You’re walking down the street, and suddenly, you start hearing French, spoken quickly and casually, somewhere nearby.
You turn, curious, to see two people having a lively conversation behind you.
You’re excited to hear the language you’ve been …
When you think of fairy tales, you might think of Disneyland, Cinderella’s castle or dress-up parties as a child.
But when the French think of contes des fée (fairy tales), they think of Charles Perrault, the creator of …
“I wana liv in a howce in the citi.”
Could you understand that sentence?
If you’re a teacher, have a child or perhaps can recall your own childhood, it was probably easy to decode.
The scribblings of elementary school …
Imagine finding yourself at the Seine, across the street from Notre Dame.
You’re wondering how in the world to find the Eiffel Tower.
You’ve mastered the basics—Bonjour and Je m’appelle (My name is)—but now you need to ask the …
Are you ready to learn how to read?
Of course, you know how to read English, but how do you attempt learning how to read all over again—in a different language?
With English under your belt, you’ve already …
Americans treasure Oprah and Jimmy Fallon, and the British can’t get enough of Graham Norton.
Who are the beloved talk show hosts for native French speakers?
From late-night talk shows that host the hottest new celebrities to morning shows that …
You can learn French for free without skimping on quality.
You can access a world of free French learning materials, often without even leaving your house.
You just need a library card.
If you think your local library is …
Imagine you’re talking to your best friend, telling them a hilarious story about something that happened the night before.
Your story is flowing, but your words start to fall over themselves as you try to remember a specific detail.…
Do you check Facebook in the morning before you head to work?
How often do you hop on Twitter to check the news?
And when was the last time you posted a photo on Instagram of your delicious meal…
Cher Noël, voici bien longtemps
Tout juste un an
Que je t’attends
(Dear Christmas, here you are after such a long time
It’s been one whole year
That I’ve waited for you)
Do those words express your feelings exactly?
Hey, …
“Well, you know how he is, he doesn’t chain the dog with sausages.”
“There’s a cat in my throat.”
The French regularly insert creative, bizarre and hilarious sayings into their everyday conversation.
When I first moved to France, …
These days, we’re overwhelmed with information.
Search for something on Google and your screen is flooded with possible options.
When you’re looking for resources and advice for total French immersion, the situation’s no different.
From websites and apps to …
The French pride themselves on their world-renowned poésie (poetry).
It can be mysterious and full of complicated terminology and romantic pictures.
French poets are known for being in tune to their emotions, expertly expressing themselves, and adopting other styles and …
Trying to create perfect French sentences can feel a bit laborious.
The gears in your brain really get cranking.
You know exactly what idea you want to express. You know the vocabulary you want to use.
But how can you …
It’s game time.
And may the odds be ever in your favor.
Here’s a riddle to get you started:
If a word skips, hops and jumps to the other side of the street, it’s a crossword.
So what do you …
You’ve just finished a great French novel, and you’re ready to try something new.
Maybe you want to read some short stories or catch up on some features about those sports players you keep reading about in the newspaper…
Ready to move past “Le Petit Prince,” but not ready for “Les Misérables”?
Then grab yourself an addictive French page-turner!
You’ll find yourself whipping out the book and learning French whenever you have a spare moment.
Sounds easy enough, …
You’re at the movies, and you’ve just seen a French film that you have to talk about.
You jump out of the theater, excited to share your thoughts and discuss the plot.
But you feel nervous—you’ve never moved past beginner …
You’re in a restaurant with some friends and a French song comes on.
It completely fits your music style, and you find yourself tapping your foot along to the beat.
You start to wonder: What is this song? How do …
Holy French language learning, Batman!
Comic books captured our imaginations as children.
Who would have guessed that, as grown-ups, we’d use them for super-powered French language learning?
When we were kids, comic books (bande dessinée) brought some of our …
Hello and thanks for tuning in!
On today’s show we’re going to take a closer look at the present-day French language learner.
They’re watching French television online, they’re on the look out for false friends, and they’re actually …
So, you’ve learned the basics of French and you’re ready to practice.
You’re going to have a real conversation by linking up with a language partner.
Congratulations! Give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back.
Having a conversation in …
Let’s talk about the future.
No, that doesn’t mean I’m going to grill you on where you’ll settle down, who you’ll marry, what your career path holds, if/when you’ll start a family or how to spend your retirement years.
So …
“Good day, ma’am, how may I assist you today?”
Did he really just call me ma’am? And greet me with “good day”?
You’re caught completely off guard by all of this formal speak.
After all, you’re merely standing at the …
