Oh! I’m sorry. I joined through Apple Apps several years ago and it was free. Still functions despite my never having paid 
, even after moving into a new phone. I like the slow speaking.
$20 per month!
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Wow great post (was going to post same myself but the search pulled up this post). As usual some fantastically helpful replies from the regulars 
.
Honestly I’m not sure I have the capability to learn French at my age, 55, having had property here for 10 years both myself and the wife should have done better, we too are embarrassed. Don’t get me wrong we try damn hard, you don’t have property here for 10 years without trying, Google translate is fantastic and if anything it does prove you’re willing to try and happy to make a fool of yourself, I’ve had many laughs in Brico Depot, Super U, builders merchants etc over the years. But in my experience if you try the locals are happy.
We’re starting plans to move full time in approx. a years’ time and once there we intend to step up a gear and joining local groups etc hoping this is the answer. I was Google’ing French lesson via Teams or Zoom £15-£25 an hour, I may try but honestly I think we need to be living in the country first.
I’ve been spoiled working for an international company in oil & gas over the years because in this field in France for example everyone speaks the default language of English.
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I found this weekday news bulletin (from Radio France International) accessed via a podcast very helpful. The newsreaders are fully aware they’re broadcasting to non-native French speakers, speak slowly and clearly, and explain in advance the meaning of new, technical words eg the French for ‘indictment,’ ‘mutiny’ to name two recent topical words! Free of course! Plus you can replay bits that you don’t fully understand the first time…
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Another vote for Jeff! I’ve been using it for years. When I started, it would take me perhaps an hour to muddle through the 10 minutes.
I can understand a lot more than I can speak, and i have a fairly large vocabulary. It would be rare that I could not follow a television programme, for example, but my self-confidence and, to be honest, my speaking skills are nowhere near as good. I am aware, though, that I naturally prefer to to listen and ask questions rather than to speak.
You might find Steve Kaufmann’s videos (Steve Kaufmann - lingosteve - YouTube) helpful. He also created and refers to his own system, LingQ. I tried that, but i didn’t find enough stimulating material. His approach is very definitely listening- and reading-based. It may work for you. My point is that, if you’re naturally a reader/listener then you may find carefully watching videos on Youtube builds your confidence. Use the subtitles, obviously (you will get a buzz when you notice auto-generated subtitles are wrong!), and watch them repeatedly, which is really the essence of Yabla and Illini (ILLINI),
Getting a conversation partner may help. I have two: one with whom I speak raelatively little French (he’s quite hard of hearing, and loves to speak english) and one who insists we split our time equally, and who has become a good friend over the years. i found them through Conversation Exchange (https://www.conversationexchange.com/) though note if you’re a woman you will get hit on and will have to make it clear you’re not looking for a relationship (well, unless you are … 
).
And @Grumpy_OldMan, saying you’re too old to learn is tosh! You just have to find the approach that works for you. Being in France will help, but won’t it be great when you have a head start because you’ve done a load beforehand.
Another thing I’ve learned is the French person who answers you in English may not - indeed, probably doesn’t - have the level of English you think: it’s just that they’ve only ever had to learn a small number of words and therefore perfecting the pronunciation of those was not difficult. Persevere with answering in french, after a brief compliment in French on their accent, explaining that you must practice your French.
Finally, work out how best you learn. Do you enjoy using videos/ Audio? Books? Software like DuoLingo/Rocket/Lawless/Kwizziq? Michel Thomas (I really like the way he includes analysis of the links between English and the target language, for example).
And don’t give up! That’s probably the most important thing: half an hour (at least) a day. Become obsessive! Find an author you enjoy (I love Simenon, but also the Petit Nicolas series) and get a good dictionary.
Also, set a realistic timescale, so you don’t beat yourself up when you feel like you’re not making progress. Think of the average 10-year-old. What’s her vocabulary like? How good is her grammar and comprehension? Remember, she’s someone who - at least in France - will have had people correcting her grammar and pronunciation for almost 10 years (people like @vero!). That’s a massive blessing.
Sorry, that was too long!
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I am reminded of moving on from duolingo which I recall has some good resource links?
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Of course you have! It will just be a bit slower.
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I can’t think that going to the cinema to listen to French would be anything other than bewildering for all but the most competent French speakers. I have a degree in French and have been speaking it for over 60 years but I couldn’t have watched Spirals or Paris 1905 without subtitles. The slow news, though, sounds like an excellent idea, as does trying to find a French person who wants to learn English, half and half. Try not to despair, learning a language is an immense task, as I am finding trying to learn German, the first non-Romance language I have tried to learn. Keep going. Keep a little vocabulary book for new words and expressions. Five minutes of learning ten times a day is better than one 50 minute session, I’m my opinion.
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thank you plod that is encouraging I will keep plodding
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Our commune has a French/English conversation group which meets every Tuesday in Riberac… It’s part of the troisième âge group and many communes run these groups. It has helped me enormously over several years. You have a real opportunity to converse in French amongst French people practising their English. This takes away a lot of the embarrassment which is the biggest obstacle in speaking day to day French. Ask at your Marie!
Persevere! German is a great and wonderful language 
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I see what you did there!
It is a fascinating language but hard work!
Pamela,
I use Preply, I’m fortunate to have the time to take lessons 5 to 6 days each week, and do about an hour of flashcards and practice each day afterwards. Still I find it difficult to join in on conversation, mostly because I’m too slow with my translation to keep up. My comprehension has improved greatly. However my friends and fiancé all love to improve their english speaking with me which does not help me a lot.
While preply is certainly not free, I found after 6 months of duolingo I was not progressing. Babble was better. But preply has been the game changer for me.
I’ve also purchased some french version of books that I loved and read more than once in english. I find it quite helpful.
Bon Courage
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Thank you for sharing, @Metrish. I was looking at this to help the elder brother of my English student who is on a plateau at B2 and needs to reach C2 in order to practice his profession overseas.
I have already suggested their household practices an hour daily English speaking only, while their French only mother is preparing dinner. Will help a bit but there is no one correcting because their father is a lovely softee.
I am thinking to recommend the young man joins a Preply native English tutor maybe 3 hours a week. I’m glad you are finding it good for French and wish you continued learning!
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Another vote for a response along the lines of “Don’t be daft!”… I was 65 when we moved here full-time and we’d had the house as a maison secondaire for nearly 20 years at that stage. However, I very much agree that living here is completely different because you can (should?) engage with the local community at a different level.
The main problem with Duolinguo in my view (apart from it really beng aimed at Americans, which can be difficult for Brits) is that life isn’t long enough to do it! It’s based on repetition, a bit like for very small children, but as an adult it is very much too slow. You learn some very basic stuff but you can be doing it for years and not progress much.
I embarked on some on-line stuff, a local face-to-face teacher, as many encounters with local people as I could engineer, then joined some local Associations (walking group, choir etc) and formed one of our own (Franco/English conversation group).
Yes it’s difficult learning as an older person - it’s ideal really to be of working age when you come here because then you are thrust into the middle of real French life and have to engage with it. Beiing older means you don’t have those routes, nor do you have the chance of conversation with other parents, whose children are at the same school.
We took a DELF/DALF exam last week which certainly showed up the holes in our ability to function fully in French BUT there was nothing at all there that I didn’t understand. We’ll know better what to do next time.
All I would say to @Pamela_Shields and @Grumpy_OldMan is that, if you try as many means of encountering French as possible both spoken and written, and try to form relationships with people, you will learn far more effectively than by using an inappropriate on-line platform. We all learn differently and need to give ourselves every chance. Don’t get depressed - you’ll get there (It may take a little while…)
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The preply tutor provides flashcards with words/sentances relevant to the lesson each day. You practice those over and over until you can mark it easy. It should be beneficial to the elder brother.
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Well done! But you may not need a next time surely?
So kind… but yes, unfortunately 
(Unless the pass mark is a GREAT deal lower than I would have thought!)
Just stay away from Goethe
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