{"id":395,"date":"2018-05-22T13:11:37","date_gmt":"2018-05-22T13:11:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.ilini.com\/?p=395"},"modified":"2021-03-08T11:55:01","modified_gmt":"2021-03-08T11:55:01","slug":"french-learning-tips-9-questions-for-oliver-gee-host-of-the-earful-tower-podcast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ilini.com\/blog\/news\/french-learning-tips-9-questions-for-oliver-gee-host-of-the-earful-tower-podcast\/","title":{"rendered":"French learning tips – 9 questions for Oliver Gee, host of The Earful Tower podcast"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oliver Gee is an Aussie living in Paris. He is the host of The Earful Tower<\/a>, a weekly podcast known to tens of thousands of Francophiles around the world. In his show, Oliver tries “to figure out France” with the help of various guests. Each episode provides a massive amount of insider info, from places to visit in Paris to aspects of French culture and language.<\/p>\n

Oliver recently invited us on his podcast<\/a> to discuss some oddities of the French language, from small talk to funny expressions (j’ai la p\u00eache !). It was really fun – we always enjoy giving practical tips to learn real-life French, the type of French you hear in\u00a0news and entertainment videos on Ilini<\/a>. After our podcast session, we wanted to continue the discussion by asking Oliver about his own French learning journey.<\/p>\n

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Oliver, could you tell us what brought you to Paris and how long you have lived there? How was your French before you arrived?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I came to Paris for a job as a journalist, and I\u2019ve been here for about three-and-a-half years. When I arrived my spoken French was a 1 out of 10, and my understanding was maybe a 3 out of 10.<\/p>\n

How long did it take you to master French well enough to feel at ease in Paris?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve still not mastered French!! Let\u2019s get that clear. But my French is easily good enough to get things done, pay taxes, solve a bank problem, get a refund for something. But if you put me in a room of French people discussing something very quickly, I will be the quiet one in the room.<\/p>\n

Do you speak other languages?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, I speak Swedish better than I speak French. Which isn\u2019t very handy in Paris, I must say.<\/p>\n

What is the most important thing you learned in French?<\/strong><\/p>\n

That they don\u2019t speak like they do in the text books. It\u2019s crazy really, even when you learn at a school in Paris they teach you such formal stuff, then you go out on the street and people ask you where you bosse (slang for \u2018where you work\u2019).<\/p>\n

What is the most difficult thing you are still trying to learn in French?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve long given up on the subjunctive tense. But I\u2019m always impressed when I hear another French learner use it. Sometimes I\u2019m impressed when I hear a French person use it.<\/p>\n

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