Archive by Author
À La Pharmacie Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jul 31, 2017
Going to the pharmacy in France is a very different experience from visiting a pharmacy in the United States or elsewhere. Here is all you need to know about picking up medication in France, as well as vocabulary to help you get everything you need while there! In France, unlike where I live currently in…
Almost Août! Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jul 24, 2017
Today, as I was standing à la caisse (at the checkout/cashier) to pay for my groceries, la cassière (the cashier) mentioned that she couldn’t believe all the back-to-school ads she saw all over the place. “Summer isn’t over!” she opined. I agreed heartily with her…but then I realized that next week will already be August. How…
5 Facts about the Bastille Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jul 17, 2017
As you probably know, la fête nationale, or the French national holiday, is celebrated every July 14. As Tim explains in his Bastille day post, this celebration is held (partly) in commemoration of the storming of the Bastille in 1789, an event that is often noted to have begun the French Revolution. But Bastille Day…
Comme d’habitude Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jul 8, 2017
Claude François is one of the most iconic of French singer-songwriters of the 1960s. Emerging in the heyday of French rock and roll, François gained popularity from performing popular American songs in French during his early career. He was known for his fluffy blonde hair, long eyelashes..and for his somewhat difficult personality. One of François’s early…
France’s New President: Emmanuel Macron Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jun 14, 2017
About a month ago, France’s new president, Emmanuel Macron, was elected. In the weeks before the second round voting, it wasn’t a great surprise that Macron would win against Marine Le Pen; however he was a candidate that seemed to enter the presidential race (and end up winning it!) d’une manière inattendue (unexpectedly). Here are five facts…
4 Fun Facts About the French Language Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on May 29, 2017
You may know all about French grammar and have an extensive French vocabulary, but you might not be aware of some fun (and just plain interesting) facts about the French language itself. Here are four fun facts, some you may be aware of and some that might surprise you: 1.The French Language May Become The…
Back to the Basics: French Definite Articles Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on May 22, 2017
Last week, we went over the basics of French articles. This week, we are going to dive more into French definite articles and the ways in which they can change when they are combined with prepositions such as à and de. In French, the preposition à means “to” and the preposition de means “from.” When they are combined with definite articles…