they recommended a dentiste…
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Thanks everyone for your warm welcome.
I tend to chat to anyone willing to tolerate and converse with me, and I have no problem making an absolute clown of myself but I do find the language hard work sometimes.
I’m still very hesitant speaking French on the phone and after several occasions when they’d just hang up on me I decided I’d rather drive if whatever is within a reasonable distance and discuss the matter face to face or send an email than to keep going through that!
Anyhoo, how does one post a photo?
If I’m unsure for a single something… I mumble the un/une but do a thumbs up 
which confirms ONE.
I used to confuse our baker by raising my index finger…which she took to possibly mean TWO… 
we ended up laughing once we’d “gone round the houses” in an attempt to understand each other…
Ah ha!
Thanks very muchly vero.
Hi and welcome to the forum, we all muddle hrough French grammar, but so much of it is to do with confidence and having a fairly clear idea of what you’re trying to communicate, without worrying over gender, or usually even tense. Nouns matter, their gender much less so.
Crikey @vero, my French is pretty bad, but I can always manage the basics like that pretty well, and more. I still feel pretty bad at not being able to converse easily. I’d love to be more fluent, and be able to converse but it doesn’t come easily to me for some reason. Bugger.
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Many can’t, or don’t, you’d be amazed. I used to feel sorry for the people who think us rude because of how we react when they don’t say bonjour but actually the milk of human kindness has dried up and now I just think how rude, walk into the sea.
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That’s what I do, just make sure it isn’t the middle finger though.
The problem I find is not ‘un’ or ‘une’, they don’t really matter, it is when gender affects the endings of other words that is the problem.
has to be the thumb, according to the Baker’s wife…
I’ve found that mums in particular are very good at correcting my mistakes, automatically, with no malice !
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I’ll never forget a sign at a coffee shop
Un Cafe 4 Euro
Un Cafe s’il vous plait 3 Euro
Bonjour, Un Cafe s’il vous plait 1,50Euro
Politeness wins the day every time.
my school french is still in dire need of polishing, and I resent the fact not being able to have long conversations about all sorts of politics, environmental issues, farming, life in general with our french neighbours. But I just ignore my shortcomings - and like you just babble on…
If all else fails I refer to ‘mon ami google’ and whip out the phone for a quick translate.
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What a marvellous sign, and says so much 
I shall certainly be remembering that
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a bit like this one…
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French people forgive a lot. In my own case since I came to France to work and live I have been closely involved in 3 activities, transport driving, petanque and thé dansant. In all 3 a sense of community exists to the extent that rapid (and in the case of drivers, instant) progression to tutoyer has led me from time to time to use it inappropriately. In every single case I have not seen a single eyelid batted, while I, belatedly in realisation, squirm inwardly. ;-(
You are not alone! With new folk, I start off very formally and as the conversations swing this way and that… often it descends into chit-chat… and if I find I have said a “tu” I stammer my apologies…
and I can say (with hand on heart) that folk have been very kind and understanding… saying more often than not that they know full well that English only contains the one word “you”…
Of course, if the conversation remains rigid/chilly… “vous” it is… and I watch my P’s and Q’s too…
‘You’ means ‘vous’, not that many people know that. Tutoyer is theeing and thouing 
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You means whatever I want it to mean when I’m talking with folk…
I’ve certainly not heard “thee” and/or “thou” recently… certainly not since I was a girl…
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No of course not, but it is still true - and I think that is the source of confusion for Fr people, who think English speakers tutoie everyone when in fact they are stuck in permanent obligation to voussoie (or vouvoie, if you want to be more modern ).
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Once I’ve explained that it’s all to do with the tone of voice and the nuances… we end up (usually) having wonderful conversations often including their experiences in London (or wherever)… and where to buy the best fish and chips…
Incidentally, I’ve been admonished for “vous” when I should have said “tu”… phew… in a mixed group of some well-known and some comparative strangers it can get complicated.