Vis-à-vis: Beginning French, Fourth Edition

Ah, French... the language of love, and the bane of so many foreign language students! "Vis-a-vis" does a great job presenting a language that can otherwise be quite overwhelming. Vocabulary, grammar and tidbits about the Francophone world are presented in a logical, easy to follow manner.While many language books feel geared toward children or businessmen, "Vis-a-vis" provides information that is useful to travelers, scholars and everyday Francophiles. Due to this textbook, I was able to gain not only an appreciation, but a love for the French language. Even though my French classes were several years ago, I still remember much of the vocabulary and grammar from this textbook, and am able to enjoy French music and novels today.

I actually bought this book for an American woman in the US who wants to learn French. I am French myself, and I heard it was the book that students had in the college close to our home, hence the purchase.I am French myself, and I, of course, speaks French fluently, since it is my first language.I was very surprised to see that the book starts with things rather complicated at the beginning, while they wait several pages for considering showing the French alphabet!I don't think we can really learn French without starting with the basics and a little of grammar.So, my approach is maybe not fun, but honestly, French is not such an easy language, and without a minimum to know at the very beginning, I don't see how you can make a conversation?!This book is okay for someone who, maybe, already knows a little French, and wants to learn the very casual conversation, without really knowing how to write and spell it, and why we do it like that.Then, something else disturbs me too, this book insists a lot on the fact that some French people may be Arab. I don't understand what Politics is doing in a book to learn French??? Yes, we have a lot of Arabs in France, but learning all the Arabian first names is not going to help American people to know how to speak French! If they want to know more about Arab people, maybe should they simply learn Arab?Learning French is also learning a little of the History of this language to understand where the words come from (Latin, Celtic...) and I don't think they are common roots between Arab and French (?)So maybe it is "cool" and kind of "politically correct" to include Arabs in there, but honestly, I don't see the point of all this?And instead of showing us "blogs" in a very casual way of speaking French, this book should rather start from the very beginning. Someone who knows the basics, will have no difficulties to learn, then, the casual way.This American woman who wants to learn French, asked me to find another book, easier to understand for her, so confused she was by this one, .I recommended the "Bescherelle" which is a book which teaches all the verbs and conjugation. When I was a child, I used it at school, it still exists and has been re-published again and again. Why? Because the Bescherelle is an excellent book which teaches you the true and real French. Not the one written and said by people who don't really care about their own language.I realize I am very harsh with this book, but it makes me sad when I see that the French language is not really respected as it should.I am French and I have been confused by it myself, I had no idea how to explain things to my student, by using this book.If I am confused, how do you think an American student will be?

It did not come with the cds and rest of the material, so I am only getting part of what I need

This language course offers an excellent way to learn natural French language for students! There are even blogs by students using common expressions of today. It's fun to learn this way.

Nice addition to my French study aids -- great information and a nice format. I wish it included the CD as well.

I picked up this textbook in order to learn French grammar. So far, the textbook has been a very useful guide. It explains the grammatical concepts clearly, which is what I was looking for. The exercises in the text are lacking, however; for more practice you have to buy the companion workbook. Otherwise, I would recommend the book.

This set of textbook and workbook is a great tool to help you learn the French language. I find the book easy to follow. It has many great examples and exercises with lots of extra tid-bits and plenty of cultural info. I think this book is much better than the one I used in highschool.I have used this set for my 1st year of college French.

Appendix B with the common verbs conjugated is very helpful. Would be better to have the audio of the dialogs.

Mint condition, great price!