Archive for 'Culture'
Le Journal: An overview of French Newspapers (Part 2) Posted by mtaulier on Aug 28, 2014
Welcome back to our little survey of French newspapers. In part 1, I briefly went over the different sections found in most newspapers to help you quickly locate the content you want to read. Today, we’ll be looking at two French newspapers that you are bound to find at any sidewalk café, kiosque (newsstand), gare…
Le Journal: An overview of French Newspapers (Part 1) Posted by mtaulier on Aug 26, 2014
What method/device do you use to stay up to date on current events? A couple decades ago, reading the newspaper, listening to the news on the radio or watching current events unfold on television were the only options. I remember watching les infos de 20 hrs sur TF1 (the 8 o’clock news on TF1) and…
Joe Dassin: Les Champs-Élysées Posted by mtaulier on Aug 19, 2014
One of the most beloved French singers of the 20th century, Joe Dassin gave the world something to sing about. His voice still graces the airwaves of French radio stations and you can’t help but smile a little when you hear a song like Les Champs-Élysées from the album of the same name released in…
“La Mer” by Charles Trenet Posted by mtaulier on Jun 23, 2014
If you’re a fan of the late Bobby Darin, you’ve no doubt heard his song “Beyond the Sea” released in 1959. It was a hit back then and is still played quite frequently on the radio today. Darin may have made the song his own and popularized it, but the original belongs to Charles Trenet…
French Grammar: The *NE* explétive Posted by Hichem on May 31, 2014
*NE*… A two-letter word can be a source of serious confusion for new French learners! What is it exactly? It is un adverbe called the “ne explétif.” When do we use it? Right after some verbs and conjunctions. It is used in situations where the main clause has a negative meaning (in the sense of negation), or expressing situations of warning, doubt…
Who Wants a Last Dance in Paris? Posted by Hichem on May 17, 2014
Care to improve your French comprehension skills by joining Indila for une dernière danse (a last dance) in the streets of the French capital? * * * Indila’s new song “Dernière danse” (“Last Dance”) Oh, ma douce souffrance Oh, my sweet suffering Pourquoi s’acharner, tu recommences Why try so hard, you start again Je ne suis…
Do You Want a French Mustache—Or an Austrian Beard?! Posted by Hichem on May 9, 2014
In less than 24 hours, the 2014 Eurovision grande finale will be taking place. Six pays (six countries) are en lice (battling it out) for la première place. What does France has to offer this time, you may reluctantly wonder? A group whose chanson (song) seems to hint at the general zeitgeist reigning a bit everywhere in the world: the “I-got-many-things-but-I-still-want-more” kind of syndrome. Of course, without reading…