Can I really teach myself French?

Question

Hey guys, so here is where I'm starting to get discouraged, I asked a question on the yahoo answers french site... I was already extremely nervous but I went for it, I asked "Sont les Francais plus conservateur/de droite? en generale?" I really just wanted to ask if the country in general was conservative, I was surprised to see that most French people favored Sarkozy over Hollande, and that gay marriage is illegal in France. France is known to be the most open minded country around, and its pretty conservative in its laws, even though Hollande plans to change them soon... so I wanted to ask first hand french inhabitants. I got many good answers to the question, but the last guy told me to use a translator, and he said it in spanish; I dont speak spanish, and he kinda just dumped on my attempts to connect, its like he said "hey, I know you're not a real french person, and you suck at trying to sound like one, use a translator" I got so upset I deleted the question altogether, and it got me thinking, can I really do this on my own? what was wrong with my grammar? I cant afford classes, so in your honest opinion, what should I do to get better?

Answer 1

Oui

Answer 2

Watch French movies if you don't have access to a French speaking community around you, I moved to Paris when I was 15 and after around 8 years of private schooling, with French being one of my better subjects, I didn't understand a clue of what the people around me were saying. 2 years on, and I am as fluent as a frog, so I guess you just have to immerse yourself in the culture. At least you are trying, this guy just sounds like an incredibly grizzly old parisian with a hatred of any english speakers. I think you'll find the majority of French aren't quite so bad :)

Answer 3

Hello :)



I'm sorry but i don't speak english very well ( yes ! i'm a true French !! ^^) :



Ta question " "Sont les Francais plus conservateur/de droite? en generale?" ne veut rien dire malheureusement... C'est plutôt :" Les Français sont-ils plus de droite/conservateurs ?"



Pour répondre à cette question, les Français ont des avis politiques très partagés. Il y a différents partis politiques en France et les 4 principaux sont : la droite (Nicolas Sarkozy), la gauche (François Hollande), l'extrême droite (Marine Le Pen) et l'extrême gauche (Jean-Luc Mélenchon). La question du mariage gay fait encore beaucoup débat aujourd'hui...



Bon courage pour apprendre la langue française car c'est une des langues les plus difficiles mais elle est très belle !! ^^



Bye

Answer 4

No, you can't really learn the language on your own. Either being immersed or taking formal classes is necessary. If you teach yourself, you'll have no way of knowing what you're teaching yourself is right or wrong.