I don't speak French but.....

[mettisse]

I don't speak or read French but I've been buying this magazine for a couple of years now, "Universe TOY" sounds as if it could be rude but it's not, it's just about Toyotas, mainly 'froaders, mods, expeditions, all the stuff we like about Toyos, BUT, it's in French. There have been articles on rebuilding engines, gearboxes, the lot, all with piccies, tuning , inter cooling , product testing, but in French! I've never had a better reasons to learn a new language, but I still can't, although I can order a meal and drinks in a French Restuarant. ( called menu French) hope the photo works, best regards all

 

[froggy Steve]

I have been here for 12 years and still havent got it sussed yet! Oh, I can get by, no, more than that, but on the telephone its difficult, and reading is also difficult. There are hundreds of English words that are the same as French words, keep at it, you will improve If you have the time, then keep a dictionary close by (probably quicker to google and translate it!)

 

[Paddler Ed]

Je parlais une peau de francais; but it's not that great... I can hold a conversation with someone, and generally get what I am looking for across.

A lot of my French came from reading VTT and Velo Vert in the 1990's, along with a liberal smattering of car magazines. I also picked a bit up working out there (I've spent about 3 months working in areas where you have to speak French, and only a few speak English) and dealing with layers of bureaucracy... "yes monsieur pompier, you can requisition a canoe and leave it a random campsite so you can evac a casualty from the 25km gorge we are in" or "but monsieur we have a reciept saying we have paid our beach access permit; it's under this name (point --->) on your list"

In both those cases I've been left to deal with M. Bureaucrat in French; M. Pompier didn't have any English, M. Little-pissed-off-Frenchman with Gendarme standing next to him wasn't going to use English...

 

[mettisse]

Good idea the dictionary, we keep French and Spanish copy's handy when on the continent but even these don't have everything you might need. The I phone! That's the way forward ! Only the time it takes to get a google we've list interest! It would have been far easier if Lord Wellington had insisted on the English language being the universal tongue of Europe when he handed France and Spain back to the respective rulers after Waterloo, the Germans would have followed suit, all happy, done and dusted!.. ( just joking , of course)

 

[yogi]

A great way to pick up a foreign language is to watch films subtitled.

So says my elderly aunt, who is completely fluent in French.

Although she does also have a 1.1 honors degree in French from the 1960's and has spent a month or 2 there a year for the last 50 years! Maybe that helped too.

But I have tried the film thing, and it does improve your comprehension of the spoken language a bit if nothing else.

 

[Paddler Ed]

Watch Taxi!

 

[wobbly]

Have tried the subtitled french films, just gets me thrown out of supermarkets, maybe I need to change my taste in subtitled french films.....

 

[mettisse]

Well, it seems I'm streets behind when it comes to parlais francais, but funnily enough if I persevere with google I can get to understand the script in the " TOY" magazine, but the pictures are numerous and informative with some good ideas for preparing a Toyo for overlanding. It's the usual 3 areas, overlanding, froading and rally/ race, they love their trips to North Africa and always have a report of some sort. The interesting thing for me is they print in the mag an off road road book, different area each edition, not always too long with the relevant maps, all over France, I've done two now, one near the Med and one in the Ardeche which turned out absolute rubbish, but I think it was my fault for not understand the lingo. It'd be nice if we could get the mag in English, oh, the prices for accessories in France are eyewateringly expensive, I don't believe we'll be off to get our bits there! Wine etc maybe though. Best regards

 

[froggy Steve]

Your not wrong there mate! Everything, I mean everything is expensive in France and the reason is.......socialism! any profit my little company makes, i pay around 52% in the French equiv of NI contributions, then have to pay tax afterwards.......thinking of employing someone? forget it! The only way I can get someone on our 'team' is self employed. As long as we are not th eonly one they work for, we get away with it....for now

it jolly expensive, but when you consider what life style we have.....no contest

 

[yogi]

Your not wrong there mate! Everything, I mean everything is expensive in France and the reason is.......socialism! any profit my little company makes, i pay around 52% in the French equiv of NI contributions, then have to pay tax afterwards.......thinking of employing someone? forget it! The only way I can get someone on our 'team' is self employed. As long as we are not th eonly one they work for, we get away with it....for now

it jolly expensive, but when you consider what life style we have.....no contest

You should come to Ireland Steve!!

Everything, I mean everything is frighteningly expensive. I have lived in both the UK and Southern Ireland, and the difference in prices is terrifying by times. Tesco refer to Ireland as 'the Golden Cow' and with good reason, they clean up here.

Why is it so expensive? Lack of competition, astronomical tax rates (unless you are a multinational then you pay 0%, or often less (figure that one out)), andnowthe new problem; over legislation allowing companies to develop charging whatever they want for idiotic safety and environmental services.
Its NOT socialism though, there is no free health care though, unless unemployed, virtually no services for free (no mains water unless in a town, 20 euro to get your bin emptied every time, playgrounds,sports facilities,forget it!

Why is it so expensive? Massive corruption at every level, astronomical public pay bill and paying billions for banks in Germany is a lot of it.... I envy you in the UK with your upcoming EU membership referendum, Ireland wouldn't be allowed by Germany to have one!

Oh and quality of life????? Deteriorating daily.......

Steve at least your French system entitles many to some security, if I couldn't go to work tomorrow in Ireland I'm entitled to absolutely nothing for 12 months, not even food stamps, because I'm self employed. Thats despite paying 10% national insurance (PRSI) on everything I make!

 

[moggy1968]

'avez vous un problem chien breath?'
thats about my limit, gets the message across though!

that and

'vous et un garlic manger wanker'

 

[frank rabbets]

QTF