tulosai

Has anyone here visited French speaking countries? If so, for how long? Do you feel it improved your French language skills?

I was able to live in France for a year and feel my spoken French improved immeasurably in that time.

I'm especially interested in the opinions of non-native speakers, but Americans and Brits, feel free to chime in too.  What are some of the hardest English words for you to pronounce?

Honestly, it's too hard to name all the figurative expressions I use on a daily basis. 'Out of her mind' and 'big head' are two I used in my last conversation 10 minutes ago. Some of my favorite are 'busy as a bee' 'so hungry I could eat a horse' and 'clean as a whistle'

I am going to Croatia tomorrow - but just for a week! XD So I looked some things about this language too, and it is interesting indeed.

Apart from improving my skills in the languages I kinda know, I would really love to learn Polish, Hungarian and Japanese.

Oh wow let me know how Croatia goes! I am really nervous about my trip there so I'd love any feedback you can give me about the language and culture

I unfortunately don't know much about any of this but wanted to wish you good luck with your exams if you choose to take them! I do believe whether the exams are accepted varies country by country so probably best to check individual consulate websites if you have ideas of where you'd like to go.

Are you asking if we've done stitching as part of a French class? I've never heard of such a thing (either here or abroad)- how interesting.  What kind of a project was it and how do you feel it was useful? It seems to me like you'd be spending a lot of time on just a few words this way.

I basically agree with the first reply.  All of the programs are excellent and people seem to attain very good results with them, particularly compared to similar programs.  To me the main disadvantage is simply the cost.  I don't know who told you bad things about the French one, but I am surprised- I only hear good things about their programs.

Hi and welcome! I hope we'll be able to help one another with our French

When and why did you decide to study Chinese? Do you still study it today If so do you find it to be useful in your life? For instance do you use it in business?

Such cool languages so far!

arête, French

fishbone or edge

The *best* way is to go to a country where they speak it, ideally for at least a month, and force yourself to only interact in the language.

If that is not realistic for you (as it would not be for me) it is  usually best to try to start watching movies in the language and reading in the language as suggested above.  Search the internet and see if there is a french speaking group near you.

If you were going to start trying to learn a new language now which one would it be and why?

I would definitely want to try Croatian.  My family is there and I am visiting in a few weeks so it would be really useful to me!

I am not a speaker, but I am curious because I have a lot of friends in Japan.  What motivated those of you on this forum who speak Japanese to start learning the language? Was it hard at first? Why do you keep studying it?

I actually also think freerice can be helpful if you are not super serious about learning a bunch of words and just want to casually and slowly build vocabulary (while also donating to a great cause!)

Hi! I think it would be cool if under each language there was a folder/subforum devoted to practicing speaking in the language.  For example, in the French forums as they are currently constructed, people are talking in English about a variety of topics.  I think it would be cool if there was a designated place to go just to speak/practice French.

Thanks for listening to my suggestion!

I'm not sure this quite falls into the teaching category, but would anyone be interested in practicing their french with me (either in this thread or elsewhere?) I think it would be really cool to have a place on the forum where we could all just go to chat to each other in French.

Has anyone else here taught English as a foreign language for part of their careers? I only taught for one year but I really enjoyed it.  I was in France and it was really unique and rewarding to teach a language- you could really see people improve and mark their progress.  Does anyone else do this now or have you done it in the past? Did you enjoy it?

What are the most beautiful french words?

Which French words do you think are the most beautiful? Since the beauty of French is what drew me to the language to begin with I think about this a lot.

Some beautiful french words include:

1. Argent [English: silver]

2. Parapluie [English: umbrella]

3. Bijoux [English: Jewelry]

Definition of Bijoux:

noun, plural bijoux  [bee-zhooz, bee-zhooz] (Show IPA)

1. a jewel.

2. something small, delicate, and exquisitely wrought.

Origin of Bijoux: 1660-70; < French < Breton bizou (jeweled) ring, derivative of biz finger; cognate with Cornish bisou finger-ring, derivative of bis finger

(According to dictionary.com)

4. Cliché [English: stereotype]

Definition: Cliché is a actually a noun that derives from the verb clicher, meaning “to stereotype”, It is, in fact,  a past participle form used as a noun. The oxford Dictionary defines word as "a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought or a very predictable or unoriginal thing or person", cliché is one of the most beautiful french words that has entered the vocabulary of many other languages.

5. Amour [English: love]

6. Pamplemousse [English: Grapefruit]

Well, Pamplemousse simply stands for Grapefruit. I couldn't find any etymological info about the word.

7. Silhouette [English: silhouette]

8. 'Mise en Place' [English: ?]

Definition: I would like to add another of my favorite french word. It is actually not a word, it's more like a beautiful "phrase". It's called "mise en place". Mise en place -  is a beautiful French phrase which means "putting in place", more or less equivalent to the english phrasal verb  "set up". This beautiful phrase is used in professional kitchens to refer to organising and arranging the ingredients (meat, sauces, spices and so on) that a cook will require for the menu items that he or she expects to prepare during his/her shift. This beautiful little french phrase is also pretty popular in home kitchens, so it is also used by "amateur cooks" or basically by everyone who wants to use some fancy "cooking vocabulary".

What is your favorite word in German? I'm actually not sure what mine is so suggestions are warmly welcomed regarding German vocab goodness to embrace.  :love:

Of all the languages out there to study, what pulled you to German? I took it up as a college requirement and then studied abroad there for a semester.  Unfortunately, I haven't kept very current on my German but would like to start studying it again

Oh, I was jus about to post a simialt thread, so I will use any recomendations too!

The last books I've read in French were of the Harry Potter series. Since I read them before in Bulgarian (and the last book in English too) they were quite easy but still very interesting at the same time. I loved how they changed and translated all of the names. Well, almost all of them, Rogue as Snape didn't strike me as good one (X-men, anyone?) bur Pouffsouffle as Hufflepuff I loved 

Another thing I read lately - but rather a rereas, since I love the story so much I keep reading it in different languages - was Cyrano de Bergerac. I had some hard parts, but I imagined the movie and the actors saying the lines so it was ok  :grin:

Aaand the rest of my French reads is made out of manga and comic books. Yay and long live Asterix - and Inuyasha too.

So I will use your reccomendations too I read almost everything except for ultra modern prose

You are like my French reading soulmate- I love Cryrano in general but especially in French, and i Love Harry Potter (though I found it harder to get through than I thought in a foreign language).

This makes me feel like quite the novice, but I never really considered reading some of my favorite books in another language  :wacky:

I do, however think it is a fantastic idea as you would have a general idea, at least, of the book and what may be happening to help with translation and understanding.

The best thing to do if you are nervous is pick a lower level children's book (I don't necessarily mean a picture book, but something by say Rohl Dahl or Harry Potter or similar- though you can go to a lower level book if you are more comfortable) and start there.  When I first started reading in French I did use picture books, though I was in France at the time so they were easier to find.  Keep a dictionary by you and don't be afraid/ashamed to use it.  You'll be surprised how much you understand, and of what you don't, how much you can pick up from context.

Hi! I'm another french speaker who just joined! Hopefully I will see you in the French forums and maybe we can talk a bit together. I am very keen to practice my French.

I'm not sure what the official term for this is, but does anyone else think it is kind of awesome that, in German, many words are just combinations of smaller words? I've found that this makes learning German vocabulary much easier.  For instance, kranken means sick, wagen means car, haus means house.  Ambulance? Krankenwagen.  Hospital? Krankenhaus.

Does anyone else enjoy this?

What do you consider to be the most beautiful English words?

I've always liked the word 'alliteration' 'umbrella' and 'ailurophile'.

What words do you consider to be pretty?