Best Way To Learn French

['Bart']

It's possible that next year I may be going on holiday in EuroDisney Paris.

Now personally, I hated doing French at school, and dropped it as soon as I could.

However, I don't fancy going to France and not being at least partially able to speak the lingo. I'll be going with someone who can speak French but I'd like to give it a go myself.

Can anyone recommend a French language learning system? It would have to be a mixture of audio and printed material. I've tried listening to a language tape and without the stuff written in front of me, whatever the person is saying on the tape, well, it could be anything.

[Guest theboltonfury]

It's possible that next year I may be going on holiday in EuroDisney Paris.

Now personally, I hated doing French at school, and dropped it as soon as I could.

However, I don't fancy going to France and not being at least partially able to speak the lingo. I'll be going with someone who can speak French but I'd like to give it a go myself.

Can anyone recommend a French language learning system? It would have to be a mixture of audio and printed material. I've tried listening to a language tape and without the stuff written in front of me, whatever the person is saying on the tape, well, it could be anything.

Just learn the phrase ''kin hell, it's shit here, drizzly, full of French and you want how******ing much for Le Hot Dog?'

It's all you'll need.

Or try Michel Thomas. He's good.

[Guest absolutezero]

It's possible that next year I may be going on holiday in EuroDisney Paris.

Now personally, I hated doing French at school, and dropped it as soon as I could.

However, I don't fancy going to France and not being at least partially able to speak the lingo. I'll be going with someone who can speak French but I'd like to give it a go myself.

Can anyone recommend a French language learning system? It would have to be a mixture of audio and printed material. I've tried listening to a language tape and without the stuff written in front of me, whatever the person is saying on the tape, well, it could be anything.

I'm told the "Michel Thomas" stuff is good. But it's all spoken.

[Once in a lifetime]

http://www.linkwordlanguages.com/

[Guest theboltonfury]

I'm told the "Michel Thomas" stuff is good. But it's all spoken.

You get transcripts with them.

[Guest absolutezero]

You get transcripts with them.

Seems like 'Bart' would do well to get these then.

[R K]

I can confirm that you don't need to converse with the people in the Mickey outfits, however, should you wish to do so I can recommend the following:-

"Un Big Mac see voo play, mu sewer Mouse"

Should see you through most difficult situations.

[Bloo Loo]

I can confirm that you don't need to converse with the people in the Mickey outfits, however, should you wish to do so I can recommend the following:-

"Un Big Mac see voo play, mu sewer Mouse"

Should see you through most difficult situations.

non, il est une MAXI Burger, a les MacD's Francaise, mon sewer. et frites grand at un cola liyeet, si'l voo play.

[PhoneyMcRingRing]

I'm told the "Michel Thomas" stuff is good. But it's all spoken.

It's a great course. Best way to learn it is to speak it. As it is a Latin language you should be able to follow the basics of written French. A phrase book will fill in the blanks.

Wish they had taught languages the Michel Thomas way in school.

Phoney

[Guest absolutezero]

It's a great course. Best way to learn it is to speak it. As it is a Latin language you should be able to follow the basics of written French. A phrase book will fill in the blanks.

Wish they had taught languages the Michel Thomas way in school.

Phoney

Isn't the MT method more along the lines of listening to conversations and breaking them down, rather than learning the words and then putting them together? I.e. More like how you learned to speak as a child.

[Guest theboltonfury]

Isn't the MT method more along the lines of listening to conversations and breaking them down, rather than learning the words and then putting them together? I.e. More like how you learned to speak as a child.

He spends a lot of time congugating verbs and dealing with grammar, but his way is to then take a basic phrase and build it, bit by bit, into a more complicated sentence.

It's not just conversational, but more so than learning stuff parrot fashion.

[blobloblob]

Go to France, commit a crime, get sent to jail. You'll be fluent in no time. Same system works for any language.

[Guest theboltonfury]

Go to France, commit a crime, get sent to jail. You'll be fluent in no time. Same system works for any language.

No, this means you'll become fluent in Arabic.

[Guest absolutezero]

No, this means you'll become fluent in Arabic.

Controversial....

[libspero]

I'm told the "Michel Thomas" stuff is good. But it's all spoken.

I listened to one of those in German for 2 days while driving around Europe. He is very good.. but when I actually came to use it I realised I had no way to join up the few things he had taught me to say. I think the best I got was "Ick villan ein bratwurst bitter".. which got me some funny looks in a nice cafe called the "schwulenkneipe".

[indirectapproach]

Practice this. Video it so you get really good and comfortable with it. If you can't afford a video (or whatever they're called these days) use a mirror. If you don't have a mirror use your shadow when the sun shines, if it ever does where you are,

http://french.about.com/library/weekly/aa020901g.htm

Keep it simple, just go for the "Bof" option.

Don't worry about your "Bof" intonation, whatever it is will be wrong until you get it right. It's a bet like sledging with the Suomi. They're not just gonna give it away.

Once you're feeling good "Bof," start work on your,

"You know what I mean."

I feel this should be uttered with a deep(ish) intonation a lowered head that hints at a butt and a thoughtful frown.

Keep little children and the fairer sex out of the line of the cheese and hanky lunges this is prone to elucidate.

You'll be fine.

[libspero]

I understand it is a lot easier learning English..

[oracle]

It's a great course. Best way to learn it is to speak it. As it is a Latin language you should be able to follow the basics of written French. A phrase book will fill in the blanks.

Wish they had taught languages the Michel Thomas way in school.

Phoney

best way to learn a foreign language is to get a foreign girlfriend!!!

even if she speaks perfectly good english,it'll be impressive when you go to meet the in-laws and you are seen to be making an effort.

['Bart']

Cheers guys, some good stuff to follow up on.

I'm told the "Michel Thomas" stuff is good. But it's all spoken.

It may just be my "cloth ears" but I just can't get to grips with something just on tape.

How about this simple one

http://www.bonjour.com/

That looks excellent as a introduction.

You get transcripts with them.

Cheers BF.

I can confirm that you don't need to converse with the people in the Mickey outfits, however, should you wish to do so I can recommend the following:-

"Un Big Mac see voo play, mu sewer Mouse"

Should see you through most difficult situations.

No, this means you'll become fluent in Arabic.

I want to master a foreign tongue but this wasn't quite what I had in mind!

I think I'll give Mr Thomas a go, The Amazon customer reviews seem very positive indeed.

Thanks to all who replied.

[cartimandua51]

It's possible that next year I may be going on holiday in EuroDisney Paris.

Now personally, I hated doing French at school, and dropped it as soon as I could.

However, I don't fancy going to France and not being at least partially able to speak the lingo. I'll be going with someone who can speak French but I'd like to give it a go myself.

Can anyone recommend a French language learning system? It would have to be a mixture of audio and printed material. I've tried listening to a language tape and without the stuff written in front of me, whatever the person is saying on the tape, well, it could be anything.

If you are, ahem, of a certain age, you will probably have been taught at least the rudiments of grammar (English, as well as any in French). A lot of modern systems rely on the "go with the flow" monkey see, monkey do methods, whereas you may be happier with something more structured so you can see how it all fits together.

Michel thomas is OK, but also have a look at the good old-fashioned "Teach Yourself" series books, which come with CDs. Amazon has them by the zillion...

And don't forget the trusty BBC website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/

[ccc]

Apparently you pick it up pretty quickly with these chaps.

[blobloblob]

No, this means you'll become fluent in Arabic.

You may have a point there.

[indirectapproach]

"Apparently you pick it up pretty quickly with these chaps."

"No, this means you'll become fluent in Arabic."

Err .... that's it.

[indirectapproach]

If you try to speak Spanish at a party in Spain, you can't go wrong.

If you bother to speak French at a party in France, you'll never get it right.

[indirectapproach]

I've been accused of speaking French with a Burgundian accent in Paris.

Ho ho.