Question for people who have learned a second language

[imbetter]

I'm currently studying French at my current highschool, but I'm going to have to switch schools next year and the one I'm transfering to doesn't offer French. I've always wanted to speak it fluently and I'm not exactly sure how to go about doing it outside of school. So I'm asking (particularly those who have done this themselves) how I should go about learning French.

Thanks

[retrouvailles]

French is a pretty easy language, and a popular one, so you could pick it up with some online courses, many of which are free. You can find them with a simple Google search. I'm learning Finnish, my fourth language, online right now and it's working out nicely. However, there is no substitute for interacting with peers, especially to get your speaking skills up.

[adaubre]

I'm currently studying French at my current highschool, but I'm going to have to switch schools next year and the one I'm transfering to doesn't offer French. I've always wanted to speak it fluently and I'm not exactly sure how to go about doing it outside of school. So I'm asking (particularly those who have done this themselves) how I should go about learning French.

Thanks

You should check to see if in your city/town there is an Alliance Francaise.  See this site:

https://www.alliance-us.org/en/index.aspx

They offer french lessons in all levels as well as French community activities.

If you city does not have an AF, you can still call or email them and they might have some solutions for you for your particular location.  Good luck. 

adaubre

[nanabush]

Speaking with people in French is the easiest and most direct way of developing your speaking skills... we HAD to speak in French in French class (duh), and we all benefited from it.  Two years later, I have not spoken to anyone in French, I still remember all the grammar and rules, but I've completely lost my accent due to lack of practice.

Try skyping with a French person, or listen to French radio, that helps too (try repeated aloud what they say, after understanding WHAT they say at that speed  )

[oxy60]

Or, if you have a foreign language magnet charter school nearby offer to volunteer. Often the format in these schools is one week English only and one week foreign language only. Other than going the native country of the language this could be a good alternative.

[sjs42]

Live in France for a while.  You'll be decent in French if you live there for 3 or 4 years.

[retrouvailles]

Or move to Quebec if you can't afford to move to France! Sure, the French isn't the same, but it's still French.

[faa2010]

Nowadays, it's much easier than before. I started to study French since I was in high school, but because of looking for a job and other courses that can help me to get a big CV, I couldn't get the chance to finish them.

The last week I got a glimpse in a bookstore and then I bought two books of French courses.  Before, it was difficult to get them with a cassette or a CD, but nowadays they have their own CD when you buy them, so you can also train your ear, not only learning the use of grammar, reading and writing.

Also there is the rfi (https://www.rfi.fr/) and the french movies to practice reading and listening.  About speaking French, I think you are lucky because you can practice it with your friends in some free time (and also they can update you if it is the case with the class topics).

About learning by yourself is good, the problem is that you need self control and discipline in order to do it, unless you know how to motivate yourself.

[littletune]

I learned second language(s) the most from watching TV in those languages ... and then reading some books.... and then talking to myself in those languages (yeah I talk to myself all the time    im weird  )  But talking to yourself really helps you learn how to think in that other language I don't really understand how that works at all but it just does  . I think maybe it's kinda like in music, you just have to hear in your head what something is supposed to sound like. (And then you don't have to think about all the rules!) and then it seems really easy

[oxy60]

Having TV in different languages is quite an advantage. I only know of a few countries where that is possible. In most of those there aren't the funds to overdub but just to subtitle.

Some funny moments occur when friends think American actors speak perfect Spanish. Than they come here from Spain and turn on the TV expecting Spanish.

Yes it is possible to learn another language from watching V.O. with subtitles. I've known many others who have done it. They watched a ton of TV.

[Bob]

How do you learn the grammar rules just from TV?  I can see it for word/phrase use and pronunciation but I don't quite follow how you can pick what the rules are.

[littletune]

But that's the best part that you don't have to learn the grammar rules!   One day you just know what something is supposed to sound like and u don't have to know the rules and u dont even have to think about how to say it, you just know And then if you want to say everything completely right (even more right than most of the people that speak that language ) then you look at the rules but you don't have to learn them so much anymore because they seem a lot easier when you already hear in your head what something sounds like....  well thats at least how I learn But I know some people have to know all the rules first (thats the way my dad is). But I can't learn anything like that! So I just listen and let my brain do whatever it does (have no idea what ) and then after some time I just start to understand
And yes in my country we mostly have subtitles except for some cartoons for little kids, and we also have a lot of tv channels that are from other countries so there are not even any subtitles there, so it's like you would go in some other country and you just have to try to understand as much as u can. At first you just guess what they're saying and then slowly you start to understand
And then you can start to imagine that you go into some movies or tv series or shows that you like and you talk to those people in that language (in your imagination) and you just remember some things you didn't even know you knew  (ok i better not think about the grammar rules of this sentence)

[oxy60]

It's almost idyllic to think of learning a language that way.

I had a cleaning lady once who learned English by watching English movies and reading the subtitles in her native language. It worked out OK in a sort of "me Tarzan, you Jane" way.

I struggled through High School and College learning French the classical way. I never though I'd ever use it, until one day I found myself in Paris for a very long stay. There in the 20th Arr. nobody spoke English and I found myself remembering conjugations I thought I would never remember. With basic sentence construction ready all I needed were the nouns for the items I hadn't studied.

I was very happy I could form a basic declarative sentence in past, present and future tenses as well as ask a question in those same tenses.

For anyone learning a second language I hate to say it, but like the piano, basics really are necessary.

[littletune]

Well i have learned English mostly from watching TV. I learn English in school too, but I've learned it from tv even before that! So I really don't have any problems at school with English. In school I just learn how to spell and some grammar rules, but I dont think about them at all when i speak english and i dont think I speak English in a me Tarzan you Jane way  or maybe i do and i just dont know it    It's like sometimes I even forget im speaking English I don't have to translate it or something, it seems to me just like I would be speaking in my language except I don't know that many words. And I've learned German and  French from tv too, but not so well yet because I haven't been watching tv in those languages that much yet  Now I almost don't watch tv anymore because I don't have time and I much much rather play piano than watch tv!!!   

[end]

Hi,

I speak five foreign languages. I've learned another one, but I've never used it and I can't speak it anymore. I haven't learned them at school. What do I do? I get a good grammar and dictionary, or a method book, preferably with recordings. The latter is the method I'm using now to learn Arabics... and to learn how to play the violin... (I see music as another language: only the phonetics is a bit different, involving other parts of the body, as well as tools).

If you can't buy one, visit your library. Most books I use come from libraries. When I was at  university (doing physics) I couldn't afford books and I've got my degree (later went on to get a PhD) only with library books: being poor doesn't mean one's got to die ignorant!

Watching TV (with subtitles) is also very useful. If you don't have access, try to find public TVs available on the internet (there are several French TVs that make their programs available on their sites).

Above all: never believe anyone who tells you it can't be done. Not even yourself!