Yep, they're French.

Daft Punk that is.

Part of a photo shoot for the Wall Street Journal.

Courtesy of http://www.daftpunk-anthology.com/daft-news

Oh when do I stop translating in my head and just speak and comprehend French as French?

This is a big question for me. I am at some what of a stand still with my French learning while I attend online college classes in English. Well, I suppose I only have myself to blame. I make time for two classes a week. Why not French verb drills, vocabulary, flash cards, or some audio listening comprehension on a regular basis. It is very tiring to listen in French to a native French speaker and hope I have time enough to work out in my head what is being said. Then I try to get myself together fast enough again in my head to get my tongue moving and staying in decent timing with the conversation. Sure talking with the same people helps. You get use to a person's voice, his/her nuances, the speed, the style, and best of all he/she knows what to expect from you. When I talk with someone I see once a week or less I have found I am much closer to mental exhaustion after a conversation. I suppose with more time and absolutely with more French studying efforts I will eventually approach fluency. Until then I need a bag of frozen peas for my brain.