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Alsace-Lorraine: French or German Originally? Posted by Hichem on Mar 31, 2013
No region has caused a more serious headache to both France and Germany than that of the Alsace-Lorraine, or as the Germans call it: Elsass-Lothringen. To this day, some people still wonder: Is it originally French or German? Starting from the mid-seventeenth century, the Alsace-Lorraine was French, no question about it. That is, until it was…
Top 10 Most Frequently Used French Verbs Posted by Hichem on Mar 27, 2013
There are countless ways of building a strong French vocabulary. One way to go is to learn the maximum of verbs. A good source for that is the very popular “501 French Verbs” by Christopher Kendris. But how to know which ones to start memorizing? After all, not all verbs are born equal in the…
French Phrases as Space and Time Adverbs Posted by Hichem on Mar 21, 2013
In French, like in any other language, the goal of adverbs is always the same: To modify la signification (the meaning) of words, phrases, and sentences. Let’s take this example: Le scénario de ce film est magnifiquement écrit. (The plot of this movie is magnificently written.) Here the adverb magnifiquement is a word, and it serves to modify the adjective écrit. * * * In…
French Rap: A Good Way to Learn French Grammar Posted by Hichem on Mar 18, 2013
The idea of mixing up French Rap with French grammar had to come all the way from le Canada… There, a French class teacher thought of a fun and efficient way to teach the rules of thumb of the “PP” to her young students: That would be les Participes Passés (Past Participles.) You can find more about it…
French Folklore Song: Three Young Drummers Posted by Hichem on Mar 15, 2013
Today, the Transparent French Blog features an age-old song called “Trois jeunes tambours” (“Three Young Drummers.”) Its theme may start like in so many fairy tales, but -you are warned, mes amis– it does not exactly end like one… If anything, it serves as proof that French folks in old times knew fully well how…
Lyon’s Most Famous Fountain by the Statue of Liberty Sculptor Posted by Hichem on Mar 9, 2013
The most famous fountain in the city of Lyon was made by a Frenchman whose name is not likely to tell you much: Auguste Bartholdi, originally from the Alsace region. Doesn’t really ring a bell, non? His other work, however, is one of the best known monuments in the world. Ever heard of New York‘s Statue of Liberty…
How to Make Madeleines Posted by Hichem on Mar 6, 2013
How to make and bake the French Lorraine classic madeleines in just dix étapes très faciles (ten very easy steps)! A slightly different approach by le chef Pierre-Dominique of Larousse Cuisine (that’s right, the same as the famous French dictionary) ► CE DONT VOUS AUREZ BESOIN (What you will need): Two cups of farine (flour) Six separated œufs (eggs) Twenty cuillères à soupe (tablespoons) of melted and cooled…