Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(6)
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3 star:		(1)
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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)

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.

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.

Excellent book for advanced beginner and beyond. Helps you transition to speaking French as it is really spoken---rather than just literally translating English word-for-word. Teaches you all those expressions that are used all the time in real life conversation, but which get barely a mention in textbooks. Highly recommended!

When I got this book, I was not sure what to expect but it is definitely a keeper. It is great as it addresses the connective phrases that we use very often in English but tend to escape us in other languages. Phrases like "just in case" and others. I really enjoy this little jewel.

I am taking French as my minor at university. The problem with classroom French is that, at least for me, I tend to think in 'sentences' and this book helps we actually speak the language ....not every time do you speak English do you think or speak in 'sentences' ....you just 'talk' - and this book gives me this capability. I like the fact that the authors state the difference between formal and informal French....so classroom 'exams' are done properly but I now have the opportunity to improve my informal verbal communications.

The book is good and I feel it'll be a better fit for me once I am more advanced with my French. I'm at intermediate level right now and most of the expressions use a more advanced vocabulary which at my level is hard to follow.