Wisteria and the deep blue sea off Toulon… Yesterday I had the chance to "grignoter une salade" with a friend along the seashore in Toulon… more about that adventure in the next edition. grignoter (gree-nyoh-tay) verb 1. to nibble at one's food 2. to eat away at (savings, natural resources…) Expressions:grignoter une place = to obtain a seat (coucil, court, board)grignoter du terrain = … Continue reading grignoter
pudibond,e (pew-dee-bohn, bohnd) adjective 1. prudish, prim and proper la pudibonderie (f) = prudishness, primness ………………………………Citation du JourLa perte d’une certaine pudeur comme la perte de la pureté sont les causes profondes de la décadence du monde. The loss of a certain sense of modesty, like the loss of purity, these are the profound causes of the world’s decadence. –Mère Teresa …………………………………..A Day in a … Continue reading pudibond
le béguin (bay-gehn) noun, masculine1. (from "embéguiner," to put something in the head) a passing fancy2. (from béguine) = hood (of beguin nun); bonnet (baby); cap Expressions:c’est mon béguin = I’ve got a thing on him/heravoir le béguin pour quelqu’un = to have a crush on someoneavoir le béguin pour quelque chose = to fancy somethingêtre le béguin de quelqu’un = to be the object … Continue reading le béguin
"Les boutons-d'or" "Les pissenlits" ~ Dandelions Today's edition is "une rediffusion" or "rerun" from one year ago today. un épi (ay-pee) noun, masculine 1. ear (of corn); spike (of flower) 2. cowlick (of hair) 3. diamond cluster 4. a loaf of bread shaped like a seed-head of a stalk of wheat [From the Latin, spica (point)] Expressions:en épi = at an angleêtre garé en épi … Continue reading un épi
le ménage (may-nazh) noun, masculine1. household; couple 2. housework Expressions:le grand ménage = spring-cleaningfaire le ménage = to do the houseworkfaire du ménage dans sa vie = to sort one’s life outla scène de ménage = … or when couples "blow up" publiclyse mettre en ménage = to get married, to live as a married couplele ménage à trois = "household for three"…faire bon/mauvais ménage … Continue reading le ménage
Bonbon stand in Nice. Words in a French Life: "…a heart-winning collection from an American woman raising two very French children with her French husband in Provence, carrying on a lifelong love affair with the language." un bonbon (bohn-bohn) noun, masculine1. a piece of candy (bonbon is the "redoublement" or reduplication of "bon") bonbon = goodgood Also:bonbons anglais = fruit dropsbonbon à la menthe = … Continue reading un bonbon
Language Tools: :: Carol Donnay's French language blog :: Un étudiant en France :: French Fanatic :: AudioFrench.com :: Let's Learn French Together :: Merci Professeur! :: La Guinguette :: Listen to almost any French word: here and here :: How to Speak French – Mahalo :: Céline Graciet's Naked Translations :: Katia & KylieMac learn French :: Blogs:: Provence Food & Wine :: Living with Loulou :: … Continue reading links
Les toits / Rooftops Overheard in the car on the way to school this morning:"Eh, Jackie–attention à ton dos aujourd'hui!"(Hey, Jackie–watch your back today!) I don't think 9-year-old Max needs to worry about his little sister. Jackie got up early to cut out and color her paper fish… now all she needs is a kilometer of tape and she can "pin" fish until her thumb … Continue reading le toit
