Berlitz Self-Teacher: French (Paperback)

by Berlitz Editors (Author)
Key Phrases: luh leevr, lah shez, pah vwahr, Muss-yuh Bair-leetz, Monsieur Berlitz, Madame de la Pompe (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes
Text: English, French

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade (March 6, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039951323X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399513237
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #29,012 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The least expensive, yet best French book I've found, January 20, 2005

By	SanDiegoDude (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Berlitz Self Teacher: French (Berlitz Self-Teachers) (Hardcover)

A French teacher recently told me when buying French study books to avoid the new ones, because they have lots of text in the margins, charts, splashy colors, etc. but not as much substance as the older ones. I replied that she must have had this book in mind. It was originally published in 1949, yet it cuts to the chase and will have you up and running with conversational, everyday French quite quickly. I also think the phoenetic pronunciation system is much more accessible to the English-speaking tongue than any of the more recent ones. I highly recommend this, esp. given the price!

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book for learning French, May 2, 2002

By A Customer

Preparing for a recent trip to France, I bought several books and audio tapes on French. The Berlitz Self-Teacher was by far the most helpful resource. By spelling each French word out phoenetically each time its used, it eliminates the tedious cross-referencing time required by other books. The quizzes at the end of each chapter (along with corresponding answers for each question) were extremely well-executed and helpful in learning the language. The illustrations were also very useful for the more visually-minded among us.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than any other book, September 6, 2002

By	Napoleon (Canada) - See all my reviews

I have used the Berlitz Self Teacher and lot's of other books to learn French. I must say that the Berlitz Self Teacher is the best book out there.
If you follow the instructions provided you will be able to speak French well, and with more practice become pretty fluent.
But you have to speak out loud and at the end of each lesson, finish the Thinking in French exercises and form more questions on your own based on the material in the preceding Chapter.
If you do that, and it will take some time and effort, you will discover, that this method works!!!!!!
This book uses a better method than French Made Simple, Living Language French, Express Track to French and many others. I have used them all.
After I finished this book I went to Europe on vacation, and I was able to communicate very well in the language.
This book actually teaches you to become fluent in French, not just to speak Phrasebook French.