French for Dummies [Paperback]

Dodi-Katrin Schmidt (Author), Michelle M. Williams (Author), Dominique Wenzel (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764551930 | ISBN-13: 978-0764551932 | Publication Date: January 15, 2000

If you buy into the Pepé Le Pew stereotype of the French – arrogant, stuffy, overly amorous, and rather odiferous (Pepé Le Pew was a skunk. Talk about stereotypical!) – then think again. Not only are the French people some of the most relaxed, pleasant people you'll ever meet, but their society is one of the oldest, most culturally rich societies in the world. So it's no surprise that French is known as perhaps the most beautiful of all languages. Listen to someone speak French – sure, you don't have a clue what she's saying, but aren't you enraptured by the sound of it?

Unfortunately, just because a language is beautiful doesn't mean that it's easy to learn. Although French has many things in common with English, French has had many, many centuries to evolve into the language it is today, which means it's had all that time to become more complex. That's where French For Dummies can help. Written in partnership with the language experts at Berlitz, this book can give you what you need for basic communication in French.

French For Dummies covers the following topics and more:

• Basic pronunciation and gestures
• The nuts and bolts of French grammar
• Meeting and greeting in French
• Situations in which you can use French: Making small talk, dining out, shopping, and talking on the phone
• Traveling to France: Dealing with French currency, staying at a hotel, and getting around town
• Top Ten lists on ways to pick up French quickly, things you should never say in French, favorite French expressions, and important French holidays to remember.
• Appendixes with verb conjugation tables, as well as a French mini-dictionary

French For Dummies also comes with a CD that has audio transcriptions of all the exercises in the book, so that you can actually hear the French pronunciations.

So whether you're taking a business trip and need to pick up a little French quickly; you're cramming for your high school French final; or you've always wanted to learn a new language but don't have the time to drag yourself to a class once a week, French For Dummies can get you well on your way to becoming fluent in no time.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, French

From the Publisher

This unintimidating guide from the experts at Berlitz helps you start speaking Frenchquickly and easily! Whether youre a student, a traveler, or just want to pick up basic French, youll find its packed with practical lessons, cultural facts, fun, and handy referencesincluding a French-English mini-dictionary, common verb lists, and more!

Discover how to:

*Have everyday conversations in French

*Make sense of French grammar

*Improve your pronunciation

*Get a handle on verb conjugations

*Use idioms and popular expressions

*Get around in a French-speaking country

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (January 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764551930
• ISBN-13: 978-0764551932
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #225,896 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dodi-Katrin Schmidt (Princeton, New Jersey)is an adjunct
professor of French and a translator, editor, and writer of French and
German travel books and educaitonal materials. She has an M.A. in
French and English Language and Literature.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

118 of 130 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Ce livre, c'est nul (This book is the pits), February 22, 2000

By 

Dave - See all my reviews

This review is from: French for Dummies (Paperback)

Like an pre-adolescent, FRENCH FOR DUMMIES can't make up its mind what it wants to be when it grows up. It wants to be more than phrase book, but it (by its own admission) it does not want to be a text book. In the end, it falls short on both counts.

It opts for quick answers and shortcuts, so much so that students wanting to do more than repeat stock phrases will be sorely dissapointed. Yes, you could spend the asking price for the book, then set about memorizing the dialogues, but what for? You could tell a doctor, "I have an upset stomach" (J'ai mal au cœur), but not "I am having chest pain."

In the end, the wise reader would do well either to go about seriously learning the language (and for that I would recommend the text that accompanies the PBS series French in Action) or buy an inexpensive phrase book or two. (Or three... Anyone traveling to Paris ought to order WICKED FRENCH a tongue-in-cheek phrase book so that when you are being ignored by the haughty staff at a cafe can ask a waiter "C'est vrai que vous avez honte de votre menu?" (Is it true that you are ashamed of your menu.) Not exactly the type of phrases found in Berlitz's phrase book.

But please, pass on this one.

64 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars French-Lite but too light and not right, June 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: French for Dummies (Paperback)

I purchased this book in a Hongkong bookshop because it was the only choice and I am sorry that I did. The authors say that they want to teach essential communication skills, but their text is basically a phrase book that teaches a large number of one-liners. It is deficient in the progressive, building block approach that is so essential to language learning. Moreover, the book often digresses into too much cultural and travel information. For example, we are told how to read temperatures in Celsius, where to find a nightclub, and the advantages of buying a museum pass. Fine, but I bought the book because I wanted to study French. There are also more than a few pesky typographical mistakes and instances where the dialogue on the CD doesn't exactly agree with what is written in the text. A neophyte learning French has enough to deal with without having to figure out what the authors are trying to say. Finally, the book tries to be too cute in de-mystifying language learning and is constantly talking down to its readers. (They waste a total of six pages on cartoons written in English that make fun of studying French.) A book with a name like 'French for Dummies' should try to exceed expectations. Unfortunately, this book tends to live up to its title.

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good primer for beginners, December 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: French for Dummies (Paperback)

No book can make you fluent in a language. But this is a great resource for those who only want to learn enough to get by while traveling or who want a good back-up for other instructional methods.
You'll get a solid working vocabulary, easy-to-understand pronuciation tips and a foundation in basic grammar.