Re: Learning French
 

I've never been good at pronouncing complicated English words, so some French sounds I just can't get my tongue around. I think I'm repeating what I hear, but it must sound like gibberish when I get blank looks. The strange thing is when I am understood and can come out with cohesive sentences, even though I'm understood I feel like I'm speaking gibberish.

Reading is much easier, for example I was in the cinema this morning watching Body of lies (Mensonges D'etat), the English version, but when the French subtitles came up for the Arab parts, I understood exactly what was going on. I think with reading you get more time to analyse and digest and I really find I've picked up a lot and understand most things I read.

Understanding spoken French in France is a different story though. I can pick out plenty of words I know in sentences, but because most French speak too fast for me I try and fill in the blanks and sometimes you end up messing up the interpretation altogether. I've never resorted to speaking in English if I'm speaking to a French person, but boy is it a challenge. I think some people can be under the impression that you just pick it up with enough time, no effort required, but I've known people to be in France for years and speak nothing beyond hello, goodbye and thank you.

Re: Learning French
 

You are dead right, Beigey - where there is a will there is a way. This is what I found when I arrived in England a few decades ago, as a native French speaker, but desperately keen to blend in and integrate and speak like a native Brit (ha ha ha!).

The one thing I found most helpful, apart from listening to songs in English all the time, watching and listening to the BBC, mixing only with English speaking crowds - was to have a notebook with me at all times. I would write down any colloquialism, any sentence or part sentence that I could, with the translation next to it. I even looked at song titles (still remember how I started to learn the uses for "get" with the old Platters title "Smoke gets in Your Eyes".

I soon found that by assembling together various word-groups, I could start stringing whole sentences together, and I inflicted them on whoever was around:D, asking them to correct my English.

Remember that it is important to learn each aspect of the language: Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing (writing being the hardest for many people).

It does involve turning this language learning into a great big project, if you make it a priority in your life, you will soon realise how fast you make progress.

To Richard, the OP: do not be too hard on yourself, a year is not THAT long to learn all the intricacies of a new language.

Of course, the younger you are when you begin, the easier it is.

Re: Learning French
 

Ive been using http://www.byki.com/ its a free program for the pc that uses flash cards, has speech so you can here how words are pronnounced etc... Its very good

Like the idea of flash cards to stick on cupboards, kettles etc... is there anywhere I could get a list so I can decorate my house in post it notes..lol??

Re: Learning French
 

You have all put a lot into this thread, thanks.

I have bought some CDs but they have been crap and so have now booked myself onto an intensive weekend course.

I shall let you all know how it goes. It will probably just lead to more disappointment...

Re: Learning French
 

Hi everyone,

Well, I did a lot of reading on the net and eventually went off on an intensive course as I told you all I would (back in Novemeber/December?) and, contrary to what I'd been expecting, it was absolutely wonderful.

The class was made up of a relatively small group of students and we had a lovely tutor who guided us through French in a very different way to how I was taught at school or to what I've found in courses I've bought from book shops.

Although the course taught a lot of what I suppose must have been grammar, the teachers didn't use any grammatical terms, which was a relief. Though what most intrigued me was how they taught the vocabulary and how much of it we learnt.

Anyway, without your guidance I wouldn't have probably actually gone and done anything, so thank you all :thumbsup: The course has really lifted me out of the hole I was in and allowed me to actually speak French.

I'm not sure what the forum's policy on urls is but I wanted to put this up in case it's of benefit to others. If they're not allowed though, sorry, please just delete it out of my post! For anyone who is interested, I studied at The Paul Noble Language Institute and I found them at this website here: www.paulnoblelanguages.com

I am now moving on to another course I've bought, now that my confidence has been so boosted, so wish me luck please!

P.S. Still trying to sell my house by the way, if anyone's buying :D

Re: Learning French
 

Based on your advice, Richardinfrance, I have booked myself onto one of their courses.

It better be good... or else... :curse:

:D

Re: Learning French
 

Well done you! Filled with admiration for your concentration and determination, as I picked mine up in the Brico Depot at Montauban and by chatting up the Pompiers. Hope you sell your house soon - we gave up in the end trying, and bought in France anyway, just taking the hit finance-wise and consoling ourselves the better lifestyle makes up for the loss of money!

Keep up the French - as someone said, if you can get a French channel on the TV you would be amazed how much you will absorb, especially now you have done the hard bit.

Re: Learning French
 

I've meant to reply to this thread for a while to say thank you to RichardinFrance and to the rest of you for some really great advice, which I'm glad to say I followed. I took a course, as Richard recommended, at the paul noble language institute and it was just as good as he said. I absolutely loved it, Richard. I knew you'd done French but I went and did the German and found it so helpful. Why on earth can't they teach languages like this normally? It was a nice small class size and the way they taught, as Richard says, was very different but so subtle that you actually end up speaking in the language instead of hesitating and ending up mute or with your sentences back to front.

What has prompted me to reply to you now in fact is that I last week went there again and took a second course, this time the French one, which was even better than the German, which amazed me. Having hated languages for so long, I actually now think I've caught the language bug!

Anyway, it was so great and very convenient for me, as it was all done over the course of a weekend. Thank you anyway, all of you, and if anyone else is interested in the course, it was this one: here - and they seem to be going on every couple of weekends during the summer period.

Anyway, I hope this helps some of you, as much as it did me.

:thumbsup:

Re: Learning French
 

The BBC French courses are excellent!

I speak as a language teacher.

Just go onto the BBC site, and you will find that the courses are perfectly organised for adult learners.

I am just learning Spanish using their programmes, and find them so enjoyable.
The language to be learnt [e.g. 'In the taxi'] is split into ultra short video sections.
You can choose whether to just watch and listen, or to have the English meaning and/or the French as well!

No language teacher can compete with this!

You can watch the short video segment as many times as you need to.

Then you have the option of playing short language games to learn the phrases through working with them.

Language learning is hard work! You need to do a little every day. This will encourage you and empower you as you find your skills improving.
Just take it a day at a time and be positive about what you are doing.
Language learning has changed so much with the use of technology.

Don't be limited to how you were at school - there are no limits if you really want to improve.


If you need any further help or advice, just PM me, and I will gladly advise.

Gill

Re: Learning French
 

If you have an Urgent translation needed, pls drop me a line.

A friend of mine has been in France for ten years, he just can't speak a word of the language, now he is a widower and has tons of problems (prefecture, gendarmes, mairie etc...) so pls make an effort. Listen to French radios. It is not so difficult.

Courage, les potes !! For the ones in Britanny, I think of giving classes (especially on slang language:D). Free of charge. But for the moment I am not fully settled down there.