Hints/tips NEEDED, pronounce and talk like French !!

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the help provided to me in my last threads. I%26#39;m so glad to be one of the TA family.

I noticed while I%26#39;m enjoying my reading all over the Paris forum that French appreciate when you try to say some words in french (just trying gives a good feeling).

Since I%26#39;m visiting Paris for the first time, I%26#39;d love to give good impression about Saudi traveller. So, I%26#39;m trying very hard to find about French culture and anything that can reflect that I respect their history as I respect the culture of France.

Now, I%26#39;m wondering is there any special websites that gives the meaning of the %26#39;%26#39;most used words%26#39;%26#39; such as:

Good morning/afternoon/evening , water, toilet , thanks....etc. I know some of them like bonjour, merci and pardon. But the thing is to be sure about the meaning and how to pronounce it.

Other thing, there are some lovely tips/hints that can really be helpful in this matter such as don%26#39;t use the term underground instead of metro. Anything follow will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

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Best thing you can do is to buy a set of CD%26#39;s - to have a quick French course, in your car, in your bed, on the terrace, instead of watching TV....

Google for %26quot;french+course+cd%26quot; - I recommend buying with amazon.

You can never read your way to a passable pronounciation (you know the horrible guidebook-syle: jay-voodray-oon-cafay-oo-lay........ which make e.g. the poor Americans sound even more cartoon-like when they try to speak French)

linguaphone.co.uk/learn_french_alltalk_16_ho…

amazon.co.uk/gp/…

amazon.co.uk/gp/…

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Hi MMM199

I found the 8 really quick lesson at http://www.bonjour.com/ to be a wonderful help. Each lesson is only a couple of minutes, but you can revisit them several times. They have audio, so you can hear how things are really said.

Don%26#39;t worry about hwo you say things in English. Most places you go in Paris people are well-accustomed to making sense of English and they will be happy to help.

The other thing is that I found my brain quickly learnt the right terms, sigage in Paris is really good so you just get used to calling things by their stated names.

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Try here http://www.research.att.com/~ttsweb/tts/demo.php

with Alain or Juliette

askoxford.com/languages/…

Bonne chance! :-)

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This BBC site is quite good for basic traveller%26#39;s French

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/

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MMM199 very sound advice from Gitte K.

The course by Elisabeht Smith is excellent %26amp; the course by Thomas. The former has produced some in video form.Sadly to indicate Linguaphone so out of date not only comatose but mummified.

Good luck Gerlis

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