Eva Longoria is taking French lessons so that she can understand her boyfriend's native language.

The Desperate Housewives star started the classes this summer in a bid to impress basketball star Tony Parker, even though he prefers to speak English at home.

"He's terrible. He always wants to speak English. I try to remind him, but he always forgets and says it's easier and faster to speak English, but I want to understand," Longoria told People magazine.

"I couldn't speak French before Tony. All I knew how to say was 'My name is Eva'. I went to a Berlitz French school this summer, doing about five hours a day."