Tag: French vocabulary

Recette / Recipe

Eplucher + More about friendship… and Bernard’s Courgette Carpaccio!

Eplucher is the word of the day. You've got to peel a few zucchinis to make this easy recipe….  Eplucher     :  to peel   Click here to listen to Jean-Marc read the following sentence in French (English translation is above) Il faut eplucher quelques courgettes pour réaliser cette recette fastoche…. A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse One reward of offering to … Continue reading Eplucher + More about friendship… and Bernard’s Courgette Carpaccio!

Kristin Espinasse25 Comments
Recette / Recipe

Au pif, kale pesto recipe, and Bookshop for sale in France!

Making parsley pesto. In today's post I make another kind (without parsley): Pesto Manqué (find out what's missing…) TODAY'S WORD: au pifométre – or simply "au pif"         : at a guess, by guess work, off the cuff, off the top of your head EXAMPLE SENTENCE: Au pif. Les grands chefs cuisinent au pif.By guesswork. Great cooks cook by guesswork. The following link does not … Continue reading Au pif, kale pesto recipe, and Bookshop for sale in France!

Kristin Espinasse19 Comments
Culture, Heidi, Hospitality, Insects

How to say “cleaning frenzy” in French! + photo vocabulary!

Gone fishing! I'll see you in a week, when the next post goes out. Meantime, keep up your French vocabulary by visiting the French word archives. Thanks for reading and for sharing our language journal with friends and family. See you soon–with more photos and stories from a French life! Bisous, Kristin  la frénésie de ménage (fray-nay-zee deuh may-nazh)     : cleaning frenzy  … and … Continue reading How to say “cleaning frenzy” in French! + photo vocabulary!

Kristin Espinasse68 Comments
Renovation, Video: Kristin

New video + saupoudrer + “quitte à le faire”

Viewing this edition via email? You'll need to click over to the website, here, to see the video. In the clip, Smokey and I have just returned from a hike (at a nearby calanque) in time to share the French word for "to sprinkle" as well as the useful term "quitte à le faire". You'll hear Braise, Smokey's maman, complaining in the background (she's stuck, … Continue reading New video + saupoudrer + “quitte à le faire”

Kristin Espinasse76 Comments
Tipping

plein d’entrain

Fall colors in France's 3rd largest city, Lyon, where our croisière fluviale docked on the last day of the AMA Waterways river cruise. If you dream of traveling the French canals, please do me a favor by contacting my best friend, Susan, for details of our Rhône river trip. Her email is Susan@CriticsChoiceVacations.com or call her at 480-831-9076. Today's word: plein d'entrainIn the category of French words I often hear but … Continue reading plein d’entrain

Kristin Espinasse30 Comments
Braise The Dog, Smokey, Smokey's Accident

Woof woof! Bow wow! Aboiement (or how to say dog bark or barking in French)

Nothing to do with today's word, just an iconic zinc bar in Marseilles: Le Bar de la Marine (made famous by Marcel Pagnol in his "Marius" Trilogy. un aboiement (ah-bwa-mahn)     : bark, barking (of dog) Also: aboyer = to bark, un aboyeur (une aboyeuse) = a barking dog Reverse dictionary: to bark up the wrong tree = porter plainte contre la mauvaise personnehis bark is … Continue reading Woof woof! Bow wow! Aboiement (or how to say dog bark or barking in French)

Kristin Espinasse25 Comments
Uncategorized

The Joys of Writing: My Creative Process

Kristi reflects on the challenges of writing a short story for class, humorously sharing struggles with procrastination and inspiration. Amid distractions, a compelling narrative unexpectedly presents itself, prompting her to abandon previous drafts. Embracing the unpredictability of writing, the piece explores the joy of storytelling and personal experiences. Continue reading The Joys of Writing: My Creative Process

31 Comments
Story Selections 2006

bouder

Some French streets are so small that you wonder how deliveries are made to these tiny shops. bouder(boo-day)verbto pout or sulk   I notice my husband is shaving this morning, something he rarely does anymore, now that he’s working from home as a wine sales rep. "Where are you going?" I ask. "En tournée." "Prospecting? Where?" I wonder. "In Saint-Raphaël." Saint-Raphaël? My mind fills with … Continue reading bouder

Kristin Espinasse26 Comments
Family Life, Housewifery

Everyday French: From Comforters to Pigtails

………………………………………………………………………………………..Words in a French Life: Lessons in Love and Language from the South of France"…a heart-winning collection from an American woman raising two very French children with her French husband in Provence, carrying on a lifelong love affair with the language."……………………………………………………………………………………….. la couette (kwet) noun, feminine  1. duvet, comforter  2. a (gathered) lock of hair Proverb: Etendez vos pieds selon la couverture. Stretch out your … Continue reading Everyday French: From Comforters to Pigtails

Kristin Espinasse