Well, in the Légion…
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What a co-incidence!
I watched that video 2 days ago.
Total immersion was the approach that I was subjected to when I joined the EU in Brussels many years ago.
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Same with me when I started work here in 1999, but even though my comprehension has got worse in latter years.
I’m finding the whole language thing intensely frustrating right now. We’ve been doing around 5 hours per week online since October 2021, hardly immersion, but we both work and have lives too. Yet having any kind of conversation with a complete non-English speaker is almost impossible.
Most frustrating of all is not being understood when saying a word clearly, albeit with a ‘wrong’ accent. When someone asked when we should get together and they don’t seem to understand "jeudi, vendredi " I wonder whether I should even bother.
Listen to the radio, watch French TV, go to French films… it’s not just about accent but also intonation. So need as much experience of people speaking French as possible to absorb that. And not just sentence by sentence which you get in lessons.
I will always have “un petit accent”, as think it’s near impossible for an adult to get rid of their native accent.
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One thing I do find funny is that I want to reply in German, even though I have far more French now. The words are just there waiting - wie geht es ihnen, rather than comment ca va.
It’s also much easier to speak another language sat quietly alone than facing a stranger. I will do more listening and watching.
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My partner is French and had lived in UK for 27 years - over half her life - until we moved 2 years ago. French people often think she’s British and speaks very good French 
I’m not bothered about my accent. It’s not as bad as the policeman character from Allo Allo, but it’s blatantly obvious when I speak that I’m British. The thing is, I get away with making mistakes because I’m clearly not a native speaker whereas my partner gets funny looks if, for example, she can’t remember the French name for something, only the English equivalent… They look at her as if she’s completely stupid 
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Agree totally with this. That’s exactly what my partner tells people too… She says she doesn’t have a good British accent (whatever that would mean) but she knows how to intonate the words like what us Brits do.
Oh I so know that one! You have my sympathy. I was bilingual in Portuguese (lived/worked in Brazil for 5 years in the 70s) and even now 15 years on here in France when I am struggling for a word there is every possibility the Portuguese word arrives first. And sometimes I say a word and I have no idea whether it’s French or Portuguese.
Having said that, it does get easier and the French does come to dominate most of the time. Mind you, these days I struggle to find the right word in all three languages! 
I so admire interpreters and their ability to move back and forth instantaneously between languages.
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The lass who works for me speaks 5 languages and was recently trying to learn Portuguese. She’s had to learn because she’s lived in many different places. For her it’s fun.
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I find that too…
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Is there anywhere online that I can see the requirements for obtaining the different levels A2, B1, etc…?
I’m keen to apply for dual citizenship once I’ve been here long enough, and would like to know what level I need to be at.
I can perfectly well make myself understood in French, most of the time, but why oh why do people keep insisting on replying to me. 
…
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Si vous voulez apprendre Francais un peu plus, je vous a recomendait a Yabla.com. Les teachers et lessons sont tres sympa and flexible. Il ya cent a cinq cent lessons oral, chaque une avec a Francais ou Francaise person qui parlait 5 a 8 minutes sur une suject. Simultaneousment, il ya a translation en francaise et anglais. C’est tres utile. J’ai 78 ans et chaque semine je ecoute et je essaye le applcation du lesson. Pour $99 par an, c’est a tres bonne bien. www.yabla.com.
Google translation:
If you want to learn a little more French, I recommend Yabla.com. The teachers and classes are very friendly and flexible. There are 100 to 500 oral lessons, each with a French speaking 5 to 8 minutes on a topic. Simultaneously, there is a translation in French and English. It’s very useful. I am 78 years old and every week I listen and try the application of the lesson. For $99 per year, it’s a pretty good deal. www.yabla.com.
This is quite good for evaluating where you are
And or citizenship you need to have a B1 certificate ot diploma. Quite basic. This describes the level
https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168045bb57
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Thanks, Jane. That’s perfect… just what I was looking for.
It is fun and the more you know the easier it gets 
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Tim, Tim, Tim….
You know that your French is good enough to pass the non-existent exam.
None of us in the Rouen Prefecture were questioned - not even Stephen who cant speak a word in French!
Anyway, I would have thought that you would be seeking Spanish residency now….
Cheers mate.
I think perhaps you are either:
A) talking about the citizenship process pre-2020 when the over 60’s were exempt, or
B) confusing citizenship with residency and the process to get residents’ card when no french was needed - although pretty ignorant to live here without even learning to speak a word.
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Dr Ray & “tout le monde ici et là”,
May I :
“Si vous voulez apprendre Francais un peu plus, je vous a recomendait a Yabla.com. Les teachers et lessons sont tres sympa and flexible. Il ya cent a cinq cent lessons oral, chaque une avec a Francais ou Francaise person qui parlait 5 a 8 minutes sur une suject. Simultaneousment, il ya a translation en francaise et anglais. C’est tres utile. J’ai 78 ans et chaque semine je ecoute et je essaye le applcation du lesson. Pour $99 par an, c’est a tres bonne bien.”
So, may I correct (gently) a bit (a lot) or will it be a waste of time of mine to play the good samaritan (teacher) ? Accents (I know, not the first important step however), “S” at the end of both Nouns/Adjectives when plurial, apostrophe if two following vowels, rest being wonderful “what’s-the-f*uck-should-it-be ?”…Let’s go anyway :
"Si vous voulez apprendre le Français un peu plus, je vous ai recommendé Yablabla. Les professeurs et leçons sont très sympas et flexibles (the latter doesn’t exist in french really, unlike its obsessive use in UK : is it because of a lack of “flexibility”, even a slight sense of, in France ? Probably). Il y a cent à cinq cents leçons orales (it would have been “orals” if masculine lessons But “leçon” in french is Feminine : endless terrific world for foreigners, german is worse with neutral “dass” in addition so let’s not complain too much), chacune avec une personne française qui parlait 5 à 8 minutes sur un sujet (adjective after the noun, the vast majority of the time and “personne” is a feminine noun so guess the answer as you should a minimum know ? answer given obviously). Here we are, delicious frenglish : “Simultaneousment” ? Simultanément, or better if orally “en même temps” (at the same time), il y a la traduction en français et anglais. C’est très utile. J’ai 78 ans, et chaque semaine, j’écoute et j’essaye l’application de la leçon (apostrophe since 2 following vowels in 2 following words like “je appelle”=“j’appelle” or “la apple” would be “l’apple”…brain shift 
). Pour £99 par an, c’est très bien. Simplement, voilà
Merci beaucoup Geraldine, my name by the way. You’re welcome, just a bit of time wasted : nothing really, by generous (useless ?) matter. You can start in daily life with very simple words, without giving a damn of french reactions certainly no more clever than a down-syndrome cow. Cows being far kinder, better or whatsoever. Overcome and Enjoy ! French don’t align more than 3 words in english so…
Regarding dual administration, I can’t answer properly as French nationality/residency/citizenship I have from birth. Others are better for that, for sure. Always make several photocopies before sending any document : the heilish bureaucracy is not an illusion at all here. Advice, just in case.
And finally regarding your accents, it’s just very beautiful sincerely : just to be understood, for practical sake. When I arrived in specific London (no comment) 10 years ago now, “you” weren’t for some of you not, let’s say, so kind because of a slippery level of mine at the beginning but in a so lovely manner anyway. Everyone has to be burnt at the stake once in its life, specifically scary alone people (women ?) living right in the middle of a fiery wood…I think if I step back a bit that French definitely use more the Nose like in “ion, en, an, ent, on, ain etc”. Like americans maybe ? Suggestion will be to try with a clothespin, near a blaze or under 40 C upright. Stop when vitally required !
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