haleine (ah-len) noun, feminine1. breath; breathing Expressions:avoir mauvaise haleine = to have bad breathtout d’une haleine = in the same breathavoir l’haleine courte = to be short of breath or short-windedperdre haleine = to lose one’s breathrire à perdre haleine = to laugh until one’s sides achereprendre haleine = to catch one’s breathdiscuter à perdre haleine = to argue non-stopretenir son haleine = to hold … Continue reading haleine
une panne (pan) noun, feminine 1. a breakdown Also: panné(e) = broke (c’est une panné = he’s penniless) une panne de courant/d’électricité = power failure une panne de moteur = engine failure …………………….. Expressions: en panne = out of order panne sèche = out of gas tomber en panne d’essence = to run out of gas laisser quelqu’un en panne = to let someone down … Continue reading une panne
lâcher (lah-shay) verb 1. to release, to loosen, to slacken 2. to let go of 3. to come out with 4. to leave, to walk out on se lâcher 1. to let oneself go (to speak frankly) 2. to speak one’s mind Expressions: lâcher prise = to let go, to lose one’s hold lâche-moi les baskets! = get off my back! lâcher des sous = … Continue reading lâcher
salut (sa-lew) exclamation 1. hello! [can also mean “bye bye!”] salut (noun, masculine) 1. greeting. 2. wave (of hand) 3. nod (of head) 4. salute (military) 5. safety 6. salvation Also: un port de salut = a haven of refuge L’Armée du Salut = the Salvation Army. …………………….. Expressions: salut à tous! = hi everyone! faire son salut = to find salvation travailler à son … Continue reading salut
omettre (oh-metr) verb 1. to omit, pass over, to leave out Expression: omettre de faire quelque chose = to fail, omit, neglect, to do something …………………… Citation du Jour Un voyageur est une espèce d’historien; son devoir est de raconter fidèlement ce qu’il a vu ou ce qu’il a entendu dire; il ne doit rien inventer, mais aussi il ne doit rien omettre. A traveler … Continue reading omettre
un rayon (ray-oh) noun, masculine 1. a ray, beam 2. radius 3. spoke 4. shelf; department, counter Also: un rayon d’espoir = a ray of hope un rayon de lune = a moonbeam un rayon de soleil = a ray of sunshine aux premiers rayons de soleil = at sunrise un rayon d’action = a field of action le rayon visuel = the line of … Continue reading un rayon
Introducing our new correspondent, Jackie Espinasse. She has named her column “Pensées d’une Petite Fille de France” (Thoughts of a Little Girl from France). I told her that “Thoughts from a little French Girl” might be better, but she prefers it her way. She will be 7-years-old in just over a week. Today’s story is in French and English and is a mix of fiction/non … Continue reading une mèche
Fruits and vegetables ought to help this cold… (picture taken at the farmers market in Les Arcs-sur-Argens) attraper (a-tra-pay) verb 1. to catch, to pick up Vocabulary: une attrapade (a-tra-pahd) f = a reprimand un attrape-mouches = a fly-catcher un attrape-touristes = a tourist trap attrape-tout (adj) = a catch all Expressions:attraper froid = to catch cold attraper un rhume = to catch a cold … Continue reading How to say “to catch” in French + Treating a cold with the help of my little nurses
Back to School or la rentrée. Max and Jackie in 2004, at our old home in Les Arcs-sur-Argens une roue (roo) noun, feminine 1. a wheel la grande roue = the Ferris wheelune roue dentée = a cogwheelun bateau à roues = a paddle boat véhicule à deux/quatre roues = two-/four-wheeled vehicles une roue de secours = a spare wheel or tire une roue de … Continue reading une roue
A Day in a French Life…. Yesterday we drove to the centre-ville* to buy the children’s lunch tickets (a.k.a. les tickets de cantine). The little lime green squares of paper with "Cantine Scolaire Municipale" printed on one side are for sale at the Town Hall, a building sandwiched in between La Poste and la boucherie.* Motoring into town, we made a left past the old … Continue reading cabosser
