Still learning French, and now starting Russian

[Fortheo]

Hey, I'm Scott.

I had a log on the old forum, but that forum went down a while back and I kind of just let my log fall to the wayside. Anyways, I've been visiting this new forum for some time now, and since I started a new adventure—FSI French—I decided that it's time for me to start a new log. This log will mainly be a way for me to keep track of some of my progress with french, and maybe in the future I'll explore some Russian.

What I've done so far?

Assimil French with ease
Pimsleur French 1-5
Michel thomas French Foundation
French in action (all the videos and some of the exercises here and there)
Hugo's French in 3 months (probably about 70% of it)
Practice makes perfect complete french grammar (50%)
A lot of graded readers and other native media

What my current language schedule is like?

Some grammar (I need to be more systematic with this)
30 minutes of FSI
I listen and then read a podcast from http://www.podclub.ch/fr/emissions/l-avis-de-marie-f I'm on episode 70
I watch an anime episode dubbed in French (dubbed shows seem more around my level)
I watch an anime subbed in French (I like acquiring vocabulary from shows subbed in french because the dialogue in shows feel more natural than what I find in books)
I also mess around with lingvist half heartedly (I'm at like 2,400 words on that site)

I also write frequently in French to a French friend, but that's the only time I really use an active skill, so I need to work more on that. Also, let it be known that I don't think FSI is nearly as boring as its reputation makes it out to be, at least not yet—I'm only on unit 3. I'll try to update this log weekly.

Other things about me:

I play guitar and get a lot of song ideas, but then I get frustrated because I can't sign the melodies that are in my head.
I need to find a job, but my anxiety and depression is wreaking havoc with me right now, so who knows what will happen.
I like tacos a lot.

[jennybenny25]

Bonjour!

Welcome to the new site! I too am learning french

How you finding assimil? So many people are using it think will buy on pay day!

Good luck and following your progress- good luck!

[tomgosse]

Welcome and bienvenue ! There are many French learners here, my self included. Please consider joining our group Les Voyageurs. The link is in my signature. I look forward to reading your log and following your progress.

[wwiding]

Welcome. Keep us posted on your progress and good luck on your journey.

[Fortheo]

Est-ce que ça va si je tape en français ici? si quelqu'un me dira "non" je pourrais traduire ce que je dis.

Alors, cette semain J'ai fait l'unite 3 de FSI, écouté sept podcasts, lu deux chapitres de Le Petit nicolas, regardé dix épisodes d'animé. J'ai trouvé que l'unité 3 de FSI était beaucoup plus difficile que les deux précédentes alors cela m'a pris un peu plus de temps que d'habitude. Les nouveux podcasts m'ennuyaient alors j'ai travaillé avec les podcasts précédents que j'avais aimé; ce sont ces podcasts que J'ai écoutés. D'habitude, Je regarde Détective Conan, mais je ne pouvais pas trouver plus d'épisodes en VF, alors J'ai décidé de regarder Rurouni Kenshin en VF, ce qui me convient parce que c'était mon animé préféré quand j'étais plus jeune.

voilà un petit résumé en Anglais:


I finished unit three of FSI
I read up to episode 73 in the L'avis de marie podcasts
I re-listened to the first 6 podcasts
I watched ten episodes of anime in French
I read two chapters of Le Petite Nicolas

Unit 3 of FSI was significantly more challenging than the first two, so I spent a bit of extra time on the last two lessons of that unit. The podcast episodes that I'm presently at seem to be a lot about politics, which I can't say I'm especially interested in, so I'm moving slow with those. I did, however, review the first six podcasts (listening only) and I found that I understand them a lot better now than I did when I first started this endeavor. Other than that I also had to switch animes because I couldn't find any more episodes of Detective Conan in French, so I switched to Rurouni Kenshin, which is fine with me because I loved that anime when I was a kid.

Bonjour!

Welcome to the new site! I too am learning french

How you finding assimil? So many people are using it think will buy on pay day!

Good luck and following your progress- good luck!

I finished assimil a while ago and I highly recommend it. I have no idea where my french would be right now if it wasn't for assimil. Assimil is great because you can start it as a beginner, and by the end of it you can realistically attempt to read native materials. Although, I will admit that the jump from Assimil to native materials was difficult, but I still can't imagine learning a language without Assimil, or at the very least a similar approach (the old linguaphones, for example). I do wish that Assimil lessons followed one story, though.

Welcome and bienvenue ! There are many French learners here, my self included. Please consider joining our group Les Voyageurs. The link is in my signature. I look forward to reading your log and following your progress.

Thanks for the comment! I've not decided just yet if I'll join the group. I always feel bad when I lack the time to comment on lots of other logs.

Welcome. Keep us posted on your progress and good luck on your journey.

Thanks!

[Fortheo]

Time for a quick update.

I finished unit 4 of FSI
Currently at episode 78 with reading/listening to the l'avis de marie podcasts
finished episode 12 of the l'avis de marie podcasts (listening review)
I read 7 more chapters of le petite nicolas
Watched 10 episodes of kenshin dubbed in french
Read the scripts for 2 episodes of One tree hill (watched one episode)


Alright, so my friend and I take turns recommending each other shows, then we watch and discuss them together. She wants to watch one tree hill, so I figured I may as well watch it in french. I managed to find written scripts for all the episodes, so I read the script one day (which is typically about 7,500 words) and then I watch the episode the next day for listening practice. I think this will take the place of Kenshin for a while, only because Kenshin doesn't have that much dialogue. I might continue to watch some episodes of detective conan dubbed in french because I feel like those were at a good level for me and I think I could benefit from watching some of them again.

As for output, I've been having written conversations with my french friend about every other day; the conversations typically last 30 minutes or so. However, output isn't my top priority right now, and I think it will continue to improve just by doing what I'm already doing.

Also, FSI skeptics out there, I promise you that it's not that bad! it's great for drilling those stubborn grammar points into your head. It's like if Michel thomas and Pimsleur had a baby and then that baby was taking some steroids. Oh, and I've only been bored with the numbers section of FSI, the rest (while not enthralling) wasn't excruciatingly boring either.

[PeterMollenburg]

Time for a quick update.

I finished unit 4 of FSI
Currently at episode 78 with reading/listening to the l'avis de marie podcasts
finished episode 12 of the l'avis de marie podcasts (listening review)
I read 7 more chapters of le petite nicolas
Watched 10 episodes of kenshin dubbed in french
Read the scripts for 2 episodes of One tree hill (watched one episode)


Alright, so my friend and I take turns recommending each other shows, then we watch and discuss them together. She wants to watch one tree hill, so I figured I may as well watch it in french. I managed to find written scripts for all the episodes, so I read the script one day (which is typically about 7,500 words) and then I watch the episode the next day for listening practice. I think this will take the place of Kenshin for a while, only because Kenshin doesn't have that much dialogue. I might continue to watch some episodes of detective conan dubbed in french because I feel like those were at a good level for me and I think I could benefit from watching some of them again.

As for output, I've been having written conversations with my french friend about every other day; the conversations typically last 30 minutes or so. However, output isn't my top priority right now, and I think it will continue to improve just by doing what I'm already doing.

Also, FSI skeptics out there, I promise you that it's not that bad! it's great for drilling those stubborn grammar points into your head. It's like if Michel thomas and Pimsleur had a baby and then that baby was taking some steroids. Oh, and I've only been bored with the numbers section of FSI, the rest (while not enthralling) wasn't excruciatingly boring either.

You read 7,500 words in a day of French reading is a good amount. I wouldn't read that much in a day generally. I am a slow reader though.

Yeah I think FSI is very good. I agree the numbers bored me too, but the rest isn't overly boring. I hope to pick up where I left (would be starting on unit 7) one day when I can finally commit to it and knock some other courses out the way. I look forward to hearing how you find FSI as you progress. Oh, but I'd say MT and Pimsleur are the babies of FSI- not the other way around, simply because they are not anywhere near as comprehensive as FSI and that seems to be the case with many modern language courses- they're reduced, cut back, dumbed down, whatever but desperately try to keep the learner from doing any actual memorisation (MT)... oh no couldn't work hard like you do with FSI, that's too old school and horendous! No, FSI is the way many courses should be- nothing wrong with a bit of hard work! Keep up the good progress Fortheo!

[Fortheo]

Well, last week was very uninspiring. There were three consecutive days there where all I did was read for about 20-30 minutes each day, and that was it. I seem to have a habit of studying really well for a few weeks, and then going on cruise control for a week. This was definitely a cruise control week.

I finished unit 5 of FSI
Currently at episode 82 with reading/listening to the l'avis de marie podcasts
finished episode 18 of the l'avis de marie podcasts (listening review)
I finished the petite nicolas book and started another
I'm on episode 15 kenshin dubbed in french
I'm on episode 4 of one tree hill


My listening is really hit or miss these days—sometimes I feel like a french genius, other times I feel like I've never studied french before in my life. One tree hill is frustrating me only because I know for a fact I understand what they're saying (I've read the scripts a day before) but I still need to listen to each scene about 2-3 times to catch what they're saying, and that takes a long time; a 40 minute episode ends out taking me close to two hours. I don't know If I'll stick with that method or if I'll just say fuck it and watch the episodes through without constantly re-watching scenes.

I'm not sure if watching Kenshin dubbed in french is doing much for me, but I enjoy it and I doubt it's hurting. Also, as usual, I have written conversations with my french friend a few times a week.

It's time for me to continue to chip away at FSI, and considering that unit 6 only has 3 lessons, I probably won't update this log till after unit 7.

[Fortheo]

I guess it's been a while!

This is what I've done:

Finished unit 7 of FSI
Currently at episode 88 with reading/listening to the l'avis de marie podcasts
finished episode 26 of the l'avis de marie podcasts (listening review)
I finished another petite nicolas book
I'm on episode 21 kenshin dubbed in french
I'm on episode 6 of one tree hill

Unit 7 of FSI was twice as long as any of the other units thus far, and not only that, but the lessons were more demanding—they're starting to feel like mental gymnastics. Although nothing has really been new to my thus far, I definitely enjoyed and benefited from the section on direct objects pronouns, and the section on questions. I've never really had a problem with direct objects, but despite that, these lessons still felt like a good workout. I've been keeping notes from the beginning of some lessons that I think would be beneficial to revisit, and I think it's time that I take a week to do a sort of review before I move on to unit 8.

Some changes:

I'm putting one tree hill on hold. Reading the script and watching a 40 minute episode was just too much for me, especially considering the fact that I still needed to re-watch each scene 2-3 times to catch the dialogue, add that to FSI, podcasts, anime, le petite Nicholas etc etc—it was just too much. I feel I've spread my attention too thin, so this is the plan from here on out:

FSI,
one podcast (listen, then read)
one episode of anime en VF a day,
and at least a chapter of le petite Nicolas (or another easy text).

There, I think that's a bit more focused and concise for me. I might change up the podcasts I listen to (French native speak podcast is looking like a nice change of pace), but as long as I listen, then read one a day then I think I'm good. In regards to Le petite Nicolas, it is a bit easy for me, but I like to read it at the end of the day because it makes me feel a bit smarter after having my brain discombobulated by FSI and higher level native input.

I'll post again when I finish unit 8 of FSI, which may take me a few weeks because I'm doing some reviews first, and because unit 8 is big.

[PeterMollenburg]

Nice work there Fortheo,

You're putting in some decent effort. Sounds like FSI is giving you a good challenge which will bring benefits (no pain no gain).

I have to mention, sorry to be nitpicky.... It's Le Petit Nicholas (not Le Petite Nicholas with the final 'e')... sorry you'd made the error a few times so I thought it worthwhile pointing out. Perhaps you are writing the 'e' because you're pronouncing the final consonant? If that's the case, as it's masculine and no vowel follows in the next word you shouldn't pronounce the 'te' ending, so get that 'e' out of your head! Sorry if this annoys you