"Be patient and kind with yourself." This is vital for any language-learning journey. And it's always a long journey: don't ever get suckered by deceptive CZcams clickbait hype that implies there are magic shortcuts or workarounds. There aren't. You can definitely work harder and more efficiently, but any language will take years to get good at. (Many native English speakers in the US make it all the way through high school and still have terrible grammar and spelling and almost no idea how to write clearly, coherently, and correctly. That's eighteen years wasted to become merely conversationally fluent at a mediocre level.) What you need is dedication, consistency, self-awareness, and boldness. Learn and practice everday, in ways that you find help you progress better. Focus on subject matter that genuinely interests you. Focus on what you have trouble with instead of just sticking to what comes easily. Don't be afraid of failure or sounding "stupid" when talking. You will never advance if you don't set aside your ego and just go for it. Failing is a great way to get better at something, as long as you remain observant and non-judgmental: notice it, fix it, practice it. But don't feel bad. Language is very complex and hard.
My greatest challenge is understanding spoken French. I am still not at the stage where I can think in the language, so I'm translating in my head as someone talks and I miss things. Thank you for a great video!
Besides the shows you mentioned, I watch "C'est pas sorcier" on CZcams. It's a kids show but they talk about all areas of science and explain how things work with videos and amazing practical models. You learn science AND French. It keeps me engaged because it's learning more deeper than what you would with a normal conversation.
My biggest challenge has been to find good audio material at beginner and low intermediate levels. You cannot reproduce what you don't understand and can't comprehend. "French Facile" and "Français Facile" are good examples, but we need more of this kind of material.
Thank you for a really helpful video. There are lots of great ideas here - I'm going to watch it again and take notes. Your suggestions about using age to our advantage and to focus on our own interests and motivations are really helpful. I've been learning French again since I was 57, I moved to France at age 59 and now I'm 64.
Good morning. I just received the same workbook you showed. I joined the Alliance française in my local town. Some members are professors from our local university. I watch news on France 24. I also use Duo as a tool. Thank you for your time and effort making this for us.
I also joined the Alliance in my city. I am really enjoying learning and the community. I look to CZcams channelslike this to get practice and complement my lessons
MERCI! Je regarde les nouvelles en français tous les soirs pendant que je fais de l'exercice. A la fin de la journée, je connais les nouvelles en anglais donc c'est plus facile à suivre.
Hey, Im 71 and learning . Intend to retire and buy a house in SW France. Its not easy but do it every day , spaced repetition etc. But yes, French is harder than I thought.
I’m as young as you, and I’m learning French. I have conversations with French friends and will keep on learning more and more. I already speak Portuguese, English, Spanish, and was fluent in German, after living there. I graduated in my second university course when I was 50, and hope to continue learning many things I’m interested. Please don’t say you are old at 62. My mother is 95, and our generation will live up to at least 100. What will you do in the next 40 years?
It is the sound and the poetry of a language that seems to attract. From Jacques Prevert to the French singers of centuries and this moment, the grandmothers who were more attached to their French than to the English they spoke their entire lives, just as the Spanish-speaking world holds evocative mysteries, as the writings of Female poets of Mexico in the 1600s, or the sere and clear descriptions of outer and inner worlds by Octavio Paz, that draw one into a closer relationship of word and thought with reality, than occurs in common dialogue,. In the Pacific, languages without s sound, and french, when heard, seem to tell us that we need MORE to understand than occurs in monolingual culture. I would not even desire to describe reefs or actions or ballet without concepts only gaining prominence in French description.
Thanks, Geraldine. I am finding it difficult to figure out which CLE Progressif books to get and in what order! I would be about a B1 level. Any tips for figuring out the system? The books are expensive and I would like to avoid making a mistake.
Great channel, everything is just great. Thank you, in a terrible hurry ❤. I would like to type more, and say something else, but I gotta go shopping, it is so important
Je suis en France en ce moment. Oui, la vie associative est quelque chose étonnant pour moi en tant qu'américain. 1, 3 millions associations dans un pays d'environ 70 millions c'est énorme. Les clubs, les associations, elles existent bien entendu chez nous mais l'étendue ne sont pas aussi importante. Alors, c'est un bon avis de s'y engager je crois.
Certes, je ne suis pas français, mais je serais très étonné d‘entendre qu‘un Français utilise cette expression comme „Good afternoon“ en anglais. On dit simplement „Bonjour/Bonsoir“ pour „Hello“ et „Bonne journée/Bonne soirée pour „Good-bye“. On pourrait peut-être l‘utiliser dans le sens: „J‘ai passé une bonne après-midi en buvant un café et regardant les piétons sur les bords de Seine.“
Salut ma plus che[ ` ]re **Geraldine** ! C´est si bon d´encore une fois te revoir et de pouvoir re[ ´ ]fle[ ´ ]chir sur tout ce que tu nous conseillais la` 😊 Je dois avouer que pour moi le de[ ´ ]fi le plus grave en vrai c´est ma compre[ ´ ]hension - ou son manque absolu - du franc,ais parle´/ quand c,a se parle, ou` il a presque l´air a` peu pre[ ` ]s comme si mon esprit se fige juste et je me sens peu d´autre sauf n´e[^]tre qu´enveloppe[ ´ ]e (de)dans, genre, quelque < onde sonore > a` laquelle pour la plupart je ne pige rien et bien su[^]r c,a me va pas du tout 🙄 mm si qnd mm j´ai pour seul but d´acque[ ´ ]rir la mai[^]trise de la langue aussi bien que les < vraies francophones depuis naissance > , voila` quoi.... ~Avec tant de reconnaissance et bcp de bisous ❤🩷💖🩷❤
I show you how to improve your French fluency every Saturday. Subscribe here: www.commeunefrancaise.com/youtube-welcome
"Be patient and kind with yourself." This is vital for any language-learning journey. And it's always a long journey: don't ever get suckered by deceptive CZcams clickbait hype that implies there are magic shortcuts or workarounds. There aren't. You can definitely work harder and more efficiently, but any language will take years to get good at. (Many native English speakers in the US make it all the way through high school and still have terrible grammar and spelling and almost no idea how to write clearly, coherently, and correctly. That's eighteen years wasted to become merely conversationally fluent at a mediocre level.)
What you need is dedication, consistency, self-awareness, and boldness. Learn and practice everday, in ways that you find help you progress better. Focus on subject matter that genuinely interests you. Focus on what you have trouble with instead of just sticking to what comes easily. Don't be afraid of failure or sounding "stupid" when talking. You will never advance if you don't set aside your ego and just go for it. Failing is a great way to get better at something, as long as you remain observant and non-judgmental: notice it, fix it, practice it. But don't feel bad. Language is very complex and hard.
My greatest challenge is understanding spoken French. I am still not at the stage where I can think in the language, so I'm translating in my head as someone talks and I miss things. Thank you for a great video!
In late June, I visited France for the first time. A shop owner complimented my pronunciation, and it was the best moment 🥹
Besides the shows you mentioned, I watch "C'est pas sorcier" on CZcams. It's a kids show but they talk about all areas of science and explain how things work with videos and amazing practical models. You learn science AND French. It keeps me engaged because it's learning more deeper than what you would with a normal conversation.
The most fun way is to do it with music, songs with lyrics on youtube. Thanks for so many great sources you mentioned.
Proud to say that I binged on L'Agence et Dix Pour Cent because of you, madam! Great recos!
My biggest challenge has been to find good audio material at beginner and low intermediate levels. You cannot reproduce what you don't understand and can't comprehend. "French Facile" and "Français Facile" are good examples, but we need more of this kind of material.
Thank you for a really helpful video.
There are lots of great ideas here - I'm going to watch it again and take notes.
Your suggestions about using age to our advantage and to focus on our own interests and motivations are really helpful.
I've been learning French again since I was 57, I moved to France at age 59 and now I'm 64.
Good morning. I just received the same workbook you showed. I joined the Alliance française in my local town. Some members are professors from our local university. I watch news on France 24. I also use Duo as a tool. Thank you for your time and effort making this for us.
I also joined the Alliance in my city. I am really enjoying learning and the community. I look to CZcams channelslike this to get practice and complement my lessons
MERCI! Je regarde les nouvelles en français tous les soirs pendant que je fais de l'exercice. A la fin de la journée, je connais les nouvelles en anglais donc c'est plus facile à suivre.
OH dear. I'm 62, so hopefully I'll be fluent on my death bed..
May you live long and prosper.
Hey, Im 71 and learning . Intend to retire and buy a house in SW France. Its not easy but do it every day , spaced repetition etc. But yes, French is harder than I thought.
I disaggree
I’m as young as you, and I’m learning French. I have conversations with French friends and will keep on learning more and more. I already speak Portuguese, English, Spanish, and was fluent in German, after living there. I graduated in my second university course when I was 50, and hope to continue learning many things I’m interested. Please don’t say you are old at 62. My mother is 95, and our generation will live up to at least 100. What will you do in the next 40 years?
@@Mostirrelevant What are you disagreeing with, dear--that person's age or their hope of being fluent by the time they die?
my biggest challenge is pronunciation. Thank you! You are a wonderful teacher.
Thank you. 🇫🇷
Merci bien prof❤
It is the sound and the poetry of a language that seems to attract. From Jacques Prevert to the French singers of centuries and this moment, the grandmothers who were more attached to their French than to the English they spoke their entire lives, just as the Spanish-speaking world holds evocative mysteries, as the writings of Female poets of Mexico in the 1600s, or the sere and clear descriptions of outer and inner worlds by Octavio Paz, that draw one into a closer relationship of word and thought with reality, than occurs in common dialogue,.
In the Pacific, languages without s sound, and french, when heard, seem to tell us that we need MORE to understand than occurs in monolingual culture. I would not even desire to describe reefs or actions or ballet without concepts only gaining prominence in French description.
🇫🇷 c'est sympa !
Merci beaucoup 🙏🙏
Merci
thank you for the sharing!
Thanks, Geraldine. I am finding it difficult to figure out which CLE Progressif books to get and in what order! I would be about a B1 level. Any tips for figuring out the system? The books are expensive and I would like to avoid making a mistake.
Great channel, everything is just great. Thank you, in a terrible hurry ❤. I would like to type more, and say something else, but I gotta go shopping, it is so important
Merci!! xx
Je suis en France en ce moment. Oui, la vie associative est quelque chose étonnant pour moi en tant qu'américain. 1, 3 millions associations dans un pays d'environ 70 millions c'est énorme. Les clubs, les associations, elles existent bien entendu chez nous mais l'étendue ne sont pas aussi importante. Alors, c'est un bon avis de s'y engager je crois.
On ne comprend jamais tout à fait une langue avant d’en comprendre au moins deux
Je pensé que "bon aprés midi" a pour Good afternoon? Quoi tu pensé?
Certes, je ne suis pas français, mais je serais très étonné d‘entendre qu‘un Français utilise cette expression comme „Good afternoon“ en anglais. On dit simplement „Bonjour/Bonsoir“ pour „Hello“ et „Bonne journée/Bonne soirée pour „Good-bye“. On pourrait peut-être l‘utiliser dans le sens: „J‘ai passé une bonne après-midi en buvant un café et regardant les piétons sur les bords de Seine.“
Salut ma plus che[ ` ]re **Geraldine** ! C´est si bon d´encore une fois te revoir et de pouvoir re[ ´ ]fle[ ´ ]chir sur tout ce que tu nous conseillais la` 😊 Je dois avouer que pour moi le de[ ´ ]fi le plus grave en vrai c´est ma compre[ ´ ]hension - ou son manque absolu - du franc,ais parle´/ quand c,a se parle, ou` il a presque l´air a` peu pre[ ` ]s comme si mon esprit se fige juste et je me sens peu d´autre sauf n´e[^]tre qu´enveloppe[ ´ ]e (de)dans, genre, quelque < onde sonore > a` laquelle pour la plupart je ne pige rien et bien su[^]r c,a me va pas du tout 🙄 mm si qnd mm j´ai pour seul but d´acque[ ´ ]rir la mai[^]trise de la langue aussi bien que les < vraies francophones depuis naissance > , voila` quoi.... ~Avec tant de reconnaissance et bcp de bisous ❤🩷💖🩷❤
What do you mean Grandson? You are only 30!
She’s talking about her viewers. And I think she’s over 30