Speaking Better French: The Key Words and Expressions that You'll Need Every Day [Paperback]

Saul H. Rosenthal (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1587368374 | ISBN-13: 978-1587368370 | Publication Date: August 15, 2007

This book, and More Key Words and Expressions which followed it, have been

hailed by reviewers as a unique and innovative idea.

They give you the absolutely essential words that you need to navigate

everyday French conversation. Not the textbook formal words but the expressions

that real people in France use when they talk to each other.

You'll learn when to use, and when not to use words and expressions like

truc, foutu, Oh-la-la, Coucou, payer en liquide, and merde. You'll learn how to

faire un bise à quelqu'un, how to say you are sorry, what les grandes surfaces

are, and how to tell someone to shut up. You'll learn what a goûter is, and an

apéritif dînatoire. You'll find out that Ce sale chat ! doesn't mean the cat is

dirty, that passer an exam doesn't mean to pass the exam, and lots, lots

more.

And it's all written in a conversational style with each word or expression

explained and illustrated with examples in French and their translations in

English.

You'll see why a reviewer of Key Words and Expressions on amazon.com

said:

"If you really want to learn spoken French, you need this book. You'll need

other books as well, you'll need audio materials, and you'll need live language

experience, preferably in France. But this book is a necessity."

And why another wrote:

"Perhaps the most amazing thing about this book is that it took until 2007

for anyone to think of writing it! The author's insight is right on target. This

book does indeed fill a huge and inexplicable gap in the otherwise very crowded

market for books on learning French. (Come to think of it, I haven't found such

books in any of the three foreign languages I've studied besides French.)"

And it's FUN to read!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"As with your previous book, I am amazed at how fun to read, as well as incredibly informative the book is. It's a wonderful tool" -- Professor Brigitte Humbert, Middlebury College

"I think your books are wonderful. You have made a fantastic contribution to the French language profession." -- Professor Judy Baughin, Raymond Walters College

"I just wanted to let you know that the copy of Key Words and Expressions" arrived yesterday. I looked through it last night, and I have to say it is just the kind of book I would have liked to have had when I was teaching myself French oh-so-many years ago." -- Professor John Moran, Director of Language Programs, NYU

"I very much like what you have done with the latest book. The expressions you introduce are so much a part of everyday conversational life in France. Too bad that more French texts don't teach them." -- Professor John Romeiser, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

"Your little books are great!" -- Professor AG Fralin, Washington and Lee University

"I love your books! They are easy to navigate, and they are extremely useful to non-native French speakers. Maybe I'm odd, but I actually enjoy reading them at night in bed before falling to sleep, they're that entertaining." -- Professor John Turvaville, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

"I've been perusing Key Words for the past couple of days and it's great fun. A feature I'm really liking is the focus on the day-to-day spoken language, which doesn't always follow grammar rules. I'm going to think how I could implement some of your expressions into my fall class. What a great idea for a book!" --Professor Herta Rodina, Ohio University

About the Author

Retired and spending time in France.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Wheatmark (August 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587368374
• ISBN-13: 978-1587368370
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #412,658 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Retired and spending time in France.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learning French is hard! This makes it easier., January 20, 2008

By 

Ellie "Eilean Siar" (North Shore of Boston, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Speaking Better French: The Key Words and Expressions that You'll Need Every Day (Paperback)

Pumping oneself up to dig into, gasp!, another French language learning text is hard. They are so organized, present so much of so many concepts. This takes a different tack. The organization is in the index - the main text is, well, how one learns these vital connecting phrases in real life, at random. Some of the most vital vocabulary are these ways of connecting the words and clauses we know, so that make our conversation or writing FLOW!

This contains up to a page or two on some expressions. And this gem is on the short list of my essential books for improving my knowledge of French.

Also see: 1001 MOST USEFUL FRENCH WORDS by Marcela Ottolenghi Buxbaum published by Dover in 2001. All four reviewers gave it a FIVE! Thin, unbelievable low price (try $4.00!), essential.

1001 Most Useful French Words (Beginners' Guides)

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-chosen set of idioms, December 15, 2008

By 

William Mitchell (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Speaking Better French: The Key Words and Expressions that You'll Need Every Day (Paperback)

Having attended a French language immersion school twice in France, I can confirm that this book covers many of the sames idioms as does that school. Although one might quibble over a couple of the entries, in general these are phrases that one can hear in conversation, on the radio or television. Many, such as "avoir beau" are constructions that you don't recognize when you hear them in passing, but once you know the idiom, they seem to crop up everywhere. I especially appreciate that the author provides several examples with a colloquial English translation of each, to give the true flavor of how it's used. It is easy with words that are very close to their English counterparts to assume they have the same meaning, when the French hear something slightly different. The author also strives to identify which are spoken, casual phrases not to be used in a formal or written context. The trick now is to find the opportunity to use all these constructions when speaking, as part of the continuing process of expanding one's spoken vocabulary.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a wonderful book, January 24, 2009

By 

Daniel Coverdale "emaddog" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Speaking Better French: The Key Words and Expressions that You'll Need Every Day (Paperback)

As an American French language student, I normally avoid American sources for learning French. This is partly because I find the American approach to learning foreign languages typically overly utilitarian, a tool in the management of an empire. And, other Americans usually just reinforce my own mistakes (as I'm sure I do theirs). So Saul Rosenthal's Speaking Better French comes as a bit of a shock. It's not just the unfailing intelligence and good taste of the author, it's his obvious love and respect for the French language. If you really want to learn spoken French, you need this book. You'll need other books as well, you'll need audio materials including French internet radio and TV5Monde, and you'll need live language experience, preferably in France. But this book is a necessity.