Why Learn French With Roger: The Trilingual Teacher Advantage
You’ve tried learning French with native French teachers who explain grammar by saying “that’s just how we say it” or “it sounds right to French ears,” leaving you frustrated because those explanations mean nothing when your English-speaking brain is trying to understand why French uses subjunctive mood, how articles work differently, or why certain verb tenses exist, and you’re paying expensive hourly rates for instruction that doesn’t address the actual cognitive barriers English speakers face when acquiring French as a second language. Roger’s unique trilingual background (English, German, French) combined with his experience learning French as an adult, academic credentials in Linguistics and French, and 13+ years teaching English speakers offers something fundamentally different: lived experience of the exact confusion you’re experiencing, systematic understanding of how English and French differ structurally, ability to explain complex French concepts through comparisons your English brain can process, affordable trial lessons starting at just €9, and personalized private instruction that proves French fluency is achievable for adult learners regardless of their starting point.
The problem with native French teachers
Native French speakers make excellent conversation partners once you’ve achieved intermediate fluency. They provide authentic pronunciation models. They catch subtle errors. But they struggle with something crucial for beginners and intermediate learners: explaining WHY French works the way it does in terms English speakers can understand.
Native speakers acquired French as children before conscious memory developed. They internalized grammar patterns automatically. They’ve never experienced French as foreign or confusing. When you ask a native teacher “Why do we use subjunctive here instead of indicative?”, they often respond “Because it sounds right” or “That’s just what French people say.” These answers are technically true but pedagogically useless.
Roger encountered this exact frustration during his first year in France in 2012. Despite fluent German and a linguistics background, French remained confusing until he systematically analyzed the patterns that native speakers couldn’t articulate. That struggle taught him how to teach French to English speakers effectively – not by demonstrating correct French, but by explaining the logic behind it in ways that make sense to non-native minds.
Native teacher explanations vs. Roger’s approach
Example 1: Teaching the pronouns “en” and “y”
Typical native French teacher says: “You use ‘en’ when replacing something with ‘de’ and ‘y’ for places or things with ‘à.’ Just practice until it feels natural.”
Roger’s explanation in his private lessons: “English doesn’t have pronouns that work like this, so your brain has no template. Let me break it down systematically:”
🇺🇸 EN — Do you want coffee? — Yes, I want some (of it).
🇺🇸 EN — I have three (of them / books)
“Think of ‘en’ as ‘some/any of it’ – it replaces quantity or partitive expressions. Your English brain wants to say ‘I want it’ but French requires you to specify the quantitative relationship.”
🇺🇸 EN — Are you going to Paris? — Yes, I’m going there.
🇺🇸 EN — I’m thinking about my work. — I think about it often.
“‘Y’ means ‘there’ or ‘to/at it’ – it replaces location or things following ‘à.’ English uses ‘it’ or ‘there’ but French forces you to choose based on the preposition. This is Roger’s systematic approach that addresses the root confusion.”
Example 2: Teaching subjunctive mood
Typical native teacher says: “We use subjunctive after certain expressions like ‘il faut que’ and ‘je veux que.’ Here’s a list to memorize.”
Roger’s approach: “English lost most subjunctive forms centuries ago. You have tiny remnants (‘if I were’ instead of ‘if I was’), but your brain doesn’t automatically categorize statements as factual versus hypothetical. French requires you to grammatically mark this distinction every time. Let me show you the pattern:”
🇺🇸 EN — I know he is sick (indicative – it’s a fact)
🇺🇸 EN — I doubt he is sick (subjunctive – it’s uncertain)
“Think of subjunctive as ‘hypothetical mode’ – you’re talking about possibilities, desires, doubts, not established reality. English communicates this through context and modal verbs. French builds it into verb conjugation. In Roger’s private lessons, we’ll practice until this distinction becomes automatic.”
These aren’t just better explanations – they’re explanations rooted in Roger’s personal experience learning French as an adult English speaker. He remembers exactly which explanations clicked and which ones left him confused, allowing him to teach with precision native speakers simply cannot match.
Roger’s unique trilingual background
The journey that shaped Roger’s teaching philosophy
Born to British parents in the UK, raised in Germany:
Roger grew up genuinely bilingual with English (his parents’ language) and German (his environment’s language). This early bilingualism gave him insight into how languages structure reality differently. English and German share Germanic roots but differ significantly in grammar – German has cases, grammatical gender, and complex article systems that English lost centuries ago.
🇺🇸 EN — This early bilingual experience taught me that grammar isn’t universal
Moved to France in 2012 and learned French as an adult:
Roger wasn’t a child absorbing French unconsciously. He was an adult with firmly established English and German patterns, learning French systematically through conscious study, immersion, and deliberate practice. Every challenge you face with French articles, pronouns, tenses, and moods – Roger faced the same challenges and remembers them vividly.
🇺🇸 EN — I experienced all the frustrations my students are experiencing now
Academic credentials that inform his teaching:
- Degree in Linguistics from University of London in Paris: Theoretical understanding of language structure, phonology, syntax, and language acquisition
- Degree in French with Marketing from Northumbria University: Formal French language education combined with practical communication skills
- 13+ years living in France (since 2012): Daily immersion in authentic French across business, social, and cultural contexts
This combination is rare. Roger isn’t just a native speaker who happens to speak English. He’s a trained linguist who learned French systematically as an adult and can articulate exactly what makes French challenging for English speakers.
🇺🇸 EN — If I could do it, you can do it too
This isn’t empty motivation. It’s credible evidence. Roger started where you are now – as an English speaker finding French confusing, making the same mistakes you’re making, struggling with the same grammar points that frustrate you. He achieved fluency through methods he now teaches in his personalized private lessons. His success proves adult English speakers can master French with the right instruction.
Roger’s teaching advantages for English speakers
Advantage 1: Predicting your exact confusions
Roger knows precisely which French concepts confuse English speakers because those same concepts confused him. When teaching, he anticipates your struggles before you articulate them.
Example: French article usage
English speakers constantly make this error:
🇺🇸 EN — I like chocolate
🇺🇸 EN — I like chocolate (literally: I like the chocolate)
Native teachers mark this error but rarely explain WHY it happens. Roger explains: “English uses zero article for general statements (‘I like chocolate’ = chocolate in general). French requires the definite article for generalizations. Your English brain thinks ‘I like chocolate’ is complete. Train yourself to think ‘I like the concept of chocolate’ in French.”
🇺🇸 EN — I like classical music (literally: I like the classical music)
🇺🇸 EN — She hates sports (literally: She hates the sport)
In Roger’s trial lesson, you’ll see how he identifies your specific confusion patterns and addresses them systematically rather than just correcting errors.
Advantage 2: Comparative explanations across three languages
Roger’s trilingual perspective lets him explain French through strategic comparisons with English and German, making abstract concepts concrete.
Example: Explaining French gender through German patterns
English speakers struggle with French grammatical gender because English lost it. Roger uses German as a bridge:
🇺🇸 EN — The sun (masculine) / The moon (feminine)
“German has three genders (masculine, feminine, neuter), so I understand that grammatical gender isn’t based on biological sex – it’s arbitrary linguistic classification. English speakers need to accept that ‘la table’ (the table) being feminine doesn’t mean the table has female characteristics. It’s just a grammar category, like German ‘der Tisch’ (masculine table) versus French ‘la table’ (feminine table) – same object, different grammatical assignment.”
This metalinguistic awareness – understanding that all language conventions are arbitrary – helps English speakers stop looking for logical reasons behind French gender and just learn the patterns. Roger gained this awareness through his trilingual experience and shares it in every lesson.
Advantage 3: Remembering which explanations actually work
Roger has refined his teaching over 13+ years based on which explanations consistently help English speakers versus which create more confusion.
Example: Passé composé vs. imparfait
Native teachers typically explain: “Passé composé for completed actions, imparfait for background or repeated actions.” Technically correct but too abstract for beginners.
Roger’s visual analogy that consistently works:
🇺🇸 EN — Yesterday, I was walking in the park when I saw my friend
“Think of imparfait as video footage playing – continuous action, no defined endpoint (je marchais = I was walking, ongoing). Passé composé is a camera shutter clicking – specific moment captured (j’ai vu = I saw, completed moment). English uses ‘was walking’ for imparfait and simple past ‘saw’ for passé composé, but French uses two different past tenses.”
🇺🇸 EN — When I was a child, I used to play football every day
🇺🇸 EN — Yesterday, I played football for two hours
This camera/video metaphor works because it maps abstract grammatical concepts to visual representations English speakers immediately grasp. Roger discovered this analogy while learning French himself – it’s the explanation that finally made the distinction clear to him, and it works for his students consistently in private lessons.
Advantage 4: Efficient learning strategies from personal experience
Roger learned French efficiently as a busy adult. He knows which learning strategies produce results quickly and which waste precious time.
What Roger learned DOESN’T work efficiently (and doesn’t teach):
- Memorizing conjugation tables without contextual usage
- Grammar drills disconnected from actual communication needs
- Passive listening without active speaking practice
- Perfectionism that delays speaking until “ready” (you’re never ready)
- Translating everything word-for-word from English
What Roger learned DOES work (and teaches in his lessons):
- Learning grammar through high-frequency phrases you’ll actually use
- Strategic vocabulary acquisition (1000 most common words give you 85% comprehension)
- Immediate application – using new concepts in speaking within the same lesson
- Comprehensible input at your level +1 (slightly above current ability)
- Error correction that explains WHY something is wrong, not just THAT it’s wrong
🇺🇸 EN — Efficiency comes from targeted practice, not exhaustive study
Roger’s private lessons focus on the 20% of French that gives you 80% of communication ability. This Pareto principle approach accelerates progress dramatically compared to traditional textbook methods.
💡 Roger’s teaching philosophy:
“I don’t teach you everything about French. I teach you the French you actually need to communicate effectively. We focus on patterns, not exceptions. We practice speaking from lesson one, not after you’ve ‘mastered’ grammar. We build confidence through small wins, not overwhelming complexity. This approach works because it’s how I learned French successfully as an adult, and I’ve refined it through thousands of hours teaching English speakers specifically.”
What you get in Roger’s private lessons
Personalized instruction designed for English speakers
Roger’s private lessons aren’t generic French instruction adapted for English speakers – they’re designed from the ground up for English speakers’ specific needs.
Affordable trial lesson – just €9:
🇺🇸 EN — A 60-minute trial lesson for just 9 euros
This trial lesson lets you experience Roger’s teaching approach risk-free. You’ll see immediately how his explanations differ from native French teachers. Most students book regular lessons after the trial because the difference is that obvious.
What happens in a typical Roger lesson:
- Assessment of your current level and specific struggles: Roger identifies exactly where you’re confused (not just that you make errors, but WHY you make them)
- Targeted explanations using English-French comparisons: Grammar concepts explained in terms that make sense to your English-speaking brain
- Immediate practice: You use new concepts in speaking within the same lesson, not in future “practice sessions”
- Strategic error correction: Roger explains the pattern behind your errors so you fix the root cause, not just the surface mistake
- Homework focused on high-impact practice: Exercises that reinforce patterns you’ll actually use, not academic grammar drills
🇺🇸 EN — Every lesson is adapted to your specific needs
Flexible scheduling for busy adults:
Roger offers weekly lessons, bi-weekly lessons, or intensive packages depending on your schedule and learning goals. Online lessons via video call mean you can learn from anywhere – no commute required.
Lesson packages and pricing:
- Trial lesson: €9 for 60 minutes (most popular entry point)
- Single lessons: Available for occasional students
- Weekly packages: Consistent progress through regular instruction
- Intensive packages: Rapid progress for motivated learners or DELF preparation
Comprehensive learning resources beyond lessons
Roger doesn’t just teach during lessons – he provides comprehensive resources that support your learning between sessions.
Detailed lesson notes:
After each lesson, Roger provides written summaries of concepts covered, examples practiced, and homework assignments. These notes become your personalized French reference guide.
🇺🇸 EN — You receive detailed notes after each lesson
Curated learning materials:
Roger recommends specific resources (videos, podcasts, articles, books) matched to your current level and interests. No more wasting time on materials that are too advanced or too basic.
Email support between lessons:
Got a quick question while practicing? Roger responds to student emails, providing clarification when you’re stuck on homework or encounter confusing French in the wild.
Progress tracking:
Roger monitors your progress systematically, identifying patterns in your strengths and weaknesses. This data-driven approach ensures lessons target your actual needs, not generic curriculum.
⚠️ What Roger’s lessons are NOT:
- Not conversation practice with error correction: While speaking practice is included, lessons focus on systematic skill building, not just chatting in French
- Not one-size-fits-all curriculum: Every lesson is customized to your needs, not following a rigid textbook sequence
- Not academic French: Roger teaches practical, communicative French you’ll actually use, not literary analysis or archaic grammar
- Not suitable for complete beginners who want to “just try French”: Roger’s students are committed learners who want real progress, not casual hobby learners
Who benefits most from Roger’s teaching
Ideal students for Roger’s approach
Adult learners who need explanations that make sense:
🇺🇸 EN — Adults who want to understand the “why,” not just memorize
If you’re frustrated with teachers who say “that’s just how French works,” Roger’s systematic explanations will feel like finally finding someone who speaks your language (literally and figuratively).
English speakers struggling with specific French concepts:
Articles, pronouns, past tenses, subjunctive – if these topics confuse you despite studying them multiple times, Roger specializes in breaking through these exact barriers.
Learners preparing for DELF/TCF exams:
Roger’s exam-focused lessons target the specific skills and vocabulary tested on French proficiency exams, with strategies that maximize your score.
Busy professionals needing flexible scheduling:
Online lessons mean you can learn from home, office, or anywhere with internet. No commute time wasted.
Students who’ve “tried everything” and still struggle:
If you’ve used apps, textbooks, group classes, and still can’t break through to conversational fluency, Roger’s personalized approach addresses your specific blocks.
Who should choose a different teacher
Students wanting native-speaker conversation only:
If you’re already intermediate/advanced and just need speaking practice with error correction, a native French conversation partner might be more appropriate (and cheaper).
Children and teenagers:
Roger specializes in adult learning psychology and teaching methods. Children learn languages differently and need different pedagogical approaches.
Absolute beginners wanting “fun” casual learning:
Roger’s lessons are effective but systematic. If you want light, entertainment-focused French without serious progression goals, a more casual approach might suit you better.
Students not willing to do homework:
Lessons provide instruction and practice, but real progress requires work between sessions. If you won’t do recommended homework, you’re wasting your money and Roger’s time.
💡 The trial lesson answers the question:
The €9 trial lesson exists specifically to let you experience Roger’s teaching approach and decide if it’s right for you. In 60 minutes, you’ll know whether his systematic, explanation-focused method matches your learning style. Most students book regular lessons immediately after the trial, but the low price ensures you’re not risking significant money to find out.
Real examples of Roger’s teaching in action
Teaching challenge: Explaining “on” pronoun to English speakers
The French pronoun “on” confuses English speakers because it has no direct equivalent. Roger’s systematic explanation:
🇺🇸 EN — We speak French here / French is spoken here / One speaks French here
Roger’s explanation: “‘On’ is like English ‘one’ (formal, rarely used) or ‘they’ (indefinite). But in practice, modern French uses ‘on’ the way English uses ‘we’ in informal speech. It’s becoming the default way to say ‘we’ in spoken French.”
🇺🇸 EN — Shall we go to the cinema tonight? (literally: One goes to cinema tonight?)
🇺🇸 EN — You never know / One never knows
🇺🇸 EN — I was told / Someone told me that you’re moving
“English speakers struggle with ‘on’ because your brain wants to translate it as ‘he/she/it’ (third person singular verb form) but it means ‘we/they/people in general.’ In my lessons, we practice until ‘on’ feels natural through contextual usage, not grammar tables.”
Teaching challenge: Reflexive verbs that aren’t reflexive in English
English speakers find French reflexive verbs illogical because many aren’t reflexive in English.
🇺🇸 EN — I get up at 7am (literally: I lift myself at 7am)
🇺🇸 EN — His name is Marc / He’s called Marc (literally: He calls himself Marc)
🇺🇸 EN — She remembers her childhood (literally: She remembers herself of her childhood)
Roger’s approach: “French conceptualizes these actions as things you do to yourself. English doesn’t. Stop looking for logical reasons – it’s just how French categorizes these verbs. We’ll learn the most common reflexive verbs as fixed expressions, like learning idioms. The pattern becomes automatic through practice, not logic.”
🇺🇸 EN — I get dressed
🇺🇸 EN — You go to bed late
🇺🇸 EN — We’re taking a walk
In lessons, Roger provides these comparative examples so you understand why reflexive verbs feel strange, then drills the most common ones until they become automatic.
How to start learning with Roger
Step 1: Book your €9 trial lesson
Visit FrenchToEnglish.com/lessons and book your 60-minute trial lesson for just €9. This trial gives you full access to Roger’s teaching approach at minimal cost.
🇺🇸 EN — The trial lesson is a real lesson, not a consultation
What to expect in your trial lesson:
- First 10 minutes: Roger assesses your current level through conversation and targeted questions
- Next 40 minutes: Actual teaching focused on a concept you’re struggling with or a skill you want to develop
- Final 10 minutes: Discussion of your goals, recommended lesson frequency, and learning plan
You’ll leave the trial lesson with: specific insights into your French weaknesses, actionable practice recommendations, and a clear sense of whether Roger’s teaching style matches your learning needs.
Step 2: Choose your learning path
After the trial, you can:
Option 1: Weekly private lessons (most popular)
Regular weekly instruction provides consistent progress and accountability. This option works best for most adult learners balancing French with work and life responsibilities.
🇺🇸 EN — Weekly lessons create steady progression
Option 2: Intensive package for rapid progress
2-3 lessons per week accelerates progress significantly. Ideal for DELF exam preparation, pre-travel intensive study, or motivated learners wanting fastest possible results.
Option 3: Bi-weekly lessons for maintenance
Every two weeks works for intermediate students who need guidance but are also doing significant independent study between lessons.
Roger recommends your lesson frequency based on your goals, timeline, and current level during the trial lesson discussion.
Step 3: Get learning resources between lessons
Roger provides comprehensive support beyond the lesson hour:
Lesson notes and summaries: Detailed written records of concepts covered, examples practiced, vocabulary introduced, and homework assigned.
Targeted homework: Practice exercises that reinforce the specific patterns you’re working on, not generic textbook drills.
Resource recommendations: Roger suggests specific videos, podcasts, articles, or books matched to your level and interests for between-lesson practice.
Email support: Quick questions answered between lessons so you don’t stay stuck on confusing points until your next session.
Study glossary – Key teaching terms
| FR | EN | Usage Context |
|---|---|---|
| Un professeur / Un enseignant | A teacher | Roger est professeur de français |
| Trilingue | Trilingual | Roger est trilingue (anglais, allemand, français) |
| Une leçon / Un cours | A lesson | Une leçon de 60 minutes |
| La linguistique | Linguistics | Roger a étudié la linguistique |
| Apprendre en tant qu’adulte | To learn as an adult | J’apprends le français en tant qu’adulte |
| Expliquer / Une explication | To explain / An explanation | Roger explique la grammaire clairement |
| Comprendre | To understand | Je comprends mieux avec Roger |
| Une méthode d’enseignement | A teaching method | La méthode de Roger est efficace |
| Un cours particulier | A private lesson | Prendre des cours particuliers |
| Personnalisé(e) | Personalized | Des leçons personnalisées |
| Progresser | To progress | Je progresse rapidement avec Roger |
| Une leçon d’essai | A trial lesson | Réserver une leçon d’essai |
The bottom line: Why Roger’s approach works
Learning French from Roger isn’t just about finding a qualified teacher – it’s about finding a teacher who fundamentally understands your experience as an English speaker learning French.
🇺🇸 EN — Roger doesn’t just teach you French, he teaches you how to learn French effectively
Native French teachers demonstrate correct French. Roger explains WHY French works the way it does in terms that make sense to English speakers. Native teachers correct your errors. Roger explains the pattern behind your errors so you fix the root cause. Native teachers follow textbook curriculum. Roger adapts every lesson to your specific needs and confusions.
Most importantly, Roger proves through his own success that adult English speakers can achieve French fluency. He’s living evidence that the journey from confused beginner to confident French speaker is achievable – because he made that exact journey himself and remembers every step.
🇺🇸 EN — The advantage of a trilingual teacher isn’t that he speaks three languages, it’s that he understands three ways of thinking
Roger’s trilingual background (English, German, French), linguistics education, 13+ years teaching experience, and personal adult-learning journey combine to create a teaching approach that simply isn’t available from native French speakers. The €9 trial lesson exists so you can experience this difference firsthand without significant financial risk.
If you’re frustrated with French learning approaches that don’t address your actual confusion points, if you want explanations that make sense instead of “that’s just how we say it,” if you need a teacher who remembers what it’s like to find French genuinely confusing and foreign – book a trial lesson with Roger. The difference will be immediately obvious.
