Learn French with Paul Noble for Beginners – Complete Course

French Made Easy with Your Personal Language Coach

By: Paul Noble

Narrated by: Paul Noble

Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

An exciting, nontraditional approach to language learning with the easy, relaxed appeal of an audio-only product. No books. No rote memorisation. No chance of failure. 

This download contains the entire course: 

• Part one: language ground rules; the use of the past tense; finding French words used in English; asking questions; essential vocabulary to use when booking into a hotel, taking a taxi, and eating out 
• Part two: useful vocabulary at the tourist office, asking for directions, where you are from and what you do, pronunciation 
• Part three: practice and revision, vocabulary for conversing with a doctor, masculine and feminine, the present and future tenses 
• Course review: the course review offers a very useful opportunity to revise the full course and practise what you have learnt 

A native-speaking French expert helps you to perfect your pronunciation. Learn over 6,000 words in no time at all, and learn how to make your new vocabulary work for you. A downloadable booklet is also included to use as a reference and revision tool. 

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2016 Paul Noble (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Excellent. Use this first before Rosetta Stone

Paul Noble does an amazing job making French structure and grammar easy to understand, learn, and retain. I had been using Rosetta Stone, but found myself lost on structure. I then used Paul Noble's French and I had so many "a- ha, now I get it!" moments that I paused Rosetta and will finish Noble first. Amazing job. A definite must if yo want to learn French essentials.

Great language learning tips and drills!

I almost didn't get this because I am more at an intermediate level than a beginner level, but I'm so glad I did. It has great tips for remembering how and why certain things are done in French, that are making it much easier for me to use the language! And there were great practice sessions on the the things I needed more practice on, such as the placement of pronouns in a sentence. There are also practice sessions at the end without the explanations that are good for review or for more advanced learners. I'm not sure how this would have worked for me if I had been a beginner but it was a great program for me.

Great Introductory Course to French

Firstly, I loved this complete course. Paul Noble's teaching method is VERY similar to Michele Thomas (for those of you familiar with his teachings) and very effective in the same way - It's essentially "listen & repeat" throughout the entire course, but also comes with a very useful PDF download that I would suggest adding to your space repetition method, ie: Anki deck to help remember what you've learned.

I started learning French using Pimsleur, which was effective in the same way, but I found it very boring and couldn't continue. This course really came in where that left off and I found no problem following the chapters without getting bored.

A few of the reviews are giving this a bad rating because of the similarities to the Michele Thomas courses, which is ridiculous. If anything, they should give a great review because of that!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

A smart approach to French you can actually learn!

Fantastique! I studied French decades ago in college and spoke well, yet lost everything due to lack of practice. What's more, it was always a strain to understand the logic of French or to discern predictable patterns that jump-started my vocabulary and understanding. This course changes that! I am *VERY* impressed with the simple, memorable explanations and the "building blocks" approach – so different from other courses. Within a few lessons I was sounding confident and actually understanding what was going on...caught myself laughing at myself and thinking "I can't believe I just said that!" Excellent and highly recommended.

So helpful

I’ve messed around with learning French as an adult numerous times and this program has been the most helpful to me. The building block style of teaching, explanations and repetition enabled me to finally get over a few hurdles that have confounded me in the past.

Tons of material, simply explained!

Paul Noble does a wonderful job of explaining difficult language concepts simply, so that, by the end of the course, I had learned the basics of three French tenses without frustration. No long vocabulary lists. Instead, this focuses on how to put sentences together. I was surprised and pleased with how quickly and easily the material came. Highly recommend for those beginning to learn French!

full sentences in French very fast.

to fast for full sentences. slowing it down drags the English to long. and often go right into the next thing without be able to think to much about it. understand this is part of the way he wants you to learn it. but I find myself stuck for words like it's right there but I can't quite remember unless I listen to the chapter 3-4 times.

none of this is deal-breakers but having your phone on hand is a must to pause it or go back. I try to keep this to a minimum and short.

Well-paced and thorough

Just 30 minutes every day in my car was a great way to get comfortable with the beginnings of the French language. I’m excited to go to the next level!

I loved this book and learned so much!

this is the most helpful audiobook I've used! I learned so much I didn't understand before.

An excellent way to learn

I have taken French in the past, but this course gives me hope that I will be able to actually come away with useful knowledge. Paul Noble does an excellent job with the narration and the material is presented in a way that is really making the concepts stick. I never thought I had a prayer at becoming multilingual before now. I highly recommend this book to anyone who thought language-learning was impossible!

The easy way to learn a language

I have several french language courses and this is by far the best. I would recommend it to anyone.

I was so surprised at how well I picked this up!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. I wasn't convinced about audiobooks to learn languages, but this proved me wrong within the first 30 minutes. Brilliant!

What other book might you compare Learn French with Paul Noble: Complete Course: French Made Easy with Your Personal Language Coach to, and why?

Other language courses, although I haven't tried any yet. This will give you the confidence to try something a bit more advanced, as it gives you a great grounding in the basic of French speaking.

Have you listened to any of Paul Noble’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Not yet. Going to do Italian next!

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I wouldn't bother... That would be just weird.

Any additional comments?

Try it, honestly, it works.

Great way to learn French but no irregular future

I wasn't a complete beginner but I still found this audio recording very useful. I liked the mix of English explanation and French examples. I love rules and the author was good at explaining the theory behind each of the French grammatical constructs.
He explores the shared linguistic history of English and French, which is not only interesting, but is a useful tool to help remember the French. E.g.He explains that for the past tense for some verbs (generally seen as action verbs) the French use Je suis (e.g. je suis arrivé, I am arrived) rather than J'ai (j'ai arrivé, I have arrived). He explains that this is something that English used to do and gives some examples. (e.g. in Shakespeare) I was able to think of an example myself "Unto us a child is born" (not "has been" born) which has not cemented that fact in my brain.
Just got to near to the end and am a little disappointed. He tackles the future (I will, he will etc) and starts with the regular which is understandable because they are easier.
But then instead of doing the irregular, it is just numbers, letters and revision. Unfortunately, it is the irregular future verbs, I will be, I will go, I will do and I will have ...etc that I think are the most useful. I really wanted to practise those. There is also no past imperfect but can forgive that.
I don't think it is therefore "complete"

The best way to learn French

They tried to teach me in school and I've been visiting France for years, but I've only ever managed to retain the most basic French. This has taught me so much in such a short time and has given me the confidence to think that someday I might even be fluent!

Excellently designed and presented course

Where does Learn French with Paul Noble: Complete Course: French Made Easy with Your Personal Language Coach rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is a much better designed and presented course than the Michel Thomas version. Paul Noble uses a French speaker, so you hear the correct French pronunciation of words rather than non French people trying to speak the language. Paul Noble's explanations are also clearer and more memorable.

What other book might you compare Learn French with Paul Noble: Complete Course: French Made Easy with Your Personal Language Coach to, and why?

The Michel Thomas's course uses the same approach

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Paul Noble's explanation of how to conjugate and pronounce the future verb tense

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It is far too long and needs to be listened to in bite sized chunks.

Any additional comments?

Clearest and best explained French course we have heard. Also great to listen to just before re visiting France.

Excellent!

Really easy to understand and learn. Paul Noble teaches French in a way that you just pick it up as you go through the course.

Really outstanding: shockingly good!

What about Paul Noble’s performance did you like?

Very well crafted course.

Any additional comments?

I have a crummy Grade C in O Level that is 35 years old and yet, having gone through half of this course so far, I can express quite complex sentences and understand a huge amount. I have shocked my family with the occasional erudite sentence that I spout effortlessly at the dinner table - and put my kids, who used to be way ahead of me and would mock me for my rubbish French - to shame! The joy! If you thought you couldn't learn French, give this course a try - extremely well designed and executed. Thanks Paul!

Brilliant Grammar Drill

This very thorough and intensive course really put me through my paces, which is what I wanted. The course works through a non-stop series of drills, which are led and explained very slowly and clearly by Paul Noble, at a pace which is relaxed, yet persistent. Although there is very little use of grammatical terms, I feel that the course is very grammar-focussed, a big positive for me. The course nevertheless also covers a range of communicative situations.

I feel the need to write a review after 2 hours

Would you listen to Learn French with Paul Noble: Complete Course: French Made Easy with Your Personal Language Coach again? Why?

Ok, two hours into the audio book and I've learned more than I have with phrase books, other audio books that focus on memorizing and personal tutors. My husband and I are late forties so our memory is not that of a youngster. I can tell you now this method of teaching works, he does it in such a way that are putting sentences together in no time.
I like the fact that it is explained that the French language is so close to the English language that actually we all know a lot of French already! It's the way we say it. Endings of words are explained in simple terms and for the first time in years of trying to learn, I am finally understanding it. The best bit was when I spoke it... I feel confident as I now understand what I'm saying and why I am saying it rather than repeating a phrase and not knowing what else to do with it or change it.. I finally didn't feel like an idiot or embarrassed.
I am so impressed that I felt the need to write a review. To those who are struggling where it just 'won't go in' .. this is a breath of fresh air and after all these years of trying to learn, this guy has put a new perspective on it. No longer is it a mundane learning experience.. it's quite exciting :)

What other book might you compare Learn French with Paul Noble: Complete Course: French Made Easy with Your Personal Language Coach to, and why?

None

Which character – as performed by Paul Noble – was your favourite?

He's the narrator

Any additional comments?

It works

Great for the commute

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It's easy to follow, perfectly paced

What other book might you compare Learn French with Paul Noble: Complete Course: French Made Easy with Your Personal Language Coach to, and why?

N/A

Have you listened to any of Paul Noble’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No - not really applicable for language learning - also I bought for my commute, so a single sitting would have meant a truly horrible traffic jam!