You know what you have in common with Bradley Cooper, Tom Hiddelston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Hugh Grant? You learn and speak French!
Even for international stars, learning and speaking French is not an easy thing either.
Today I'm going to correct and comment the French of international stars. You'll see that they don't all speak perfectly, but they dare to speak and they are not afraid to make mistakes when expressing themselves.
Tom Hiddelston
He has a very good level of French. What I like about him is that he doesn't hesitate to ask the person he's talking to to help him when he can't find his words. This is a very good thing to do.
He also takes his time to find his words, he does not try to speak quickly. This makes it easier to understand.
The little advice I would give him: I would invite him to articulate more. In French, we articulate much more than in English. We already understand him very well, but if he articulated more, his pronunciation would be even better.
I would also invite him to practice his French more, if he can. That would allow him to search for his words less and speak in a more fluid way.
And for Tom or you, I have the perfect program for that, it's my French conversation group Ohlala French Coffee. You can participate in 7 conversation sessions per week for only 39 euros per month.
We have one conversation topic per week. You prepare yourself with authentic resources. You practice your French with other students. You learn to hold conversations in French on various topics. And the teachers give you feedback on your vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.
Bradley Cooper
Frankly, I really don't have much to say about Bradley Cooper's French. He has an incredible level!
What you can learn from Bradley Cooper's French is that, once again, you shouldn't be afraid to make mistakes when you speak.
He is very comfortable, he even makes little jokes in French. His level is very admirable.
What I liked was that when he wasn't sure if he understood the question correctly, he rephrased it and asked the woman for confirmation. This is a really great technique to use when you don't understand a question. Repeat it or try to rephrase it to make sure you understand.
Gwyneth Paltrow
She doesn't make many mistakes. These mistakes are mostly about the feminine / masculine. And again, I repeat, but in my opinion, this is the most difficult thing to master in French, because there is no well-defined logic on the French and masculine in French.
She also has a very good level of French! There's not much to complain about, frankly.
I find her less comfortable than Tom or Bradley. We can feel her a little nervous, but she has no reason to be.
What we can retain from the actress' French is that she has a very good level. She should be a little less stressed, although of course it is stressful to speak a foreign language. She doesn't feel too confident when she speaks French, she should also join my French conversation group to gain confidence in speaking.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
He also has a great level! He is very comfortable!
So he made a mistake that learners often make: that country where you eat French fries and drink a lot of beer is BELGIUM.
Belgique, en Belgique (the country)
Belge, un(e) Belge (the nationality)
I invite you to look at my lesson on the mistakes often made by students when talking about cities: Don't make those mistakes when talking about your city in French!
I'm repeating myself, but the important thing to remember is that despite a few mistakes, we understand him completely. Mistakes should not be a brake when you speak French.
I also noticed, and we saw it here. It's that every time these stars or even the learners look for a word, they don't know it in French, it's often a very similar word from English (Rumors = rumeurs).
So, sometimes, it's possible to pronounce an English word with a French pronunciation. It can save you from getting stuck on a word.
Hugh Grant
I like the fact that when he's not sure about a word, he tries to make a little joke about it. He's very comfortable, even though he doesn't know all the French vocabulary.
What you have to remember about Hugh Grant's French, I would say, is his "I'm not sure of myself, but instead of stressing, I pass it off with humor" side. It makes him even more charming, and you don't focus on his little mistakes that don't really matter because you understand him very well, but on his warm and friendly side.
If you are not sure of yourself when you speak French, don't hesitate to try to make some little jokes like this. It will make you feel more comfortable and your interlocutors will be more sympathetic to you.
See you soon, for new adventures in French of course!
