I want to learn French...

[XmasFairyGrrrl]

I can recall some minor bits from school- i have a GCSE in it- but don't have much time to myself. I think something i can put on my ipod for when i'm walking to and from work would be best, and money is also a bit tight.

Any ideas please?

www.learnfrenchbypodcast.com/ ??

brilliant! thanks for that- am downloading it on i-tunes as we speak!

You could also go online or to your library and read magazines like Paris Match or whatever the equivalent of "Hello!" is - stuff with lots of pictures and stories/stars you already know. Or google nmaes/stories you're interested in at www.google.fr

When I say "read", though, don't beat yourself up - try to understand the gist, look up words later at home rather than as you read, and only read things that are interesting. Won't help with speaking per se but might help with vocab and with strategies for understanding.

Most local colleges also do cheap classes - and, if the reason "money is tight" is that you're out of work or a registered student, they become cheaper still.

I think the most important thing, actually, is not to tie yourself down to one method but to try lots of different things at once and stick with the ones that work. Do it your way - you're not at school now!

thanks manifeel- the hello thing is a good idea. we have quite a few French films which i watch in French with the subtitles on- last night i was really concentrating and picking up little bits. (Or rather remembering things i learned at school but had forgotten)

Get Le Monde ever day and a dictionary if you're into current affairs. Or get a novel you think you'd like (or have already read) in oringinal French, or translation of a book you liked in English.

another good idea about the book- will do that right now!

Just bought 1984 in French, and a chick lit thing- no idea what it's about, but thought it can't be too hard going since i'm a novice. Really excited now!!

Really good idea re book you've already read and liked - ditto film.

Bon chance et bonne continuation!

What about songs? Especially if you have dc. Get a CD of comptines (nursery rhymes) and play and sing them with dc. If they are a bit older get a singer like Henri Des. Play them until you get a bit familiar with the tunes, then pick one you like and look up the words for it. (On CD cover or find through Google). As you listen to it, you will painlessly learn words and phrases. Dc's will learn as well.

Don't want to put you off literature, but I have got pretty good French and find things like 1984 quite difficult, so don't expect too much.

Also look at the BBC website - they have online lessons, clips to watch,etc.

i'll def have to build upto 1984, but i think the chick lit book should be pretty easy in comparison.

If you're going down the book route, the easiest option if you're reading a book you don't already know is probably 19th century short stories like Maupassant - that's one of the reasons they used to be popular at A level. The risk with chick lit is that you'll get a lot of vocab meaning things like "snog", "PMT", "crush" and so on (I'm guessing - does it show?) and a beginner's dictionary won't include them. It's easy to get dispirited.

If it's a book where you've read it in English and have the translation close by to compare then that's a different question, of course.

i'll get an English copy of both aswell then i think

Also, i hate lots of English speaking films with French soundtracks an option on them- i was thinking watching familiar films in French may be useful?

i mean i 'have', not 'hate!'

One other thing - I remembered today there's a book called "Penguin French Reader" - A level (ish) standard extracts from the popular press with vocab and grammar notes. Good for "building up" to real French. Worth a look maybe?

When I was learning French (9 years ago), what really helped was putting on French subtitles to whatever DVD I was watching. You can't help but keep an eye on the written French translation and your brain makes the connection.

Only problem with subtitles is that the translation is often quite "free" and sometimes just wrong!

however, as a general tip, it's got more going for it than against it, certainly if you view it as bonus practice rather than as a primary teaching tool.