Some words are easier to learn than others! |
I’ve been taking a course via the web and Bertlitz-ing my way to becoming conversationally adequate for almost two months now. I'm enjoying the challenge although there have been a few frustrating bumps in the road.
Bump bump bump…..
Pronouns
This sounded like pretty basic French to me. Easy-peesy stuff we learned in elementary school.
Je - tu - il/elle - nous - vous - ils/elles. Right?
Wrong! There are lots and lots of French pronouns:
- Subject pronouns
- Direct Object Pronouns
- Indirect Object Pronouns
- Reflexive Pronouns
- Disjunctive Pronouns
"Suzanne – C'est la même chose que les autres" (Or something like that)...
"Oui" I reply. "Right……Hang on…..I’ll get it. Um….um……attendez. ….non…..un instant……" I'm picturing the instructor knitting a sweater or watching a movie while waiting. (We have these great long periods of silence on the study tapes while I'm trying to think).
If I think too much I forget what I’m supposed to be saying so I ask her to repeat the words she wants me to use.
"No wait……Nous ne l’avons pas mangés…..or were we saying je ne l’ai pas choisi ? I forget. Is it time for the break ?" This is fun.
Il pleut. Quel dommage! |
Overall, I think I’m improving. My vocabulary is ok….grammar is still a struggle….but getting there.
All is well in class, but I need to practice more on a daily basis. So -
- When I talk to myself, it’s in French.
- When I listen to music, it’s French (which is always the case for me anyway…Aznavour, Piaf, Brel……all magnifique).
- Magazines? French. (Coté Paris is my current fav).
I still have a good six months before we head to Paris, so I'm not in a panic....yet....

Susan language ever changing even our own.The school formal grammar is not so often important these day's.Just think how I suffer with my Russki,Angelshki.
ReplyDeleteregards
Ed.
Thank you Edward. If grammar isn't all that important, I'm doing better than I thought! :)
ReplyDeleteDon't wory about the grammar - my friend manages perfectly by saying every verb in the infintive!
ReplyDeleteA good tip! No 'tu' for me either. Everyone will be 'vous''. Why make life more difficult!?!!
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