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!)

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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)

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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

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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?)

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Alps, Jackie

An exhausting surprise at Jackie’s Alpine “hébergement”

Serre Chevalier Vallée, with its snow-capped cimes. Photo by Jean-Marc TODAY’S WORD: se soutenir  : to help one another, to support one another Audio/Listening: Click the link below to hear the French words in the following story. Then scroll down to the vocabulary list to check your French comprehension. Listen to Jean-Marc’s recording, click here A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse On Monday, Jules … Continue reading An exhausting surprise at Jackie’s Alpine “hébergement”

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Alps, Jackie

Guess Where Jackie is moving?… and the expression “être sur son trente-et-un”

The French Alps at Serre Chevalier. Have you heard of this popular ski resort in Southeastern France? TODAY’S WORD: être sur son trente-et-un    : to be all dressed up, all dolled up Audio/Listening: Click the link below to hear 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 DAY … Continue reading Guess Where Jackie is moving?… and the expression “être sur son trente-et-un”

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Celebrations, Friends, Wine: Burgundy

Burlesque in Burgundy… (A Cheeky Cabaret to Celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday)

If you are here for the photo of the semi-clad dancers, you’ll need to click over to the blog for the full version of this steamy letter!  Today's French Word: le déguisement     : costume, disguise; dressing up clothes, wearing fancy dress Audio/Listening: Click the link below to hear the French words in today's séduisante story. Then scroll down to the vocabulary list to … Continue reading Burlesque in Burgundy… (A Cheeky Cabaret to Celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday)

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Uncategorized

Et Tarzan est Heureux / And Tarzan is Happy by Serge Lama: Song lyrics

Here are the lyrics to Et Tarzan est Heureux by Serge Lama. Listen to the song, click here ET TARZAN EST HEUREUX by Serge Lama When you sleep near your husbandQuand tu dors près de ton mari For the three hundred thousandth timePour la trois-cent-millième fois Doesn’t it happen to you sometimesNe t’arrive-t-il pas des fois Dream that he’s someone else?De rêver qu’il est quelqu’un … Continue reading Et Tarzan est Heureux / And Tarzan is Happy by Serge Lama: Song lyrics

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Marriage

“Eclosion”: Old love letters, a lifetime commitment, and “rien n’est acquis”…

Today's Word: une éclosion     : blossoming, burgeoning Audio/Listening: Click the link below to hear the French words in the following story. Then scroll down to the vocabulary list to check your French comprehension. Sound File here A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse There were a handful of letters I meant to include in our vineyard memoir, colorful cartes postales from … Continue reading “Eclosion”: Old love letters, a lifetime commitment, and “rien n’est acquis”…

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Jackie

A Strange Coincidence, “soul-daughter”, and wonderment in French

Pictured: Jean-Marc, who does the sound files for this journal, and our daughter, Jackie, whom today's story is about ♥ (here, she is making "The Lady B" one of the drinks she mixed for Baccarat). Today's Word: émerveillement    : wonderment, amazement Audio/Listening: Click the link below to hear all the French words in the following story. Then scroll down to the vocabulary list to … Continue reading A Strange Coincidence, “soul-daughter”, and wonderment in French

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