You can learn pronunciation from a CD or tape....you can learn grammar from a book....but to be "conversational and idiomatic and to wing it....you need someone to talk to.
How about the telephone? Would that work?
And then there is the issue of what type of Frenchs he speaks and what you will learn....imagine if someone taught you "The Queen's English" and you wanted to converse with someone who spoke Deep Alabama Drawl? And English was not your first language?
I know for a fact that French Canadian French is very different from Parisian French.
There are some very good programs out there....used by business people who must learn a language very quickly...I have heard they are very good....and very expensive.
Linda C

Bonjour Linda,

I'm usually on other Home Forums but I've been lurking here lately in anticipation of using my new kitchen. I moved to Paris when I was 18 and did not speak a word of French...but after total immersion and being surrounded by Francophones, I found myself speaking it in about 6 months. I never did take a class or learn from a book and I've been told I speak beautiful French (without the "American" accent).

I think the biggest mistake in learning a foreign language is trying to learn by translation (looking at the word in French, trying to remember how to pronounce it, then thinking of the translation in English) because it gets to be too much to think about. I learned French by visual association (like a child) and by listening to the word spoken by native speakers. I'm sure there are programs that mimic this method, I just am not familiar with them (sorry!)

Unfortunately, I do agree with lindac in that the best method is having a live person to speak French with. I'm not even sure if a telephone pal would work...but if it would, I'd love to help you in any way I can!

The Lebanese I know who live in Paris speak very good French with just a hint of an accent and they don't speak as rapidly as most Parisians. So in that respect, you're lucky! :) But they also do speak English...

I'm really not much of a teacher, but maybe if you concentrate on learning "home" and/or "cooking" terms, you may just be able to understand each other! The Lebanese are known for their delightful cuisine and if I were you, I'd be wanting to learn some of their recipes. :) When she comes for the wedding, maybe you could spend time in the kitchen together?

I think if you at least try to speak French with her, she'd be happy and will appreciate your effort and you'd both find a way to understand each other, even with just a few words. Smiles and eye contact can say so much more...and if you share some good food together, that will definitely be a plus! :)

Feel free to e-mail me via GW if you want to "talk" or have any questions...

Leilani

It's expensive, but the Rosetta Stone software teaches in the way Leilani described. They show you pictures and then say/write a phrase. You then choose the picture that corresponds with the phrase. I've only used it for a little bit (a friend had a copy and let me play with it) but it helped me remember a lot of the German I'd forgotten after high school. It was very easy and fun.

You may see if your library has a copy you can use?

Bri

My ex is teaching himself French all alone in his apartment. I'll ask him how well he is doing and what teaching software he is using.

I did go to my local library on Saturday. The pickin's were very slim, but I did pick up a copy of "The Living Language" program. 8 tapes and a textbook. It's okay but really not any better than the version I already own.

Bri, I'll go to one of the larger libraries and see if they have the Rosetta Stone. I have heard that is a good one.

I suppose the more I read and listen to, the more I'll pick up.

I think I do okay on pronunciation. I need most help in learning how to construct sentences. But a lot of these programs focus on the actual parts of language (nouns verbs and adjectives are fine, but when it gets into things like definite articles and diphthongs and conjugating, well...let's just say it's been a looooong time since high school English and I have forgotten what some of those terms are.

Learning French is one of those "things I want to do before I die". So I'll keep plugging along. Leilani, I may just take you up on the phone or e-mail idea!

My sister's ex-mother-in-law speaks French. She hired a private tutor (kaching!) to teach her. But I am sure she would be willing to converse with me if I called her. She probably would love a reason to use her language skills, too. Maybe when I get a little further along....

Linda

I asked ex about his efforts. He is using Rosetta Stone and says it's good but he is not learning conversational French. In his words: "I can say, 'The camel laughs and sighs.' but not 'Pass the vichyssoise, please.'"

If you just want to be able to talk...don't worry about conjugations and what a dipthong is....and I am sure you know what a definite article is.
People who hear English or French spoken properly repeat what they have learned and don't worry about the rules. My children spoke very gramattically by the time theyw ere four, but sure didn't know an adjective from an adverb...nor what verb was singular and what plural...but they didn't say "me and him" nor not "haven't went yet", nor could they wright the words.
"They say" that watching television will pound the language into your head rather quickly.
I wonder if rented movies would do a similar thing?
Linda C

doucanoe, I keep concurring with lindac: "don't worry about conjugations and what a dipthong is". Television somehow helped me learn French (don't know why or how exactly, but it did!) maybe by osmosis...

Renting movies may be a good option, but the subtitles drive me nuts! Maybe there's a way to turn them off? Otherwise, I think it would promote the whole "translation" thing.

Also, don't worry about constructing sentences, it will come to you after a while! Anyway, let me know if you need anything else...btw, one thing on my bucket list is to learn Greek! So far, I know the very basic basics :) but when I have the opportunity to enjoy Greece for a few months, I'm looking forward to learning a lot more.

Aloha,
Leilani

Talking with someone or being submerged in an environment of only French-speaking people is ideally the fastest way to learn but I'm sure you can do a lot with tapes and getting together with anyone who will converse with you. Sometimes it's even easier to learn by talking with a non-French person who will speak in a slower manner so you can actually hear the words one by one. Sometimes native speakers talk so quickly that you can't figure out what words are being spoken!

I did my French at school but when I came to Spain I'd had only one year of Spanish which I'd forgotten. But early on after my arrival I had a job in a hotel reception where nobody spoke English and so I had to listen carefully every day to Spanish and absorb it through my pores. After a few months I was getting on and was beginning to be able to hold and understand a conversation. My working partner was a Dutch girl who spoke Spanish well but who was easier for me to understand because she didn't slur her words together quickly as did the native Spanish folks. I could make out what she was saying word by word and that helped a lot. So perhaps someone who is not French but speaks fluently could make it easier for you. You can always correct your accent later but most important is to learn the vocabularly and how to form a sentence in the commonly used grammatical form.

Is there by any chance an Alliance Française near you?
Ideally that's the place to hang out as they usually have everything you need including conversational groups.

SharonCb

Sharon, I googled and there is an Alliance Francaise in Minneapolis. They have immersion classes on Saturdays...YAY! Thanks for the tip! I am going to call them this morning.

I am not really concerned about articles and diphthongs, it's just that this book/tape series I am reading seems to focus on them as learning tools. And I need to see the words they are speaking on the tapes to know what they are saying as they do speak very fast. Unusual, I thought, for teaching tapes.

Movies may be a good idea. I'll have to check that out, too!

Linda

Je pense--une excursion au Québec!

A lot of public libraries allow you online access to Rosetta Stone with just your library card. Ours started offering access a couple of years ago and I see that a lot of libraries around the country do the same. Worth a visit to your public library's website!

Linda,
I'm trying to brush up my basic French for an upcoming Paris trip. I've found alot of help from the BBC online.

Here is a link that might be useful: BBC online resources for French