tulosai

My name is Kate and I am learning French (and a bit of German).  I'm looking forward to meeting everyone on the forums and discussing French in particular!

Salut! Je m'appelle Kate et j'apprends français (et un peu d'allemand). Je suis ravi de rencontrer tout le monde sur les forums et en discutant français en particulier!

One of my friends spent years in Japan and is now taking a Japanese class in the USA.  Evidently, writing Kanji is a very important part of learning the language and academia in America but she never learned in Japan.  Do you think it is necessary that people learn to write Kanji by and nowadays or do you think this is an antiquated custom?

I guess you could ask that about any language. If everyone knew a certain language everyone would be able to communicate with everyone. That's quite simple.

This is what I was thinking.  Why English? Just because you think more people know it already than some other language?  Why not a 'universal' language like esperanto instead?

For me, all the French in France sounds the same.  This probably means I have no ear for accents but oh well.  My biggest problem is understanding French speakers from Africa.  I am lucky if I can catch every other word.  As others have said, my second biggest problem is with following Canadian French.

Of all the languages out there, why did you choose to study French?

I initially studied it when I was very young just because I had an idea that it was the 'prettiest'.  When I was older, I studied it so that I could go live in Paris for a year and teach English in the public schools there.  Now, I study it for my own personal satisfaction and because I truly love it.

What inspired you to take up French?

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for some books to read in French for an intermediate speaker.  They don't necessarily have to be by French authors but that would be a nice bonus I just finished Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in French and am longing for another book to read.

I always like/ remember célibataire because it doesn't actually mean celibate, but instead means single. I'm having a hard time coming up with others off the top of my head, but that probably just means I need to hit the books again