How I'm Learning French at age 40 (and succeeding).

[@JadeJoddle]

Help support me by… ✰ Buying one of my English accent courses: jadejoddle.com/courses/ ♥ Sending a donation: www.paypal.com/paypalme/jadejoddle

[@artbrutnewyork]

Thanks for sharing your language learning journey. No matter how proficient you become, language learning is a life long pursuit with constant learning of new things and re-learning of old things you’ve forgotten. You never can “stop” learning a language … there’s no “finish line”.

[@richardpeucelle1612]

No finish line 😂... that's true 😊

[@amarug]

I studied Japanese - at age 37 I knew one word: "konnichiwa". Now, at age 40, I am pretty much fluent by any standard. On a recent trip to Japan I got asked if I lived in Japan all the time because they thought this was unattainable outside Japan. The faces really turned weird when I said I started learning for the first time at age 37. My mom started Spanish at 65 ish, now at 71 she speaks it at lightning speed and traveled all across South America...

[@JadeJoddle]

That's so inspiring. You show us what's possible!

[@tanizaki]

> pretty much fluent by any standard ほんまに笑うなぁ！(爆) Take it from someone who’s lived in Japan for years - you aren’t fluent. The Japanese will wow over anyone who says こんにちは. PS please say what your standard of “fluent” is.

[@Joe-tr2vk]

Sounds like both you and your mother have a flair for languages which you discovered later in life.

[@faa1412]

So glad I came across this video and the comments. As someone who is 39 about to turn 40 I find the video and the comments very inspiring!

[@hapihapi]

I study English. I'm 40 Japanese mom of 4. Thank you for sharing. 🙏

[@JadeJoddle]

Well done. 👏

[@noreturn4396]

This is one of the best videos I've come across on adult language learning, and relevant beyond French. An honest portrayal of a realistic journey. So refreshing to hear a real account of second language learning for English speakers. Enormously credible compared to the confluence of pseudo-polyglots on KZbin. More of this please Jade - would be interested to know your schedules, types of things you work on etc. what resources do you find are useful or a waste of money etc. Great job and good luck!

[@JadeJoddle]

I have monthly French progress videos on my channel in which I talk about what’s changed or what I’ve been working on recently. Since it’s nearly the end of the year, I’ll probably do a year review on it soon.

[@noreturn4396]

@JadeJoddle sounds great. To be honest, it's difficult to know where even to start. Do you learn concentrate on vocab, or go straight for grammar? When should you even try to start speaking? I guess a pragmatic breakdown of what a lesson looks like and how they evolved + what worked and what didnt. A review sounds great - thanks again and take care.

[@julesbaby47]

I'm 63, I have an appalling memory, can't spell, have no qualifications and mild ADHD, yet after a year of hard work I can speak the basics and have a laugh with French people when I go to France, plus it's great for my brain. I found the key was NOT to say that I want to be fluent, but to approach it as a fun hobby. So ZERO expectations. Good luck everyone

[@0012murat]

Hello from Türkiye.I am 60 and learning French.You are still young.Thank you for the video.

[@dunyahali8926]

Tebrik ederim

[@JadeJoddle]

Indeed. Well done 👏

[@baronmeduse]

I'm 49 and I started learning Spanish about a year before the end of the pandemic. So the initial phase allowed me quite a lot of hours per day, for listening and reading. This was beneficial and by the time I was fully busy again I could do about 2 to 2.5 hours a day and make progress. I also have a few Spanish friends here in the Netherlands, so that helped. There can be some drawbacks to this kind of self-study, like not knowing which materials to use or how best to to use them without wasting time. Though like you say after about 40 you don't feel so rushed. I've been down a couple of dead ends with Spanish, but it was all learning.

[@JadeJoddle]

Well said. It’s cool that you have made some Spanish friends too.

[@Spscc23998]

私は昨年60歳で日本語を勉強し始めました。最近JLPT-N3試験に合格しました。来年初めて日本に行きたいと思っています。

[@ellymeikle5906]

I started learning french after I retired.

[@KimaniTheCreed]

Hi Jade. I started watching you when you were doing the British accent videos back in 2015 and you inspire me. Love from Kenya🙂

[@JadeJoddle]

That’s great thanks for watching for such a long time. 👍

[@IncredibleStan]

J'apprends le français à 37 ans. J'apprécie cette video et vous avez un autre abonné

[@JadeJoddle]

Merci beaucoup. ☺️

[@ilyabesk9809]

I am glad for you that your result is above your expectations. at 41, I can say that I have passed all the stages that you described, but I do not have so much will to study, as you have, and there are big gaps in my studies. and the biggest one happened after I felt that I had succeeded in my studies, so be careful! Anyway, learning language is a good process for our mind, and chance to have a look at foreign culture. Have a great success Mon ami!

[@JadeJoddle]

Perhaps you are taking a break and later on there will be something else you want to study.

[@vIkSyNeX]

🤜💥🤛 Hi Jade. Never doubted it. 🙏

[@David_10157]

Très bons conseils, Jade. J'ai quarante-trois ans, et ça fait trois ans que j'ai commencé à apprendre le français. Comme vous l'avez dit, ce n'est pas facile, mais il faut étudier pour progresser et il ne faut pas abandonner. Bon courage.

[@sergeheute7938]

Hello Jade, i have listened to a lot of your vidéos (kind of in the last two years i think...) your teaching is excellent.I am glad your learning French which is my native language, i am an English learner of 61, i had good basis of English since my teenage years, but i have really been dedicated to it for five years now , and yes you are absolutely right you need at least 1 or 2 hours à day of serious work to see real and effective progress.thank you Jade you have just boosted my motivation because i am just working the English language for one reason: I love it , it is as simple as that. Please make more vidéos like this one , it is excellent material for people like me.best regards.Serge from France.

[@JadeJoddle]

"I love it , it is as simple as that." 🌟 That's the best reason of all to learn. Keep up the good work.

[@영국에사는한국아빠]

Thank you very much for another inspiring video! I started to learn Spanish when I was 48. After one year and a half of learning, I am now able to have a conversation in Spanish. It feels amazing to speak and understand my target language. Sometimes I watch videos in French on KZbin as it sounds very beautiful. However, I am not going to learn French. I will leave it for next life. Good luck, everyone!

[@JadeJoddle]

Well done. That’s brilliant. 👏

[@tj2375]

Time is a real problem for adults. This year I found myself in October and it felt like only 3 months have passed since January 1st.

[@radiobolinder6099]

You truly are an inspiration, Jade. I am following your example for success and hence listen, repeat and take notes on unfamiliar words and expressions every day. It works very well. The other night I even dreamt in English! I intend to keep that strategy going regarding English, and may now, much thanks to you, also recommence my studies in French.

[@JadeJoddle]

That’s brilliant. Glad it’s working for you.

[@ronan.pellen]

Congrats on your progress and dedication Jade, et que vive l'amitié franco-anglaise pour l'éternité (et un jour!) 😘

[@ronbeat]

❤ Thank you for sharing, I feel identified with many things you said. I'm also around 40.

[@simpleTheGuy]

I'm learning English at 26. And one thing which always help me never lose my motivation, it's love for English language because of it is everythere and also it helps speak free with a huge part of people in the world.

[@JadeJoddle]

That’s a brilliant reason to learn English. ❤️

[@simpleTheGuy]

@@JadeJoddle Sure,Jade, it is. I'm agreed with You. I think so that any persons must try to learn a language and see a perfect perspective for its future to get wanted purpose. Jade, Good luck, I guess you'll get to speak fluency in French language.

[@carlosacevedo3951]

Hi Dear Teacher, your videos are really Amazing!! Greeting from south america!!

[@JadeJoddle]

Thank you! 😃

[@Emkay13]

Thank you for sharing❤. I am learning French at 35 . I can relate with almost everything you shared. Except that I still have dependencies that thin out my time. I use French to relax and see it as self love that helps me spend more time learning.

[@lapinfacedelion]

My mother tongue is french. I'm studying English every day and I'm 53 soon 54. Keep going Jade kudos!

[@cagatayocal7049]

That's wonderful. I am taking an break from reading English and speaking. It's great to learn other languages

[@samaval9920]

Formidable! Super! Bravo, Mlle-/Mme Joddle!!!

[@alexanderfful]

Hi, Jade! Thank you very much for your interesting video and for sharing your experiences. I love your exemplary RP accent. In my humble opinion, it is one of the best on KZbin. The only thing I missed while watching was full English subtitles. Anyway thanks a lot and good luck in learning French!

[@JadeJoddle]

The video has automatic subtitles by KZbin. There is a button below on the play bar you can click to show them. They are very accurate.

[@michaelmckelvey5122]

I do not know if is ''exemplary RP'' more like someone acting in East Enders!

[@ivancotescorvacho1445]

Brava, bravissima...Avanti tutta ! ...e GRAZIEEEE !!!

[@andrewfletcher1341]

Hello from Paris France I'm a native french ! Courage et soyez patiente Dame Jade Joddle !!!

[@klarissaclairiton9010]

You will find the reflexive in French very convenient in many situations. Often the word GET to express state in English will be reflexive in French. I am 68 years old and learning German. I am fluent in French.

[@houseoflilacs]

Thanks so much for the realistic look at learning a language, and especially at an older age. I was particularly interested in your study habit. Although everyone's circumstances are different, it gives a general idea of what learning a language is like in middle age. I am 62 and had one year of French in high school, but I always wanted to become proficient in it. The things you say about youth ring so true with me, though. I was so overwhelmed with choices in life -what to do for work, whether to take time off of work for an immersive program, the daily happenings and accompanying emotions, and just the inability to settle down and focus on achieving a long-term goal. (Especially one which seemed so difficult to make progress toward.) I also have a "tin ear", so any language is difficult for me, but I think I couldn't have chosen a worse one for my lack of hearing well. Oh, well. I, too, am making progress, although slowly. I have a goal of studying at least 13 hours per week and, like you, I start with French in the morning. Before anything. It's too bad that there are so many folks in the KZbin world who are simply trying to make money, or are just misguided, thinking that dangling "French in 90 days" type of things is motivating. It's actually incredibly discouraging. Once again, thank you for a realistic take on it. That is what is truly motivating!

[@JadeJoddle]

Glad you found my experience motivating. 😊

[@ShahidHaider-g1p]

great knowledge has no limit if you are 40 or 90 my dear actor legendary actor of american cinema clint eastwood still directing the movies thanks

[@JoseLuis-nb2bg]

Hi❤ I am 38 year old😊

[@machiavelZongo]

i loved her video i love her accent.

[@JosephB-tv7gf]

You are a breath of fresh air, Jade! Ignore the nay-sayers. There will be hundreds of these but only a couple of yea-sayers. School often discourages us from an early age. I'm glad I didn't listen to these teachers. I followed my Moon, ignored the Sun and did my thing; geometry and physiology. (the Sun is 0.6 million Moons in brightness).

[@elenamaier1337]

It is a kind idea to share

[@VoltaireParis]

ah ben moi qui pensais entendre un peu de français...pf je vais devoir attendre la prochaine vidéo ? allez, je suis patient, pas de souci :) cheerz

[@karolinaa.6183]

What you said about the belief that you are not good at learning and speaking foreign languages really resonates with me. For years I used to think that way and I struggled a lot with English compared to my peers at school. But in the last few months I have been working a lot on my English pronunciation and I have noticed that I have improved a lot. In just a few months! I listen to a lot of native speakers, I pay attention to the pronunciation in the dictionary, I practise the sounds. I thought it was impossible, that I was a hopeless case. And yet it is just perhaps a matter of having to put in more work and effort. Good luck with your French! I'm learning French as well, although for now my aim is to learn it more passively in order to read and listen in French, as I don't necessarily need to speak the language.

[@JadeJoddle]

Well done. Speaking for myself, learning the sounds (phonemes) of English seems to have helped me a lot when it comes to French.

[@JadeJoddle]

Obviously the sounds are different in French, but the process of adding new sounds to one’s understanding is the same.

[@karolinaa.6183]

Thank you :)) From my perspective (I'm Polish), French pronunciation is easier and more intuitive in many cases, but at the same time I don't want to get my pronunciations mixed up. English, for obvious reasons, is the most important for me. On the other hand, learning vocabulary from French actually often expands my English vocabulary too. And I like the sound of both languages very much.​@@JadeJoddle

[@vogditis]

I have had English from the age of 16 from American movies without any guidance from teachers to add that I didn't realize I had the language in my youth. I started to use my English at 34 in Ireland.... What is the problem with learning a language that isn't the same as using that language for life... Actually, my English is the poorest language of all my languages.

[@karolinaa.6183]

​@@vogditisThis is true. My passive English is quite good because I learned it mainly by reading. Unfortunately, speaking is a completely different matter, so I have been trying to focus on that. I speak to myself every day during daily activities and check the pronunciation of almost every word (I have found that I have a lot of misconceptions about pronunciation). It doesn't come easily to me, but I think there are already small improvements after a few months.

[@selinagriffiths5646]

Im learning french again at 41, i did 3 years of french at secondary school and didnt learn a thing. Hopefully be better this time

[@antre_du_retro]

Bon courage dans votre apprentissage du français 😉

[@TheChiesa]

As a non-native speaker of English I can assure you that it is one of the easiest language to learn - in the beginning. That might create an illusion that you are a fast learner. The structures are simple, almost non-existent so you only have to put one word after another in the right order. Compare that to German, e.g., where you have provide each verb with the required ending according to the subject and choose between three genders for each noun (and, accordingly, the needed ending for an adjective). That makes a rather simple sentence in present tense a challenge. The picture is somewhat different in French if your main interest is in speaking since you drop a great deal of endings out when pronouncing the words. My point is that, as a teacher myself, I would advise parents to encourage their children to choose any other foreign language but English as their 1st. As a kid you learn practically anything so much easier, and it all will remain in your memory for your whole life.

[@j.-m.b.]

I so can relate to all this. I started learning Finnish at 50, I have no particular reason to learn this language, it's a hobby, getting closer to a kind of personal development. Bravo pour les résultats, et bon courage pour continuer l'apprentissage du Français, my native and weird language :)

[@JadeJoddle]

Very inspiring 👏

[@TheChiesa]

As a Finn, learning French in my 60s, I was thrilled to hear about you learning Finnish! I wish you the best of success in your pursuit! 👍

[@RomanShopa]

I learn Italian since 2008, Japanese - from 2013. But hardly ever passed A2 for the former and stuck at the basics forever with the latter. Have read 2 historical books about the Ancient Rome, some may call it an achievement, but I feel zero progress. Now trying some mixture for French, mostly comprehensible input. Wonder if it is a good idea to buy the next manga volume of Berserk in French (you'd recommended a comics earlier) instead of English...

[@lamiamahmoud599]

Thanks ❤

[@dcel8]

i too am in my 40s learning french, as well as Spanish, never too late to learn

[@BPEMETO]

Thanks for the video! : ) My second foreign language in school was French. (First was English ) I was very good at it. But know after all these years I remember so very little of it. : ))) I kind of want to learn it again, but I also want to learn Spanish. Do you think that It would be a good idea to study both of them now at the same time ?

[@JadeJoddle]

I suppose it depends how good you are at learning languages.

[@Kitiwake]

Spanish is a partly designed language. It follows a certain logic. French is more organic. Both very interesting.

[@Thewankerpirat]

Bonjour🙋, Bon courage😻. Noel from Tourcoing in North of France🇨🇵.Au revoir et à bientôt .👋Namaste 🙏

[@kathygrosvenor4464]

40? At 73 I’m having little success learning French. The only way I’m able to learn at least a bit is by listening to 60s French music ie: Brigitte Bardo and all the greats.

[@dunyahali8926]

People need motivation love and sleep ❤

[@dannil9878]

1,5-2h hours per day is maximum in one day. Pedagogically speaking anything beyond that is counter productive.

[@ROCKINGMAN]

There may be good teachers, and lessons to learn, but I thought the best way to learn a language is to be in that country. Enthusiasm is also the biggest driver.

[@Kramer2286]

Jade do you have the london accent? I watched shameless uk the other day i could barely understand what they were saying

[@曾志海-c4z]

I am learning English at 50.😂

[@ЕвгенийБойко-э9ь]

Same stuff

[@JosephB-tv7gf]

🤸

[@fabianacamozzi775]

43

[@jeanmarcphilippe1]

Almost 57 here… 😊

[@dondpwjuan11]

What are you doing to learn french, what do your studies involve.

[@JadeJoddle]

I have a video coming on that topic soon.

[@hassanbilal7393]

Bonne chance.

[@dravidandasdravidandas925]

Hi ma’am.

[@ireneinbarcelona]

Learning a language is not a question of age, but a question of finding the right method for oneself (and putting in the work).

[@JadeJoddle]

Yes, seems so. Thanks for sharing.

[@ireneinbarcelona]

@JadeJoddle I DO follow you, you know. I just think people need to realize that there is no globally effective method that works equally great for everyone. Other than that: Bon courage !

[@quyentran9831]

I’m learning French at 49

[@olgashestakova2490]

❤️

[@musik-paint]

Thank you! I can understand the British-English language good. But when I try to understand the English from the USA, I don't understand it. I feel me like "bubble gum".

[@knlei1]

Honestly anybody can learn any language at any age. its just up to whether you can comprehend and pick it up and memorize and understand it . age or not

[@Kitiwake]

I learned French at 65. It's all good. Method.... Just so these 3 things .. Listen to podcasts.. Try to pronounce words and phrases by copying native speakers on line and Read books in Français courant. Keep at it. Then you'll succeed. Jordan Peterson, the famous modern psychologist and educator, says the the maximum duration for daily concentration on a learning subject is about 3 hours.

[@JadeJoddle]

Thanks for the tips. 👍

[@michaelmckelvey5122]

A very long video to say very little! How well do you know French? Which resources do you use to learn French? Perhaps you should do a video in which you only speak French? I think it is easy to learn French words as so many are so similar to our language-just remember that all 'ion' words come to use from latin so you have thousands of words before you even start!

[@eiodintotalistli8448]

Do you speak french? Show us.

[@dchrysostom]

I’m learning now at 56.. learning on KZbin school 😂

[@hassanechetouane1092]

Oh Jade qu'est ce que je dirai moi qui est entrain d'apprendre l’anglais à 64 ans.Je suis amoureux de ma femme et bien entendu la langue de shakespeare.Oh France open your gate to Jade.

[@Kramer2286]

french is difficult,italian is way easier for me

[@jeanmarcphilippe1]

Plutôt le contraire selon moi… 😂

[@Kramer2286]

@ interesting

[@edu-flex]

Hello, Do you have children ? it is interesting to me

[@carlosacevedo3951]

French is difficults and the pronunciation hard and almost Impossible!!?

[@JadeJoddle]

The pronunciation isn’t hard for me, having spent so many years teaching phonetics. I’m missing the French flow and rhythm, though.

[@carlosacevedo3951]

@@JadeJoddle Wow Teacher Jade, you are really !!! I admire you anyway ! french pronunciation it so hard to me !! I am so thanked for your video because learn another language its difficult and your advices are helpful ! In my country when I was child, and some subject in the school was difficult, the Teacher give us corporal punishment, sometime think that was a good method and now would be require that "old method" when forget english propositions or phrasal verbs !! ha, ha !!

[@carlosacevedo3951]

@@JadeJoddle OMG! Teacher Jade I admire you !! French pronuctiation it is so Hard for me !! Definitely, lear another language it is a challenge !! I remember when I was study in the school sometimes corporal punishement were received for mistakes, nevertheless was helpful for learn complex subjcts. Maybe that "old methods" would be require now for "English Preposition" or "Phrasal Verbs" !! ha !! ha !!😂😂😂😂

[@maunasiliandergamba2387]

There is no way you’re 40, not with that amazing skin, what’s your secret?

[@Alikhantanoli-yf6mo]

Geegeous look🤭

[@usmanjawaid5362]

Even at the age of 40 she is beautiful.

[@phillipmcduffie9353]

Bad memory is NOT the problem. Babies learn to understand a language by listening, over and over and over and ... It's the same as Artificial Intelligence. Neural Networks are trained with training data. Items like sounds are moved into long term memory of the human brain the more the sound is heard. Sounds, syllables, of words and phrases become locked in, over time and repetition. LOCKED IN ! It can't be forgotten. It is memorized. It can be fetched from memory at any time, instantly, with no trouble at all. 1. Learn the grammer 2. Learn the pronunciation rules 3. Obtain texts of real usable reliable words and phrases. 4. Read these words and phrases with some form of spaced repetition. ( Over and over just gets too boring. ) 5. To learn to speak, read the texts out loud. In other words speak the words and phrases. Learning to speak is an active kind of communication. Just listening does no good. Speaking requires muscle memory. The tongue goes he, the jaw goes there. All this is new in a foreign language. French pronunciation is so different from English pronunciation. Pronunciation is one of the major problems for English learners of the French language. Pronunciation is difficult to learn. And then there are the various registers ( levels ) of the French language. 1. Supported 2. Formal ( Vous, etc. ) 3. Normal ( Modern Spoken French ) 4. Informal ( Tu, etc. ) 5. Colloquial 6. Slang and vulgar language In French there is the written language, that is somewhat formal. But, the French spoken language is so very different from the written language. So much of the language is contracted or simply thrown away ( not spoken. ) We foreigners, English, learners of the French language, are taught from textbooks ( in our schools ). These textbooks are written in WRITTEN French. Spoken French is generally not taught. The teachers stick to the textbooks, as teachers do, as that's the easy way. Do chapter 1, then 2, and so on. They teach what they don't know to students who will forget everything in short order. Language learning requires so much repetition it doesn't fit into a classroom. Teachers mainly stick to textbooks and grammar. They can test the students on grammar.

[@ЕвгенийБойко-э9ь]

@@phillipmcduffie9353 such a great work done ✔ 👏 💪

[@JadeJoddle]

A very helpful comment for everyone to read.

[@fayezalhussein7115]

you look sad, why ?

[@blade78]

are you single?

[@66longinus]

You should marry a french man.

[@debraco7748]

She don't need to marry no damn light in the loafers french toast

[@michaelmckelvey5122]

Yes, falling in love with someone from the place your chosen language is spoken is definitly good motivation!

[@debraco7748]

@@michaelmckelvey5122smoke some more pot and it will finally all come together