New learners of French are often unsettled or scared when they find out that every French noun has a gender: it is either masculine or feminine. How to know whether a word is masculine or feminine in French? You need to learn it as part as the vocabulary and therefore create good learning habits from the start, so you build on strong bases. Plus, here are tips on how you can predict the gender of a word ! In this episode, I’ll talk about categories of nouns which tend to be either mostly masculine or mostly feminine. This should greatly help you! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words … Read More →
FYW 031 : The Guide to Movement + Direction in French
How to say “to run up”, “to run down”, “to swim past”, “to crawl through”, etc. in French? Learn to think differently so you won’t get stuck anymore, because literal translation is not working here! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode To run up = monter en courant To run down = descendre en courant Il monte et descend les escaliers en courant. = He’s running up and down the stairs. To run past = passer en courant Il est passé en courant sans me voir = He ran past without seeing me. to crawl = ramper to crawl through = traverser en rampant Le bébé … Read More →
FYW 030 : How to say Fruit and Fruit Trees in French
This short episode is a 2 in 1 episode: By adding extra words to your vocabulary, you will also (and mostly) brush up or add to your existing knowledge of some basic vocab : names of fruits. Just as in English where you need the word “apple” to make the word “apple tree” or “cherry” to make “cherry” tree, you need to know the name of the fruit in French to name the tree (or plant) it grows on. So, test yourself! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Une orange, un oranger = an orange, an orange tree Une peche, un pecher = a peach, a peach tree Une noix, un … Read More →
FYW 029 : A New Insight into “Voir” and “Regarder”
"Voir" or "regarder"? I’ll explain the difference, because it seems to be a source of confusion for many students of French. Learn vocabulary and expressions along the way too! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Voir = to see (passive) Déjà vu = already seen La vue = the view, the sight La télévision, une télévision = TV, a TV set Voir un film au cinéma = to go see a movie at the cinema. se voir = to see oneself Les vampires ne se voient pas dans le miroir. = Vampires can’t see themselves in a mirror. se voir = to see each other, see one another Mes … Read More →
Toujours and Encore in French
Friendly reader Isabel emailed me with an interesting question about the use of toujours and encore: Can they be used interchangeably, for example when I say: « Je suis toujours à la recherche d'un appartement » ou « Je suis encore à la recherche d'un appartement » Is it the same thing? When will they mean something different? I actually found the question quite tricky and had to do a bit of research myself! Indeed, the use of one word can result in a neutral statement whereas choosing the other word may imply a judgement. Sometimes, both words can be completely … Read More →
FYW 028 : Le Cahier De Vacances – All About Holiday and Homework
In the Northern hemisphere, summer is coming to an end, holiday time is over. Children and students are going back to school soon (la rentrée) and you may now be listening to me on your commute rather than on the beach. Don’t worry! To help you transition smoothly, I’ll start the episode talking about holidays (the word “vacances in French”) and then we’ll move to duties and homework talk! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Nous sommes allés en vacances en France / Nous sommes allés en France pour les vacances = We went on holiday in France. Les grandes … Read More →
FYW 027 : Learn the different words for “Friend” in French
We’re going to talk about the people who are very important in our lives: friends – the different words to say “friend” in French, their differences in meaning and the history behind the words. I’ll also give you some songs and books references around the theme of friendship. Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Un(e) ami(e)= a friend ma mie = sweetheart, dear one (dated) (vu dans La Reine Margot que je lis) Un copain, une copine = a friend Grand ami (=great friend), meilleur ami (= best friend) Petit(e) ami(e), petit(e) copain/copine = boyfriend / … Read More →
FYW 026 : Aches, Pains and Broken Bones
Talking about broken bones and how to say where you’re sore! More than just expressions, you will also reinforce some grammar notions that many students of French often get wrong. Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Avoir mal à + le/la/les + body part = have pain at (to have a sth-ache, to hurt there) Avoir mal à la tête = to have a headache Avoir mal aux pieds = to have sore feet Avoir mal au dos = to have a sore back avoir mal à l’estomac = to have a stomach ache (the organ) avoir mal au ventre = to have a stomach/tummy ache avoir mal au cœur = to … Read More →
FYW 025 : All about meetings and rendezvous in French
There are several words and expressions to say "to meet" in French ; let's meet them together! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Rencontrer = to meet (for the first time), to encounter J’ai rencontré mon mari à Hong Kong. Enchanté ; Très heureux/heureuse = Nice to meet you Très heureux/heureuse de faire votre connaissance ; ravi(e) de vous rencontrer Retrouver = to meet (again) J’ai retrouvé un ami d’enfance sur internet. = I met a childhood friend on the Internet. se rencontrer, se retrouver = to meet each other un RDV / un rendez-vous = an … Read More →
FYW 024 : How to stay motivated learning French?
This is a totally different episode where I reply to John, a student and listener who struggles to keep up the motivation to keep learning. John asks for my input and raises many interesting questions which I’m sure many of you have been experiencing too, so I thought this could help you! The two keywords to remember from this episode are: patience and confidence! Use the comment section of this page to say whether you agree or disagree with me, share your language learning experience or give your tips to John! LINKS and RESOURCES Read my article: “How long does it take to learn … Read More →
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