J’apprends à parler français, encore un fois…

[LuxVera]

I took 2 years of French in high school. I noticed over the last 2 years that since probably 60-70% of my customers spoke Spanish, I eventually began to understand them a lot more...but not because (so much) of trying to actually learn their vocabulary, but because of my knowledge of elementary French.

I was basically "learning" Spanish because I was basing it a lot on what I knew of French vocabulary. This has made me really want to relearn (and learn more) French, especially just listening (because by listening, that is also how I came to understand more conversational Spanish) to French being spoken.

Now, I don't have anything against the Spanish language. But I have always liked French more than any other European language. So right now I am on the "hunt" for any French audio, YT videos, podcasts, etc. just to listen to.

I've been listening to Télé-Louisiane and some native French-Catholic priest on YouTube recently, picking out vocabulary that I actually know and recognize.

And yes, I am aware that Télé-Louisiane is mostly Americans speaking French. But I can understand so much more and recognize a lot more French vocabulary when I'm listening to Americans speak French (uhm, lol?) and a lot of their stuff is conversational French. So it's easier listening practice at the moment.

So basically I am wondering if anyone can point me towards more online resources for me to practice listening to French, especially conversational. Although I don't consider myself to be "Trad", I wouldn't mind listening to some Trad Catholic resources in French if it helps with my listening. If it helps, I also like topics of secular and Church history, science, animals, and so forth to get a wider range of topics.

Merci beaucoup.

[Bernadette]

Try Librivox.org for public domain books in French. I took French and Spanish in school, and they were very helpful in learning Latin and Italian in college.

[LausTibiChriste]

My sister-in-law lives in Chile, picked up Spanish after a couple years. They're now thinking of moving to Canada, so she started studying French to help her application process (she's white, not Indian, so they won't just let her in for free)....in like 6 months she went from knowing nothing, basically, to C1. Which echoes your experience.

It also depends on what type of French you want to learn - I learned Quebecois in high school, so that's what I know best (also from all the Canadiens hockey I watch) but now that I'm in Europe I'm surrounded by Parisian. In my estimation, it's far easier to learn Parisian, then pick up the idiosyncracies of Quebecois/Louisiane, than vice versa.

Podcasts
InnerFrench: https://innerfrench.com/ . I think it's now paid, but I used to use this a ton back in the day and it was awesome for listening comprehension because you could follow the podcast transcript while you listen.

- If you download the app Pocketcasts, you can filter what's popular by country - very useful if you just want to listen.

YouTube
KTO TV - https://www.youtube.com/@ktotv - Is basically the French EWTN

France24 - https://www.youtube.com/@FRANCE24 - Livestreaming news. I have this on in the background a lot.

Comprehensible Input French - https://www.youtube.com/@FrenchComprehensibleInput - Comprehensible input is essentially the only way to learn languages and this guy does a good job of it.


There are some apps I can recommend too, if you're into that sort of thing.

Also, a general video that's very good on explaining the theory behind language acquisition in general is:

[Geremia]

Also, a general video that's very good on explaining the theory behind language acquisition in general is:

Odd he's against active mastery and thinks language can be learned purely passively. This was not Fr. Most's approach for Latin (Latin By The Natural Method), which had an equal mix of active and passive mastering.
As late as the 18th century, French schoolchildren even had to speak Latin during recess, and they were punished if they used French!

[LausTibiChriste]

Also, a general video that's very good on explaining the theory behind language acquisition in general is:

Odd he's against active mastery and thinks language can be learned purely passively. This was not Fr. Most's approach for Latin (Latin By The Natural Method), which had an equal mix of active and passive mastering.
As late as the 18th century, French schoolchildren even had to speak Latin during recess, and they were punished if they used French!

I think you maybe misunderstood him.

Learning a language is obviously not purely passive, but it mainly is - google Stephen Krashen's work.  To paraphrase Krashen, "We all learn languages in one way, by understanding input"

Show me a kid who learned their first native language the same way Fr Most teaches.

BTW, I have Fr Most's books on Latin and I see them as very similar as to what that video explains.

[Heinrich]

Try Lingoda.com.

[LuxVera]

So since starting my new job, I've met two nice ladies who are fluent in French - though since living in US for decades, they both told me they never have anyone to speak French with them. I call them the "deux Madames" and "mes meilleures copines." They are very polite and well-mannered, a breath of fresh air compared to the usual hedonistic human beings I have had to be around.

I haven't been able to do an in-depth daily grammar/Vocab/formal "study" to aid in my French learning but I make sure to at least listen daily to some YT videos from French priest dude or French Catholic channel, or Télé-Louisiane for my favorite "American French."

Besides speaking with the deux Madames (sadly, I don't get to see or speak to them too much due to their work rotation), I do have Pimsleur French lessons on Audible to practice speaking. I have yet to try it though, because I've found the native speakers on there too quiet and not loud enough to hear while I'm driving in noisy traffic.

It's too bad French is no longer a "major" language in the US, especially around St Louis and even in Louisiana. I have to admit, upon learning that French is trying to be revived even amongst some native American tribes in Louisiana, shows just how impactful the language is on various ethnic groups. Speak French but not French yourself? Speak French and you become French! Lol