Learn Hardcore French: Je trouve que la grammaire est difficile, mais la prononciation me paraît plus facile. - I find that grammar is difficult, but pronunciation seems easier to me.

Je pense que = I think that (fairly neutral, intellectual opinion).
Je crois que = I believe that (similar to I think, slightly more about belief/conviction).
Je trouve que = I find that (often more evaluative, based on personal experience or feeling).

In this sentence, Je trouve que la grammaire est difficile suggests: From my experience, grammar is difficult (for me / in my view).

Why do we say la grammaire and la prononciation with la? In English we would just say “grammar” and “pronunciation” without “the”.

In French, abstract or general things (like grammar, love, life, music) are very often used with the definite article (le / la / les) when speaking in general.

La grammaire est difficile. = Grammar is difficult (in general).
La prononciation est importante. = Pronunciation is important.

Leaving out the article (grammaire est difficile) is ungrammatical in standard French in this kind of general statement.

Could I say Je trouve la grammaire difficile instead of Je trouve que la grammaire est difficile?

Yes, both are correct, but the structure is different:

Je trouve la grammaire difficile.
trouver + COD (direct object) + adjectif
Literally: I find grammar difficult.
Je trouve que la grammaire est difficile.
trouver que + proposition
Literally: I find that grammar is difficult.

The meaning is almost the same. The que + sentence form is a bit more explicit and very common in spoken French.

What exactly does me paraît mean here?

paraître roughly means to seem / to appear.
me is an indirect object pronoun = to me.

So la prononciation me paraît plus facile literally is:

Pronunciation appears to me more easy
→ Pronunciation seems easier to me.

You can think: me paraît ≈ seems to me.

Why is it me paraît and not paraît me?

French object pronouns normally go before the verb (except in some special cases like affirmative imperatives).

Correct word order:

Elle me paraît sympathique. = She seems nice to me.
Ça me plaît. = I like that. (literally That pleases me.)

So me paraît is correct; paraît me would be wrong in standard French.

What is the difference between paraître and sembler? Could I say la prononciation me semble plus facile?

Yes, you can say:

La prononciation me semble plus facile.

paraître and sembler are very close in meaning (to seem, to appear). In many contexts they are interchangeable. Some teachers find sembler a bit more common in everyday speech for opinions, but both are fine here. The nuance is very small.

Do I have to include me in la prononciation me paraît plus facile? Can I just say la prononciation paraît plus facile?

You can say both, but there is a difference:

La prononciation me paraît plus facile.
→ Pronunciation seems easier *to me.* (personal opinion is highlighted)
La prononciation paraît plus facile.
→ Pronunciation seems easier. (more general; doesn’t clearly say “to me”)

In a sentence expressing your personal experience, me paraît is more natural.

Could I say paraît plus facile pour moi instead of me paraît plus facile?

Yes, but the style changes:

La prononciation me paraît plus facile.
→ Very natural, short, neutral.
La prononciation paraît plus facile pour moi.
→ Also correct, but it sounds a bit heavier and emphasizes pour moi more, as if you contrast yourself with others.

Use me paraît by default; use pour moi when you really want to stress for me (as opposed to others).

Why is there no que in the second part, like mais que la prononciation me paraît plus facile?

You don’t need que here because mais is simply linking two full clauses:

Je trouve que la grammaire est difficile,
mais la prononciation me paraît plus facile.

Each clause already has its own subject and verb.
Adding que after mais (mais que la prononciation…) would be incorrect in this sentence.

Should there always be a comma before mais like in ..., mais la prononciation...?

In French writing, it is very common (and usually recommended) to put a comma before mais when it links two clauses:

Je suis fatigué, mais je dois travailler.

You will often see , mais in this kind of structure. In informal writing some people may sometimes omit the comma, but with the comma is the standard.

Why is it plus facile without que? In English we say “easier than…”.

French comparatives usually use:

plus + adjective + que = more … than

For example:

La prononciation est plus facile que la grammaire.

In your sentence, the que la grammaire part is understood from the previous clause and left out to avoid repetition:

Je trouve que la grammaire est difficile, mais la prononciation me paraît plus facile (que la grammaire).

So it is an ellipsis: the full comparison is understood from context.

Why is the verb in the present tense (est, paraît) and not something like “is being” difficult / easy?

French does not have a separate present continuous form like English is being / is doing. The présent de l’indicatif covers both:

La grammaire est difficile.
→ Grammar is difficult. / Grammar is being difficult (right now) – same French tense.

So est and me paraît are simply the normal present tense, and they correspond to English is / seems (and often also to is being / is seeming depending on context).

Does Je trouve que la grammaire est difficile sound very strong or rude, especially to a French teacher?

No, it’s perfectly fine and natural. You are just expressing your experience.

If you want to sound a bit softer or more modest, you can add a little “attenuator”:

Je trouve que la grammaire est un peu difficile.
Je trouve que la grammaire peut être difficile.

But even without that, the original sentence is polite and normal in a classroom context.