Archive for October, 2008
Complex Sentences (La Phrase Complexe) Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 27, 2008
Just like in English, a complex sentence in French is a sentence with more than one clause. These are often used and many times we don’t even realize they’re so complex because several of them so easily come rolling off our tongues. To begin our discussion, there are two kinds of clauses: main clauses and…
French Music – Francis Cabrel Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 23, 2008
As I’ve mentioned before, I love French music. So, in this article I will present another of my favorite French singers – Francis Cabrel. This singer/songwriter was born on November 23, 1953 in Agen, France and grew up in a small village near Toulouse. He started learning guitar as a shy teenager and later said…
Basic French Phrases I Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 16, 2008
We had a request from LaDawn for some basic phrases, so that’s what I’ll write about today. I’m always willing to try to please the readers! Let’s start with the very basics and given that it’s basic…this is all language you will use with friends or people you know – in other words, people you…
Street French I – Animal Language Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 15, 2008
If you want to become fluent in French, you must learn all types of vocabulary including the kind that is not necessarily found in most textbooks, but which you will find on the street as you talk to French-speaking people. Today, we’ll talk about some popular French terms including slang, idioms, colloquialisms, etc. that are…
Guillaume Depardieu Died Today Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 13, 2008
After being hospitalized for a few days, French actor Gérard Depardieu’s son Guillaume, also a famous French actor, died suddenly today in Paris at the age of 37 from a bout with pneumonia. His mother is the actress Elisabeth Guignot and his sister Julie is also an actress. Although he was often present on movie…
Let’s Talk About Present Tense Verbs Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 10, 2008
Je travaille. In French, this short sentence has several translations in English and we would need more context to decide exactly what is meant. It could be translated as “I work” or “I’m working” and if we add more to the sentence without changing the verb structure in any way, it could take on even…
Frenchman Le Clezio Wins Nobel Prize in Literature Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 9, 2008
It was announced today that a Frenchman will be awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Literature. Born in Nice, France on April 13, 1940, Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio started writing when he was only 7 years old, has traveled extensively, grew up bilingual in French and English as he lived in various countries and has…