I need to brush up on my appalling French. I took high-school French and can ask where the bathroom is, and discuss the pen of my Aunt being on the table, but I cannot understand a single word that is said to me in reply (though I am guessing it is French for “your high-school French is really appalling”).
Are there any decent learn-French websites, or even series of YouTube videos?
Mercy buckets! And Oh! La-la!
But 90% of them probably suck–can anyone recommend a *good *one? What *is *the best way? With subtitles?
For a light refresher (you aren’t going to be fluent, but should help you remember how to ask where the bathroom is) I’d recommend Coffee Break French. Good for listening in the car or whatever.
Thanks! Will give it a first try tonight.
What about a trip? Say to France, Belgium, Switzerland, or Canada (poutine sil vous plait!)?
Well, that’s why I need to brush up–I *am *taking a trip.
Some tips from my experience in learning a language…
Once I was past a certain basic level of learning, I found that texting online was extremely useful for adding vocabulary and getting practice in using it. Texting was more immediately responsive than email, but didn’t expose every fumble at the keyboard like IRC.
But the real key to learning a language is surrounding yourself in it.
Read books in it. Astérix books are great for beginners in French, especially because you can also get them in English to compare to. (Also available in German, Esperanto, Latin, Spanish, and Og know what other languages…)
Take in French-language media to get used to the rhythm, sound, and look of the language. Here’s some stuff from my neck of the woods:
Radio-Canada (the French-language service of the CBC)
TFO (the French-language service of TV Ontario)
L’Express (A French-language newspaper of Toronto)
Best way to learn is total-immersion classes. The effort is immense, but it works! I was taking Japanese at a total-immersion school in Toronto, and in only eight weeks I went from complete beginner to asking questions and taking notes in the language. (It was simple, childlike Japanese, but still!)
Fluent in 3 Months takes this philosophy to an extreme: you go to a country and just start using the language, learning as you go. In three months you get enough language to live on (asking directions, buying things, etc)… because you have to.
Thanks–I am thinking (wrongly, perhaps) the best way for an imbécile like me would be a combination of “listening” and subtitles. I learned a bit of German by singing along with Ute Lemper and Marlene Dietrich’s filthy cabaret songs . . . A Swiss friend told me my pronunciation was excellent and my vocabulary was “astonishing.”
This site looks like it might not be bad: http://www.bonjour.com/
Be careful though; do not pronounce the pronunciation key the same as you would in English; it’s more of a general reminder than an exact guide. (The French for Dummies books have this same problem.) You have to listen to the French pronunciation and use French sounds.
About.com has some good stuff: An Introduction to the French Language and Linguistics
I found it useful when checking grammar, among other things.
LiveMocha has a really good idea: you help people learn English, and they help you learn French. There are defined lessons, and other people correct your French. You earn points by correcting their English. The only problem was that the site is heavily spam-ridden–I got more fake dating solicitations than actual language-learning connections–and I eventually cancelled my account. It was a shame. I would have liked to continue.
And hey, if you want to come up here and have a Dopefest au français canadien, I’m sure there are various CanaDopers who’d be honoured to help. 
Oooh, that does sound fun . . . So I would have beret-wearing *Apaches *coming on to me, hmmm?
Fun only if they’re real beret-wearing Apaches. The spammers are probably Russian mafia types or Nigerian scammers only after your credit-card numbers and life savings.
It’s really annoying.
Recently I heard about a new program to translate the web founded by the guy who created the capcha program to digitize old books.
It’s called Duolingo. At the moment it’s beta and looks like all you can do is sign up, but it might be worth playing around with.
Interesting. It said, “French (coming soon)”. I signed up anyway.
You might check to see if your public library has a subscription to the Mango language instruction database. This is what my library says about it:
"Mango Languages is an online language-learning system teaching actual conversation skills for a wide variety of languages. Our online learning system is so easy to use, you’ll see incredible results after just one lesson!
It’s the easiest way to learn a foreign language!
Mango uses real-life situations and actual conversations to more effectively teach a new language. By listening to and repeating after material designed from native conversations, you’ll not only learn the individual words and phrases, you’ll know how they’re used in practical situations and conversations. You’ll learn more than grammar, vocabulary and conjugation, you’ll learn how to communicate."
I haven’t tried it, though.
Hey, my library has that! I’m going to try it out.
And I just signed up and looked at the first lesson. It played some phrases, then gave me a chance to speak the words and compare the speech to that of the narrator.
It uses Flash, and you need a microphone and speakers on your computer.
I think it may be helpful.
I’d say that 99% of them suck. Tried it with all sorts of prerecorded lessons but they keep switching out speakers and dialects before you learn one.
I’ve long supported (but didn’t make an effort to create) XXX for American Workers. A course that teaches (until the others get more accustomed to English) foreign languages USEFUL to the job. Pronunciation is flat, MidWestern, Peggy Hill pronunciation. I long ago learned that most folks don’t care how you pronounce it, but appreciate that you tried. Including English-speaking Merkins.
Good luck finding one that teaches the equivalent to Texas-French and tell them I coulda made a million off it. 
Oooh Thanks! that does sound fun…