I did evening classes through Bexley adult education for 3 years. Did it at o level in school so didn’t start at the lowest level. A few of us in the class hired a private tutor and took it in turns to have classes at our houses. Had to give it up when my daughter was born as didn’t have the time.
Was well worth doing and even though I’ve forgotten a lot can more than get by in France now.
Although presumably classed as racist these days (and, if not, why not?) this did the trick for me.
My French girlfriend loves watching old vids of 'Allo 'Allo. P*sses herself laughing!
Clichéd, predictable .... but still very funny. Especially the way it takes the piss, e.g. the British agent French policeman and his typically anglicised way of pronouncing French.
And Michelle, the French resistance girl ..... she's still in my fantasies ha ha!
Mrs is looking to learn as her family have a place over there any lifers in this field?
Can't answer your question, of course.
But making a start, did she learn some French at school that she can use as as a base for re-learning? That would stand her in good stead.
If not, or it's forgotten, there's plenty of online courses and material. I'll probably be criticised ...... there's grammatical courses for passing exams, that'll help you write good French - but that's not the way French people actually speak to each other.
If useful conversational French is actually the aim, then target a course for that. Some teachers specialise in that, but try to find a native French speaker who'll also immerse you in the French culture, social habits and ways of doing things.
There's plenty online, Youtube vids, etc but pick one and stick with it, rather than jump around all over the place. Watching little kids programmes is brilliant for slow and easy informal conversational stuff. Watch the same ones over and over again - it really does stick!
IMO playing Duolingo is good for reinforcing vocabulary you already know - but don't get trapped in it. It won't help you speak conversational French on it's own.
But if you can find a native French speaking friend either locally or online to practice with - that's the best!
Don’t know how to do links (maybe some one can put one up), go to YouTube and type in Catherine Tate Lauren French Exam …..it’s totally bloody hilarious!😂😂😂
Don’t know how to do links (maybe some one can put one up), go to YouTube and type in Catherine Tate Lauren French Exam …..it’s totally bloody hilarious!😂😂😂
Careful with Duolingo - it's addictive and ensnares you to always get to the next level. You get trapped in it. On it's own it won't help you speak conversational French in France.
It's fine as a small regular part of your learning, but make sure you're also mostly watching and talking everyday conversational French. Get immersed in French young kids programmes and French only speaking videos (with subtitles if needed)- they can be found at all levels of progress.
Careful with Duolingo - it's addictive and ensnares you to always get to the next level. You get trapped in it. On it's own it won't help you speak conversational French in France.
It's fine as a small regular part of your learning, but make sure you're also mostly watching and talking everyday conversational French. Get immersed in French young kids programmes and French only speaking videos (with subtitles if needed)- they can be found at all levels of progress.
Been learning Danish (1277 consecutive days) on Duolingo.
I find I can have a good stab at reading it and picking out the meaning. As for pronouncing it, unless you speak it regularly, no chance.
As I get older, i use it more as a brain exercise, 15 minutes a day.
Although presumably classed as racist these days (and, if not, why not?) this did the trick for me.
My French girlfriend loves watching old vids of 'Allo 'Allo. P*sses herself laughing!
Clichéd, predictable .... but still very funny. Especially the way it takes the piss, e.g. the British agent French policeman and his typically anglicised way of pronouncing French.
And Michelle, the French resistance girl ..... she's still in my fantasies ha ha!
I've always wondered if other countries have the same concept ... that is, we have stereotypical French people speaking English, Germans speaking English etc.
Do the French mock how the English speak French or how the Germans speak French or is it just a British thing?
Although presumably classed as racist these days (and, if not, why not?) this did the trick for me.
My French girlfriend loves watching old vids of 'Allo 'Allo. P*sses herself laughing!
Clichéd, predictable .... but still very funny. Especially the way it takes the piss, e.g. the British agent French policeman and his typically anglicised way of pronouncing French.
And Michelle, the French resistance girl ..... she's still in my fantasies ha ha!
I've always wondered if other countries have the same concept ... that is, we have stereotypical French people speaking English, Germans speaking English etc.
Do the French mock how the English speak French or how the Germans speak French or is it just a British thing?
No, everybody's at it.
Years ago, when I was living in Copenhagen for a short while, my Danish friends always loved a sit com show that ripped the piss out of the Norwegians. You have to understand the rivalry. The Dutch are the same with the Belgians - a bit like, "Have you heard about the Irishman who ..." (except, of course in Ireland, my mate in Galway always starts exactly the same joke, "Have you heard about the man from County Clare ..... " ) ha ha
In France on telly, they're always doing send ups of the English, you know: sterotypes like City types in pin stripe suit, bowler hat and briefcase and Big Ben as it goes BONG; or English tourist on holiday in Union Jack shorts eating a full English breakfast. The Americans get similar sterotyped treatment.
But it is humour. It seems strange to me, but the French love the English accents. And if you're nice to them, make an effort to speak their language and absorb a bit of their culture, the French will like you too.
Careful with Duolingo - it's addictive and ensnares you to always get to the next level. You get trapped in it. On it's own it won't help you speak conversational French in France.
It's fine as a small regular part of your learning, but make sure you're also mostly watching and talking everyday conversational French. Get immersed in French young kids programmes and French only speaking videos (with subtitles if needed)- they can be found at all levels of progress.
Agreed with Duolingo but it is good for a bit of a practice and get you started or revive school French. Watching programmes with subtitles can help too; in English with French subtitles then in French with English then just in French
Careful with Duolingo - it's addictive and ensnares you to always get to the next level. You get trapped in it. On it's own it won't help you speak conversational French in France.
It's fine as a small regular part of your learning, but make sure you're also mostly watching and talking everyday conversational French. Get immersed in French young kids programmes and French only speaking videos (with subtitles if needed)- they can be found at all levels of progress.
Been learning Danish (1277 consecutive days) on Duolingo.
I find I can have a good stab at reading it and picking out the meaning. As for pronouncing it, unless you speak it regularly, no chance.
As I get older, i use it more as a brain exercise, 15 minutes a day.
Farvel
Hej hej, Soapy! Thirty years ago, I picked up a smattering of Danish ..... it wasn't so difficult to read. I said to my Danish friends, how am I doing? "You speak Danish with a foreign accent", teasing me.
They thoughtfully slowed down when speaking to me, but when talking amongst themselves it just came out as some sort of glottal stop soup with half of the words unintellegibly swallowed.
Jeg kan ikke huske min Dansk nu.
Anyway Soapy, if you're getting fun out of Duolingo and it serves your purpose, then that's great. Hav en god dag.
Careful with Duolingo - it's addictive and ensnares you to always get to the next level. You get trapped in it. On it's own it won't help you speak conversational French in France.
It's fine as a small regular part of your learning, but make sure you're also mostly watching and talking everyday conversational French. Get immersed in French young kids programmes and French only speaking videos (with subtitles if needed)- they can be found at all levels of progress.
Agreed with Duolingo but it is good for a bit of a practice and get you started or revive school French. Watching programmes with subtitles can help too; in English with French subtitles then in French with English then just in French
I wouldn't argue with that @PrincessFiona. As I said in my first post, Duolingo is great for reinforcing what you already know. However, speaking from my own experience and that of others I know, it sucks you in and you just end up expanding your vocabulary but when in France trying to speak French, you still can't string a sentence together.
I've got a friend who does only Duolingo every day and is on a 1,000+ day streak - but he's floundering as soon as someone actually speaks to him in French. Although he's still convincing himself he's learning French.
Duolingo is fine as a practise tool that forms only a small part of your French learning routine. But you can get more benefit in learning conversational French from other methods that will enable you to have a proper conversation in everyday French with French people.
Totally agree with you of the benefits of watching programmes in French - and yes, use the subtitles (especially French subtitles) until you don't need to. And on Youtube, for example - you can always slow down the speed if needed.
I thought the trick going abroad was just to shout louder?
Unfortunately, some English people do just that.
And every time, make themselves look complete arseholes.
I had an aunt who was taken to Spain on holiday. She was in her 70’s (at least) and it was her first trip outside of the UK. The thing that surprised her most was that even the children could speak Spanish.
Although presumably classed as racist these days (and, if not, why not?) this did the trick for me.
My French girlfriend loves watching old vids of 'Allo 'Allo. P*sses herself laughing!
Clichéd, predictable .... but still very funny. Especially the way it takes the piss, e.g. the British agent French policeman and his typically anglicised way of pronouncing French.
And Michelle, the French resistance girl ..... she's still in my fantasies ha ha!
I've always wondered if other countries have the same concept ... that is, we have stereotypical French people speaking English, Germans speaking English etc.
Do the French mock how the English speak French or how the Germans speak French or is it just a British thing?
No, everybody's at it.
Years ago, when I was living in Copenhagen for a short while, my Danish friends always loved a sit com show that ripped the piss out of the Norwegians. You have to understand the rivalry. The Dutch are the same with the Belgians - a bit like, "Have you heard about the Irishman who ..." (except, of course in Ireland, my mate in Galway always starts exactly the same joke, "Have you heard about the man from County Clare ..... " ) ha ha
In France on telly, they're always doing send ups of the English, you know: sterotypes like City types in pin stripe suit, bowler hat and briefcase and Big Ben as it goes BONG; or English tourist on holiday in Union Jack shorts eating a full English breakfast. The Americans get similar sterotyped treatment.
But it is humour. It seems strange to me, but the French love the English accents. And if you're nice to them, make an effort to speak their language and absorb a bit of their culture, the French will like you too.
But what about the actual accents? We have a clear 'Frenchman speaking English' accent (ref. 'Allo, 'Allo) and stereotypical ideas of German/Italian/Spanish/Indian/Chinese etc attempts at English (ref. most other sitcoms from the past).
Do other nations have the same idea?
I've seen Scandinavian stand-up comics who indicate that Danish is a gutteral mess of throat sounds, and that Norwegians are the equivalent of Australians with their upspeak.
I've used this before here, but there is an extraordinary (spoof) example of this kind of thing from Giles Brandreth who claims that the motto of the French Navy is "To the water! It is the hour".
I give you ... " A l'eau! C'est l'heure".
It has to be heard to be believed. It even captures the stereotypical accent of a French person speaking English.
mrs due to her parents having a place in france and us just coming back from 8 days out there really wants to learn, can anyone recommend anyone localish to the bexley area.
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And every time, make themselves look complete arseholes.
My French girlfriend loves watching old vids of 'Allo 'Allo. P*sses herself laughing!
Clichéd, predictable .... but still very funny. Especially the way it takes the piss, e.g. the British agent French policeman and his typically anglicised way of pronouncing French.
And Michelle, the French resistance girl ..... she's still in my fantasies ha ha!
But making a start, did she learn some French at school that she can use as as a base for re-learning?
That would stand her in good stead.
If not, or it's forgotten, there's plenty of online courses and material.
I'll probably be criticised ...... there's grammatical courses for passing exams, that'll help you write good French - but that's not the way French people actually speak to each other.
If useful conversational French is actually the aim, then target a course for that.
Some teachers specialise in that, but try to find a native French speaker who'll also immerse you in the French culture, social habits and ways of doing things.
There's plenty online, Youtube vids, etc but pick one and stick with it, rather than jump around all over the place.
Watching little kids programmes is brilliant for slow and easy informal conversational stuff. Watch the same ones over and over again - it really does stick!
IMO playing Duolingo is good for reinforcing vocabulary you already know - but don't get trapped in it.
It won't help you speak conversational French on it's own.
But if you can find a native French speaking friend either locally or online to practice with - that's the best!
15 minutes a day.
My French GF used to teach the 15 year olds at Lycée in France -the French kids were just the same learning English!
On it's own it won't help you speak conversational French in France.
It's fine as a small regular part of your learning, but make sure you're also mostly watching and talking everyday conversational French.
Get immersed in French young kids programmes and French only speaking videos (with subtitles if needed)- they can be found at all levels of progress.
I find I can have a good stab at reading it and picking out the meaning. As for pronouncing it, unless you speak it regularly, no chance.
As I get older, i use it more as a brain exercise, 15 minutes a day.
Farvel
Do the French mock how the English speak French or how the Germans speak French or is it just a British thing?
Years ago, when I was living in Copenhagen for a short while, my Danish friends always loved a sit com show that ripped the piss out of the Norwegians. You have to understand the rivalry. The Dutch are the same with the Belgians - a bit like, "Have you heard about the Irishman who ..." (except, of course in Ireland, my mate in Galway always starts exactly the same joke, "Have you heard about the man from County Clare ..... " ) ha ha
In France on telly, they're always doing send ups of the English, you know: sterotypes like City types in pin stripe suit, bowler hat and briefcase and Big Ben as it goes BONG; or English tourist on holiday in Union Jack shorts eating a full English breakfast. The Americans get similar sterotyped treatment.
But it is humour. It seems strange to me, but the French love the English accents.
And if you're nice to them, make an effort to speak their language and absorb a bit of their culture, the French will like you too.
I said to my Danish friends, how am I doing? "You speak Danish with a foreign accent", teasing me.
They thoughtfully slowed down when speaking to me, but when talking amongst themselves it just came out as some sort of glottal stop soup with half of the words unintellegibly swallowed.
Jeg kan ikke huske min Dansk nu.
Anyway Soapy, if you're getting fun out of Duolingo and it serves your purpose, then that's great.
Hav en god dag.
@soapy_jones
However, speaking from my own experience and that of others I know, it sucks you in and you just end up expanding your vocabulary but when in France trying to speak French, you still can't string a sentence together.
I've got a friend who does only Duolingo every day and is on a 1,000+ day streak - but he's floundering as soon as someone actually speaks to him in French. Although he's still convincing himself he's learning French.
Duolingo is fine as a practise tool that forms only a small part of your French learning routine.
But you can get more benefit in learning conversational French from other methods that will enable you to have a proper conversation in everyday French with French people.
Totally agree with you of the benefits of watching programmes in French - and yes, use the subtitles (especially French subtitles) until you don't need to. And on Youtube, for example - you can always slow down the speed if needed.
Do other nations have the same idea?
I've seen Scandinavian stand-up comics who indicate that Danish is a gutteral mess of throat sounds, and that Norwegians are the equivalent of Australians with their upspeak.
I've used this before here, but there is an extraordinary (spoof) example of this kind of thing from Giles Brandreth who claims that the motto of the French Navy is "To the water! It is the hour".
I give you ... " A l'eau! C'est l'heure".
It has to be heard to be believed. It even captures the stereotypical accent of a French person speaking English.
mrs due to her parents having a place in france and us just coming back from 8 days out there really wants to learn, can anyone recommend anyone localish to the bexley area.