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[Jay w]

and feeling slightly pi**ed off with myself as well.....

Every year i do one or two open university courses, purely to expand my knowledge and mainly for a bit of fun, it kills the time whilst i am working away from home.

this year i have decided to learn French, now i hated the language when i was at school, never got on with it and could never understand why. We spend a lot of time over there and i feel like a muppet when i can't speak the language, but i will admit i am really struggling with this one and i hate being in this position.

Very seldom do i walk away from something but this could be one of those things, and in the end i still have the embarrisment of not being able to speak the language.....

does anyone know any books/sites that can explain the construction of the french language in a simple manner, this is my stumbling block, if i can get round this then i feel i will be part way there to my goal.

[kris9128]

when i was at school i was learning french. never got on with the teacher. she sent a letter to my folks explaining that i was wasting her time learning french and should think about learning another subject. i took this personaly so mjy folks bought  me some french text books  and i ended up getting 91% in my exams . the text books were called tricolour i think. am looking for the link and will post as soon as i fin d it. good luck.

[mantahatch]

I understand how you feel, we spend a fair bit of time in France as well, I would love to be able to speak french but it is way beyond me.
I am fortunate enough that my wife can just speak enough to get by in restaurants and shops etc. but she is far from fluent.

Would add if I could speak the language I would be living in Normandy or Brittany right now. Not for the wrong reasons, I just like the countryside and lack of people there, oh and the open roads  

Mike

[Chopsdad]

when i was at school i was learning french. never got on with the teacher. she sent a letter to my folks explaining that i was wasting her time learning french and should think about learning another subject. i took this personaly so mjy folks bought  me some french text books  and i ended up getting 91% in my exams . the text books were called tricolour i think. am looking for the link and will post as soon as i fin d it. good luck.

These were the ones used in my school 20 years ago.

I usually find going to Spain helps - they all speak English there  

[Jay w]

I understand how you feel, we spend a fair bit of time in France as well, I would love to be able to speak french but it is way beyond me.
I am fortunate enough that my wife can just speak enough to get by in restaurants and shops etc. but she is far from fluent.

Would add if I could speak the language I would be living in Normandy or Brittany right now. Not for the wrong reasons, I just like the countryside and lack of people there, oh and the open roads  

Mike

long term this is the plan, try to develop our business and then sell it to finance our retirement in the south of France.

The company i am working for is french as well so i am coming more and more in contact with the French on a daily basis

[HolyCount]

Sounds daft -- but try to get hold of some kids books in french and listen to Henri Des (French kids entertainer). Start from basics. My in laws live in South of France every time I visit I arrive unable to speak a word and leave being at least able to understand whats going on --- total immersion.  I find watching TV progs I know in French helps too !!!!

[Mr Skrunts]

Avatar

Chopsdad please do me a favour and save this in place of your avatar.    

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk106/skruntie/Avataer/Avatar.gif

[Gaffers]

I'm fluent, pm me with your questions and I'll be happy to oblige  

[bappy]

absolument, les livres de 'tricolour' sont les livres que j'ai utilise au lycee. Ils sont bien fait.

I can't speak properly in french but I can make myself understood. best thing to do is listen to someone talking french. get your favorite dvd box set and stick it on french language. put the english subtitles up to help if you get bored or dont understand.

The problem that I found with french is that the french people ignore their own gramatical rules. they say j'ai pas.... instead of je n'ai pas out of simple lazyness and so on. textbooks don't teach you this so getting used to hearing french people speak in the way they normally would is of great benefit - thats where dvds help.

[Danny]

hated french at school, with a passion, i cant understand it when spoken to me, and i cant speak it, but to a degree I can understand it written

it was also the subject I got my highest grade in at school  :-/

[Martin_1962]

Buy a  few French films, start with Taxi series, that will help

[gwa]

Mon Deu (as Dell Boy would say) avey vous urn cuppa.... merci bueaquet mon ami. Ovoir

Maybe you can send me a copy of your books  

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Many years ago now I started with a Readers Digest set of "Learning French" tapes and books, went to evening classes and bought various records and publications (BBC I think).  After a few months I learnt how to read, write, and speak French  quite satisfactorily. 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

Then I went to France to practice, but after not practising for years I now hardly know any of that language at all!!   Damn shame, and especially when I have French speakers all round me at uni!

If you live in France for any length of time and HAVE to use it as your everyday communication I reckon, like with most languages, you can learn it with full retention for years after.

[HolyCount]

absolument, les livres de 'tricolour' sont les livres que j'ai utilise au lycee. Ils sont bien fait.

I can't speak properly in french but I can make myself understood. best thing to do is listen to someone talking french. get your favorite dvd box set and stick it on french language. put the english subtitles up to help if you get bored or dont understand.

The problem that I found with french is that the french people ignore their own gramatical rules. they say j'ai pas.... instead of je n'ai pas out of simple lazyness and so on. textbooks don't teach you this so getting used to hearing french people speak in the way they normally would is of great benefit - thats where dvds help.

As over here -- they also have there own regional dialects, which can be quite off putting !

[Lizzie_Zoom]

absolument, les livres de 'tricolour' sont les livres que j'ai utilise au lycee. Ils sont bien fait.

I can't speak properly in french but I can make myself understood. best thing to do is listen to someone talking french. get your favorite dvd box set and stick it on french language. put the english subtitles up to help if you get bored or dont understand.

The problem that I found with french is that the french people ignore their own gramatical rules. they say j'ai pas.... instead of je n'ai pas out of simple lazyness and so on. textbooks don't teach you this so getting used to hearing french people speak in the way they normally would is of great benefit - thats where dvds help.

As over here -- they also have there own regional dialects, which can be quite off putting !

Yes indeed especially in Zummerset and Bristall!! Lovely areal though!