Quenottes and mots (Words book-signing) at Crawford Doyle Booksellers. Photo by Nancy Caswell, here with Fred. quenotte (kuh-nowt) noun, feminine  tooth, toothy-peg The French word quenotte is used in "le langage enfantin" or kiddy talk. Kid-at-heart adults seem to use it too… Read on: Sa figure était une pomme rouge, un bouton de pivoine prêt à fleurir, et là-dedans s’ouvraient, en haut, deux yeux noirs … Continue reading quenotte

Not sure which flowers are vivace and which aren’t, but the little boy is awfully cute.   vivace (vee-vas) adjective  1. long-lived, undying, inveterate, vivid  2. hearty, robust le pois vivace = everlasting peala plante vivace = perennial  les souvenirs vivaces = vivid memories :: Quote / Audio File ::L’absence n’est-elle pas, pour qui aime, la plus certaine, la plus efficace, la plus vivace, la … Continue reading vivace

A "leeky" vegetable potager in the Queyras Valley of the French Hautes-Alpes Featured Product:  Eiffel Tower Confetti! (As if a Francophile needed any more joie de vivre…) ~~~~~~~~~BETTERAVE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~la betterave (beht-rav) noun, feminine   : beet [from the words "bette" (beet) and "rave" (turnip, radish)]   => la betterave sucrière = sugar beet  => la betterave rouge = beetroot  => la betteravier (ière) =beet grower  => la … Continue reading betterave

The building reads: "Printers Binders"… now we’re talking (read on in today’s story)! Photo taken near Union Square, New York City A million mercis for your responses to my last post. It’s going to take me a while to send proper thanks. I may have to "speed-mail" those remerciements? Thanks for your understanding. . la laque (lak) noun, feminine  hair spray Example (and tip?) from … Continue reading laque

Union Square in New York City French Word-A-Day will return to its usual format–quotes, sound file, advertising–on Wednesday. For today, just a French word "honteux" (ont-euh) and its English meaning, "ashamed." .       (The would-be Fine Art of Speed Greeting) At Union Square Wine and Spirits* in New York City, Tom took good care of us, ensuring our "Wine & Words" event got off … Continue reading honteux

A babbling brook… and babbling villagers in today’s story. Note: French Word-A-Day will be on break, sort of, through April 18th. Meanwhile, I will try to send an update on our "Wine/Words" trip. Wish us luck… and speedy recovery… and thanks for your support! Check our schedule, here. cane (kan) noun, feminine  : female duck …a male duck, or "drake", is "un canard". Ma tête … Continue reading cane

"Wild Orchids" and fresh, just-in-off-the-line laundry. Still can’t name flowers (tulips) and I’m late folding clothes. My point and shoot camera broke, too: no longer focuses and everything’s a blur! gazouillis (gah-zoo-wee) noun, masculine  1. twittering, chirping, warbling (birds), gurgling (baby) ;  2. babbling, murmuring (of running water) Listen to Max’s friend, Bastien, pronounce the French word "gazouillis" and the example phrase: Les gazouillis de … Continue reading gazouillis

Different kinds of beaks and bécots, from Le Petit Larousse Illustré.After Monday’s French "tweet", today we have a peck or… bécot (bay-kow) noun, masculine  : a little kiss un gros bécot = a big smoochbécoter = to give a kiss, to give a peck.les amoreux qui se bécotent = lovers kissing ===========:: Audio file :: =========== Listen to Jean-Marc pronounce the French word "bécote" and … Continue reading bécote