Description

Geared toward travelers and businesspeople rather than students, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Learning French on Your Own combines many of the functions of a dictionary, phrase book, tour guide, and grammar handbook into one. The emphasis here is on practical considerations. Important grammatical points get tied into real-world situations such as getting a haircut or buying a dress, making it easy to remember subjects as abstruse as reflexive pronouns and irregular verbs. Vocabulary, grammar, and accompanying exercises come paired with “cultural tidbits” to help travelers decipher the intricacies of French language, cuisine, and institutions. One cautionary note: although this book bills itself as an idiot-proof guide to “Learning French On Your Own” and features a comprehensive pronunciation guide, it’s best to round out your education with an audiotape or a few sessions with a native speaker, lest you come out sounding like, well, an idiot.