Best way to teach myself French?

Skunkworks · 6 Jun 2006 at 10:40

I love the French language and would love to be able to speak it. I don’t have access to any French speaking people, and I have no option to go and live there.

Can anybody recommend any good books, DVDs or CDROMs?

Merci.

Sirrel Squirrel · 6 Jun 2006 at 10:43

Go to France for a few months

Chunky · 6 Jun 2006 at 10:44

'buy' loads of french films and shows in french.

Skunkworks · 6 Jun 2006 at 10:45

Sirrel Squirrel said:
Go to France for a few months

Skunkworks said:
...and I have no option to go and live there.

N00b!

ezabella45 · 6 Jun 2006 at 10:52

Yeah french films are a good idea - make sure they are easy though ie comedy or cartoons are very good.

BrenOS · 6 Jun 2006 at 10:53

Michel Thomas.

Visage · 6 Jun 2006 at 10:53

Skunkworks said:
I love the French language and would love to be able to speak it. I don’t have access to any French speaking people, and I have no option to go and live there.

Can anybody recommend any good books, DVDs or CDROMs?

Merci.

Try and find a french person who wants to learn English - that way you both get something out of it. Its the best way.....

theleg · 6 Jun 2006 at 11:01

Kidnap a young french girl and keep her locked up for 6 months..practice with her everyday and you will be fluent.

Chunky · 6 Jun 2006 at 11:16

oo la la monsieur

Christo · 6 Jun 2006 at 11:18

the 'Teach yourself' French books are really good - get them on amazon second hand. - They come with CD's too. Also one good tip is to read Asterix in French, Its simpler French and enjoyable too!

HEADRAT · 6 Jun 2006 at 11:38

Le singe est dans l’arbre

HEADRAT

Skunkworks · 6 Jun 2006 at 11:40

BrenOS said:
Michel Thomas.

He seems to be very highly recommemded.

HEADRAT said:
Le singe est dans l’arbre

Thank you. A very useful phrase.

Chaos · 6 Jun 2006 at 11:51

Know a few people who have bought cd's from here -

http://www.linkwordlanguages.com/

SideWinder · 6 Jun 2006 at 11:52

French subtitles on films.

SourChipmunk · 6 Jun 2006 at 12:06

Balddog said:
Kidnap a young french girl and keep her locked up for 6 months..practice with her everyday and you will be fluent.

Legally, just hire a French maid. After a few years, you'll learn.

escape sanity · 6 Jun 2006 at 12:34

Chaos said:
Know a few people who have bought cd's from here -

http://www.linkwordlanguages.com/

Are these actually any good? I tried the German demo and can remember those words but I would imagine that once you get to at most 100 words you would start to forget which image belongs to which word.

I am also confused about how they are supposed to teach you grammar instead of a long list of words you have no use for

One thing that is helping me learn German is listening to my Rammstein CDs and getting translations of the lyrics. Maybe you could do that to some French music or films. Also if you have digital TV you might have TV5 which is a French TV channel. Bear in mind that I am quite poor at languages so you might want to take whatever I have to say with a pinch of salt

Dave · 6 Jun 2006 at 12:47

Theres some site which puts you into contact (penpal-esque) with someone who is fluent in that language and wants to learn yours. Forgotten what the site was, I used it for Finnish and found it really useful.

I'll try and dig it up for you.

kitten_caboodle · 6 Jun 2006 at 13:00

rent Amelie on DVD and watch it with the subtitles. It's a really good way to get to grips with it - also good is to just hook up with a french chick

Chunky · 6 Jun 2006 at 13:50

Dave said:
Theres some site which puts you into contact (penpal-esque) with someone who is fluent in that language and wants to learn yours. Forgotten what the site was, I used it for Finnish and found it really useful.

I'll try and dig it up for you.

this it? http://www.mylanguageexchange.com

Sirrel Squirrel · 6 Jun 2006 at 13:53

Yey, go me, not being able to get past the first line of the first post