Tag Archives: Belgium
Beware of the “Père Fouettard” (Whipping Father)! Posted by Hichem on Dec 6, 2012
Last week, many families around the world celebrated la Saint-Nicolas! The kids who were sages comme une image (behaving very well) throughout the year were showered with lots of cadeaux (gifts)—compliments of Saint Nicolas. The naughty little garnements (brats), however, the ones who did not listen to their parents, who failed to do their devoirs (homework) and so on, those earned a special visit by…
Belgians Celebrate National Holiday Posted by Hichem on Jul 22, 2012
Last Saturday, July 21st, Belgians of all stripers celebrated their Fête nationale (national holiday) An occasion for us to salute Belgium here on the Transparent French Blog! A few years ago, Yves Leterme, ex-Prime Minister of La Belgique (Belgium) was asked by a journalist, “à l’improviste” (unexpectedly), if he knew the lyrics of l’hymne national (national…
Poisson d’Avril (April Fools’): Would You Like Fries with That? Posted by Hichem on Apr 1, 2012
It’s no big secret: Despite the persistent legends surrounding them, the so-called “French fries” are almost as “French” as the “French onions“, the “French toast“, and even the “French Kiss“: In other words, they are not! But whether or not you uphold their fairly established Belgian origin, and consider les “frites” as a “faux French” dish, for…
Must-Know French Words for Facebook Users Posted by Hichem on Mar 11, 2012
Ever wondered how to say “Add a friend” in French? Well, whether or not you’re a certifiably incurable “Facebookoholique“, this Top 100+ List can be a nice and fun way for you to learn French and quickly gain lots of French vocabulary. Now, if you really want to propel your French skills to the next level, this compilation will…
Belgians Finally Poking Fun Back at the French Posted by Hichem on Mar 3, 2012
More than 100 years of countless many French blagues (jokes) at the expense of Belgians, and the compatriots of Jacques Brel never felt like retaliating against the shenanigans of their misbehaving southern neighbors… Well, not until recently, that is! Were they only biding their time? Here’s something pretty funny for you: Although this can sound a bit strange or…
“La Brabançonne”: The National Anthem of Belgium (in French) Posted by Hichem on May 10, 2011
A few years ago, Yves Leterme, ex-Prime Minister of La Belgique (Belgium) was asked by a journalist, “à l’improviste” (unexpectedly), if he knew the lyrics of l’hymne national (national hymn) of his country. The answer of Leterme? He started singing la Marseillaise, the French national anthem! * * * The video showing Leterme “en flagrant délit”…
The First Hit of French Rap Posted by Hichem on Apr 15, 2011
Ever wondered what the first French Rap song was like? Well, in case you didn’t know it yet, the first super hit of le rap français (French Rap) came out, not from France, but from “le Plat Pays” (“the Flat Country”), designating either a specific region of la Belgique (Belgium), the one to which Jacques Brel…