What would you guys say are the best materials and resources for learning the french language?
Please put into categories such as: beginner, intermediate, advanced, etc.
Please put into categories such as: beginner, intermediate, advanced, etc.
French language materials?
It depends on your learning style. If you are in high school, just sign up for French. If you already know another romance language, you can pretty much have your pick of materials.
Living Language has materials from beginner to advanced. I didn't learn French that way, but their materials are good for review.
The biggest hurdle in French is probably figuring out the sound system and how it relates to French spelling. I suggest "Pronounce it Perfectly in French" for the person learning on his/her own. Why stumble through French, guessing how words are pronounced? The thing with French is you have to speak it correctly or you won't be understood.
I have looked at a lot of other materials for various languages, and discussed them with the employees of a couple of companies.
Pimsleur has extensive materials (not just beginning). It is basically a listening method. Moderately expensive.
Rosetta Stone: Will take you to an intermediate level. It is one of the most expensive do-it-yourself methods, but possibly cheaper than taking four or five French classes at a community college. Unless they've changed in the last year or so, you'll be looking a pictures a lot, pressing buttons and hearing noises to indicate if you have managed to figure out that the boy is eating lunch or riding a horse. It's something similar to that kind of situation. The nice people at Rosetta Stone will send you a demo.
I think it took about three weeks for mine to arrive. Check out their website to see if you can see a demo on line as well.
If you live in a large city you may have access to a Berlitz school (not cheap at all.), and/or an Alliance Française. The latter is a French school/Cultural center. I am familiar with both of these schools and they are reputable.
If I were poor (and in my mind I see myself as a poor student even though I am not.), I would go to the library and take out their living language or Pimsleur courses along with Pronounce it Perfectly.
Best advice: Take a bunch of materials from the library and try them out before you buy anything.
If my parents had money to burn I would go to a Berlitz school or AF.
Still confused. Look up Professor Arguelles and his channel on you tube. He reviews lots of programs.
Living Language has materials from beginner to advanced. I didn't learn French that way, but their materials are good for review.
The biggest hurdle in French is probably figuring out the sound system and how it relates to French spelling. I suggest "Pronounce it Perfectly in French" for the person learning on his/her own. Why stumble through French, guessing how words are pronounced? The thing with French is you have to speak it correctly or you won't be understood.
I have looked at a lot of other materials for various languages, and discussed them with the employees of a couple of companies.
Pimsleur has extensive materials (not just beginning). It is basically a listening method. Moderately expensive.
Rosetta Stone: Will take you to an intermediate level. It is one of the most expensive do-it-yourself methods, but possibly cheaper than taking four or five French classes at a community college. Unless they've changed in the last year or so, you'll be looking a pictures a lot, pressing buttons and hearing noises to indicate if you have managed to figure out that the boy is eating lunch or riding a horse. It's something similar to that kind of situation. The nice people at Rosetta Stone will send you a demo.
I think it took about three weeks for mine to arrive. Check out their website to see if you can see a demo on line as well.
If you live in a large city you may have access to a Berlitz school (not cheap at all.), and/or an Alliance Française. The latter is a French school/Cultural center. I am familiar with both of these schools and they are reputable.
If I were poor (and in my mind I see myself as a poor student even though I am not.), I would go to the library and take out their living language or Pimsleur courses along with Pronounce it Perfectly.
Best advice: Take a bunch of materials from the library and try them out before you buy anything.
If my parents had money to burn I would go to a Berlitz school or AF.
Still confused. Look up Professor Arguelles and his channel on you tube. He reviews lots of programs.
K.T.- thank you! Especially the Pronounce it Perfectly in French- seems like just what I need! Unfortunately, french has never been an option at my high school. Only Spanish. D:
I like so many things about French- the way it looks, sounds, the movies, the songs. This is what I want to learn.
But I live in a small town- not even the local college offers French, so I am having to teach myself.
I am a poor student ;) but I am buying a few books here and there when I can
I like so many things about French- the way it looks, sounds, the movies, the songs. This is what I want to learn.
But I live in a small town- not even the local college offers French, so I am having to teach myself.
I am a poor student ;) but I am buying a few books here and there when I can
If you are still in high school, you can take Spanish. A lot of what you learn about romance languages through Spanish, you can transfer to French. Also, despite what some people say, I don't find that it's confusing to study various romance languages. It just enhances the experience.
French does sound pleasant (at least the Parisian variety), I'll give you that. The other varieties don't sound "bad", but the vowels are considerably different to my ear in Canadian French. Once you learn enough French, you'll be able to pick out accents right away.
On the internet, there is the fun FrenchPodcast (well, there was last year), I like to check it out once in awhile for music.
French does sound pleasant (at least the Parisian variety), I'll give you that. The other varieties don't sound "bad", but the vowels are considerably different to my ear in Canadian French. Once you learn enough French, you'll be able to pick out accents right away.
On the internet, there is the fun FrenchPodcast (well, there was last year), I like to check it out once in awhile for music.
I'm partial to the FSI courses, free here:
http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php
see also French in Action, here:
http://www.learner.org/resources/series83.html
http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php
see also French in Action, here:
http://www.learner.org/resources/series83.html
<<If you are in high school, just sign up for French.>>
No es una buena idea. El nivel de enseñanza en los colegios es muy malo y muchos jóvenes que quieren aprender un idioma extranjero se apuntan a una clase y enseguida se ponen indiferentes, <<bueno , ya voy a las clases, no tengo que hacer nada más>> es la actitud que suele predominar. Ten en cuenta que estos años son los mejores de toda la vida para aprender idiomas (eres joven, tienes la mente fresca y no tienes que trabajar ni estudiar tanto como en la universidad), tienes que aprovecharlos y estudiar por su cuenta, además de tomar una clase.
No es una buena idea. El nivel de enseñanza en los colegios es muy malo y muchos jóvenes que quieren aprender un idioma extranjero se apuntan a una clase y enseguida se ponen indiferentes, <<bueno , ya voy a las clases, no tengo que hacer nada más>> es la actitud que suele predominar. Ten en cuenta que estos años son los mejores de toda la vida para aprender idiomas (eres joven, tienes la mente fresca y no tienes que trabajar ni estudiar tanto como en la universidad), tienes que aprovecharlos y estudiar por su cuenta, además de tomar una clase.