At the cheese and honey-maker’s house, in Tarradeau agrume (a-groom) noun, masculine1. citrus fruit ………………………Citation du JourVous pouvez croire en Dieu de deux façons, ou comme la soif croit à l’orange, ou comme l’âne croit au fouet. You can believe in God in two ways, like thirst thinks about an orange, or like the donkey thinks about the … Continue reading un agrume

                               La Tirelire ~ The Piggy Bank un sou (soo) noun, masculine  1. shilling; five centimes; one cent Also: les sous (mpl) = (informal) money Expressions:de quatre sous = worthlesssou par sou = progressivelyun sou est un sou = one mustn’t waste moneypropre comme un sou neuf = mint condition (clean)n’avoir pas le sou/sans le … Continue reading un sou

étendre (ay-tahndr) vrb1. to stretch2. to lay3. to spread4. to extend5. to dilute; to thin s’étendre = to stretch oneself out, to lie downExpressions:étendre le linge = to hang out the washings’étendre sur un sujet = to expand upon a subjectétendre raide = to knock out (cold)se faire étendre = to be laid out cold, to be knocked out (boxing)étendre ses ailes = to spread … Continue reading étendre

le fossé (fo-say) noun, masculine            View from the garden  1. ditch, trench, drain; gap Expressions:sauter le fossé = to make a risky decisionle fossé culturel = the cultural gaple fossé entre les générations = the generation gap saigner un fossé = to drain a ditch ProverbNe triomphe pas avant d’avoir franchi le fossé.Don’t rejoice before crossing over the gap. …………………………………..A Day in … Continue reading le fossé

A garden wall somewhere in our village. décontracté,e (day-kohn-trak-tay) adjective1. relaxed  2. casual, laid-back ProverbUne mer calme n’a jamais fait un bon marin.A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor. ………………………………..A Day in a French Life… (The story that originally appeared here, and included the French vocabulary below, is now a part of this book.) ………………..la chaise (f) = chair; la nappe (f) = … Continue reading décontracté

                                                        Le campanileA Day in a French Life… To see our village through an outsider’s eyes–C’est le top!*–as my son would say; it is a cadeau* that doesn’t come in a box, won’t send me rummaging for an empty vase and scissors, and will not require … Continue reading fier

A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse(Spring Break: April, 2005) Did I mention my children are on vacation? Things are a little "en pente," or sloping, around here and I feel I am sliding, trying to keep up with word weaving and kid wrestling. The two pint-sized giggle machines stop by my keyboard every five minutes with: "Can you fix Elodie's hair?" (handing … Continue reading une pente

endroit (on-drwa) noun, masculine  1.  place, spot, locale  2.  right side (of garment, etc.) Also:à l’endroit = right side upà l’endroit de = toward, with regard toau bon endroit = in/at the right placeà quel endroit? = where(abouts)?, where exactly?par endroits = here and there, in places Expressions:rire au bon endroit = to laugh in the right placele petit endroit "the little place" = the … Continue reading un endroit

appuyer (a-pwee-yay) verb1. to press; to lean, rest (against, on); to prop (up)2. to rely on; to support (petition) Expressionsappuyer sur le champignon = to step on the gasappuyer sur la chanterelle = to harp on …………………………………Citation du Jour – French quote of the DayLe plaisir peut s’appuyer sur l’illusion, mais le bonheur repose sur la réalité. Pleasure may lean on illusion, but happiness rests … Continue reading appuyer