Note: French Word-A-Day will return mid-August. In the meantime, you might enjoy these readers' stories: Funny French-language gaffes, Lavender Tips, and Cultural Misconceptions (awaiting stories on this last topic…). défiler (day-fee-lay) verb to march past, to parade un défilé (day-fee-lay) noun: 1) procession 2) gorge => un défilé de mode = a fashion show C'est au plus étroit du défilé que la vallée commence.It is … Continue reading defiler
Lavender Factory is a big term, but then it is often all or nothing around here. Read on in today's story. fuseau (fooh-zo) noun, masculine spindle, bobbin; time zone, time belt [plural : "fuseaux"] un fuseau de lavande or un fuseau provençal = lavender wand (hand-weaved lavender flowers… see today's story and photo) Also: un fuseau horaire = time zone Hear my son, Max, pronounce … Continue reading A Lavender wand & Holy Water from Lourdes = an awkward gift exchange with a Frenchman
In Gigondas (Vaucluse): a local pooch sidling up to the bar for a cool summer drink. arrosoir (ah-ro-zwar) noun, masculine : watering can Example sentence: Hear it in French: Download arrosoir.mp3 .Download arrosoir.wavUn arrosoir n'est pas un tuyau.A watering can is not a hose. (More, in today's story….) Wheezing, gasping, and sawing were three horrific sounds playing at our neighborhood block party after one of … Continue reading Arrosoir: How to say “watering can” in French
Aunt Marie-Françoise finishing up another lavender "bottle". tresser (tres-ay) verb 1. to plait, to braid; to twist 2. to weave, wreathe (basket, garland) synonyms: natter (to plait, braid), entrelacer (to interlace, intertwine) Tressons, tressons ces fleurs, hâtons-nous, jeune amie, Les songes et les fleurs demain ne seront plus! Let us weave, let us weave these flowers, let us hurry, young friend, for the dreams and … Continue reading Tresser: Aunt Marie-Françoise weaves a lavender wand from Provence
Cardère and Salicaire near Montmirail — not far from the town of Vacqueyras. trouver (troo-vay) verb : to find Je ne cherche pas. Je trouve.I do not seek. I find. –Pablo Picasso Never miss a word: get yourself a French Word Widget … or sign up to the RSS feed. Audio File: listen to my son, Max, pronounce today's word. Also, hear the verb's conjugation … Continue reading trouver
The tourist office employees are animal lovers… or else they're tired of drink requests! Photo taken in the town of Sarrians (Vaucluse). toutou (too-too) noun, masculine : doggie Need help with French conjugation? Check out the French verb wheel A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE … by Kristin Espinasse I can tell you first-hand that, apart from tourists, the French town of Sarrians caters to rug … Continue reading Flench Glossary of Baby Talk: toutou, doudou, bidou, bobo…
The ancient walls of Gigondas (Vaucluse) where genêt gilds the countryside. faner (fa-nay) verb : to wither La gloire soudaine se fane très vite.Sudden glory quickly withers. –Proverb Hear the French word "faner" and today's quote, read by my son, Max: Download faner.mp3 .Download faner.wav * * * Is it too late to talk about sweet-scented French broom? "Le genêt," as it is called in … Continue reading faner
What do you do when a plant savant gives you two dozen botanical cuttings? You speed home from the village, dart out to the clothesline, and grab all the clothespins you can get, run back into the kitchen and scour the armoire for glasses (champagne flutes, wine goblets, old jam jars…)… then you carefully label each and every species (thanks to the handwritten notes that … Continue reading “Lexique” + a botanical glossary of plants in Provence
Sunflowers near the town of Jonquières and kids growing faster than tournesols… in today’s story. Today is Joseph-Marie Jacquard’s birthday. Read all about this French inventor in “Jacquard’s Web: How a Hand-Loom Led to the Birth of the Information Age“ pousser (poo-say) verb : to push : to grow Related Terms & Expressions: une poussette = a pushchair un poussoir = a push-button un pousse-café … Continue reading pousser
In the town of Sault, the last week of June, the lavender fleurettes were too shy to show themselves, so I snapped a photo of these instead. Order a bottle of Domaine Rouge-Bleu and read what wine enthusiasts are saying about our first vintage. fleurette (flur-et) noun, feminine : floweret Expressions:conter fleurette = to say pretty things, to flirtla crème fleurette = liquid creamfleurettes du … Continue reading fleurette
