David from Sydney asked me :"If gauche is left, and droite is right, what is the connection between droite and tout droit for straight ahead ?" These can be confusing indeed because the two expressions look and sound very much alike. What particularly interested me in David's question is, not surprisingly, whether there was a connection between tout droit et à droite, as in whether they had the same origin (because clearly, they don't indicate the same direction!!) Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode A gauche = left / to the left A droite = right / to the … Read More →
FYW 081 : The History Behind the Names of French Meals… with a Pinch of Grammar!
Find out what "déjeuner" means in French and why we say "petit-déjeuner". You’ll also understand why these meals are taken at different times of the day in some places, which can be a bit confusing! I'll also draw your attention to a couple of common mistakes often made by students: how to translate “to have a meal” in French and the use of definite articles in some expressions! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Prendre un repas = to have a meal Prendre un café = to have a coffe, to drink a coffee jeûner = to fast, to abstain from eating le … Read More →