Month: December 2021

Celebrations

A Special Request + Playground in French (and wild and free learning!)

The little stone cabanon at our vineyard. Do you remember the heart door?  Today's Word: la cour de récréation     : playground, schoolyard Audio/Listening: Click the link below to hear Jean-Marc pronounce the French words in the following story. Then scroll down to the vocabulary list to check your French comprehension. Click here to begin listening A (Birth)DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse … Continue reading A Special Request + Playground in French (and wild and free learning!)

Kristin Espinasse78 Comments
Health

The French Cure + vitamins and supplements + the expression “tant s’en faut” (find it in today’s story)

The sun gives us vitamin D… and magnesium and calcium are a few gifts from the sea. How do you get your RDA (or "AJR"*): from un comprimé or some other way? Read on for a healthy dose of French vocabulary…. Today's word: une cure     : course of treatment, therapy Audio/Listening: Click the link below to hear Jean-Marc pronounce the French words in the … Continue reading The French Cure + vitamins and supplements + the expression “tant s’en faut” (find it in today’s story)

Kristin Espinasse48 Comments
Christmas

Faire le Sapin, “la flemme” and The Spirit of the Season

A giant sapin de noël in the Mediterranean port of Bandol, south of France. TODAY'S WORD: la flemme     : laziness, reluctance  Consider all these translations for "j'ai la flemme": I don't feel like, I'm too lazy, I'm not motivated, I can't be bothered, I don't even care, I haven't the courage Audio/Listening: Click the link below to hear Jean-Marc pronounce the French words in … Continue reading Faire le Sapin, “la flemme” and The Spirit of the Season

Kristin Espinasse35 Comments
Health

Une saccade + Tic Talk: Let’s talk about tics (did you know “Tourettes” is named after a Frenchman?)

Our bustling port here in La Ciotat. Today we're talking about a word we share with the French. A tic is "a frequent usually unconscious quirk of behavior or speech" (Merriam-Webster). Read my story and then share your own experiences in the comments. Merci! TODAY’S WORD: une saccade  : jerk, twitch (movement) saccader (verb): to tremble, shake, jerk A saccade is also a rapid movement … Continue reading Une saccade + Tic Talk: Let’s talk about tics (did you know “Tourettes” is named after a Frenchman?)

Kristin Espinasse26 Comments