Category: Characters

Characters

Sabots: Clogs, Sabotage & Standing Your Ground in France!

I woke up this morning thinking, “I could really use a clog to illustrate today’s post.” Later, Jackie and I were at the mall when we stumbled into a second-hand shop…and found this sabot. Now that’s serendipitous! TODAY’S WORD: LE SABOT : clog Did you know the word sabotage comes from sabot? The term sabotage is believed to have originated during the Industrial Revolution in … Continue reading Sabots: Clogs, Sabotage & Standing Your Ground in France!

Kristin Espinasse18 Comments
Characters

Bonne et Heureuse Année: the language of a new year

With Ricci, New Year's Day 2024. I love her from her nose down to her sweet toes! In today's story, a kindness from strangers gets the new year off to a meaningful start. TODAY'S WORD: Bonne et heureuse année     : Good and happy year A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse ”L’Abreuvoir — The Little Water Trough” “Bonne Année! Meilleurs Voeux! … Continue reading Bonne et Heureuse Année: the language of a new year

Kristin Espinasse5 Comments
Characters, Culture

Les Étrennes: This French new year’s custom will have you digging in your pockets

Photo of les boîtes à lettres taken in Marseilles at Les Arcenaulx. Thank you, Jean-Marc, for recording two sound files for today's post (the second is found below the vocabulary list). Note: if you are experiencing déjà vu reading the following column–tout va bien–the story is being revived from the archives.  TODAY'S WORD: LES ETRENNES     : New Year's gift, tip, bonus étrenner = … Continue reading Les Étrennes: This French new year’s custom will have you digging in your pockets

Kristin Espinasse11 Comments
Characters

Haphazardly in French + Serendipitous Meeting with a Stranger, Part 1

Experience a Lavender & Vine painting tour! Discover the magical light of Van Gogh this summer (lavender season) or fall (wine harvest). Join our small group with professional instruction to paint in Provence. Rates and tour info here. Today's Phrase: au petit bonheur     : haphazardly, randomly Le bonheur, c'est de continuer à désirer ce qu'on possède. –Saint AugustinHappiness is wanting what you already … Continue reading Haphazardly in French + Serendipitous Meeting with a Stranger, Part 1

Kristin Espinasse19 Comments
Characters, La Ciotat, mother-in-law, Recette / Recipe

How to say tenant in French?

Wish I'd gotten a picture of the hero in today's story. Meantime, here's a lovable stand-in. Photo taken somewhere in the Vaucluse… le locataire (lo h-ka-tair)     : tenant Audio File: Listen to Jean-Marc: Download MP3 or  Wav file Le locataire ouvre grand ses bras. "Entrez, je vous en prie!" il dit.The tenant opens his arms. "Come in. Please!" he says.   A Day in a … Continue reading How to say tenant in French?

Kristin Espinasse84 Comments
Characters, Flowers, garden, gardening, Kindness of strangers

How to say crutch or crutches in French

""The rare Frenchman who uses the crosswalk" Computer is back and so are some long-lost photos from years ago! Youpie! Yay! une béquille (beh-kee)     : crutch, stand; kickstand (bike) Audio File: listen to Jean-Marc pronounce the following expressions: Download MP3 or Wav file Elle marche avec des béquilles. She walks with crutches.mettre une moto, un vélo sur sa béquille = to put a motorbike or bike … Continue reading How to say crutch or crutches in French

Kristin Espinasse108 Comments
Characters, Olive trees, Plants

chaparder

Still pinching images from Google image search (I promise I took these!) after my computer crashed one week ago (typing this post on my son's PC)…. This photo was snapped in St. Tropez. Its artist theme fits with today's story of the "tree artists" (or pirates, rather…). Read on, in today's column. chaparder (sha-par-day)      to pinch, to lift, to steal A DAY IN A … Continue reading chaparder

Kristin Espinasse76 Comments
Characters

berger

Cabane de berger (the shepherd's wooden hut) photo by the Neurdein brothers. Here we have a slumbering sheepherder with his border collie and german shepherd (is it?) minding the troup. (When Mom sees this photo, she'll ditch her latest treehouse scheme… in favor of this fort-on-wheels with a nifty sliding door! Mom has had a hard time deciding where to anchor, here on the olive farm. This just may be … Continue reading berger

Kristin Espinasse134 Comments
Characters, Kindness of strangers, Toulon

ouvrier

What is remarkable, or kind of funny, about this sign above the window? Your guesses in the comments box. Photo taken in Toulon, where today's story takes place. ouvrier (ew-vree-ay)     : worker Example Sentence: Je ne suis qu'un simple ouvrier. I am but an ordinary working man. A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse Mom and I were in Toulon, yesterday, … Continue reading ouvrier

Kristin Espinasse46 Comments
Characters, French Hospital, Skin Cancer

chariot-brancard

Fed up to your forehead with hospital stories? Je sympathise! Just skip, or saute, today's skin-cancer chronicle… and scroll guiltily or sneakily or self-consciously to the end of the page, to read, instead, about Chief Grape… on second thought, who wouldn't want to read about a hunky French winemaker? (But I do have faith in you and I trust , lecteur or lectrice fidèle, that you'll … Continue reading chariot-brancard

Kristin Espinasse22 Comments