Taxis (and their shiny pare-brises) in New York City, where I traded country life for cosmopolitan over the weekend. Read French language magazines ….for a fun way to improve your français. le pare-brise (par-breez) noun, masculine windshield, windscreen Des fois t’es le pare-brise, des fois t’es le moucheron.Sometimes you are the windshield, sometimes you are the bug. — Mark Knopfler Listen to Jean-Marc recite the … Continue reading pare-brise
Our medieval village is a great place to badauder. In Gifts: Kind of like a pricey Vespa, only less-pa. Check out this mini electric scooter. badaud,e (ba-doh, ba-dohd) noun 1. a gossipy idler, rubberneck, onlooker, gawker 2. stroller (flâneur) Synonym: un gobe-mouche (literally "a swallows flies," or "fly swallower," from the image of a gaper standing with his/her mouth wide open–a sure target for les … Continue reading badaud
A glimpse of our "home sweet home": the front porch. French With Michel Thomas: The Fastest Way to Learn a Language vendre (von-dre) verb to sell Proverb:Ce n’est pas acheter qui instruit, mais vendre. It is not buying that educates, but selling. … Continue reading vendre
(photo of my husband, Jean-Marc, and his filleul, Matthieu) Eazyspeak French teaches 800 vocabulary words; quickly extends conversational skills un filleul (fee-yul) noun, masculine1. godson, godchild Also:filleule = goddaughterfilleul de guerre = adoptive son (in wartime) Mon filleul va bientôt partir, ainsi la guerre va devenir plus personnelle pour moi. My godson is going over soon, so the war's about to get personal for me. … Continue reading un filleul
I love colorful facades, colorful fabric is next on my list… (Le Muy, France) Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution by Caroline Weber la garde-robe (gard rohb) noun, feminine wardrobe (The plural is garde-robes.) La personnalité est la garde-robe du moi. Personality is the wardrobe of ego. –Louis Scutenaire … Continue reading garde-robe
Fruit and vegetable crates at a corner market in Orange (Vaucluse). une emplette(om-plet)noun, femininea purchase When Max and his soeur cadette, Jackie, offer to ride their bikes to the bakery, I request a little detour along the way. "Please stop by the supérette. We're out of toilet paper!" The kids wrinkle their noses, complaining that they'll look carrément ridicule shopping for le papier WC. But … Continue reading Emplette: Only in France Can Children Buy Wine!
Chariot of fire French vines in the Vaucluse (and a sneak peek at the farm). Learn French in your car : a simple, direct approach to language learning. un compromis (kom-pro-mee) noun, masculine 1. compromise 2. sales agreement (compromis de vente) Un compromis fait un bon parapluie, mais un mauvais toit. Compromise makes a good umbrella, but a bad roof. –Robert Lowell … Continue reading compromis
A smiling girl, a slavering dog, and thousands of stooping vines in the Vaucluse. SmartFrench CD-ROM–"the smart way to learn French": le vignoble (vee-nyobl) noun, masculine vineyard Synonyms: plantation, la vigne (vine), le cru (vintage), le cépage (grape-variety) Si l’on me demandait quel est le bien le plus précieux de la Terre, je répondrais c’est la vigne. If one asked me what is the most … Continue reading vignoble
Along a festive pedestrian street in Collioures, France la noce (nohs) noun, feminine 1. wedding; wedding party En automne, je récoltai toutes mes peines et les enterrai dans mon jardin. Lorsque avril refleurit et que la terre et le printemps célébrèrent leurs noces, mon jardin fut jonché de fleurs splendides et exceptionnelles. In the autumn I gathered all my sorrows and buried them in … Continue reading noce
A peaceful scene in Roquebrune-sur-Argens. The Big Blue with Rosanna Arquette–one of Jean-Marc’s favorite films (I liked it, too!) énervé,e (ay-ner-vay) adjective irritated, annoyed; nervous, edgy L’amour peut énerver l’âme, ou l’affermir.Love can upset the soul, or strengthen it. –Etienne de Senancour … Continue reading énervé
