Language patzer, French

Continue or start your personal language log here, including logs for challenge participants
Language patzer
Yellow Belt
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:48 am
Languages: Greek native, English C2, French B2
x 208

Re: Language patzer, French

Postby Language patzer » Mon Mar 22, 2021 8:50 am

Thank you for your support, it has really made a difference.

Yes, I agree completely on focusing!

C2 is a big goal that I use as a point of reference. I don't really need it for any professional reason but I need to know where I am headed, otherwise I may give up.

Targeting skills is a very good idea, and writing is on top of my list. The problem is I want all skills! :lol:

I also like FSI very much, but somehow it wasn't enough for french, percisely because I am interested in french culture in a big way. The course I am using is all about it, and it keeps things interesting. For any other language though, I will use FSI.


So, here we go.

I have completed 41 chapters so far. I have learned a lot of new words and I get a gradual grammar and syntax revision as I move on. I don't do all the exercises... :roll:

I write small french texts in my journal, and I will start writing here as well. But I need to work on the things I write, because I am in the learning process so I'll try to do a decent job.

No speaking practice yet, other than some course dialogues. I want to watch each day a FIA video, but I haven't managed to do it yet :roll: .

I listen to a lot of french daily, so that's not bad.
3 x
Cours de Langue et de Civilisation Francaises
Book 1, finished

User avatar
PeterMollenburg
Black Belt - 3rd Dan
Posts: 3229
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2015 11:54 am
Location: Australia
Languages: English (N), French (B2-certified), Dutch (High A2?), Spanish (~A1), German (long-forgotten 99%), Norwegian (false starts in 2020 & 2021)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=18080
x 8029

Re: Language patzer, French

Postby PeterMollenburg » Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:12 pm

Sounds like a plan! Anything that keeps you moving forward is worthwhile. Although I said that you need to be efficient, I'm not sure cutting out exercises is always my idea of efficiency, but if it feels right, do it. Being efficient doesn't mean taking short cuts that will cause big problems later.

Also, don't take my advice as the ultimate, take it with a grain of salt and create a plan that works for you. If everyone says do FSI but Mauger feels more like you and both get the job done, well...

I feel there are important principles to follow in learning a language while making sure you cover the main skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking, as well as vocabulary acquisition), which might be things such as efficiency, consistency, continual advancement, motivation, not stopping until you've reached your goals. If you stick to such principles (you might come up with different ones) and develop all skills (not necessarily at the same time), you're almost certain to succeed. However how you go about it (which resources you choose) should be entirely up to you (but level appropriate) despite what others recommend, just don't wander off track too much.

Good luck!
4 x

Language patzer
Yellow Belt
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:48 am
Languages: Greek native, English C2, French B2
x 208

Re: Language patzer, French

Postby Language patzer » Tue Mar 23, 2021 7:35 am

Nooooo Peter! Your contribution is only positive! It got me started again, thank you :) :) :)
1 x
Cours de Langue et de Civilisation Francaises
Book 1, finished

Language patzer
Yellow Belt
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:48 am
Languages: Greek native, English C2, French B2
x 208

Re: Language patzer, French

Postby Language patzer » Fri Apr 09, 2021 6:48 am

I haven't been around lately because of several health issues.

First my mother had a small operation, then she has all her standard health issues.

Then I got an awful allergy out of the blue, which is still not over. I am very upset because I am not really an allergic person, and it is both scary and annoying. Not to mention the fact that I'm worried that from now on I'll be having such problems. And will I be able to get a covid vaccine?

I don't have to tell you that I haven't been studying. I have only been watching things in french but that's pretty much it. I don't feel like doing anything at all. I am not apologizing or anything, after all who cares. I just wanted to update the log a bit, because I haven't given up, it's just this huge bump on the road. I've never really had any major health issues before and I'm trying to manage the stress a bit unsuccessfully :lol:
7 x
Cours de Langue et de Civilisation Francaises
Book 1, finished

Language patzer
Yellow Belt
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:48 am
Languages: Greek native, English C2, French B2
x 208

Re: Language patzer, French

Postby Language patzer » Mon Apr 12, 2021 5:54 am

Things are a lot better with the allergy, but it has left some issues. Hopefully it's over and the truth is I feel strong right now. But what a fright!

I have started studying again.Thankfully it hasn't been that long so the interruption didn't have any negative affects.

I am getting towards the end of book one, which is motivation to finish.

Spring is here, and although some days are cold there is sun etc. So I am already thinking of the summer. What kind of a summer this will be I am not sure, but it will be worst that last year, that much is certain. On verra!
4 x
Cours de Langue et de Civilisation Francaises
Book 1, finished

Language patzer
Yellow Belt
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:48 am
Languages: Greek native, English C2, French B2
x 208

Re: Language patzer, French

Postby Language patzer » Wed May 05, 2021 10:00 am

I'm back from a small trip nearby to spend the Easter holidays (the orthodox Easter was last Sunday), and I can say I recharged batteries and thought about things very deeply.

As far as languages are concerned I made some important decisions. I won't analyze my entire line of thinking, I'll just share this: french is fine, but it's not useful. I need german.

So I will continue with the first book of the french course I'm using, and when it's over I'll go back to the revision chapters and spend some time on those. Especially the verbs. After that's done, I'll go on the next book. Clearly the C2 goal is in a galaxy far far away right now, but that's fine, we'll see. As long as my learning is solid and constant, I'm ok.

About german: I'll start with FSI, daily and without fail. I did consider Assimil, but I like FSI a lot. I also have a book called german for tourism, that I may be studying on the side. It is small but very useful, and gives you a fast intro to dialogues that may happen, along with actual grammar etc. It's not a phrase book.

I've got time for both languages, what I didn't have untill now was serious commitment. I was going by my feelings, how much I love french etc. Well, that's not how you succeed in anything. My patzer days are over.


I spent my holidays, thinking about how easily one can die these days and not achieve even the minimum of their dreams. It was like I acted like I had all the time in the world, when of course the opposite is true. And I do have a real love for languages, it's not just the idea of showing off. In fact, the minute I got rid of that last thought, my path in languages was clear.
6 x
Cours de Langue et de Civilisation Francaises
Book 1, finished

Language patzer
Yellow Belt
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:48 am
Languages: Greek native, English C2, French B2
x 208

Re: Language patzer, French

Postby Language patzer » Fri May 14, 2021 5:43 am

I finished the first french book, and I am going back for a good revision. I don't know how long that will take, but my goal is not time, it's to learn as much as possible before going to the second book.

I also finished the first FSI german unit. Easy so far.
4 x
Cours de Langue et de Civilisation Francaises
Book 1, finished

Language patzer
Yellow Belt
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:48 am
Languages: Greek native, English C2, French B2
x 208

Re: Language patzer, French

Postby Language patzer » Sat May 15, 2021 2:10 pm

I started the french course without a specific plan, thinking only that I would study on and on untill it's done. But sometimes things fall into place almost on their own. It turns out that the first book is very important as it covers the foundations of french, so now I see clearly that I should spend more time on it. I will start a "second wave" from the beginning, where I will take 3 min to read the lesson again, and then I will do every single exercise (I didn't do them on the first wave). Surely this will take care of many gaps of my knowledge. It may seem like a waste of time, but spending more time on it will bring me many gifts.

I am still reluctant to share french texts, but I'm on it as well. I just need to get to the point where I don't doubt every other word.

As for german, I take things easy, going with an FSI pace. Long live the drills, I love them.
6 x
Cours de Langue et de Civilisation Francaises
Book 1, finished

Language patzer
Yellow Belt
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:48 am
Languages: Greek native, English C2, French B2
x 208

Re: Language patzer, French

Postby Language patzer » Wed May 26, 2021 5:04 am

French is going slowly but pretty well. Finally I fell into a system that's productive. I feel like I am really making progress in a long time. Apparently I am the type of learner that enjoys exercises and drills, so this suits me well. I know that on the other end of this first book I will appear stronger in my grammar and with a solid basic vocabulary. I don't care how long it takes as real work is happening.

I should add something to this routine, other that french tv and movies. Like a book... We'll see.

German is another story. Again and again I start, and then I just stop. I like it, it's useful, then why why why? Maybe I don't like it that much, maybe useful isn't motive enough. Maybe life is too short not to learn italian. You see where I'm going with this.

Since french studying is in place, I'll stop beating myself up over german and try starting italian. See how that goes. FSI? Yes...

I'll stop feeling guilty in general about all this. I started only for french, so any other language I pick up is a bonus. After all this is like a hobby to me, so I need to remember my original decision to have fun, and yes italian is great fun. I'm sure german can be as well, I just can't seem to find it.
6 x
Cours de Langue et de Civilisation Francaises
Book 1, finished

Language patzer
Yellow Belt
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:48 am
Languages: Greek native, English C2, French B2
x 208

Re: Language patzer, French

Postby Language patzer » Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:55 am

Remember when I said it was time I got serious? Well, I did, but only for french. I am continuing with the exercises revision, slowly but steadily. I have no real news there. In this case, no news, good news.


The problem is with my second language. The moment I decided on italian, I was sorry it wasn't german. So I am getting serious about this as well, and it will be german. End of story. The truth is I do manage in italian, it's not as if I can't communicate or understand what's going on.

Maybe shaming myself in public like this , changing my mind all the time, will give me more motivation.

German is a beautiful language, with great litterature and letters in general. It is also the key to a world a bit mysterious to me, that of northern europe. I think I should try a motivation trick and try to immerse a bit in german culture.
5 x
Cours de Langue et de Civilisation Francaises
Book 1, finished


Return to “Language logs”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: emk and 2 guests