Many of my friends know that I am obsessed with the
French Language. If you were to ask me why I am fascinated by this language, I wouldn’t say that this
is because:
- It’s a beautiful, lyrical language
- It’s the second most important language in the world
- It’s the language of literature
- It’s important to learn languages when you travel
No doubt, all these statements are true but my love
for the French Language actually began ten years back during my stay in Lourdes,
France. Massabielle Grotto is a place for silent contemplation and it was there
that I spent hours in the evenings waiting for the sunset every day. Here,
before the rock, I remembered Bernadette’s “young lady”, the Immaculate Virgin
who came smiling as She appeared to the poor girl from the Cachot. How good it
was to be there! And it was at the Grotto of Massabielle that my French story began.
To me, French is the most beautiful language in the world. Why French? Because each time I read a French book or listen to a French song, my mind drifts to the Grotto of Massabielle and I couldn’t help feeling that I am already there. The silent, private joy of peace that I experience each time I think of this place is what inspired me to learn French.
Me at the Grotto of Massabielle, France
To me, French is the most beautiful language in the world. Why French? Because each time I read a French book or listen to a French song, my mind drifts to the Grotto of Massabielle and I couldn’t help feeling that I am already there. The silent, private joy of peace that I experience each time I think of this place is what inspired me to learn French.
As an ardent supporter of the French Language, I
would like to share my French Language Collection with my readers. I have never
attended any French lessons but I found that these books were very useful in helping me to master the language. I hope
that my readers would find these books useful too. You can easily get them from Kinokuniya Bookstore in KLCC. I got most of my French books there.
French by Association by Dr. Michael M. Gruneberg - an effective technique for learning and remembering basic French vocabulary and grammar for beginners. This innovative method can really help you to remember what you learn.
Berlitz French Vocabulary Study Cards to enhance your vocabulary
These CDs are very useful for beginners
French Visual Dictionaries - extremely useful for beginners
Adventures with Nicholas (The Five Crayons & A Visit to Grandma) - a story-based introduction to learning French which beginners would find enjoyable
Adventures with Nicholas - The Missing Cat. My adventures with Nicholas have been a very interesting and enjoyable one. After my adventures with Nicholas, it was time to study French grammar seriously and to expand my French vocabulary. I found the following books very useful.
French Grammar by William Rowlinson (Oxford University Press) & the Audio Course by Jean-Claude Arragon. The audio course is intended for beginners.
French Verbs for Dummies by Zoe Erotopoulos & Berlitz New Basic French. The latter (with its six CDs) has given me a very good start in learning French.
French Vocabulary & French Grammar by Mary E. Coffman Crocker. Having a large active vocabulary is essential to express yourselves and I have always believed in the deductive approach to learn grammar.
Berlitz French Vocabulary Handbook & Berlitz French Grammar Handbook
French Pronouns and Prepositions by Annie Heminway & French Sentence Builder by Eliane Kurbegov
French Verb Drills by R. de Roussy de Dales & French Grammar Drills by Eliane Kurbegov
Complete French Grammar by Annie Heminway & French Verb Tenses by Trudie Maria Booth
French & English Grammar by C. Frederick Farrell Jr. & Test Yourself French Grammar by Didier Bertrand
Collins Easy Learning French Conversation & French Verbs
Collins Easy Learning French Grammar & Berlitz French Verb Handbook
Better Reading French by Annie Heminway & Correct Your French Blunders by Veronique Mazet.
The Ultimate French Verb (Review and Practice) & The Ultimate French (Review and Practice) by David M. Stillman and Ronni L. Gordon.
Advanced French Grammar by Veronique Mazet.
At this stage, I found Berlitz French Easy Read Dictionary very helpful. After I have familiarized myself with French grammar, I went on to learn French idioms and proverbs.
Essential French Grammar & Common French Expressions and Idioms by Jean Severy - books every French learner must read. Jean Severy is a lecturer in the Department of Asian and European Languages, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University Malaya.
101 French Idioms & 101 French Proverbs by Jean-Marie Cassagne - books that can enrich your French conversation.
I also began to read dual language books.
Ten short stories by Voltaire, Balzac, Gide, Camus and others in the original French (with English translation) & Nineteenth-Century French Short Stories by Merimee, Nerval, Daudet, Flaubert, Zola, and Maupassant.
Berlitz Handbook France & Short Stories in French. Understanding culture is the key to learning a language.
Finally, I had to buy a more efficient dictionary and Collins Complete & Unabridged Robert French Dictionary (the bestselling bilingual dictionary) is my best choice. With 2178 pages, I can find all the words I need to know in it.
