Archive for April, 2011
Hedonistic French Rap: “Chui Un Bo Gosse” (I’m a Handsome Kid) Posted by Hichem on Apr 30, 2011
Disiz la Peste dedicates this song to “tous les beaux gosses et les belles gosses” (“all the handsome kids and the beautiful girls”)—No doubt an “inspirational hymn” for the “bogossitude” movement headed by its founder, Mickaël Vendetta * * * If you read the title and haven’t yet come to understand how “Chui un bo gosse”…
La Plume de Ma Tante (My Aunt’s Pen) Posted by Hichem on Apr 29, 2011
For the now-graying baby boomer generation, the title of “la plume de ma tante” often evokes some fond and vivid early childhood memories; whereas for the progeny of the “Generation X” and above (Generation Y and Z), it most likely reminds them of a rather ghastly scene of le film d’horreur (horror movie) “l’Exorciste“, which premiered…
Les adjectifs irréguliers (Irregular Adjectives) Masculin et Féminin Posted by Hichem on Apr 29, 2011
In today’s post, we’ll go through the special type of adjectives called “les adjectifs irréguliers.” They are named as such because -you’ve guessed it- they are pretty much the “rebellious type”; ils ne suivent aucune règle particulière (they do not follow any particular rule), and you therefore have to memorize them par cœur (by heart)! * *…
To Catch A Taxi in France Posted by Hichem on Apr 27, 2011
“Taxi, vite, vite! (quick, quick!) À la Tour Eiffel!“ * * * It doesn’t matter if you speak like a native Parisien or a Marseillais, or only occasionally venture a word or two in French, if you go to France for a trip, for the purpose of experiencing a grand voyage (big trip), or to have…
Si je t’aime, prends garde à toi – Bizet’s French Opéra: “Carmen” Posted by Hichem on Apr 26, 2011
Thoroughly inspired from the Spanish composer Sebastián Iradier, “Habanera” is a famous aria from the French opéra “Carmen” by Georges Bizet If you thought at first that the title of today’s post is somehow related to the KISS song (You know, the one that goes “You better watch out, cause I’m a War Machine”), then you’re…
French Conjugaison: the Verb Ouvrir (To Open) Posted by Hichem on Apr 25, 2011
What could be better to open up la nouvelle semaine(the new week) than la conjugaison of the verb ouvrir (to open)? * * * The naturally-born funny French comedian actor Fernandel stars as “Ali Baba”, the famous Arabian Nights tale in which he utters the three magic words: “Sésame, ouvre-toi!” (“Open Sesame!”) Here’s “un aperçu“, or a…
A Cheerful French Love Song Posted by Hichem on Apr 22, 2011
Out of the les Côtes-d’Armor of the Brittany Peninsula, bordering the shores of Saint-Malo, from whence hailed and sailed the seafaring ancestors of the legendary Surcouf, “le roi des corsaires“ (“the King of Corsairs”), une voix (a voice) Bretonne sings a cheerful tune about a local girl nicknamed “Marie la dondaine.“ But what’s a “dondaine“, you may ask? Could it…