Inspired by Pretzelbug’s comments in yesterday’s post, here are some tips and links if you happen to find yourself wanting to get a crash course in French before coming to France, Belgium or other French-speaking countries.

Free Online Resources to Learn French – There are several internet sites that offer free online French courses you can take at your own speed, one of the best ways to effectively and quickly (from home) grab a lesson or more. Below are some sites:

French Assistant
The French Tutorial

Online French Vocabulary and Verb Conjugators – Without a vocabulary base, how will you learn French? These sites will help you learn some words and help you figure out how to conjugate them.

French Verb Conjugator
Le Conjugugeur
Vocabulary Builder
Elisabeth’s vocab builder in French every other Sunday

Listen to French – Get your ears used to hearing French. Even if you have a French music or movie in the background, it helps to have it on so your brain can get used to French so when you arrive, it won’t sound totally foreign.

1) rent and watch movies in French and set the subtitles to French too. Oftentimes, you can check out music and dvd’s at public libraries.

2) French radio (click here for French internet radio sites and podcasts);

3) Read French papers or books. Go online to read the European news (in French) that will get you used to reading and also help to be familiar with recent local news.

—Here are free online books in French: Gutenberg Library, and Classics and Social Sciences
—Here are French newspaper sites: Agence France Presse, Le Monde, Liberation, Paris Match (like People Mag)

4) Listen to Music in French

Find Native French Speakers in your Area
If possible try to do a language exchange with a native speaker of French. Or try to find a French conversation group to sit in.

10 important phrases in French to know while traveling – You already know the most obvious, right? (merci, bonjour, oui, non, s’il vous plait, au revoir)

1. Where is the toilet? / Où sont les toilettes?
2. It’s an emergency! / C’est une urgence!
3. I don’t like ______. / Je n’aime pas (find out the words for what you don’t like.) i.e., Je n’aime pas les’escargots (I don’t like snails).
4. Do you accept credit cards? / Acceptez vous les cartes de crédit?
5. A carafe of water, please. /Un carafe d’eau s’il vous plait (for free water)
6. Excuse me, the bill please./Excusez moi, l’addition s’il vous plait.
7. There’s an error. / Vous vous etes trompé.
8. I’d like to change rooms. / Je voudrais change de chambre. (because you’re not satisfied with your hotel room.)
9. N’essayez pas de m’arnaquer!/ Don’t try to rip me off!
10. I need something for diarrhea. / J’ai besoin d’Immodium (Immodium is the product you need from the pharmacy)

If all fails:
I don’t know how to say it in French / Je ne sais pas le dire en français
I don’t speak French / Je ne parle pas français
I don’t understand / Je ne comprends pas
Do you speak English? / Parlez vous anglais?

I know there are tons of others so feel free to add your own phrases and hints in the comments.