Martha from Cape Cod in the USA is confused about when to use the verb FALLOIR and when to use DEVOIR in French. As a result, she says she exclusively uses DEVOIR. The two verbs actually have the same meaning but the structure of the sentence will be different. Let's see how they work, with concrete examples. I'll also give you additional meanings for DEVOIR 😉 Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Devoir = je dois, tu dois, il/elle/on doit, nous devons, vous devez, ils doivent Pour faire des crêpes, il faut de la farine, des œufs, etc. = on doit … Read More →

Lacking a sense of direction is the surest way to ending up nowhere, feeling all over the place, overwhelmed and eventually discouraged. Find out how you can define your French learning goals and stay focused using the SMART goals tool. Links and Resources "How long does it take to learn French?" (article) "How long does it take to learn French?" (episode 182 of French Your Way Podcast) "How to stay motivated learning French?" (episode 24 of French Your Way Podcast) … Read More →

Listener Rebecca is confused about the different forms of the French word "nouveau" and how it is different from the word "neuf". Let's clarify the difference and learn new expressions along the way! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Nouveau(x), nouvel(le) un nouveau jour, une nouvelle nuit un nouvel ordinateur un nouvel iPhone Avez-vous lu le nouveau Werber ? / vu le nouveau Besson ? / écouté le nouveau CD de Cabrel ? Le nouvel élève est intimidé. / Le nouveau est intimidé. Il y a du nouveau dans cette affaire. A nouveau = once again, once more Malgré sa … Read More →

This episode complements episode 222: "What are these strange " LE " and "NE" words with no actual meaning in French ??". We'll see examples of letters being added with the only purpose of making French pronunciation easier. There will also be examples of common spelling alterations to achieve that same purpose. So, if you want to get more clarity on why you may find a mysterious "NE"/"LE"/"S"/"T" or accent in a French sentence or word which doesn't usually has it, this episode is for you! PS: Don't forget to check the links / articles I refer to below! PPS: Please share the word about … Read More →

Joanna asked me : Why is the " l' " neccesary in "Tu verras ce que l'on gagne à vouloir vivre libre"? What is it a pronoun referring to? it is direct or indirect? Merci! Good question! It may be very surprising but this "l' " doesn't mean anything and is not compulsory! Ok, I think you need to listen to this episode so I can explain! 😉 Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Cet homme est plus intelligent que tu (ne) crois / qu'il (ne) parait. J'ai bien peur qu'elle (ne) soit fâchée. Fuyez avant qu'il (ne) vous voie ! Labeaume, c'est le village … Read More →

Thanks to Tina for suggesting to talk about French expressions on the podcast. Idiomatic expressions can be so difficult for language learners because they often don't make sense when they are translated literally. However, they're rather fun and also commonly used, therefore it is always useful to know them. Of course, I also find it very interesting to research the ORIGIN of the expressions! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Donner sa langue au chat LINKS and RESOURCES Upcoming events (Games in French, French Grammar Clinic workshops) FYW 043 : French … Read More →

Pronunciation rules around the verb "acheter" (and more!) Listener Nuvia is in doubt on how to pronounce the verb "acheter" in the present tense. There are indeed a few opportunities for you to learn or brush up various aspects of the French language in this seemingly short and simple question. Let's dive in! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode ACHETER J'achète Tu achètes Il / elle / on achète Nous achetons Vous achetez Ils / elles achètent épousseter, épeler, crocheter, déceler (to detect / discover / spot), congeler, acheter, se racheter, peler, (se) … Read More →

If you haven"t taken the challenge yet, grab your pen and paper and test yourself with the free French dictation I ran live in August! This is a great opportunity for you to brush-up your French listening, grammar and phonetic skills. As always, I"ll also comment on and explain a few tricky points ;-) The text used for the dictation is below, no cheating! Do it by yourself first! You can also find the video recording (and downloadable notes) on my YouTube channel. Check out my Upcoming Events page so you don"t miss the next live sessions! (Games in French, Grammar Clinics and … Read More →

This episode complements episode 217 ("How to convert a verb into a noun or adjective in French?") and sheds light on some special spelling rules that may happen inside a same family of words. You'll get a grammar brush-up and become a French spelling Jedi if you can remember these rules! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode pratiquerIl se donne toutes les chances de réussir son concours en pratiquant le piano tous les jours.Nous avons grandi dans une famille très pratiquante.Les pratiquants se retrouvent à l'église du village le dimanche matin.Un pratiquant du … Read More →