MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
I'm hoping to spend next summer/a decent chunk of next summer in the alps, most likely in France, i've always wanted to learn another language but never really took to it in school. Figure nows as good a time as any to have another stab at it.
Anyone got any tips/advice for a good way to get a basic grounding in French/languages in general?
I realise I'm not going to be anywhere near fluent but there seems to be so many options all promising great things that I really don't know where to start.
Anyone done an evening course/distance learning course and able to offer suggestions of what works?
Get yourself a good pocket dictionary and try to learn as many words as possible - Vocab Vocab vocab, then comes the boring Grammar (some like it) and the conjugating verbs but for me, learning the words to things helps a lot.
flashcards are also good.
You can do all the evening courses/distance learning you like and it won't really help.
Why? cos you'll say your bit, they'll think you can speak the lingo and fire back at you full speed.
It's not the speaking that's the hard part, it's the listening.
So, if you can get an live in au-pair, or French TV or radio and immerse yourself in listening as well as learning, it will help.
French films with subtitles are good.
Bon chance.
SB
PS - Michel Thomas CDs are a good grounding.
If you really want to learn get on a course. The problem with books is that you can remember the stuff but you freeze up when it comes to speaking. If you are in 'burghy then the Institut Français d’Ecosse is good.
Otherwise if you want to go down the book route make sure you get one with a CD 'cos stratobiker is right
And French films with subtitles are brilliant once your vocabulary gets up enough.
michel thomas great for grammar and structuting sentences
Years back I went out with a Swedish girl and learnt various words together
and she laughed and said I made no sense with a smile.
I just waved and said hello 😉
Now wanting to learn Spanish Nope no woman involved.
But Just what is the easiest way to learn another Language