Struggling. Language really.

[BringOnAutumn]

I just can’t improve. I can understand about 80% of what’s going on, but my (in)ability to speak is really affecting my life.

If I break into English, then it’d be easier but I’ll never improve. If I keep speaking the local language , I’m not good enough to express myself, make friends or be taken seriously.

@alicay I like Les Pieds Sur Terre, but your french would need to be very good. Content is similar to the sort of stuff you’d get on radio 4. There’s been an excellent series by a journalist revisiting her exes and trying to understand why she is single/ meditation on being single (Exologie). www.radiofrance.fr/franceculture/podcasts/les-pieds-sur-terre

Thanks TheGander, excellent recommendation. Interesting subjects & Sonia has nice, slow voice/sets the scene clearly - but also you hear lots of other peoples voices so it’s all-round great for improving French.

Can you get a job with locals? I teach english so was learning the local language super slowly until I got a job in a local school rather than an english SC academy and suddenly I’ve jumped from b1 to c1 in about a year due to using it so much. I’m now emailing parents without Google translate!

I'm struggling with language too in France, I have a teacher but we meet in a cafe and its not an ideal learning environment so I have just found an online teacher. I have a French friend who helps me too. My daughter has immersed and can understand and comprehends the language, I want to be like that! I've tried applying for jobs but I'm stuck at the interviews. It's very challenging. I need to be strict with myself and listen more to podcasts etc as I just can't seem tune into whats being spoken its frustrating.

So glad you like it @Alicay . After I posted I fretted I’d come across as a big snob saying you’d need v good french. It’s a great series, good to share it!

Volunteer. You don’t need to get through an interview and you will be surrounded by the language. Don’t bother with courses: you need to live ‘in’ the language.

Do you watch movies, tv etc in the local language regularly because that really helps (it's why people learning English find it easier, so much is in English). Otherwise just stick with it. The more you can immerse the quicker you'll get fluency

B1 to B2 was the hardest for me. Its going from understanding class to understanding life. The only way I've crossed it (in several languages now) is to find a situation where you have no choice. It's unpleasant but worth it. New job, new club, playdates with kids friends (particularly if you can find ones with parents that don't speak English), volunteering with older people or children.

It sucks though. What ever it is it has to be several times per week which is basically all your free time and energy. I've decided I'm never learning another language. I'm done. I want hobbies and a life!