But then there’s the whole other side of foreign accents. When people say critical things to someone who speaks with a foreign accent. Sometimes they do this without realizing it, but most of the time, people are fully aware that what they’re saying is rude. Even downright mean and derogatory things, as if having an accent is a defect. There’s no shame in having an accent.
Social norms in France can catch foreigners by surprise if they don’t know what little words to use where. Here are the top 5 polite French words and phrases you need to learn to fit in when you’re in France. Tom has recorded audio for us so you can hear the words as well.
Hello! Tom’s here today with his latest installment of his series on my blog called Ask Tom Tuesdays. We’re taking…
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You’ll notice that the French use seemingly formal words to express casual phrases. Let me give you a few examples of how the French sound formal unintentionally.
If you’re learning French, congrats! Do you want to sound a little more natural? I’m sharing 3 of my French pronunciation tips with you today.
How long does it take to learn French? This question is problematic and I’m talking about why. Language learning isn’t linear. And it doesn’t have an end date. Let’s dive into this popular language learning question about how long it takes to learn a foreign language.
Every now and then, the French language tickles me when I come across a fun-to-pronounce word or a word that’s just delightful to my ear. The other day, Tom and I were watching a news problem when les aoûtiens flashed across the screen. Not knowing what the word meant but having an idea from the context, my ears perked up.
Language learning is a process. This post is the one where I tell all about the 5 things that still give me major trouble in French even after living in France for 5 years. The language and culture is not something you automatically learn overnight. It takes time, so here are some hard things about the French language.
When I moved to France, there are all kinds of everyday things that confuse me. I felt like my adult self was tossed back to infancy in some ways. From French culture, to the language to general know-how, moving to France as a foreigner can be pretty confusing.
French language learners usually learn to say only in French with the word seulement. But that’s not the only way. Let me teach you the other way in today’s Quick French Lesson.
For those of us in relationships with someone from another country, meeting the family can be quite an experience. That goes double when your partner’s native language differs from your own. Here are some tips for when the foreign in-laws meet. Take a deep breath.
Learning a language is hard. What do you do when you aren’t sure about a clear path forward? Private lessons can be expensive and books can be ineffective and boring so here’s my Lingoda review. How can a language learner boost their foreign language skills? Here’s why you should consider learning French with Lingoda and get started today.
When you’re in France and need to converse with French people, all your classroom learning gets very real. Here’s how to use context when speaking French.
Here are some of the most popular posts on Oui In France in 2016. Read on for French culture, language and more about living abroad in France.
A question people ask me quite often about speaking French is, “Do you translate from French to English in your head before speaking?” My honest answer at this point is no and here’s why. There’s no time to translate when you’re speaking a foreign language in real time.
No matter how compassionate or empathetic you are, sometimes the only way to truly understand something is to experience it for yourself. I never really considered what life might be like for someone with a foreign accent… until I experienced it as an American living in France.
A real marker of progress is when native French speakers stop complimenting you on your French. That’s when you know you’ve majorly improved. Here’s why compliments mean you aren’t fluent.
Are you tired of ineffective French grammar and language learning books? I’m reviewing Pardon My French by Stephen Hare and telling you why it’s a book you’ll want to read no matter where you are on your French learning journey.
If you invite someone out to eat in France, this little word “inviter” has some built-in rules that may catch you by surprise. On the surface, it means to invite. But there’s some French cultural knowledge you need to know if you’re going to invite anyone out in French. It has to do with who is footing the bill so read on!
So let’s throw it back to 2009 when I shared some observations and what my first day of teaching in France was like…
