will make arses of ourselves at first but its all part of the fun.
Good luck

MoonShine

Don't know what the rosetta stone stuff is!
Are you living in France as yet?
When I came here i didn't speak a word, and it took me time to gather up enough courage to ask for a 'baquette ' at the bakers!
Don't be scared of making a 'fool' of yourself, communicate wherever you can with everyone you meet, even if you have to use your hands and mime... just communicate!
Watch as much tv as possible, even things you do not like, as the variety of shows and people will help your understanding of accents, differentiating situations, discussions, formal, slang etc etc...
Depends if you are a communicator or more of a book person, but both are needed, be studious and keep a journal of words and expressions that you learn.
Pick a few words per week and expressions per week and find situations where you can use them to consolidate..
There are lessons, conversation classes.. For those who wish to learn there are hundreds of ways...
good learning!

elaines

It sort of happens by osmosis. We've been here 6 years and it was only today, listening to the news on French Radio that I realised I actually understood 80% of it without needing to translate it into English.

Over the last 6 months in particular, we've been watching the French News on TV (about half an hour each evening) and that has really, really helped.

Doing homework with my kids has also been extremely useful - you get to read a lot of stuff over a broad range of subjects which increases your vocabulary no end. I'm still nowhere near as fluent as I expected myself at the outset, to be after 6 years though - it's quite disappointing and very frustrating at times.

With matters such as the Tax Office and the Bank, my husband and I go together, always. We seem to be able to just about manage to grasp the important facts this way, but we're still not always confident that we've understood it all.

So, in answer to your question, I guess it takes about 10 years!!!! (for me anyway!)

Elaine S

MoonShine

I've got to the point where sometimes I'm not aware which language i'm speaking, I just jabber on as they are both as easy, then sometimes an English person will say 'you have just spoken to me for 5 mins in French!!
I dream in both languages, think in both too! But have never had 'lessons' and
I have worked in translating too... so if you want to, you can!

G-J-B

I've still a long way to go. I went down to the post office this morning and asked for 30 1 euros stamps and 30 50cent ones, but he looked at me a bit blank, so my girlfriend asked and used the same words I'd chosen, so that was a bit depressing. I may have a bit of an English accent, but I didn't think I was that bad!

Ka Ora!

I have perfected the local accent. It's a pity I cant remember the words.

snoopycat

Hi jay88,

We've been here for 6 months and decided one of us (moi)! should have some serious lessons.

I have two hours per week with my neighbour, a retired teacher of French and English. It's really helping.

She is v. keen on phonetics.....says it doesn't matter how many words you know, if they're not pronounced correctly, folk won't know what you're on about!

Reading magazines is helpful, short sound-bite type articles, and generally ear-wigging when shopping etc. sort of "gets your ear in".

Lots of free stuff on the internet too, oh and invest in a French verb book,
the type schoolkids have, and a decent dictionary.

It's getting better, and easier, actually braved the "coiffeuse" the other day,
primed by my teacher on what to ask for . Finding a teacher who will tailor a course as to your needs is a good thing. otherwise it can seem overwhelming.....by brain is not so young as it was.

Oh and I wish I'd paid more attention at school all those years ago. Good luck.

Novocastrian

Ah, a coffee-keyboard moment!

stanage2

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onlyonebrenda

Where I find schooling helped is that I can actually write passable French. I'd still be embarrassed to make that many mistakes in English written work and I feel distinctly embarrassed when I'm asked to write a report for a committee I'm on. With my spoken French it's coming on in leaps and bounds (arguing with EDF for weeks on end over my electricity bill is a great teacher - welcome to French bureaucracy - this one could run and run.) But the more I master the words the more acutely aware I am of the cultural subtleties and differences. How can people who are part of Europe and so close to England be so incredibly different?? Maddening, frustrating but lovable with it! It's quite humbling to know how often I put my foot in it and how often they forgive me.
Is 2 - 3 months a possible time limit to learn a language? Of course it's possible if you completely immerse yourself in the language and don't cheat by speaking English at all, however, I tend to get rather annoyed at the companies who advertise this sort of timescale as my experience is that many people who could make quite steady progress in French become so disillusioned that they haven't managed in three months that they give up altogether. So be kind and patient with yourselves.
Incidentally I'm often asked if I'm Dutch because people hear I've got an accent but can't place it.

Jorgi

The answer to this question? How long is a piece of string? I am english,retired and still learning english. Listen hard to french people. They,too,are still learning their own language. If you are serious about learning french you can "get by" in a very short time. To speak the language fluently can take years and you will always have an accent. One of the problems is that there are a lot of english living in France and it is too easy to fall into the trap of having only english friends. Make the effort to make french friends.They are very forgiving and will help you enormously once they realise that you are making the effort. Say something,anything,each time you are at the checkout in a supermarket for example. Avoid english TV if you can. Finally dont ramble on like me. Keep it simple.

G-J-B

Sometimes you have to bluff it a little. Sometimes I'm introduced to my partner's friends who don't speak English and so I have no choice but to speak French. They're very forgiving and I hang on every word, but can't always understand them so sometimes take non-verbal clues or fill in the blanks. It's frustrating when you know what you want to say, but can't find the right words in French or even worse, you know the word, but can't remember how to pronounce it, but it's all part of the learning experience.

Collioure_Bee

So far has taken me six months to be able to say slow down I speak very little French, how to get directions and tell any strumpet they have a beautiful smile (important stuff only at first lol)
That said I do hear myself saying Oui with a very strong Catalan accent.

At this rate I may be able to converse in around 27 years.