Book Description
Ultimate French has everything you need to learn French from scratch or to revive the French that you learned years ago. This course combines conversation and culture in an easy-to-follow, enjoyable, and effective format. It's the perfect way to learn French for school, travel, work, or personal enrichment.

Ultimate French Beginner-Intermediate includes:

•40 lessons in a comprehensive 416-page textbook:

Each lesson contains a lively and authentic dialogue, vocabulary, grammar and usage, step-by-step character writing, cultural highlights, and plenty of practice. The first ten lessons also include special pronunciation sections that will have you speaking right from the beginning. The book also contains review sections, readings, supplemental vocabulary sections, appendixes on essential French grammar, and a
French-English/English-French glossary.

•8 hours of recordings with an ingenious two-step approach:

Learn at home: Listen to the first set of recordings as you follow along in your textbook. Immerse yourself in French while you listen and repeat with the all-French recordings, and learn conversation, grammar, vocabulary, and more

Learn on the go: Then practice, review, and expand upon what you’ve learned with the second set of recordings. An instructor will guide you through each lesson, and since no reading is required, you can listen in the car, on the train, at the gym…anywhere! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

need classes
great book. comes with 12 cd's...however they dont relate 100% to the book there is alot on them that isnt in the book so you have no reference and they dont speak slower on those examples.

as a textbook for someone learning french through lessons it would be amazing though!

Good introduction book but little detailed topics
it is good book those who start to learn french on their own however the biggest drawbacks of the book arethe topics are not so detailed. and the cds are just for learning limited conversations but not actual speaking.

An easy way to learn French !
I am French and I teach French as a foreign language. I highly recommand thsi method. It starts with simple dialogues which get trickier and trickier but very gradually. The voices, intonation and accent sound really authentic too. A very good choice !

Ultimate French Beginner-Intermediate (Book) (LL(R) Ultimate Basic-Intermed)
It needs phonic spelling if the student does not buy the CDs / tapes.It should have a workbook.

Excellent combination of audio and grammer
I like this a lot better than Pimsleur and a lot less expensive too. ... Read more

Book Description

Readers can tune up their conversation skills with Tune Up guides--the next best thing to a year abroad!

Customer Reviews (23)

One of the best language books I know
Instead of grammar and endless conjugations and silly useless exercises, we get useful insights into how to say useful things.I couldn't recommend a book more highly!It takes a lot of practice, and a lot of embarrassing errors, to learn a new language.It's hard to find people who will give you just the right correction at the right time--because this is what sticks in my brain.It is infinitely pleasing to try out a new phrase and have it understood and accepted.This book gives lots of that type of phrase, reassures about spoken verbs, tells you how to say "I'm just looking" and "I'll think about it," and provides nice lists of "faux amis" and good swear words.Really excellent, useful book--if you want to learn more French, read this book!

A good Tune Up
The format of examples followed by question/answer is neat.
Got me aware of how out-of-date my French is.

A Must-Read for Anyone Who Wants True Insider Info!
Prof. Schorr has written an exceptional book, full of helpful and practical suggestions and packed with idiomatic vocabulary. The eminently readable and enjoyable style of her prose reflects her many years teaching at Phillips Academy in Andover, and the dead-on accuracy of her "Top 10 lists" demonstrates that she has spent plenty of time abroad in France, as well. Highly recommended for anyone who truly wants to sound like a local in any situation involving spoken French!

Great Book
This is one of the best and easiest French language books to use( for me anyway) I found the format very good and easily understandable as well as the CD that comes with it. I showed this book (and asked them listen to the cd) to a friend who teaches French, they thought it was one of the better books for information and content.

Tres bon!
A great book for keeping your French up to speed -- and au courant! The CD is a great help -- tho' it is indeed, as forewarned, not for beginners. ... Read more

Book Description
The top-selling Complete series has been fully revised, with all new supplemental material and a bonus wallet phrase card for travelers. Each program contains everything a beginner needs–a coursebook with 40 lessons, three hours of recordings on three CDs, a quick-reference learner’s dictionary, and an all-new indispensable wallet phrase card, all in a convenient and compact package.

The courses still use the popular and effective conversation building-block method, but all content has been thoroughly updated and now includes e-mail essentials and internet resources for each of the eight languages in the series. In addition, 18 supplemental vocabulary sections, covering such topics as “Family and Relationships,” “On the Job,” “Sports and Recreation,” and “Around Town,” are now included. As an added bonus, the new handy wallet phrase card with 300 essential words and phrases is the perfect reference for on-the-go learners, travelers, and businesspeople.

With a fresh look, great new features, and the same rock-solid approach to language learning, the best-selling Complete series is better than ever! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

disappointing!
No didactical at all, very boring, bunch of words grouped together in lessons pronounced in good french though, very little conversation, not what I expected. Wouldn't recommend it!

The Best Language Acquisition Bang for the Buck
The Living Language grammar series books are excellent adjuncts to regular college or high school language texts or on their own for one familiar with the language acquisition process. For $10-$20 (including grammar book, 3 CD's, and dictionary) complete bought at Amazon, anyone can afford to begin really learning another language (French and Spanish in my case). REMEMBER: Search by the ISBN# for the best prices. Since repetition or practice on a DAILY basis is key to slowly picking up another language, the lightweight, portable paperback Living Language books provide the key to practicing your new language anywhere you happen to be sitting for a few minutes. The lessons are short, concise and quite accurate. The Living Language grammar lessons are arranged in LOGICAL order after the immersion style lessons, which are excellent for de-stressing and taking the fear from learning new and generally unfamiliar foreign language grammar styles. Exercises are included with each grammar lesson. There is vocabulary building and there is more than one word/phrase given for most different meanings which is one of the keys to creating neural net pathways in memory for holding onto a new language, it's idioms, colloquialisms, etc.

Overall the Living Language series in any language offered is KEY to picking up a new language providing ready access to spot practice sessions of short duration to match our short-term opportunities for practice in very busy modern life. Enjoy!!!

Native language speakers generally recommend expensive programs like Rosetta Stone. However, Living Language provides language learning access to the average citizen.

Frank Snapp
North Oakland, CA

french language course
I had hoped to be able to use the course while driving around.However the course is very dependent upon the printed material which makes it useless for what I intended.

Not good for 'virgin' learners
I bought this french lesson kit 3 years ago, before a trip to France.I didnt know any french whatsoever, never had a class, watched a movie, nothing.Thinking back, I think the package said "beginner to intermediate".I consider myself a quick study and thought it'd be perfect.

I had a difficult time learning.And it wasnt until a few years later (now) that I understand why I wasnt learning anything.This kit is designed to learn by memorization.It doesnt focus on structure.It gives you page after page of "everyday" sentences, then has vocab at the end.But it doesnt explain HOW the french language works.So you're memorizing and then you quickly forget.It does have a lil something about the etre and avoir.But thats it.It doesnt explain things like inversion, but we're supposed to memorize it??

With that said, this is a GREAT book for intermediate level.It is excellent for honing your pronunciation skills, the listening CDs go on for HOURS.If you've had at least ONE semester of french, then this is perfect for you.Because thats when you already have an understanding of the language, and you're more focused on expanding your vocab and pronunciation/speaking.This kit is PERFECT for that.

French for Okies
Starting a new language as a 40-something is no small undertaking.This package is very entreatable because of its logical progression through the mechanics of the language and because its example recordings are clear (on three CDs).I would recommend this product to anybody wanting to make a serious effort at a new language. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent choice
The chosen stories are excellent--all of top quality, both from a literary and (often) from a philosophical perspective. It is very easy to use the fine translation side-by-side with the original French.

The very good and the pretty bad--still would buy again
First the good.These stories are worth reading anyway, even if not trying to improve your French.Can't believe I never read Micromegas before!Can't believe it was written mid 1700s!So the selection of stories is an excellent one and the practice and vocabulary building comes quickly. For that reason, I'd unquestionably buy this again.

The bad.I know enough French to know that the translations are atrocious.Though I am not fluent in French, I believe I could have done a better, truer translation (with help of a French dictionary).Beautiful phrases are translated into mundane English cliches and some unknown French words are, on some occasions, "translated" into the identical (and equally unknown) word on the English side. Did the translater not have access to an English dictionary or did he not know what the French word really meant?

So -- definitely a useful buy for learning and practicing French and (particularly if you can read most of it in French) interesting stories as well.Just try not to refer to the English counterpart more than you must, such as for the periodic word translation.

Good Stories, Good Presentation
This book includes some great authors - the ones you should at least know about if you are going to learn the French language and appreciate French culture. I have always loved the idea of having the English translation on the opposite page. I think it makes learning structures easier. You see how we would write something in English, and then you see how the structure differs in the French version.

compare French to English translation
This is classic literature, a very good book.I'd be interested in a modern works like this as well.Seems like I saw one out there somewhere....

Great practice, but not necessarily for a novice
This is just the type of book I was looking for to increase my French literacy.Previous to buying this book, I would buy a book such as "L'Etranger" in French and also in English and read them side by side--so this book of French stories does exactly that in one book.It's also a plus that the stories themselves are are excellent from a literary point of view, and would be worthwhile reading, even just in English.

The only drawback is, as a novice in the French language, it was very challenging for me to read in French without resorting very frequently to the English side of the page. It made me want to find a similar book, but slightly less advanced, so that I could graduate up to this book.

If you are fairly new to French, this is not for you.If you are fairly fluent, this will be a pleasure read.If you are somewhere in the middle like me, with a few years of schooling in French but no practical experience, take it on as a learning opportunity, but you may not be able to read more than a few pages at one sitting. ... Read more

Book Description
The all new, updated, enhanced edition of the best-selling Learn in Your Car Foreign Language Series is ready to be released this Fall. In addition, this exciting new edition includes a Travelogue DVD of the relevant destination countries for each language. This added feature will enrich the learning experience and add that extra stimulus to motivate users with their studies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (39)

Wonderful tool
Its practical and perfect for people who want to travel soon. Be sure to look at the words as well so you understand how to read and pronounce words.

Excellent for the price!
I bought these as a refresher for my French before a vacation in Paris.I think it is the best value on the market for the price.

learn a language the easy way
Great way to learn a language, although the way this program teaches is a bit boring, so if you need visual stimulation to learn a language this probably isn't the right product for you.I'm really happy with it though.

Effective Spoken French Lessons
This is a good way for people who spend a lot of time in their cars to learn spoken French. I am still working through the CDs, but they have worked for me so far. I would have preferred a more generalized introduction to the language rather than the travel vocabulary and phrases that are presented.

Great idea but give it enough time to work!
We're planning on visiting France someday so I got these CDs just as a "get started" project. I have a 20 minute drive to work everyday so I play these and I'm surprised that I'm actually retaining what I'm learning. I wouldn't mind if it worked faster but then again, I'm just doing this in my spare time.

Downsides:
1) You must play them pretty loud to hear the proper pronunciation and inflection. This isn't really a problem if you're alone in your car.
2) This doesn't really help with reading or writing but it does include books to go over while you're not driving! :D

Overall, I'm very satisfied with this product. I am speaking basic French with no prior French experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent for a language beginner
Pimsleur's products are excellent. The CDs provide the very thorough repetition and drill necessary to begin building real converstional/listening skills. I've used Pimsleur to garner "travel fluency" in both French and Spanish. While I've continued studying French, I still ocassionally revisit the Spanish discs to review before travel.

I've tried various beginner's listening CDs. Pimleur's are by far the best. They are an excellent first step.

Great product
This is a fantastic product, and one of the best ways to really get an early handle on grammar, and an outstanding way to practice speaking and pronounciation at any level.However, please do not do not get disapointed when you don't speak perfect French in 8 hours.This will give you basic tools to build on, but then you need to spend some time in a French country, or take several years of university classes.

When considering the investment in a foriegn language, consider that it may take 1000 hours (for an extremely easy language like French) to feel very comfortable in the language.That's one hour of serious study each day for three years.Or you can go sit in a Parisian cafe and talk to people who are willing to tutor you (extremely hard to find without some pretty good skills to start with) and you might get there in a few months.

I like this product because it's the very best available for naturally teaching you the grammar basics and for helping you to build the core vocabulary (stuff like and, but, or, many, few, the, a, an, whowhatwhenwherewhy), the core language structure (negation, word order), and it's outstanding for it's ability to teach language sounds...

A side note...be willing to sleep between lesson times.Something happens when you sleep, and you'll be better at it by the next lesson.That's why it's important to do this every single day, so that you have the maximum number of study-sleep cycles.

waste of time for some 'pick-up' lines
8 hours of cd's, and a nice bonus cd holder...and you will learn about ten different pick-up lines (or, how to recognize that the woman does *not* want to go for a drink with you). After 8 hours of (granted, well-articulated) repetition, you will have the phrases down pat, but it's an awful lot of time spent to only be equipped with enough phrases to get some mythical French woman to go out with you...and then have nothing further to say to her. I'm afraid I highly regret this purchase...even at a quarter of the price I would feel the same. Not to mention the hours of listening, hoping it might somehow get better. It didn't. ... Read more

Book Description

Product Description
This one is a "Must" for learning how French is REALLY spoken! William Martin, former political editor, The Oakland Tribune - I've tried them all and this one is it! - Joe Hogan, CBS. - This unique method trains students to understand and speak French like natives, at real speed, with the vocabulary that is used in every regular conversation. The first thing this training does is raising your level of confidence. The conversations are fun and motivating. - No matter what other sources you use in your language learning, the Smart thing to do is give yourself this key to confidence.- Ian Jackson, CEO, Breathplay, Dallas ... Read more

Customer Reviews (72)

On top of it
I'm deficient in understanding spoken French. Although I have not heard this CD in its entirety, what I have heard is well-designed and an ear-opener.

A Great Product.....but not for beginners.
This is a definite must have product for those who already know some French and are serious about learning the language. I know that there is a beginner CD set but if you know nothing of the French language, you will be lost. This product is best for people who have studied the French language (vocabulary and grammar) and are wanting to learn to understand and participate in conversations with real French people.

not for beginners
I would not recommend this to someone who hasnt had some French before.I m using it with a friend who hasnt ever studied French and it is very difficult for her to follow along.I, however, took some French in high school and have a basic knowledge and found it quite helpful to be able to learn how French is really spoken on the streets.So, if you re starting from scratch, this is not for you.But, if you just want to polish up and learn some new grammar and some good pronounciation, it s a good buy.

Great method to tune your ear to "real" spoken French/ comprehend it/ and start speaking it.
What I LOVE about this SmartFrench CD are the interviews with 19 different people (chef, fashion model, musician--you get the idea). You can listen to each person talking about their career (very interesting!). There is a very high quality booklet included with the CD.The booklet contains the text of what each French person is saying about their career. The French words are color coded so that whatever is not pronounced (silent) is printed in another color. That is SO helpful to me! Now I am able to read a little, too.The English text is also included.French text on left page, English on right--so you can compare.

It's one thing to learn French in a classroom, but it is different thing entirely to hear it spoken by native French speakers. This CD helps to tune your ear so that it makes sense.

I use the booklet a lot. It goes over how to pronounce the alphabet, numbers and silent letters. It has charts of `sounds'. I have a lot of materials at home to help me learn French, and most methods forget to teach/review the basics.

Also included are "Useful dialogues when you visit France" for use in the subway, on the street, in the taxi, café, at the concierge's desk, restaurant, a friends wedding, post office, museum, hotel and airport.

I really love using this SmartFrench CD. I was a beginning French speaker before our trip to France 3 months ago. Being in France helped attune my ear to the language, but I could only pick up a few words. This CD is helping me to comprehend a LOT more French when I hear my French friends talking, and I am beginning to speak so that I am understood!

Great method to tune your ear to "real" spoken French/ comprehend it/ and start speaking it.
What I LOVE about this SmartFrench CD are the interviews with 19 different people (chef, fashion model, musician--you get the idea). You can listen to each person talking about their career (very interesting!). There is a very high quality booklet included with the CD.The booklet contains the text of what each French person is saying about their career. The French words are color coded so that whatever is not pronounced (silent) is printed in another color. That is SO helpful to me! Now I am able to read a little, too.The English text is also included.French text on left page, English on right--so you can compare.

It's one thing to learn French in a classroom, but it is different thing entirely to hear it spoken by native French speakers. This CD helps to tune your ear so that it makes sense.

I use the booklet a lot. It goes over how to pronounce the alphabet, numbers and silent letters. It has charts of `sounds'. I have a lot of materials at home to help me learn French, and most methods forget to teach/review the basics.

Also included are "Useful dialogues when you visit France" for use in the subway, on the street, in the taxi, café, at the concierge's desk, restaurant, a friends wedding, post office, museum, hotel and airport.

I really love using this SmartFrench CD. I was a beginning French speaker before our trip to France 3 months ago. Being in France helped attune my ear to the language, but I could only pick up a few words. This CD is helping me to comprehend a LOT more French when I hear my French friends talking, and I am beginning to speak so that I am understood! ... Read more

Book Description
A crash course in the earthy side of the "language of love"

Now that you've mastered the subtleties of French grammar and idiom, it's finally time for the good stuff. Forget all about what's masculine or feminine for a moment and get up to snuff on the most outrageous collection of euphemisms, insults, expletives, obscenities, vulgar gestures, and sexual slang. This is the French you won't find in any textbook dialog—until now. To berate anyone with this kind of banter, you'd normally have to hang in back alleys of some dangerous arrondissement of Paris. Now you simply need to browse through the pages of Street French 3. This guided tour of raunchy, risqué, and ribald French is the third volume of Wiley's Street French series.

Each fun and easy lesson includes vocabulary list, dialogue, a glossary of synonyms and antonyms, and a practice session consisting of word games, crossword puzzles, and self-tests

DAVID BURKE (Los Angeles, California) studied in Paris, is a fluent French speaker, and is the author of the Street French series and Street Spanish (Wiley). David's other books include Street German, Street Talk and Big Talk. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

zut alors!
French is different from American English and not just in the obvious way.

In America and Canada, we speak a version of English in our daily lives that can be understood by more than 300 million people, from coast to coast and from the arctic circle to the Florida keys.It is, basically, the language we hear in our schools, on television and in the movies.Sure, there is a lot of crude language that the teacher doesn't use and that you wont hear on Fox News.But essentially, we all speak the same English.

In France, all French people can understand the French they learned in school. But most French people speak another language in their daily lives that is incomprehensible to anyone who only understands correct French.It is, properly speaking, a dialect of French.Think of the most arcane black English you can imagine and multiply it by 1000 and you have popular French.

And the popular jargon gets outdated fast: "Titine aussi sec elle l'a remouché: elle y a cloqué une sévère va-te-laver!" Not completely impossible but try to parse twenty of those sentences, spoken very fast by someone with cigarette a hanging in his mouth and half drunk.

Virtually every word of correct French has a corresponding word in the spoken language: voiture-bagnole, maison-baraque, garçon-mec, fille-gonzesse, and the list goes on and on.And on.

I have the first version of Street French which is dated 1989.More Street French is dated 1991.The versions will never end because Street French will never stop changing.I imagine that a Parisian of 1937 would have as much trouble understanding a Parisian of 1973 and 2007 as they would have understanding him.

This is not a criticism of Burke's tapes, simply a heads up so you will know what is going on.But if you try to speak this way in any official capacity in France, especially if you can't speak correct French, the French will turn their back on you and not even give you the time of day.("This is a fuckin cool headquarters ya got here mon.Have can I a drink wine?") They are not even remotely tolerant of foreigners who can't speak correct French even though they rarely speak it themselves.

With those caveats, buy the tapes but don't trash your French teachers.They are fully aware of this problem and the consensus of many years is to teach correct French and leave the rest to your discretion.

One last comment.Burke uses his own voice in his tapes.We are accustomed to television announcer voices but Burke's voice is closer to what you will actually hear in France so it is better that you get used to it.I suspect, in the final analysis, it was not ego or cost considerations that led Burke to use his own voice but the recognition of that fact.Don't curse him for it, thank him.

Merde!

French Indeed!
An excellent introduction to "naughty French", this book contaons phrases and words that are both considered insulting as well as just those that are common in informal speech. Chapters on sexual terms,body parts, put downs, and so on make this book very useful as well asamusing to read. This is not only for the vulgar minded; a certain skill inunderstanding certain profanities is necessary so that one does notintentionally say something inappropriate. the author gives an example inthe introduction: an American teacher teaching English in France tells herclass that she "kisses" her husband everyday in the doorway ofher house. However, the word that technically means kiss, in the casementioned, can also mean "to screw". So you can understand howknowledge of such terms are used is a necessity if one is to communicateeffectively in French.

Naughty enough
Well, I'm not French, but I'm a certified francophile and I enjoyed the feeling of knowing what a typical French person knows, supposedly. Although there are some words that are probably region-sensitive, because one time,my friends and I wanted to have fun during a birthday of a French friendand he couldn't get the joke! Just like his other books Street French 1 and2,Burke tries to give a close translation to the words--not an easy feat.This book is definitely for those who might want to keep a vocabulary ofnaughty things for fun. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

pleasantly surprised!
I wasn't expecting much from this book....it's a book of words.I didn't think they'd really help me that much.But I really like it, it's set up perfectly, it has example sentences at the end of each section, as well as quizes.And it could not be MORE thorough.I'm very happy with it.

Don't miss the CD-ROM that comes with it
Books of word lists are everywhere, but this book has the tool that allows you to actually assimilate the words: the CD-ROM that comes with it. It has a fantastic, user-friendly flash card program that helps you absorb the words. There are probably a couple hundred words already entered into the program, some with pictures, all with a french native pronouncing the words. You can enter your own words (or phrases containing hundreds of characters) and practice them. You can store words and phrases in categories to retrieve later. So, as you learn new words and phrases from anywhere, like TV, magazines, conversation, you can enter them and review them later. ... Read more

Product Description
The unique Language Maps®are phrasebooks in a laminated, fold-outmapformat.That means they are durable.You can spill your Italian cappuccino on them, accidentally sit on them while riding the train through Europe, dribble soy sauce on them in Japan, and still use them.Each Language Map®contains over 1,000 of the most important words and phrases a traveler will need.When you are sitting in that charming French outdoor café and want to order but can t decipher the menu, pull out your Language Map®.When you need a telephone, a post office or want to ask the price of a postcard and the words fail you, pull out your Language Map®.This is your indispensable travel language guide!Available in 16 languages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

useful
I love the language map series!We have them in Spanish, Chinese, Italian and French.Although some complain that they are too tall, we just throw them in our daypacks.They are laminated and very sturdy. Provide basic "necessity" vocabularly.You can even point to the line in English and show it to someone -- especially useful if you don't know the language at all.

Very handy and useful. Low price too.
It packs a lot of information into a small, compact folding card. We give one to our students to supplement their classroom learning during travel and when they go to restaurants or stores.

Finding your way en français!
My friend got me this map for my last birthday.We've both been taking French for some time now, but I still really enjoyed receiving it as a gift.It's a great way to remind yourself of how to ask some basic questions, and also contains vocabulary that is very useful for finding your way around France.It's nice how the map is divided into sections for different situations, like shopping and dining out.It's a little big if you're carrying it in a small purse or bag, but good quality and worthwhile to have.I would recommend it for everyone. ... Read more

Book Description
Our best-selling language series just went Beyond the Basics!

Now there’s a fantastic new way for language learners to take their studies to the next level and go Beyond the Basics! Ideal for people who already have some introductory knowledge, the brand-new Beyond the Basics courses take students further in key areas, including vocabulary, grammar, culture, and natural-sounding conversational skills. Each course includes twenty lessons that feature more challenging dialogues as well as numerous examples, explanations, and practice exercises.

Best of all, the packages are as compact and portable as ever! Each program comes complete with a coursebook, handy learner’s bilingual dictionary, and four hours of recordings on four CDs.

Available in Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Inglés/English for native Spanish speakers!
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Living Language course rules!
I've used Living Language courses since high school. My opinion is that they are overall the finest way to be introduced to a foreign language.

They use sentences grouped by grammatical function so that one learns (unconsciously) the grammar along with the vocabulary. There also is supplementary grammar if one wants to dig more into the machinery of the language.

I still benefit from having had my first introduction to Spanish from these courses. Now, having decided to review my univerisity French, I find this is still the finest CD on learning basic French.

Recommended.

A good tool for those with some background in French
I have been using Beyond the Basics French for about a week and I've found it very useful--it is definitely worth the time and money.It is not for someone with no background (hence, their "The Basics" I'm guessing).In grad school I had twelve hours or French (six studying abroad in France) and this course has been not only a good review but has built my vocab and, thank god, explained some grammatical/idiomatic stuff that I'm sure we covered in class but that didn't quite click with me b/c I'm not wonderfully adept at learning a new language.

If you've had at least 101-102 French, you should be fine with this.My only complaint is that some conversations aren't spoken slowly enough for me, but putting this on your iPod or mp3 makes it easy to back up a little be as often as you need to.

If you don't have a great intro/intermediate French dictionary, Harper Collins' French Beginner's Dictionary is the best I've found. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nice little practice book
This book is nothing special, just a bunch of very simple crossword puzzles.The first half have English clues, and the second have French clues. I don't know how educational it is, it's just some easy practice for a beginner of French, maybe someone who has done one semester of a college course.

The book is so cheap though that it's a good purchase. Maybe the larger and more popular books are better, but they often run as high as $20. At least you know that you'll get your money's worth with this one! ... Read more

Book Description
The quintessential Enlightenment novel, Candide follows the satirical adventures of its amiable but naive hero through 18th century Europe, Turkey, and South America, as he learns to cope realistically in the "best of all possible worlds" -- in spite of his misguided reliance on the advice of the optimist Pangloss.

• Full French text of the novel on the right-hand pages
• More than 700 challenging French vocabulary words highlighted throughout the text
• Deþnitions in English for each highlighted word or
• phrase on the left-hand pages
• 15 discussion questions to build reading comprehension skills

Candide: A Kaplan French Language Vocabulary-Building Novel is ideal for individuals who are trying to build their French vocabulary, and for students preparing for SAT Subject Test and AP French exams -- as well as for readers who want extra help reading this classic story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

not good as a learning tool
This book is not good as a learning tool, it only gives 1 or 2 words of translation per page.

Disappointed
I bought this book because it purported to define the "tough" words.I found that most of the defined words were ones I already knew, while a large number of the "tough" words went unnoticed.For instance:on the first page, "puissant" is defined, while "palefreniers" is not; page one of chapter 6 has 9 words defined (most were cognates) but no clue is given as to what the "auto-da-fe" mentioned on the same page might be.I could go on, but you get the picture.I would still read the book, but would recommend that one keep one's Larousse handy as the obscure vocabulary is hefty. I would not buy this edition for the vocab list as advertised; however, the unused space on the left side could be used by readers to add their own definitions.

Great book, the vocabulary builder is usefull
I liked this vocabulary builder idea more than the dual language books.

When reading the dual language books, i find myself reading every line translated, this one, even i if don't completely understand everything
it is much more fun to read. and you get to learn the important words that you don't know cause on other side there is like a small dicto for more difficult words.

also the book is very interesting.

... Read more

Book Description
Speak French Fluently with the Most Complete, Up-to-date All-Audio Course Available

LEARN FRENCH ON THE GO–LEARN ANYWHERE
If you have trouble finding time to fit in language lessons, All-Audio French is the perfect solution. Developed by the experts at Living Language®, this program is designed for people on the move. You can learn French as you drive, work around the house, or exercise at the gym.

SHORT, EASY-TO-FOLLOW LESSONS–NO READING REQUIRED
An English-speaking narrator guides you through 35 short lessons–just listen and repeat after native French speakers.

VOCABULARY–GRAMMAR–DIALOGUES–CULTURE
Begin with vocabulary and grammar basics before hearing a lively dialogue that includes the most current French idioms and usage. Interactive exercises reinforce what you’ve learned. You’ll also learn some intriguing facts about French customs and culture.

HANDY LISTENER’S GUIDE
No reading required, but our newly expanded 112-page listener’s guide is a handy visual reference for spelling and text of all the dialogues. The guide also provides a brief grammar summary and a glossary of grammatical terms.

Includes:
·6 compact discs
·Listener’s guide ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very useful for what I was doing
I used these cd's to help me prepare for the CLEP french exam. I listened to it in the car during my comute and it replaced me spending a lot of time in the lab. The lessons are good, they have a small conversation at the first of each lesson then break it down sentence by sentence.It covered all the topics from my firast year french book, and more. ... Read more

Book Description
Language Learners use interactive games to enhance the foreign language skills children learn in school. Heavy on useful, kid-friendly phrases, this kit will have foreign-language students making conversation in Spanish or French in no time! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Handy, Stowable, Travel Companion
I picked-up this Guide on impulse at an airport on my way to the French speaking St.Martin (Caribbean, French West Indies). A self-standing kiosk that attractively markets other titles in the series easily caught my attention. Based on this experience, I will consider other titles the next time I see the collection. The small size of this Guide makes it easy to carry in just about any pocket. That's a big deal. Learning a language requires persistence and quick access to a collection of key words and phrases at random moments. I won't claim this is the best of many competing phrase books on the market, but I'm also sure you cannot go wrong spending some time with this Guide if you see it in your travels.

Great French Guide
I don't know anything about French, I bought this book to help me when visiting France, It's really good pocket book, it has categories such as Every Day Phrases, Villas and Apartments, Traveling Around, Driving, Eating, Menu Guide, Stores, Sport, Health, and many more categories.

It shows the phrase and words in English, French, and then the pronunciation of the French words in English letters.
Also it has general info about each category in France.

I speak English, Arabic and Spanish, and I find the French language very hard for me to understand and speak.

I think this is a really great pocket book for traveler to France.

A great resource
I am a novice traveller, but yet a lover of history.I purchased 4 books in these series to each place.Great read both on the plane ride AND while I am there.Does it have everything....no.But, it is easy to carry and gives you a good frame to work with.

Practical & helpful...an excellent book
The Eyewitness Travel Phrase books are excellent guides for tourists looking to communicate as much as possible in foreign languages. They include a host of phrases that can be very helpful in many situations - there are the classic "Can you tell me what time it is?" to a variety of more complex or particular expressions. There's also a section on spelling and pronounciation. It also includes expressions used not only while on vacation, but also while doing business.

This little book is also quite handy thanks to it's size, it fits perfectly on any pocket. It also includes a section with a simple dictionary that can be very helpful in identifying a variety of words.

The book is very good at doing its job, which is helping people cross the language barriers while abroad. However, it shouldn't be mistaken with a French course. This book is not meant to teach you the French language, but to give you a good enough understanding of it so you can travel without major inconveniences. If you want to expand on the language, you need to get other books.

Serves It's Purpose Well
This guide made conversing with Parisians very easy. ... Read more

Book Description
Barron’s brand-new third edition of the Advanced Placement test preparation manual for French is available in two versions. This version includes three enclosed compact discs presenting listening comprehension and French speech pronunciation exercises. An alternate version (see ISBN-13: 978-0-7641-9336-1) also includes the compact discs but adds a CD-ROM presenting two full-length model exams with answers and automatic scoring. The manual provides extensive advice on listening and reading comprehension, writing and speaking in French, a general grammar review, and chapter on France and its rich culture. ... Read more

Book Description
Now anyone can learn a foreign language while commuting to work, running errands, or even taking a trip with the family. The new all-audio Drive Time series starts with an ingenious “On-Ramp” CD that eases language learners into Spanish, French, Italian, or Japanese with simple, practical expressions and engaging warm-up exercises. Three additional CDs contain 18 lessons that cover all of the essentials—vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and basic conversation.

Drive Time also includes a 64-page reference guide for anyone who would like to see spellings or read dialogues as a review—from the passenger seat, of course! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Bonjour
I like this tape very much. I think they should leave a little more space for repetition even when it isn't an "ecoutez et repitez" part.Otherwise very good and fun.

Pleasure of learning French
I like that the native speakers are reading material on CDs. I can catch the pronunciation of french words. I do not like that some of the word pronounced on CD can not be found in the book that accompany the disks.

Speak Slowly Please
The first section of this course was fantastic -- they pronounced each French phrase very slowly, had you repeat each syllable, and then sped it up to full speed. However, after the first few lessons the slow, careful pronunciation ceased, and the French came flying at me too quickly to hear clearly. This is supposed to be an audio-based course, so the book is not very inclusive and offered little help in deciphering the speakers. I'm very dissapointed. ... Read more

Book Description
Barron’s is now taking a comprehensive approach to foreign-language reference volumes, this definitive French-English dictionary and a companion Spanish-English dictionary being to prime examples. This book features 100, 000 entries with translations, and makes an ideal reference book for schools, libraries, businesses, and the home bookshelf. Yet its manageable size and reasonable price also makes it a practical learning tool for students taking a French language course. It features:

Customer Reviews (6)

The essential classroom complement
I am an AP French teacher, and wouldn't think of teaching the class without this book.It offers a multitude of prompts that give students a full range of the types of questions they'll encounter in each section.After a while, students can start to see patterns.

One can purchase the audio CDs for home practice, but not the answer keys.The best way to make use of this book is in the classroom or small groups, where discussion over *why* x is the correct answer can take place.

The idiomatic expressions and vocabulary lists in the back are amazing.

I wouldn't buy a used copy, because you're likely to get lots of the blanks filled in. This book is best used in tandem with a thorough grammar text like Une Fois Pour Toutes.
Courage!

Decent...Gets the Job Done
Clearly, this is a book to be used in a classroom setting.It's not a "Princeton Review" or "Barron's" book where there are explanations and answers and practice tests, etc.This is simply a book of questions.It's helpful if your teacher uses it in class, and you can check your answers with the teacher's guide.I noticed that on average, the questions in this book are more difficult than the actual AP test; I was feeling quite depressed about how I would do when I was preparing.My suggestions: use this book for the reading comprehension section and the listening, but practice the "fill-in-the-blank" grammar with College Board's free response questions on their website.After all, those are authentic.This book also contains a good selection of essay prompts to give you ideas about what to write, and the picture stories very nearly match those on the actual test.Overall, it's a good preparation for the test, but the difficulty of some passages relative to others and relative to the test should be taken with a grain of salt.

pretty good
I used this book in my french class and I thought it was great practice and very helpful, but yeah, be warned -- this is just the student copy WITHOUT the tapes or the answers so pretty useless it's used in a classroom setting.

disappointed
This book is simply a question book. In order to use it properly you need the audio cassettes and the the teacher's guide( to check your answers!) which is impossible to purchase unless you are a teacher. It makes no sense why it is sold on it's own. A complete waste of money........

No answers + no tapes or CDs = Useless
I ordered this book after reading the 5 star review, and upon receiving it realized that it is a STUDENT edition, with NO ANSWERS and NO tapes or CDs (or even a written script) for the listening sections! Without answers and tapes, it is useless as an AP study guide! The Amazon description of the book should state this, so other people don't waste their time ordering it. I couldn't find the missing items on Amazon, so I searched the web until I found the teacher guide ($16.97) and tapes ($49.97) on the Prentice Hall webpage. ... Read more