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Bluest

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 3996

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Java Black

Learning French

I know we have a lot of well travelled and international men and women on here, so maybe some good advice can be offered. We spend a lot of time in France, usually at least a month a year and often more, but it is generally broken in to shortish holidays or passing through. I’m always embarrassed that my French is rubbish. I can usually ask or order things in shops, I even managed to buy a set of tyres once, but I hate that when someone speaks to me I really struggle to hold any sort of conversation beyond the first couple of sentences.

Given that I can’t quit work and go and immerse myself in French culture for 12 months, what is the best way to go about developing some better conversational French? Seriously considering a night school course, but I really struggled at school getting bogged down in all the masculine and feminine stuff etc. I don’t expect to be fluent, but the ability complement someone on a nice Land Rover, or discuss the weather would be good. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS

21st Jul 2019 1:08pm

gilarion

Member Since: 05 Dec 2013
Location: Wales
Posts: 5084

2007 Defender 90 Other CSW Trident Green

Watch a few episodes of Hello Hello you will soon get the gist

Then go for the advance lessons with Dell Boy

For those who like Welsh Mountains and narrow boats have a look at my videos and photos at..

http://www.youtube.com/user/conwy1

21st Jul 2019 2:28pm

Bluest

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 3996

"Mange Tout Rodney, Mange Tout" 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS

21st Jul 2019 3:41pm

stanley

Member Since: 18 Sep 2009
Location: Dorset /hampshire
Posts: 1026

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Orkney Grey

A colleague of mine had one to one lessons for a while then joined a French conversation group , he did really well and really enjoyed it

21st Jul 2019 3:50pm

Ramsay

Member Since: 30 Sep 2015
Location: Moffat, Dumfries & Galloway
Posts: 625

1995 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Auto Keswick Green

I am lucky that my work provides lessons. Speaking it with someone fluent is important to get you confident in expressing yourself. See if you can find a local source of lessons. I find the App Duolingo useful. It can be annoying but it does try to get you speaking as well as reading French. 1995 Defender 110 CSW
1971 SIIA Lightweight

21st Jul 2019 4:03pm

dorsetsmith

Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: South West
Posts: 4554

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Translator-Langua...&psc=1

Je ne parle pas francais

Last edited by dorsetsmith on 24th Jul 2019 10:48am. Edited 1 time in total

21st Jul 2019 4:05pm

lohr500

Member Since: 14 Sep 2014
Location: Skipton
Posts: 1283

2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black

Try finding a set of Michel Thomas CD's.

I found his teaching style really easy to pick up and listened to the training whilst on my daily commute.
I did French at school and after completing the course I was a lot more confident in starting up conversations when on holiday.

He doesn't get bogged down in all the technical stuff and keeps it simple.

21st Jul 2019 6:00pm

DonH2000

Member Since: 12 Jan 2015
Location: North Kent
Posts: 551

2009 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black

Bluest wrote:
"Mange Tout Rodney, Mange Tout"

"Duck a l'orange"

"Canard"

"Too right Rodney..." Cheers Don.

22nd Jul 2019 10:12am

DonH2000

Member Since: 12 Jan 2015
Location: North Kent
Posts: 551

lohr500 wrote:
Try finding a set of Michel Thomas CD's.

I found his teaching style really easy to pick up and listened to the training whilst on my daily commute.
I did French at school and after completing the course I was a lot more confident in starting up conversations when on holiday.

He doesn't get bogged down in all the technical stuff and keeps it simple.

I'll second that. Michel Thomas helped me in Spanish and French.

On top of that he had an amazing World War 2. Hats of to the late Mr Tomas. Cheers Don.

22nd Jul 2019 10:15am

rockster57

Member Since: 15 Nov 2014
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 937

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Zermatt Silver

Re: Learning French

Bluest wrote:
I know we have a lot of well travelled and international men and women on here, so maybe some good advice can be offered. We spend a lot of time in France, usually at least a month a year and often more, but it is generally broken in to shortish holidays or passing through. I’m always embarrassed that my French is rubbish. I can usually ask or order things in shops, I even managed to buy a set of tyres once, but I hate that when someone speaks to me I really struggle to hold any sort of conversation beyond the first couple of sentences.

Given that I can’t quit work and go and immerse myself in French culture for 12 months, what is the best way to go about developing some better conversational French? Seriously considering a night school course, but I really struggled at school getting bogged down in all the masculine and feminine stuff etc. I don’t expect to be fluent, but the ability complement someone on a nice Land Rover, or discuss the weather would be good.

A few posts here giving me a good chuckle but also watching for the more practical suggestions with interest as I’m dipping a similar toe in the water having borrowed some resources from the library...

Click image to enlarge

22nd Jul 2019 10:58am

Chopperone

Member Since: 13 Nov 2016
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 396

A friend of mine who is particularly good at languages ( He is German & speaks English, French,Italian & Flemish pretty much fluently.)
Many years ago he enrolled in a Belgian University at very short notice to study to become a dentist. He didn't speak Flemish.
Two weeks later he was able to study on the course at the lectures.
I asked him how he learnt languages so well.
He told me he watched kids programmes on tv where the language was really basic , the presenters spoke clearly , slowly and often repeated the sentences again & again in a slightly different way.
You might also get sub titles that could help you.
Might be worth a try.

Guy May your life be like toilet paper ; long & useful.

22nd Jul 2019 11:52am

Rashers

Member Since: 21 Jun 2015
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3334

2014 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Corris Grey

My parents learnt German by taking an evening class (adult education).

Not sure if these even exist anymore, but they did really well with this kind of learning and the social side of being in a group kept the enthusiasm going.

Or just stick with the usual British way of doing things, speak to Johnny Foreigner by shouting at them in English and talking really slowly. You can then call them stupid when they don't understand you

It is a great embarrassment that I can't speak any other language. I have said it before on here, coming from Norfolk means I have never really mastered English (two failed O levels to prove it).

22nd Jul 2019 1:27pm

jerseyman

Member Since: 21 Jul 2009
Location: Jersey
Posts: 279

The Memrise and Duolingo Apps are worth a look at

22nd Jul 2019 1:52pm

DonH2000

Member Since: 12 Jan 2015
Location: North Kent
Posts: 551

Rashers wrote:

It is a great embarrassment that I can't speak any other language. I have said it before on here, coming from Norfolk means I have never really mastered English (two failed O levels to prove it).

Yes but you can say "Do you want a light boy?" ( Du yu wan a lite bouy? )

or "Have you seen the Swaffham Peddler?" (Av u scene thar Swarfham paddlerr?).

From someone who used to live in Swaffham 55 years ago....

Cheers Don.

22nd Jul 2019 4:28pm

Rashers

Member Since: 21 Jun 2015
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3334

My Norfolk dialect has been ruined by TV.

I wish I was more broad Norfolk but I am afraid my childhood watered it down.

I get mistaken for being Cornish, a New Zealander and Australian!!

I like Swaffham but it is struggling like every other market town these days keeping their local shops open.

Personally I like to go to Swaffham to do some troshin’ which is not helping Bluest learn French which I am very sorry for. Couldn’t resist using the word troshin’ in a Def2 post

You can’t take Norfolk out of the boy, Don

22nd Jul 2019 6:34pm

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