Two Most important French words of the Year from the Champs Elysées

In this reflective piece, Kristi Espinasse shares wishes for the New Year, emphasizing the importance of love (amour) and peace (paix) as conveyed by the Parisian crowd during celebrations. The author considers personal growth, seeking meaningful words for 2023, including “patience” and “gratitude,” while expressing a desire to move away from negativity. Through scripture, she highlights love as a powerful force that promotes forgiveness and connection. The piece ends with a heartful encouragement to forgive oneself and others, focusing on love as the guiding principle for the year ahead, encapsulating the spirit of hope and resilience. Continue reading Two Most important French words of the Year from the Champs Elysées

“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”…

Un feuilleton: French for soap opera + recipe for Pumpkin-Ginger soup

My mother-in-law's French is so colorful and I love to listen to her stories — no matter how many times she repeats herself! Jean-Marc's mom, Michèle-France, has a great sense of humor and does not take herself too seriously, either. She is a real moulin-à -paroles, or chatterbox, but when my ears go numb I can always tell her to zip it!  and she won't … Continue reading Un feuilleton: French for soap opera + recipe for Pumpkin-Ginger soup

French Terms of Endearment

On this 14th day of February, or what the French call “le quatorze février” (a.k.a. “Le jour du Saint-Valentin“* and “la fête des amoureux“*) we begin with a string of lip-swaying nouns. Go ahead and pronounce the first line in the next paragraph and just feel your lips move to and fro–the exercise is a perfect warm up for…a kiss. A smack, a smooch, a … Continue reading French Terms of Endearment