Sup /adv/. I'd like to learn French in a relatively cheap way. I lack motivation at times so it may be in my best interests to do something easy, as stupid as that sounds when trying something that I think would be difficult. So for my biluingists, how did you guys learn? What was most effective for you?
Thanks.
>>16525412
After I learned basics I read lots of French comics when trying to learn it and then swapped for books once I got hang of it. Reading only gets you so far, though, because the pronunciation and spelling are so different. Watch lots of French movies and listen to music. Audio books work too. Eventually try to find native speakers you can try to talk with.
Join the French Foreign Legion!
>>16525428
Thanks. Where'd you learn the basics? Just from google-searched sites?
For learning words I can suggest memrise.
For talking, try to find natives that would like to talk with you, perhaps language exchange. You teach them English, they teach you French.
acquire pimsleur french
I'm french and I think you should take courses first, then read a lot. Novels, comics, whatever, reading is the best way to improve. When it comes to actually speaking it you should practice with conversations, preferably in France.
>>16525807
It's the finding of courses I need help with. Ones that are worth the money and work efficiently.
>>16525412
You should really take some kind of class at least to start.
Better to self teach after you've learnt basic grammar and proper pronunciation etc otherwise you will just pick up bad habits. This applies for any language
If you have an iPhone, I downloaded an app called Duolingo. It's basically Rosetta Stone or Babbel for free. It prompts you to practice everyday. I use it for Portuguese because I do A-Level French. But it teaches you the basics right through to complex phrases. It's really good
Not OP, but I've recently started studying French on my own in hopes to prepare myself for inevitable university classes I'll have to take in the coming years. I've avoided foreign language classes like the plague until now, and I tried Spanish and hated it. Now, I'm doing French, and I'm kind of loving it. It's slightly more difficult than Spanish, but far more enjoyable, I think.
The trick, OP, is to start small. Learn the alphabet. Count to ten. Learn your colors and days of the week. Then, learn how to form sentences (learn definite articles le, la, les, and l' as well as indefinite articles such as un, une, des, etc) and soon you'll be using your limited vocabulary to form sentences.
I'm just about a week into my own study myself, but so far I can form a few simple sentences.
Il ya des pommes sur la table. Il ya des livres dans le sac. Il ya des éléphants dans le zoo.
It's really not that hard, I haven't even had to really apply myself yet. You can do it, OP - just remember that you don't want to learn to TRANSLATE from English, you want to learn to THINK in French.
Bon chance!
>>16525412
I can teach you Louisiana French. No one will understand a word you say.
