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Subject Topic: French phrase books Post Reply Post New Topic
Personkirsty12
29/6/2015 at 11:00am
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I really need to start reminding my self of the basics and learn new phrases. I'm meeting myself coming back on Amazon and the library has nothing of any help. They are either just dictionary's or guide books with "some" phases.

Can anyone recommend a book for me to learn the basics and to take with me into restaurants/ supermarkets while we're out there please?.

The other issue I have is that I lived in Italy a few years ago and learnt Italian fairly well. My brain automatically thinks in Italian and when I'm trying to remember my school girl French, I'm not sure whether it's French or Italian . I'm going to come across as a right weird Brit


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PersonCrach
29/6/2015 at 11:13am
 Location: France
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If I remember your earlier posts you are heading for Sarlat, in which case you will hear more English spoken than French

If you ask in French in a shop or restaurant you will more than likely be answered in English to ensure that they have understood you correctly..


Personbilly
29/6/2015 at 11:15am
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Rather than learn complete phrases from phrase books I find it easier to learn the basic phrases like have you got and what is and so on and the names of things separately. Always be a bit humourous and keep a smile on your face saying please and thankyou and the French like you for it.

As for books, any French dictionary and phrase book is as good as any so save your money and find them on carboot sales. Obviously a bigger one will be more comprehensive but more difficult to carry and refer to when out and about.


PersonMick+Tina
29/6/2015 at 11:38am
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I have an App on my phone for any language translation, also when you speak into it it translates as well.

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Regards

Mick + Tina

Good Bye To Our Abbey Spectrum 520, Hello To Our Elddis Crusader Cyclone


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Personkirsty12
29/6/2015 at 11:47am
 Location: Herts
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I was a little concerned about that Crach

I still want to try though, i'm going for the French experience and i'd love my son to have a go or at least watch me trying. He's too young for me to be an embarassment yet .

Thanks Billy, that's just what i'm aiming for, having a go. Nothing worse than seeing a Brit not even bothering abroad. I'll keep my eye out for books in the next week or two.


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Personkirsty12
29/6/2015 at 11:49am
 Location: Herts
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Thanks Mick & Tina, good idea!


PersonSGThomas
29/6/2015 at 12:29pm
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If you want a very useful little publication:

French Phrase book and dictionary by Philippa Goodrich, BBC Publications ISBN 978-0-563-51918-8

It is small size and covers everything from explaining "personal" things to a chemist, to eating in poshest restaurants

The best dictionary is "Dictionnaire Anglais Larousse"
ISBN 978-2-03-587272-2

This has all the latest text speak, slang and idioms.
Phrases like "Allez cul" and "ne sois pas si con" are in it. The Collins or Oxford dictionaries are not so up to date


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PersonCrach
29/6/2015 at 12:37pm
 Location: France
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Quote: Originally posted by kirsty12 on 29/6/2015
I was a little concerned about that Crach

I still want to try though, i'm going for the French experience and i'd love my son to have a go or at least watch me trying. He's too young for me to be an embarassment yet .




You'll have to head for the least touristy places in the area, the little villages which time has passed by where they won't speak english, but a 'patois' which is the french equivalent of 'geordie'. There you will sit in the restaurant not really knowing what you have ordered, but hoping it is not 'andouillette' or worse..


Personkirsty12
29/6/2015 at 1:56pm
 Location: Herts
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Thanks Stuart that's really helpful.

I'm going to try at least once, somewhere in the middle of nowhere and hope for the best Crach. We did book Sarlat knowing they'd be British about, it's our first trip so a bit of a practise run really.


Personsarahlr
29/6/2015 at 3:37pm
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It's good to try out your French, they really do appreciate it. In St Gilles last year, our family was congratulated by restaurant staff as we all spoke in French, even my nine year old was brave and had a go!

Don't worry about switching to Italian, my hubby often starts off in German (worked in Germany a lot a few years ago) but it always raises a smile!

Have a lovely time Kirsty, you are going to have a ball!

-------------
Tent + food + glass of cider + friends = perfection

May: Drybrook, FoD
August: La Garangeoire, Vendee
Plus a few local weekends


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PersonNRT1
29/6/2015 at 4:11pm
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My French is clearly fluent as someone in a market once asked me where in Germany was I from!

Best French tuition I have come across is a set of CDs by Michel Thomas. He makes it seem so easy. You may be a bit short of time for that though, although good to listen to driving along.

-------------
Neil


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PersonOliverDay
29/6/2015 at 8:14pm
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I do the same as Billy. A few basic phrases tends to get me by for most things that I require.

The trouble starts when I ask the question and they respond in French as if I am also French. It is then that I have to say "non parlez francais" or "Je parle un francais tres petites".

-------------
Ollie

2016
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Personkirsty12
29/6/2015 at 8:18pm
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Thanks for the great replies


PersonJuneR101
29/6/2015 at 10:38pm
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If you want to brush up your French and have a really useful phrase book as well then have a look at '15 Minute French' from Doring Kindersley.

There is a good offer here

Bonne continuation!

-------------
Enter your zip code here


PersonVal A
30/6/2015 at 7:07am
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Our Canadian/Irish friend in the village has just come back from his first trip to the Dordogne and stayed in Les Eyzies. He said he hardly heard a word of French in his four day stay - and just like Crach said, he found that if he tried to speak French he got a reply in English.

We listen to French radio all the time, and you will find this helps to 'attune' your ears to listening in French. This is as important as speaking some French, as there is little point in asking a question, and then not understanding the reply. Study some potential answers to your questions as well - at least basic ones. And, as everyone says, smile a lot! If you come out with the wrong sort of bread, or three things instead of one (or as I once nearly did with 5kg of mince instead of 500 grams) then just make the best of it. I really thought the butcher I'd just asked was mincing a whole load for the shop, not just for me!

As Crach says (again) the local accent may be very difficult to understand - and may bear little resemblance to the French in your phrase book. In this area it's a very Catalan accent, and the pronunciation of some words is entirely different - even numbers!


Personalpiner
30/6/2015 at 8:32am
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Lots of Phone apps will do the job, you could also do some practesing using google translate on your computer.
below is the first one i found there are lots more
Phone link

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alpiner



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