This month's vocabulary roundup is a walk through a candy shop–pick and choose your favorite French words along the way! Relax and enjoy the sound file for a rainbow of French terms we learned this month. And if you enjoy this journal and find it helpful in any way, please take a moment to support it. Merci beaucoup! CLICK HERE to listen to Jean-Marc … Continue reading 94 Useful French Words (listen to them here)
If you have followed this blog a while, you've seen this photo a million times. Jean-Marc and I were both scared to death about an imminent "for life" decision! Soon after this picture was taken, we got some very good marriage advice from Jean-Marc's grandmother. Twenty-three years later, it is still one of the best tips for a healthy relationship I've come across — even … Continue reading Faire la tête + A French grandmother’s advice for a happy marriage
Stationner was word of the day on November 11th, 2005. You can listen to a then 8-year-old Jackie in the soundfile for that post. Jackie is now 19 and finishing up her academic year in Aix-en-Provence, where we found her a studette in le centre ville. She returned for Easter break, to have her dents de sagesse removed and to begin her summer job in … Continue reading Stationner + we surprise our daughter at her new job
The port of Bandol where our story takes place, among the old wooden fishing boats, or “les pointus”…. TODAY’S WORD: boulot 1. job, work 2. chubby, plump metro, boulot, dodo = the daily grind, all work and no play EXAMPLE SENTENCE: Hear Jean-Marc read the following sentence in French Notre fille, Jackie, a trouvé un boulot en tant que “runner.” Le runneur est un … Continue reading Boulot: Guess who found a job in Bandol?
If today's story is frappadingue, be reassured that all returns to normal in the next post. And if this photo has nothing to do with the story–and the example sentence is a bit strange–I have no excuses, frappadingue or otherwise! TODAY'S WORD: frappadingue : crazy, wackadoo, wackadoodle, barking mad : moody (Frappadingue comes from "frappé" and "dingue"–each meaning "crazy") Didier est un vrai … Continue reading Frappadingue – and our French-infused story
By the artist Cham (Count Amédée-Charles-Henry de Noé) (France, Paris, 1819-1879) — Image credit Lacma; artwork in the public domain Good news: Our Mas des Brun rosé has made it to Los Angeles just before Easter! You can find it at Larchmont Village Wine, 223 N. Larchmont Blvd. Phone: 323 856 8699 — Call to make sure they have some in stock before going, and … Continue reading TOISER + Our Fictional Story using (so far three-quarters of) your French words!
"My torrid night with a Corsican fisherman" (photo of Elle magazine). It is time to stir things up on this blog. What better way than to write a sizzler! Ready? Your job is to submit a French word. My job is to weave a story with your terms (but not on your terms!). On y va! Let's go! Scroll to the comments link at the … Continue reading Stir things up. Submit a French word. Let’s write a story
A popular French toothpaste, and iconic soap, the classic barrette — check out the MADE IN FRANCE page, where you will find products Francophiles tote home in their suitcase. TODAY'S WORD: la mercerie : haberdashery (items for sewing, couture) , notions store : dry goods store Speak French on your next trip to France with 30 lessons based on real-life conversations. AUDIO FILE & … Continue reading La Mercerie, une astuce beauté + Bonne lecture!
This is our 3rd Vocabulary Roundup for the new year. By now you should be speaking like sailors! Ohé Ohé matelot… let's navigate through all the terms we learned in March. First, take two minutes to relax and listen to Jean-Marc read the list of French words: Click here to listen to the following list 1. L'Herbe in French & Les Tondeuses de L'Espoir tasser … Continue reading Vocabulary Roundup + Listen to all the French words we learned in March
Purée! Patricia Wells' latest book is out! Imagine you’re in France with a marvelous teacher… Wells calmly guides readers through essential techniques and offers illustrative “master recipes”. Order "My Master Recipes" here. (Review by Library Journal) TODAY'S WORD: purée! : mushy, mashed, creamy (peas, potatoes, spinach) : gee! whoah! oh! jeepers! EXAMPLE SENTENCE & AUDIO FILE Jean-Marc pronounce the following French words, click here … Continue reading Dents de Sagesse & Purée! + A popular cuss word substitute
