Posts Tagged ‘french to english dictionary’

If you want to pick up French as a second or third language, the best way to do so is to go to France. Learning French in France is easier than trying to learn it from a book. While a great many people in France can also speak English, there are many areas of France where the people only speak French. If you want to learn this language in a hurry, the best way to do so is to learn French in France.

Sure, the French speak English…

When you visit France, you can pick up French by visiting an area that is a bit off the beaten path. Many of the people in Paris speak English as well as French. If you visit a city that is a bit away from it all, or a small town, then you will find that many of the people do not speak English. In order for you to communicate with them, you will have to learn French. When you are forced into communication in this manner, you will pick up the language – it is human nature. You should bring along a French-to-English dictionary so that you can get by with a few words. Of course, you are better off if you have a basic concept of the language before you begin.

But then Again…

There are many areas of France where English is not spoken. These are also the most charming and least commercial areas of the country. Not only will you get a chance to learn how to speak French in France by visiting these areas, but you will get a chance to see how the real French people actually live, instead of the version that is shown to tourists. This will give you a chance to experience real French life as well as learn French in France.

Bring out the French Dictionary, Books & Tapes

Before you visit France to learn French, you should try to get a grasp on the language by listening to foreign language tapes or reading a book. You may even want to take a class in French so that you can pick up the language easier. If you once spoke French in school but have not used this language for a while, then you will have to learn it again. Language is not like riding a bike – you do not just pick it right back up after being away from it for a long period of time. You have to use the language in order to retain the information.

Once you get to France, you should make it a habit to only converse in French. This can be easier if you visit an area of the country where not many people speak English. You will be pressured into speaking French in order to communicate with others. The more you have to communicate in a language, the more you will pick it up. This is pretty much like a trial by ordeal, but it does work. If you want to learn a language quickly, the best way to do so is to have to speak it in order to communicate. You will be surprised at how fast you learn.

Do you want to learn how to speak French? Go to LanguageSchoolReviewer.com and see user-provided reviews of language schools in France.

Author: Joe Deacon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Beading Necklace

If you want to learn how to speak French there all kinds of ways – private lessons (best but expensive) local night classes, online French courses, French language software, take your pick. What none of them can prepare you for are the occasional – and mostly understandable mistakes – where we think we understand something and in fact we’re just a bit short!

For example, a friend of mine was in search of a French property. He thought that the place in “rue du chateau d’eau” sounded very attractive. It must be close to a chateau, you would think. What better for your French home than to be near one of these magnificent historical buildings?

Well mostly he was right. “Rue de” does indeed mean “the street of”. Unfortunately a “chateau d’eau” is a water tower. Now some people find them very attractive, and they’re an iconic part of the French countryside, but they’re not quite the fairy-tale castle he was hoping for!

It’s an example of how, when you learn how to speak French, you have to take in the whole French phrase not just the individual words.

Of course the individual words can trip you up just as easily. Another friend (who I must say now speaks quite good French) was visiting France on holiday. She came down to breakfast in her hotel and looked at the menu, seeking something typically French. “Pampelmouse” sounded particularly exotic so she ordered that, only to be rather disappointed when half a grapefruit was served!

Any language will always trip you up occasionally – we just can’t know it all at once. If you want to learn how to speak French I would suggest that in addition to any other lessons you always carry a small French to English dictionary with you, or one of the excellent pocket electronic versions now available. It will just give you the ability to check before making those little “faux pas” (that’s mistakes, by the way). You need to look out most for the things you almost think you know but aren’t quite sure of. You wouldn’t, for example, want to put “petrole” in your car – in France you would get paraffin!

Author: Frank English
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Pressure cooker