Archive by Author
See You Soon On The Bus – Saying Goodbye With A French Expression Posted by John Bauer on Aug 28, 2019
Idioms showing up when you least expect them is one the best parts of becoming un francophone (a French speaker). The shift from finding something completely incomprehensible to clearly identifiable is an incredible feeling for anyone learning le français. Of the many expressions I’ve misunderstood over the years, there is one that recently came up…
Upstream Traffic Towards Paris – Confusing Directions In French Posted by John Bauer on Aug 23, 2019
Learning le français is all about making mistakes and being at a loss for words when there’s something important to say. That can lead to some embarrassing moments, but a few uncomfortable seconds is the price to pay for free French lessons. Being a non-native francophone (French speaker), I often hear a new word before…
L’Histoire De La Vie – Learning French With The Lion King Posted by John Bauer on Aug 17, 2019
The best way to study French is to do the same things you enjoy in English, just in la langue de Molière (the language of Moliere). Playing games and watching movies are great ways to make memorizing le vocabulaire et les conjugaisons (vocabulary and conjugations) not only fun, but something to look forward to! The…
Finding The Right Hot Drink – Tea In French Posted by John Bauer on Aug 9, 2019
Making mistakes and not knowing the right mot (word) is a big part of learning le français. Improving in a language often depends more on not being afraid of the embarrassment that comes from being wrong than memorizing every conjugaison. Sometimes there are multiple words en français for something that only has one word in…
Walking On French Eggs – Expression For Difficult Subjects Posted by John Bauer on Aug 2, 2019
Talking about difficult subjects in a new language is something like a taboo. Not just because the topic may be awkward or inappropriate, but because of all the mistakes that are waiting in le vocabulaire (the vocabulary)! Learning les expressions (expressions, idioms) is a fun exercise in flexing your imagination. Understanding how a morning can…
A Whole New Blue World – Aladdin In French Posted by John Bauer on Jul 24, 2019
My love of the great songs from Disney only helps making learning French easier. With the recent release of Aladdin, I had a whole new world of excuses to sing loudly in French! Le saviez-vous (fun fact, litterally: did you know?) ? the first movie I ever saw au cinéma (at the movie theater) is…
How Benjamin Franklin Inspired A Revolutionary Song – Celebrating Bastille Day In French Posted by John Bauer on Jul 17, 2019
With a weekend filled with fireworks and French pride, I thought it’d be fun to look into une chanson patriotique (a patriotic song) other than la Marsaillaise. L’hymne national français (the French national anthem) is known all around the world. Even if people are a little hazy on les paroles (the lyrics), the first few…