Language advice

[opal1915]

Hi all!

My SO's native language is French. I learned French in high school and, of course, lost much of it. I've been reteaching myself the language and can read it just fine. However, speaking it is a different matter. I have texted in French to him before, but I find myself feeling hesitant to start speaking to him in French for many reasons, the foremost one being I don't want to be judged (I know he won't, but I can't help the feeling). I'm thinking of trying CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) in order to figure out my hesitancy, but is there any advice you can give me?

[Ranidae]

Fellow French here I will give you the same advice that I gave to another fellow poster: JUST DO IT! Haha :P

In all seriousness: I get where you're coming from. My boyfriend is also trying to learn French, and he's feeling quite shy/self-conscious when practicing with me, even though I always cheer and encourage him.

Patience Learning a language is a journey, and you've already come a long way if you're able to read and understand every word! I suggest you complete your training with videos, to get used to the sound of it (words you read sometimes sound quite different). My boyfriend uses a bunch of apps like Duolingo to do match sound/spelling. You can also try reading a short newspaper article out loud with him, once you feel confident enough. Allow him to correct you, and little by little you will build up the confidence to speak his native tongue freely

So don't worry, keep practicing!