If I move to france, how long will it take for me to speak the language?

Question

I'm 21 years old. I want to save up a few and move to france. I was born in Canada so I know alittle french, but not enough. Heck im gonna be honest and say, barely any. How long do you think it will take for me to speak and understand it if i move to france?

Answer 1

After 3 months you'd start to be able to process it quick enough to understand the tv or radio - but you'd still need work.  After about 9 months you'd have a much better grasp.  This is assuming you were devoting serious time to the language every day.  

Start learning now before you go there.  A lot of stuff out there is free.  Down load podcasts on your i-pod.  Go to your library for books and cd's.  Start listening to french music now.  Make it fun.

Answer 2

I'd say about 8 months to a year to really get it down.

Answer 3

It depends. Don't hang with other Canadians or Americans but make some French friends so you are immersed. I have an American friend who has been living in Paris for 20 years and doesn't speak a word because he works with other Americans! I had no French lessons before moving to Paris and spoke like a Parisien within 2 years. The best way is to find a French lover!! :)

Answer 4

I am sure that being in Canada, you know more than you realize.  Just hearing the language often will make it more familiar than you think.

If its possible to take a class or make francophone friends before moving, it'll help.  Understanding always comes before speaking, no matter the language.  So try to understand somewhat (even if only written) before you go.

But experience tells me that the largest factor which will determine how quickly you learn will be where you live and who you spend time with... and your desire to learn.

I too had aquaintences who lived in Paris and only spent time with other anglophones.  They had lived in Paris for 15 years and spoke virtually no French and had STRONG accents when they did speak it.

I lived in a small village in Normandie and never saw another anglophone unless I went into Paris for the day.  I read well enough, understood only if people spoke VERY slowly (and still only got 1/2 of it even then); but I was capable of getting around with no problem in 6 months, and completely fluent (with very little accent) in 12-18 months.  My children were fluent and it was undetectable that they were American in just 6 months!  

My suggestion: move to a tiny village and make sure you can't get bread at the boulangerie unless the woman understands you ;-)  Worked well for me LOL

Good luck and best wishes

Answer 5

First, I'd HIGHLY recommend you learn the language (at least the basics of it) before you go over there. I'm taking courses in French right now, and though it's not hard, it's not something you can grasp just by listening to other people speak it (especially if they're fluent).

It doesn't take long to learn the basics. If you started now, you could probably have the main verbs and phrases learned by the time you had saved up enough money to leave. :]

Bonne chance!

Answer 6

OK lets go... Ça depends de la personne parce qu'il y a beaucoup de gens qui ont des facilitiés pour le parler. Ce n'est pas difficile si tu veux l'apprendre mais la conjugaison de verbes c'est trop difficile et la prononciation aussi.

                    It depends of the person b-cause the're lot of people who learn it quickly. It isn't difficult if u want to speak it but the conjugation and the pronuntiation r pretty dificult.

Answer 7

you should probably know some basics.. like where do i go, money terms, places and nouns. and after that, it really depends on how fast of a learner you are. although in france they speak in slang and stuff.. butyou should really have a background in the language before you just hop on a plane and leave.

Answer 8

You won't learn french just by trying to speak with the people, or a very limitated language. French is very, very  complex, and even for us it's sometimes difficult. Most of the people will tell you "how to say it" but very few of them can explain" why to say it". There are a lot a different tenses, verbs, and "exceptions". Vocabulary is also very rich. The only way is to take a course and be very regular, and patient. Of course being surounded by french speaking people is a great help.

Answer 9

well yo come and the speed you learn depends on your age and you.

Go to school and learn, I came  two years ago. I understand nearly all ( taking slang into the equation)I talk less being quiet by nature.

The worst thing is to be in my 40's and in effect illiterate and this is is my failing

Answer 10

I moved over 13 months ago and am just getting to grips with the basics!