How much French do you need to get by?

[Barti Ddu]

I think I've mentioned on here before about by struggles with French. I got a U for Ungraded in my French O Level in the mid 80s. It still wrankles me a bit, and I've always regarded it as a bit of "unfinished business".

I therefore started French Duolingo in November 2020 whilst recovering from an op on my Achilles tendon. I thought I might as well do something constructive with the time I had on my hands. I've kept it up since, and I've maintained a 670 day streak. My vocabulary and grammar have improved significantly. Writing and reading in French is now fairly decent, but my pronunciation still lets down my attempts at spoken French.

I'd recommend Duolingo to anyone. It's free (if you don't mind ads) and as it's on your smartphone you can fit 5 or 10 minutes in whenever you get chance.

We are working our way down through France at the moment, so plenty of opportunities to practice.

 

[yodeli]

I think I've mentioned on here before about by struggles with French. I got a U for Ungraded in my French O Level in the mid 80s. It still wrankles me a bit, and I've always regarded it as a bit of "unfinished business".

I therefore started French Duolingo in November 2020 whilst recovering from an op on my Achilles tendon. I thought I might as well do something constructive with the time I had on my hands. I've kept it up since, and I've maintained a 670 day streak. My vocabulary and grammar have improved significantly. Writing and reading in French is now fairly decent, but my pronunciation still lets down my attempts at spoken French.

I'd recommend Duolingo to anyone. It's free (if you don't mind ads) and as it's on your smartphone you can fit 5 or 10 minutes in whenever you get chance.

We are working our way down through France at the moment, so plenty of opportunities to practice.

Hi
There's a simple way to help you with French pronunciation. I've checked many a time to see if I could recommend it to anyone in the process of learning my language.
Use Google translation. Although the said translation is not always good, and sometimes rubbish even, if you click on the little speaker you will have the right way to pronounce the word or the sentence you type in the box. Keep repeating but don't forget that the voice has no feeling. Don't say I'm happy the same way you'd say I'm sad if you see what I mean. Your face and body language are also important if you want people to get straight away what you are telling them!

 

[yodeli]

To all that would like to ( Free BAM!) You can also call me on whatsapp, if you want answers to questions you can't ask your app! Just PM me to have my mobile number.
Also, don't worry if you need help while in France for any complicated situation , give a shout, I'll help you!

 

[Odd-no-more]

I am embarrassed when we go to France,my dad was French I have a French name and don't speak French. Years ago I did take a night school course but because I don't use it I have forgotten it all now

 

[The Wino]

I think I've mentioned on here before about by struggles with French. I got a U for Ungraded in my French O Level in the mid 80s. It still wrankles me a bit, and I've always regarded it as a bit of "unfinished business".

I therefore started French Duolingo in November 2020 whilst recovering from an op on my Achilles tendon. I thought I might as well do something constructive with the time I had on my hands. I've kept it up since, and I've maintained a 670 day streak. My vocabulary and grammar have improved significantly. Writing and reading in French is now fairly decent, but my pronunciation still lets down my attempts at spoken French.

I'd recommend Duolingo to anyone. It's free (if you don't mind ads) and as it's on your smartphone you can fit 5 or 10 minutes in whenever you get chance.

We are working our way down through France at the moment, so plenty of opportunities to practice.

My mil studies French a fair bit ( not bad at 92!) but her accent is terrible. The tip we had at school was to think of someone who was "typically" French and try to sound like them. The teacher suggested De Gaulle. I think more Clusseau! But if you just say the words in an English way it won't work.

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[EuroTrotters]

I think I've mentioned on here before about by struggles with French. I got a U for Ungraded in my French O Level in the mid 80s. It still wrankles me a bit, and I've always regarded it as a bit of "unfinished business".

I therefore started French Duolingo in November 2020 whilst recovering from an op on my Achilles tendon. I thought I might as well do something constructive with the time I had on my hands. I've kept it up since, and I've maintained a 670 day streak. My vocabulary and grammar have improved significantly. Writing and reading in French is now fairly decent, but my pronunciation still lets down my attempts at spoken French.

I'd recommend Duolingo to anyone. It's free (if you don't mind ads) and as it's on your smartphone you can fit 5 or 10 minutes in whenever you get chance.

We are working our way down through France at the moment, so plenty of opportunities to practice.

You beat me ! I’m 598 days.

 

[Widge]

Hi
There's a simple way to help you with French pronunciation. I've checked many a time to see if I could recommend it to anyone in the process of learning my language.
Use Google translation. Although the said translation is not always good, and sometimes rubbish even, if you click on the little speaker you will have the right way to pronounce the word or the sentence you type in the box. Keep repeating but don't forget that the voice has no feeling. Don't say I'm happy the same way you'd say I'm sad if you see what I mean. Your face and body language are also important if you want people to get straight away what you are telling them!

Another tip with google translate, I have lived here 16 years and sadly my french is still not very good especially written french, so i have to resort to google translate, but i always try and write what i want in french and see if the english is making any sense, and change the french if it dosent. If i get realy stuck with phrase i open a second translate window and do a english french translate on a word of phrase, then copy it into my original translate window.

 

[ChrisSue]

I have just started a night school class in Beginners French. To be honest I know way more than my class mates but my reasoning for going is firstly to think in French and, secondly, to try to impress my accent. In my mind I am convinced I sound like a cross between Officer Crabtree and Inspector Clouseau. As far as understanding when in France I point to my hearing aids and say " je suis un peu sourd. Si'l vous plait parler lentement clair. Merci"

 

[Fdhadi]

Euro Grunt

Gets me by in any country

 

[AnnieB]

Mime is ok sometimes but not always. On a camping trip to the Loire many years ago we tried to pitch our tent on a bone dry pitch ruining half of our tent pegs (days before rock pegs).
Had no idea what they were called so of I trot to the office and mime hitting one with a hammer. It worked and I was shown into a store room with buckets of half bent pegs.

Fast forward a few years and to north east France and a weekend trip with work colleagues. A few of us visited a tiny village bar and managed to order drinks apart from Gary, a young black man who wanted a Rum & Black. Not daunted by the fact he had no French at all he managed to ask for the rum ok but when miming the rest he pointed to his face and then made a sign pinching two fingers together to indicate something small. We were in tucks as were the 4 men standing at the bar.
No idea what he ended up with but what a brilliant way to break the ice and they couldn’t have been more welcoming.

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[L' Hobo]

Always get the smile, basic greeting and shrug first, they will be appreciated in any language.

In French, I find, after you say "Bonjour, comment allez-vous", (Hello, how are you?) they say something in reply, you ask "Parlez vous Anglais" to which they will probably reply, "Non" then you put on an extra big grin, shrug and other French gestures and the words
" Grand problem, eh?" (big problem) come in handy along with the request, avez-vous (Do you have) and be prepared to mime and point.
Never shout and respect people, especially the elderly and Waiters He is not a menial worker as in other countries but a helpful friend!

In my young years in the Merchant Navy, I travelled the world and, in most places, all I had was a pointing finger and a smile, worked a treat!
You might be surprised, once in France, just how much French is spoken in the English language, and you understand. Good Luck!

 

[Coolcats]

For those who want to learn or improve a language Babel are doing a lifetime offer at the moment https://uk.babbel.com

 

[yodeli]

I have just started a night school class in Beginners French. To be honest I know way more than my class mates but my reasoning for going is firstly to think in French and, secondly, to try to impress my accent. In my mind I am convinced I sound like a cross between Officer Crabtree and Inspector Clouseau. As far as understanding when in France I point to my hearing aids and say " je suis un peu sourd. Si'l vous plait parler lentement clair. Merci"

Let's improve this sentence : Je suis un peu sourd (I understand you are a man, yes?) , s'il vous plait parlez lentement et distinctement (if distinctement is a tad too hard to pronounce then use , clairement. Clair is only an adjective , not an adverbe , hence the "ement" added to clair)

 

[Minxy]

Very little needed. I did and passed just, O level French in the 60s. My pronounciation is appalling but enough to show willing. The French recipient of my efforts has been known to ask me to speak English so he can understand me.
Used to be able to get little audio cassettes with titles like 'my holiday French/German/Klingon' which gave some very basic phrases.
Someone posted on here about poor pronounciation when a waitress confused his 'Thank you very much' for 'Thank you nice arse'

"merci beau cul" ... yep I can see how that happened! Do I believe you ?????

 

[L' Hobo]

Mime is ok sometimes but not always. On a camping trip to the Loire many years ago we tried to pitch our tent on a bone dry pitch ruining half of our tent pegs (days before rock pegs).
Had no idea what they were called so of I trot to the office and mime hitting one with a hammer. It worked and I was shown into a store room with buckets of half bent pegs.

Fast forward a few years and to north east France and a weekend trip with work colleagues. A few of us visited a tiny village bar and managed to order drinks apart from Gary, a young black man who wanted a Rum & Black. Not daunted by the fact he had no French at all he managed to ask for the rum ok but when miming the rest he pointed to his face and then made a sign pinching two fingers together to indicate something small. We were in tucks as were the 4 men standing at the bar.
No idea what he ended up with but what a brilliant way to break the ice and they couldn’t have been more welcoming.

That reminds me of a Coach group I took to Lourdes many years ago.
On the way back, they wanted to stop off at another shrine in Paris.

After travelling through the night, we got in Paris in the early morning and, after I dropped them off and reminding them that they must be back on time because we had a timed ferry to catch, I asked my second driver to go into a nearby Cafe and order us both breakfast while I parked the Coach.
When I arrived at the Cafe, the customers and staff where in shrieks of laughter at my drivers mime of a chickens egg.
He had forgotten the French word for egg to go with the bacon etc. It didn't help as he had a strong Northern accent!

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[Gaston aires]

Bonjewer, avey vous cuppa ?
Phillipe

 

[Gaston aires]

That reminds me of a Coach group I took to Lourdes many years ago.
On the way back, they wanted to stop off at another shrine in Paris.

After travelling through the night, we got in Paris in the early morning and, after I dropped them off and reminding them that they must be back on time because we had a timed ferry to catch, I asked my second driver to go into a nearby Cafe and order us both breakfast while I parked the Coach.
When I arrived at the Cafe, the customers and staff where in shrieks of laughter at my drivers mime of a chickens egg.
He had forgotten the French word for egg to go with the bacon etc. It didn't help as he had a strong Northern accent!

Allo, Allo, has a lot to answer for
Phillipe

 

[yodeli]

"merci beau cul"

Let's improve that too then! Beaucoup: Beau is pronounced like the "ba" in Ball and coup, is like the "coo" in Cool

 

[LesW]

Once, on a motorcycle trip touring Europe with friends, I managed to order a beer in three different languages.

 

[The Wino]

Let's improve that too then! Beaucoup: Beau is pronounced like the "ba" in Ball and coup, is like the "coo" in Cool

No I think she meant cul

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[chaser]

I am coming from a different view to many by having Julie with me who speaks fluent French, but I don't speak a word apart from your hellos and stuff, but as to the question in the op you can easily manage with very little in terms of shopping and stuff, after all how much talking do you do in a UK supermarket, France is no different, and for anything in holiday mode you don't really need any ,the trouble would be if you have to talk to police or other legal stuff, or breakdowns and that, but I find if you do ask for something in a bar or shop most of the assistants are glad to practice their English on you.

 

[yodeli]

Bonjewer, avey vous cuppa ?
Phillipe

Bonjour: our is pronounced like the "u" in Judy and you just add "r" afterwards. "J" is not pronounced like you do in English. For us it's like adding a D in front. Like this: DJ . If you can manage to forget about that invisible D you use to pronounce J with, then you will get it properly. Try it on google speaker.

 

[L' Hobo]

Very little needed. I did and passed just, O level French in the 60s. My pronounciation is appalling but enough to show willing. The French recipient of my efforts has been known to ask me to speak English so he can understand me.
Used to be able to get little audio cassettes with titles like 'my holiday French/German/Klingon' which gave some very basic phrases.
Someone posted on here about poor pronounciation when a waitress confused his 'Thank you very much' for 'Thank you nice arse'

Reminds me, the other day I was in a Cafe and the waitress was wiping tables, she approached mine and said " can I wipe yours?" to which I replied, "No, but I don't mind you doing the table"

I then received a very hard slap from my female companion. Ouch!

 

[Minxy]

Someone posted on here about poor pronounciation when a waitress confused his 'Thank you very much' for 'Thank you nice arse'

"merci beau cul" ... yep I can see how that happened! Do I believe you ?????

Let's improve that too then! Beaucoup: Beau is pronounced like the "ba" in Ball and coup, is like the "coo" in Cool

No I think she meant cul

Yes I was comparing what Reallyretired had said, he meant to say "merci beaucoup" but when he spoke it sounded like "merci beau cul".

 

[yodeli]

I am embarrassed when we go to France,my dad was French I have a French name and don't speak French. Years ago I did take a night school course but because I don't use it I have forgotten it all now

Just get used to listen to French programs. Put French movies on with subtitles, I'm sure you'll improve quickly

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[yodeli]

No I think she meant cul

LOL, I did get that too! But it's the way a lot of English pronounce it !!

 

[TDub49]

No then, long time ago when I was at school the idea of learning a foreign language was English for us pitmatic northerners.
So being good with French German etc, how much would you say is really needed to at least show willing when in French.
Next year might see us spending 3 or 4 weeks there as sister in law is desperate to go back there.
Not worried about the travel or driving I just would like to make a effort to speak some French when over there.

About this much . . .

 

[Miggs]

un petit peu!

 

[L' Hobo]

About this much . . .

Let's improve that too then! Beaucoup: Beau is pronounced like the "ba" in Ball and coup, is like the "coo" in Cool

You could do something really helpful for certain Funsters by translating "How Much!!!" into French but, perhaps, they are fluent already?

 

[orridge]

A little French goes a long way so the basics of greeting and ordering food and drinks to start with.

Duolingo is a great app for learning French.

And make sure you learn the difference between Andouillette and Andouille if you like sausages or find out the hard way

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