Suggestions on improving my French language

Steve

Another suggestion is to find someone to give you one to one sessions, ideally someone with a qualification for teaching French as a foreign language. Someone doing this recently moved into our village and is trying to build up a part time business (she also works in a crêperie to pay the bills). My French is (so she tells me) pretty advanced but, assuming one is interested in the language rather than just getting by, I have found a weekly session with her fascinating. I do not know what she does for less advanced students, but, for us, she does not follow a course or use text books. For example, we had a series of discussions on "liberté" after the Charlie Hebdo affair. She started by showing one week a photo of the crowd in the Place de la Nation after the demonstration which appeared on the front of L'Observateur and asked for thoughts. That led to a discussion on pictures by Delacroix and Géricault (sources for the photo), and she asked us each (my wife and I see her separately) to bring in a photo, and then a photo of a painting that to us represented "Liberté". We then had to explain why. I dislike classes and get impatient but I have found my discussions with Natascha interesting and stimulating. Of course, we talk entirely in French, and from time to time (less often as time goes by) she will have a pause and point out any errors - maybe a wrong gender or failure to use a subjunctive or not using the reflexive form of a verb. Often it is the little words one gets wrong, or uses in the wrong place e.g dans/en/à/sur all meaning "in".

The benefit of one to one is that you concentrate entirely on what interests or troubles you. I know she is all having sessions with some near beginners so she has the flexibility you rightly say is not necessarily there in regular classes.

The challenge, of course, is to find a suitable teacher and we are very lucky in that respect.

Another thing I do is go to a the Université du Temps Libre in Tarbes (30 mins away), not for their language courses, but for lectures on French history and literature. They are very high quality and it is a good discipline to listen to an academic lecture for 90 minutes. My wife, on the other hand, as an experienced singer has joined a choir (not an option for me) and that is also proving valuable not least when they are singing something in English and need help with translation and pronunciation.

On a more mundane level, and again we are lucky with our local spa town (Bagnères-de-Bigorre), we avoid so far as possible all supermarkets and shop in small independent shops where everyone is happy to have a conversation whether about what you have bought, the weather, rugby, cycling or the iniquities of the government.

Jonathan

Try Conversation Exchange http://www.conversationexchange.com/s_map/learn.php?language=French I've just tried it for La Rochelle, and at least one person offering French in exchange for English turned up.

Or find a good bar (sports bar if you like football/rugby).

Bonne chance!

hi Steve, understand all for diff reasons, Brian M also hit nail on head - ‘mind’ works faster or better than brain. Speaking is better than trying to stuff yourself up with a load of written info,over a short period of time.

I found talking to the locals the best and quickest way to learn. Now have a notebook/pen to jot new words down quickly, then can find translation at home at my leisure. as you say there are several words the same in both eng & fr. one thing I found invaluable to remember, is that ‘ment’ at end of French word is ‘ly ’ at end of English word I.e simplement / simply, etc etc’, it’s the French pronunciation that differs. Conjugations from the verbs avoir and etre will get you off to a good start as well.

I also bought here in France last year a French/English dictionary rather than use my one bought in UK. Le Robert & Collins anglais/francais…francais/anglais from Book section in supermarket at E8.50. much better for pronunciations as well. Bon courage. other than that, as Simon and others said, just relax, I also know stress really does not help in difficult situations and once the locals get used to ‘your ways’ of saying or doing they will accept it and help you quite readily.



one other thing I have found useful, especially with ‘office wallahs’ the ‘fonctionaires’ for (health, taxes, administrative matters,’ is a letter written in French explaining I am English and can only speak very little French - not completely true but if people think you can speak some, they then gabble away very fast and I’m left without a clue sometimes about what they are saying, only understanding an occasional individual word, because they have all rolled into one - it takes me time to unravel it and then I say repetez lentement svp - repeat slowly please! Every little helps I hope.

hi Steve, understand all for diff reasons, Brian M also hit nail on head - ‘mind’ works faster or better than brain. Speaking is better than trying to stuff yourself up with a load of written info,over a short period of time.

I found talking to the locals the best and quickest way to learn. Now have a notebook/pen to jot new words down quickly, then can find translation at home at my leisure. as you say there are several words the same in both eng & fr. one thing I found invaluable to remember, is that ‘ment’ at end of French word is ‘ly ’ at end of English word I.e simplement / simply, etc etc’, it’s the French pronunciation that differs. Conjugations from the verbs avoir and etre will get you off to a good start as well.

I also bought here in France last year a French/English dictionary rather than use my one bought in UK. Le Robert & Collins anglais/francais…francais/anglais from Book section in supermarket at E8.50. much better for pronunciations as well. Bon courage. other than that, as Simon and others said, just relax, I also know stress really does not help in difficult situations and once the locals get used to ‘your ways’ of saying or doing they will accept it without question and help you quite readily.



one other thing I have found useful, especially with ‘office wallahs’ the ‘fonctionaires’ for (health, taxes, administrative matters,’ is a letter written in French explaining I am English and can only speak very little French - not completely true but if people think you can speak some, they then gabble away very fast and I’m left without a clue sometimes about what they are saying, only understanding an occasional individual word, because they have all rolled into one - it takes me time to unravel it and then I say repetez lentement svp - repeat slowly please! Every little helps I hope.

Or Sud Ouest online version for Sarlat ran a story about an old tree that split with the drought and heat causing it to topple....

Join a club, Steve, where there are only or mainly French people. That way, you'll be forced to hear and speak French, but within the context of the club so that you'll quickly pick up the vocabulary. [In my case, it is a cycling club.] Because of the more limited scope of the vocab [specific to the interest/sport/hobby] you will pick it up more quickly which will give you confidence. You'll also find that you will "click" with certain individuals who will have the patience to repeat/correct you, then you can invite them to lunch/dinner/droniks and gradually the conversation will expand to other areas. In my case, it even led to one club member asking if I would give him English tuition in exchange for French lessons. We now have one of each every week, so we are both being helped!

Tim, thanks for the comment. I agree if you show your making an effort they can.t do enough for you.

I know what you mean, I’ve ask one person if they need a doctor! Fortunately I don’t experience it too offen. I thought it’s part of their DNA. I’ll keep smiling Simon.

Thanks.

Hello Andrew, thanks for the comment, much appreciated.

I take one day at a time, I suppose I want to run before I can walk, as they say!

I occasionally tune into other peoples’ conversations, doctors surgery maybe not the most appropriate place, “too much information”.

There are advantages to being dyslexic, you acquire skills, observing being one of them.

In my case when I’m more stressed the dyslexia become more of a problems, as you say I put up barriers. I’ve been fortunate to learn new skill and how to manage it over the years but from time to time it pops back! I just have to learn how to work through them.

i echo Simon i have tried all sorts of different methods all to no avail..i find on the whole if you show you are trying most natives will go out of their way to be helpful so as Simon says relax dont beat yourself up and as with me slowly over time i`m sure you will get the hang of it...failing that my other method is to teach them all gods language :)

I think, from my experience, that Simon offers very good advice.

Relax. Easier to say than to do, I know, but try. We put barriers in our own way by being anxious. Try not to fixate on understanding every single word said to you. Let the words wash over you, picking up the ones you can, and trust in yourself to understand the sense of what is being said. Most of our understanding comes from the non-verbal anyway (in fact, a surprisingly high percentage). By being tense and focusing only on the words, you're missing these valuable nonverbal clues.

I think we don't really listen to each other anyway, even in our mother tongue! Think about it. How often can you repeat word for word what someone says to you? (unless forewarned) You invariably paraphrase.

I spent a few years in formal language classes here, enough to give me basics. Then it felt like I had to learn how the language was actually spoken! Just listening to others speak, in supermarket queues etc, became a real eye opener. Some of those things my teacher taught me weren't said? Well, actually, they were! (I'm not knocking lessons BTW, they were invaluable. They got me to that point were I could understand)

And, IMHO, I cannot emphasise enough Simon's point: do not beat yourself up! You learn at your own pace. It does take time, and every day will have its ups and downs, but hang in there and don't get too frustrated (a little is good, it shows desire!) But I firmly believe that you have to trust in yourself, know that your brain is doing its thing and learning. Put yourself in situations where French is being spoken, eavesdrop and chance a few words, and you will learn slowly but surely.

And don't be put off when a French person screws up their face and nose as you're doing your best. Just smile and be thankful you don't look as ridiculous as them! I see it happen loads and I always think they look ever so slightly constipated :-)

Join local groups and mix with the French. My good friends are in Vert-Bois near you and their neighbours are French or Belgians and they have loads of get-togethers not to mention the day to day contact between neighbours which has done wonders for their French. Mix as much as you can and don't be afraid of making a pratt of yourself.

Keep away from English speakers !

Well looks like I could trump both of you on local news. We hit the national news, and the BBC, when local farmers, decided to go and block the bridge for 4 days. I must be improving on the language, I could understand what was being said on the radio, and turn back while I was sitting in the traffic jam.

Simon, spooky it was only the other day I asked a similar question about the photos in the local papers.

Heck, you almost have news. I think Duck eats piece of bread thrown by local man is about as high level our headlines ever get. With news like that it makes learning easy because the language is also about top of primary school level.

Ditto Steve - our local paper, La Depeche, is more like a comic full of pictures - most of them full of people either sitting behind desks at meetings or standing in a group with their arms folded - check em out! Front page news is generally when someone gets flashed by a speed camera :-)

Hi Brian, thank you so much for some great suggestions, on common phrases.
I’ll have a go.

For once we totally agree, as for their refusal to accept that there are half a dozen actual other languages spoken in France and more dialects than they have irregular verbs lined up... Nah, let's not go down there, it could get as shallow as they are.

It's only xenophobic paranoia that keeps l'Académie française going! I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than look at another verb table.....

Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll check with the Marie office.

I am living on Ile d’Oléron, Department 17 the nearest cities off the island are Rochefort or La Rochelle.

I do read the local papers online from time to time, but not much happens here.