I've been wanting to offer you this type of exercise for a while...today is the day! The "dictée" (dictation) is the French exercise by excellence. It is very academic and has been the nightmare of generations of students. (I did like them, though!). Put yourself to the test! The text of the dictation is in the show notes - don't cheat and read it before you've tried to do it! ? Why this is an interesting exercise: Check that you hear sounds properly Check that you're trying to make sense of what you're hearing (homonyms, cutting the words/the flow, type of words, etc.) Check … Read More →
FYW 183 : Ceci, cela, ça, celui, etc: a guide about using the demonstrative pronouns and adjectives.
In this episode I'll explain the difference between the demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns and will help you choose wisely among all these little words! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Ce soir, cet homme Cette fille Ces enfants C'est un chien. C'est qui? Qui est-ce? Ce (Ça, ceci, cela) doit être difficile! Ça va bien? Ça (ceci / cela) me fait plaisir. Je ne veux pas entendre ça (cela) J'ai vu l'homme; celui que la police recherche depuis 3 mois! Ma femme, c'est celle avec la robe bleue. Le contrôleur sanctionne tous ceux qui … Read More →
FYW 182 : How long does it take to learn French?
I'm sometimes asked the million dollar question: "How long does it take to learn French ?" (or any other language, for that matter.) Another variation to this question is: "How long does it take to become fluent in French?" Before I go any further, what would YOU answer? In this episode, I'll talk about the 6 levels of proficiency defined by the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). I'll try to define the notion of fluency and what comes into play regarding how fast you can learn a foreign language. I'll also give you my opinion about quick-learning methods which … Read More →
FYW 181 : Listen to a real French lesson! (French session #2)
Listen to a real French lesson that I recorded This is a new concept to give you the opportunity to have a casual French session on Skype with me, since I can’t commit to recurring lessons anymore. For you, it is a great opportunity to get my personal feedback on your French and ask me anything that you need help with. Students taking the lesson agree to be recorded (I make sure any personal detail is then edited out) and the result may become a podcast episode…like today! This way, my feedback is both personal and still helping as many of you as possible ? When you participate, you … Read More →
FYW 180 : Understanding the preposition DE (3/3): verbs using a preposition
Is there a logic to know whether a French verb works with the preposition DE, the preposition A, another preposition…or no preposition at all? This is a major struggle from students of French. Here’s the answer, along with my tips about how to learn the structures. We’ll also talk about the form of the verbs after a preposition. All these aspects are essential to your French grammar skills, so make sure you listen to this episode carefully! I also encourage you to participate and reuse what you’ve learnt at the end of the episode. Previous episodes of the series: Episode 176: … Read More →
FYW 179 : French regions: new names, purpose, debates (and grammar!)
In 2016, the map of France changed and now has 13 administrative regions instead of the former 22. What are they now called (and how do you say the name of your region/state/province/county in French?) Also listen to episode 157: Rules around French country names: why do you say EN France, AU Japon, AU Mexique?": www.frenchyourway.com.au/podcast157 Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episodee En + fem: en Provence, en Dordogne, en Normandie, en Californie, en Cornouailles(Cornwall), en Nouvelle Galle du Sud Dans le + masc : dans le Sichuan, dans le Yunnan, … Read More →
FYW 178 : Understanding the preposition DE (2/3): “une tarte AUX pommes” vs “une salade DE carottes”
In the second part of this series to help you understand and use the French preposition DE correctly, we'll see how it is used when talking about food. I'll also explain why the preposition A is also used when describing dishes and how to choose between the two. If you wonder why we say: une sauce tomate / une tarte AUX pommes / une salade DE carottes / un sandwich AVEC DU fromage... ...the mystery will be solved in this episode! Also listen to: Episode 176: Understanding the preposition DE (1/3): back to the basics with brushing up the articles! … Read More →
FYW 177 : French homonyms (4): air, aire (and more!)
When two words have a different meaning even though they sound alike or have the same spelling, they are called homonyms. In today's episode, find out the different meanings of the words pronounced [ɛr] Also listen to: Episode 142: “French homonyms (1): vert, ver, vers, vair”: frenchyourway.com.au/podcast142 Episode 151: “French homonyms (2): mère et père” : frenchyourway.com.au/podcast151 Episode 161: "French homonyms (3): lait, laid, laie (and more)": frenchyourway.com.au/podcast161 Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Air (nm) = air, … Read More →
FYW 176 : Understanding the preposition DE (1/3): back to the basics with brushing up the articles!
Understanding the preposition DE (1/3): back to the basics with brushing up the articles! Lately I've received a lot of questions from listeners about the use of the preposition DE (and also the preposition A). These prepositions constitute such a challenge for many students that I decided to make a series of 3 episodes to explain these and help as many of you as possible. First, I want you to start on solid bases so I'll run you through the 3 different types of articles in French (definite, indefinite and partitive articles). We'll pay particular attention to the meaning of "des" and … Read More →
FYW 175 : Au fait, en fait, en effet (and other expressions) explained
Au fait, en fait, en effet (and other expressions) explained Do you know the difference between "au fait", "en fait", and "en effet" in French? Do you know how to use them in a sentence? AND do you know how to pronounce them? (some of these expressions have a sounded final [t] whereas one has a silent final [t]. This question comes from Marian, a listener of the podcast. Marian also asked me to shed light on " mettre à jour" vs "mettre au jour"...pun intended! ? Are there other similarly looking expressions that confuse you? Let me know, I'd gladly explain them to you and you may be … Read More →
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