When I used to teach in various traditional French schools and centres, I noticed some problems and inconsistencies which made me increasingly frustrated (that’s actually how I became independent and created French Your way and my two podcasts!). I observed, listened and tried to address these issues so I could make the whole experience of learning French more relevant and meaningful: What wasn’t being done in bigger schools that should be? What did students complain about? So, here are my 5 core beliefs about language learning (not just French!) 1. Confidence is key I met Robbie … Read More →
FYW 072 : Position of Adjectives (PART 2): un homme pauvre, un pauvre homme
This is the second and last part of my tips to help you with the order/position of adjectives in a sentence. Remember that French language is full of exceptions and subtleties, which is what makes it so fascinating! In this episode I’ll show you how some adjectives can change meaning depending on whether they’re placed before or after the noun they describe. As usual, I'll give you examples to make these rules clear and easily memorable. Make sure you’ve listened to episode 71 of this podcast before listening to this episode. Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this … Read More →
FYW 071 : Position of adjectives (PART 1): “voiture rouge” or “rouge voiture”?
In this episode I’ll be answering John's question regarding the position of adjectives in a sentence: In "J'ai une voiture rouge.", the adjective (rouge/red) is after the object (voiture/car). But in a sentence like " C'est une grande fille.", the adjective (grande/tall ) is before the object ( fille/girl )." Is there a simple rule or tool you can use to be certain your placement is correct? Listen to my podcast and find out! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Un ballon, un ballon rouge (= a ball, a red ball) Une étudiante, une étudiante américaine (a … Read More →
FYW 070 : Introduction to French Grammar (Part 2): adjectives, adverbs, pronouns
This second episode about French grammar will explain what adjectives, adverbs and pronouns are in order to make learning French easier for you ...and you may find that you’re starting to reflect on how English language works too! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Check out my article (and get the free worksheet) LINKS and RESOURCES My article + free worksheet - “Introduction to French grammar: what type of word is this?” Introduction to French Grammar (Part 1): articles, nouns and verbs: frenchyourway.com.au/podcast69 My article - “Challenge: Can I … Read More →
FYW 069 : Introduction to French Grammar (Part 1): articles, nouns and verbs
This episode about French grammar will be divided into 2 parts. It's an audio version of an article I wrote and published on my website (www.frenchyourway.com.au ) which has helped many students cover the basics of French grammar, that is to say: what's an article, a noun, a verb. (some of you haven’t learnt it at school). Believe me, this will help you with your French…and you may find that you’re starting to reflect on how English language works too! If you are a grammar-phobic person, I suggest you start by listening to episode 61 of this podcast, where I explain why it is important to … Read More →
Emmener, amener, emporter, apporter ?
Emmener, amener, emporter, apporter ? Emmener, amener, emporter, apporter are four French verbs which trigger nightmares for some of my students…but also for some French people! In this article, I hope to clarify things enough for you to feel confident about using them properly :-) So, keep reading then test yourself with my free practice exercises! “Porter” vs “-mener” “Porter” means “to carry” (and, when referring to clothes, “to wear”). Example: un porte-clé (= a keyring, literally “a key-carrier/holder”) It’s used with things, because things can’t walk or move themselves and need to … Read More →
FYW 067 : Why you shouldn’t say “very delicious” in French
What’s wrong with saying "Yum, this is very delicious!" or "Wow, this is very beautiful!" Nothing...in English. However, a literal translation of these expressions -along with a few others- doesn't work in French. Here’s why. Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Délicieux Super / génial / formidable / merveilleux / grandiose / fabuleux Magnifique / superbe Meilleur / mieux Pire Essentiel, indispensable vraiment= really absolument = absolutely "Miam! C'est très délicieux!" ? "Miam ! C'est vraiment / absolument délicieux !" (= Yum ! It’s really / … Read More →
FYW 066 : Reading French Books: Where to Start?
Have you ever read a book in French? Why (or why not)? Once you’ve got some bases in French, I recommend you start trying reading French books and magazines. Why read French books? What basic requirements should you meet before starting to read in French? Where to start with reading in French? I’m sharing my best tips for you to approach reading in French! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode None for this episode - Check out “Reading French books: where to start?”: https://frenchyourway.com.au/reading-french-books-start LINKS and RESOURCES Article … Read More →
FYW 065 : Futur Simple vs Futur Proche
Discover some popular French expressions with body parts words. Can you guess what "having a hair on one’s tongue" mean? Or "not having one’s tongue in one’s pocket"? Find out now! Enrich your vocabulary and get a fun insight into French culture as well :-) Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode L’année prochaine, je vais étudier le français en France. = Next year, I’m going to study French in France Pour ma retraite, je vais acheter une maison au bord de la mer. = For my retirement I’m going to buy a house by the beach. Nous débiterons 200 dollars de votre … Read More →
Why you can’t say “very delicious” in French – and other examples
What’s wrong with saying “Yum, this is very delicious!” or “Wow, this is very beautiful!” ? Nothing…in English. However, a literal translation of these expressions -along with a few others- doesn’t work in French. Here’s why. "Very delicious": the basic explanation Some words such as “délicieux”, “magnifique” already include the idea of a superlative/of “something very high degree”, therefore using “très” with these words is really redundant and sounds very awkward. The more detailed explanation Here’s what the online dictionary of the CNRTL says about “très” (it’s a bit grammatical, but … Read More →
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