Pétanque (French boules) is the 10th most popular sport in France and is also played by millions of French people for pleasure, especially during summer holidays where tournaments organised in the camping / holiday resorts are very common (I remember enrolling in some “tournois de pétanque” myself as a teenager). Last July, my husband and I spent a few weeks in France and playing pétanque again revived fond childhood memories. I eventually had a set delivered to Australia - the “boules” are so heavy it would have been a shame to take them back in our luggage as we would have lost some … Read More →
FYW 011 : French Words Derived From Numbers
Vocabulary is dripping from the ceiling in this episode where I give you many words derived from each of the French numbers, from one to ten! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Unique, une licorne (= a unicorn) un duo, un duel Bis ! = encore (musique concert) ; A (street number) Une bicyclette, un biscuit, un bipède, la bigamie, bipolaire Un tricycle, un triangle, un trio, des triplés, une triplette (team of 3 pétanque players), un trimestre Un quatuor, quarante, la quarantaine Un pentagone, un pentathlon Sexagésimal(e) : division of time into 60 … Read More →
FV 014 : Travel the World While Playing Tennis
Sacha is a young French entrepreneur who’s turned his passion for tennis into a career. He offers to take tennis fans to exotic destinations to play tennis on the most prestigious courts in the world. To celebrate the upcoming French Open Grand Slam Tournament (Roland Garros), this episode is dedicated to all the tennis fans. Episode Timeline [03 min 13 sec] Sacha, "le Ch'ti" [05 min 35 sec] Sacha’s background [07 min 27 sec] First work experiences in Australia [07 min 58 sec] A passion for tennis [09 min 50 sec] World Tennis Travel : introduction [13 min 53 sec] Price range and … Read More →
FYW 010 : Je Pense Donc Je Suis
What’s the difference between "penser", "croire", "croire à", "croire en" ? Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Penser = to think Je pense donc je suis. Croire = to believe Je crois/pense que c’est une excellente idée de répondre a cette question! = I think that it is an excellent idea to answer this question! Croire (conjugation in the indicative present tense): je crois, nous croyons, ils croient Une croyance = belief, creed ; conviction Une croyance religieuse Croire = penser Je crois que vous faites une erreur. = I believe /think that you’re … Read More →
FYW 009 : What Time is it?
An overview of the common mistakes from French learners when it comes to ask for the time or say what time it is! Do you make these mistakes too? Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Le temps = time (general notion) Le temps passe vite = Time flies. Une fois = a time (occurrence) Il était une fois = once upon a time Je ne le répèterai pas trois fois = I won’t repeat it 3 times ! L’heure (nf) = the time (hour) Vous avez le temps? = Do you have the time? (do you have a few minutes for me ?) Vous avez l’heure?= Do you have the time ? (do you know what … Read More →
FV 013 : Hitting the Road with French Books on Wheels
Jacques Bernard is the founder of Le Forum bookstore, the only bookstore exclusively and entirely dedicated to French in Australia. He is also the president of the French Books on Wheels, an initiative which allows him to spend several months each year on the road surrounded with books, travelling through Australia to meet the French speaking and French students community and promote French language. If like me, you love travelling and reading, you will also love this episode! Episode Timeline [4 min 30 sec] How Jacques arrived in Australia [06 min 05 sec] A carrier change [07 min 05 sec] … Read More →
FYW 008 : Monnaie vs Money
They sound similar and yet, French word "monnaie" doesn’t mean "money". Let’s go through money-related every day French vocabulary and expressions. This episode will enrich...your knowledge! ;-) Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode argent (nm) = money ; silver (metal, colour) monnaie, devise (nf) = currency L’euro est la monnaie de la France monnaie (f) = change la petite monnaie = loose change, small change une piece de monnaie = a money coin un billet = a bank note un portefeuille = a wallet un porte-monnaie = a purse Vous avez (de) la monnaie ? = … Read More →
How to Count in French from 70 ?
How to count in French from 70 is often tricky for French learners. Craig wrote to me : "To me it seemed more like calculation when trying to learn these numbers as their literal translation is more like a maths equation. For example, 72 translates as sixty-twelve, 86 as four-twenty-six, 98 as four-twenty-ten-eight. If you have grown up learning French, it probably doesn’t seem strange, but the numbers 70 to 100 have never felt natural to me in French." Dear reader and student of French, rejoice! I believe I can help you count from 70 to 100 in French easily! ;-) First, I will … Read More →
FV 011 : Being a Primary School Teacher in Rural France
Elodie is a young, energetic and very creative primary school teacher in rural France. She started teaching in a very small village school where she had to manage pupils of different levels all within the same classroom. We will also talk about the different ideas and projects that she has implemented to help children become more independent and finally about how she talked with her pupils about the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and at Charlie Hebdo. Episode Timeline [06 min 37 sec] “Professeur des Ecoles”: a description of the profession [08 min 10 sec] What her pupils call Elodie [08 … Read More →
Schtroumpfez-vous français?
Have you ever read an album of “Les Schtroumpfs” (The Smurfs) in French by Belgian cartoonist Peyo? If not, you are really missing the opportunity to both entertain yourself (after all, there’s a reason why Les Schtroumpfs have been so popular since 1958) AND to work on your French skills! (keep reading, I've designed some worksheets for you.) By the way, my favourite album has to be "La Soupe Aux Schtroumpfs" (you can read through the first pages) : it's fun from page one and it's very representative of the series: the album shows the dangers the Smurfs have to face as well as the smart, … Read More →