The French name for poppy? "Le coquelicot" Smokey has his own term of endearment for this one. Read on! The next wine-tasting here at the vineyard is tomorrow, May 1st! If you can make it to this meet-up, please leave a message in the comments box and I'll reserve your seat and send the details. avoir tort (avwahr-tor) : to be wrong Audio … Continue reading avoir tort
"Vignettes from the Var"? Such a book title might not win any awards, but it would clearly suggest the books content! All of the stories in this next collection are from 2006, when we lived in the Varois village of Les Arcs-sur-Argens (pictured). mieux vaut tard que jamais (myeuh-voh-tarh-keuh-zha-may) : better late than never Note: though I do not have a sound file … Continue reading mieux vaut tard que jamais + audio story in French!
I wanted to title the previous book "Character-building in Provence"–a reference to the "character" one builds when adapting to a foreign land… as well as a reference to the writing life–or the characters that inspire these stories! The snapshot (above) would have made an illustrative cover photo (though it was taken in Verona….) les hauts et les bas (lay-oh-ay-lay-bah) : highs and lows … Continue reading les hauts et les bas
"Blossoming in Provence Volume Two?"…. Would this photo work for the next story collection? The title could be written across the blue sky… the picture, bordered by a green cover? Your thoughts here, in the comments box. ribambelle (une ribambelle de…) 1. a swarm, flock of (bees, birds…) 2. a string of (kids…) 3. a row of; stacks of (chairs…) Audio File: Listen to Jean-Marc Download MP3 or Wav … Continue reading ribambelle
"Pink Corners". Photo of a child's vélo and a bougainvillea taken in Ventimiglia, Italy. couler (koo-lay) verb : to flow, run Audio file: Listen to Jean-Marc pronounce these expressions: Download MP3 or Wav file faire couler un bain = to run a bathcouler un mot à l'oreille de quelqu'un = to drop, whisper a word in someone's earcouler une vie heureuse = to lead a happy lifese … Continue reading couler + new book project
"If these chairs could talk" Photo taken after last year's wine harvest… when we stole away to the restful southern coast of Corsica. ça ne se fait pas (saah-neuh-seuh-fay-pah) : it's a no-no Follow French Word-A-Day on Twitter Learn French in context: read these vocabulary-rich memoirs: Words in a French Life or Blossoming in Provence Audio File & Example SentenceListen to Jean-Marc pronounce this sentence: Download MP3 or Wav file Hé … Continue reading How to say “it’s a no-no” in French?
Just a goofy tale at the beach (in Bandol!) for you today… and a little rush, which happens while trying to write on a deadline! Thanks for overlooking some of the "missing things" in this edition, not the least of which my husband's pants!!! impudeur (im-poo-der) : immodesty (Sound file and example sentence will return on Wednesday. Sorry!) A DAY IN A FRENCH … Continue reading impudeur
A black-and-white photo for a change and some frissons in today's edition. (Picture taken five years ago in Brignoles, during a moody balade with Mama Jules, who was trying to wean herself off cigarettes (or Nicorette, or both…). Me: Look, Mom! A bookstore. Mom: Grrrrh! The bookworm could not be distracted, not even by books or art supplies!) le frisson (frih-sohn) : shiver; shudder, … Continue reading le frisson
Squint your eyes and you might see the whimsical warning (beneath the flowy jasmine); the door sign reads: "Attention, Chien Bizarre!"/"Watch out for Strange Dog!" (Notice the little hearts on the ironwork. Photo taken in Brignoles, while on a stroll with Mama Jules. Imaged enhanced by Picasa's free "lomo" filter.) être tout sucre, tout miel(to be all sugar, all honey) : to be … Continue reading etre tout sucre, tout miel
La Vie en Lomo. I used Picasa's free "lomo" filter on this snapshot of a favorite cabanon here in our neighborhood. Click on image to enlarge it. cabanon (kah-bah-nohn) : a little cottage, or hut, or shed (for farmer's tools, for shelter) Audio File: listen to Jean-Marc read these French words: Wav file or MP3 Qu'est-ce que c'est un cabanon? Voici nos cabanons favoris (cliquez sur ce … Continue reading cabanon
