Bonjour !
As the eyes are windows to the soul, language provides insight and depth to our understanding of another culture. In fact, knowledge of another language enhances understanding of our own language, and generally it strengthens our ability to communicate more effectively in both.
You're probably wondering, “Should I or shouldn't I?” You're probably asking yourself if it will be difficult, if you'll have the time, if it's going to be worth the effort, and if you'll stick with it.
here are my top ten reasons why you need to study French:
10. You love Colette's romance novels.
9. You'd like to root for the Montréal Canadiens in French.
8. You loved Les Misérables so much that you decided to read the original version in its entirety—all 600 plus pages.
7. You want to avoid ordering francs with mustard and sauerkraut.
6. You never know when you're going to run into Catherine Deneuve.
5. You want to impress your date at a French restaurant.
4. You love French movies but find the subtitles too distracting.
3. They won't let you onto the topless beach in Martinique without it.
2. Two words: French Fries.
And finally, the best reason of all:
1. You want to meet St. Exupéry's “Little Prince.”
Are you totally convinced that French is the language for you? Now that I have your undivided attention, let's look at some more down-to-earth, realistic reasons you should study French.
What's Your Fancy?
The following are some serious reasons why you might want to study French:
10. You're a musician, and France is a country where culture is taken seriously.You long to go to L'Opéra and admire its sculptured façade, its magnificent marble staircase, and its elegant foyer. You really like classical music (although you'd never admit it to your friends) and would like to enjoy the operas you love in their native language: Carmen by Bizet, Faust by Gounod, Manon by Massenet, Samson et Dalila by Saint-Saëns. Yes, you want to take your studies further.
9. You're an artist.
Your dream is to sit in the Place du Tertre in Montmartre and paint watercolor scenes of Paris or do charcoal portraits of the tourists who stop by your easel to admire your work. You're pulled to Paris by its many museums: the Musée du Louvre with its Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo; the Musée d'Orsay with its impressionist collection; the Centre Georges-Pompidou with its fabulous modern art museum; the well-hidden Musée Picasso; and many more. You long to have a picnic lunch at the Musée Rodin while you sit and admire Le Penseur (The Thinker) or Le Baiser (The Kiss). Art is your life, and you want to study in a place where it is respected and loved.
8. You love French movies and long to understand the actors without the distraction of poorly translated subtitles.
7. You're not greedy, but you do want to make more money.
France, a leading nation in the European Economic Community, has the fourth largest economy in the world, and you'd like to take advantage of that. Haute couture (high fashion), perfume, leather goods, precision instruments, automobiles, chemical and pharmaceutical products, and jewelry are all thriving French industries—France is a European leader.
6. You want to prove you're smart.The French language has the reputation of being difficult. This dates back to a time when only the smartest junior-high-school students were offered French. Of course, anyone who's ever studied French knows that it really isn't any more difficult than any other foreign language.
5. You want to live in a French-speaking country.
You love the language, you love the people, or maybe you'vebeen relocated by your company. Whatever the reason, if you're going to be staying in a French-speaking country for an extended period of time, you've got to learn the language.
4. You love to cook and have a special passion for fabulous dishes and desserts.
You want to go to original sources and to understand all the food terms and culinary techniques. If you decide to take a cooking course in France, you want to know what's going on.
3. You love to eat.
Do you consider yourself a gourmet? If so, then a basic knowledge of French, especially the culinary terms, is a must. Whether you prefer nouvelle, haute, or traditional cuisine, Cajun specialties, regional or native dishes, French cooking is truly considered the world's greatest. Whether you eat in Paris or New Orleans, Algeria or Port-au-Prince, the city or the country, you can be sure that the food you are served is fresh and appetizing, and that it has been expertly and lovingly prepared by a chef who takes great pride in his or her work. And a good French wine accompanying your meal is a tribute to the prestige and excellence of this industry in France.
2. You want to be totally irresistible, and you truly believe that speaking French will attract that special someone.
You're probably right. French, more than any other language, has the reputation of being “the language of love.” It doesn't even matter what you say. Just whisper any of the beautiful, flowing, songlike phrases in someone's ear to “Wow!” them and to make their heart beat faster. It's practically foolproof.
1. You love to travel.
In addition to France, there are more than 40 French-speaking countries in the world, where more than 100 million people speak French on a daily basis. Whether you travel for business or pleasure, romance or adventure, excitement or relaxation, your choices include: sensuous tropical islands with white, sandy beaches; lush rain forests with luxuriant, native vegetation; tempting snowcovered mountains perfect for winter sports; sweaty, sultry jungles where special thrills lurk everywhere; fortified ancient villages where history comes to life or bustling, modern cities where the future rapidly unfolds. You don't have to go far: Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Canada, or you could find yourself across the globe in distant, exotic lands in Africa or Asia. Perhaps you will simply be one of the more than 60 million tourists who visit France each year. The possibilities and opportunities are endless.
Images of France and French language have fascinated Americans of all ages throughout our history. Its sound and rhythm are particularly beautiful to the ear and emphasized by a culture that evokes images of fine art, literature, wine, and culinary delights, not to mention romantic love and sex appeal.
It also evokes terror.
Those of us who are perfectionists or can't fathom speaking a French word outside the context of the latest American or British pop tune with a French refrain know what I'm talking about. Those of us who have tried using our high school French on a French waiter know that response that strikes fear in one's heart. You know the one I'm talking about. The one that says in only slightly accented, but perfect English, “I beg your pardon, what did you say you wanted?” Of course, the only thing worse than that is if he actually answers you—in French! Then you have to actually understand his response and pray for the correct reply.
If this troubles you, then hope and salvation are only pages away. Whether you're a beginner or have a few years of French language training under your belt, Rocket French makes the basics basic and the harder stuff, well, simpler.
It is the primer that will give you the guideposts you'll need to learn this beautiful tongue while reducing your fear of learning it. Whether you fear mastering the accent, or the dreaded subjunctive, there are tips to enlighten you and rules written in a vernacular that any American or English reader can understand.
She is from Versailles, near Paris, and together with her English-speaking friend Paul, She will be joining you on your Rocket French adventure!
Speaking French is a great way to enhance your life, and it’s never too late to learn. Whether you are traveling to a French-speaking country, have French-speaking family, friends and colleagues, enjoy learning something new, or you’re keen to refresh your memory of this beautiful language
I know from personal experience that learning a new language can be lonely, frustrating, and just plain hard. It doesn’t have to be that way!
If you’ve tried to learn French before and it didn’t work out for you, it’s not your fault. If a French course isn’t designed so you can learn your way, it will be only be a waste of time and money.
This is where the team at Rocket Languages comes in. They’ve spent years fine-tuning their popular learning system to make it easy for you to learn French on your own terms, in your own time – and learn it FAST.
Check out all the great ways they’ve made it easy for you to learn to speak French! :
- Lifetime Membership so you can learn at your own pace, in your own time!
- 24/7 online access to all your course materials so you can learn French when it suits you.
- Downloadable lessons and games so you don’t always have to be online.
- MP3/iPod compatible audio so you can learn on the move or anywhere you need to be!
- Mac/PC compatible and print-friendly lessons – anyone can use Rocket French!
- 33 Interactive Audio Lessons with modern, everyday French conversations that you can take part in. These tracks average 24 minutes in length – that’s over 13 hours of audio lessons! (Downloadable)
- 31 French Language Lessons, with step-by-step explanations, over 1900 embedded audio clips, and quizzes, to help you speak French naturally.
- 31 French Culture Lessons that give you insights into a wide variety of situations you’re likely to encounter in a French-speaking country, so you can get the most out of your French experience.
- MegaFrench Software Games to increase the number of French words you know, improve your understanding of spoken French, and help you master French verbs. Watch your score improve each time! (Downloadable)
- Quizzes and Self-Tests so you can see how much your French has improved!
- Progress Tracking so you always know which Rocket French lessons, quizzes and tests you’ve completed, and where you’re headed next on our recommended learning path.
- Rocket French Certification to boost your French speaking confidence!
- Personal Support - I will be with you every step of the way. Along with the other Rocket French teachers, native speakers, and other Rocket French learners, I will answer all your French language questions!
- Technical Support – The Rocket Languages technical support team is just an email or phone call away if you need us.
- Free Rocket French Premium Upgrades because we’re always working hard to make learning French easier!
- Back-up Disc with MP3 compatible audio lessons, delivered to your door.
- 60-Day No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee!
A lot of readers have asked for a Rocket French review. Why? Well, I think it has to do with the Rocket French website. They use a very sales-heavy approach that turns a lot of people off. What the site says sounds good, but they aren’t sure if they can trust Rocket French. My Rocket French review aims to clear that up – to look beyond their marketing and review their actual product to let you know if it’s right for you.
Complete Rocket French Review:
When looking at the various options available to people wanting to learn French online, Rocket French was a name that kept popping up time and again in the top two or three programs.
So, what makes it so popular? Well, the free 6 day trial is enough to get you hooked straight away, and you receive informative newsletters and emails which gradually build up your knowledge of French vocabulary and grammar without seeming too much like formal lessons.
If you choose to continue the course, the total price $299.95 for ‘Rocket French’ is much more affordable than its closest rivals – a factor which is bound to swing the decision for many of us!
Free-mail French
For the free trial of Rocket French, you receive one audio or text lesson per day via email. These are interactive lessons – you speak out loud in response to what’s said.
Once you clear some basic information, get ready as they add on a more complex conversation at the end of some of the more basic information makes it worthwhile, as you can see how to apply the simple things which perhaps you already know.
The Full French Course
It may sound daunting to think that each of the 45 minute courses in the Rocket French package lasts for around 2 hours, but remember that you can take this at your own pace, and skip or revise whichever bits you choose!
With the MegaVocab games, you are able to add in the words and pictures of your choice to create a personalised interactive French word bank which can be printed out or played on the screen. The freedom to choose which specific vocabulary interests you is very useful, especially if you are learning for business reasons rather than pleasure – you don’t need to clutter your knowledge with chatter about the beach or what’s on at the cinema!
The oral and aural section of ‘Rocket French’, MegaAudio, covers 20,000 words altogether, and you’re bound to find what interests you most here! Being able to listen carefully to “real” French as it is spoken and then try to copy this is useful, and the games get more difficult according to your progress.
When I was at school, I used to despise our French Grammar lessons, but with Rocket French, I found this aspect of learning French relatively painless due to their “MegaVerbs” games.
The Final Verdict
There’s no doubt that Rocket French’ is a solid, interactive tool for those wishing to learn French fast. In fact, I would rate it amongst the best French courses out there. Plus, it is by far the best value for your dollar. For anyone who wants to learn French fast and cheap – Rocket French is the right course for you.
