Archive for 'Culture'
May I Offer You “Un Cadeau de Mai” (A May Present)? Posted by Hichem on May 9, 2013
Since the month of May is not over yet, may I offer you an old popular French poem? Drôle de coïncidence (funny coincidence) perhaps, this poem happens to be precisely about offering presents during the month of May. QUE DONNERAI-JE À MON AMIE EN MAI? (WHAT SHALL I GIVE TO MY FRIEND IN MAY?) Que donnerai-je…
J’me Tire (I’m Outta Here)! Posted by Hichem on May 3, 2013
In proper French, if you want to announce that you are leaving, that you’re about to be gone, then you can say: “je pars“, “je m’en vais“, “je quitte les lieux“, etc. If you feel like saying it informally, however, or rather in French slang, then you have the choice between expressions (not to be used…
Salut! Comment vas-tu? Posted by Hichem on Apr 22, 2013
Hello there, c’est encore moi (it’s me again.) We haven’t spoken since a long time. By now, we may only be a vague souvenir (memory) to each other. That’s why I just wanted to say “salut” (“hello”), and ask you: “Comment vas-tu?” (“How are you?”) Joe Dassin “Salut” (“Hello”) – 1975 His son Julien Dassin sings…
La Plume Française (The French Quill Pen) Posted by Hichem on Apr 11, 2013
Unlike what their name may suggest to some at first, the French group “Louise Attack” is no Heavy Metal band à-la-Rammstein. In fact, their songs are for the most part relaxées (chill) and rather mellow. One of such songs is “la Plume“, meaning “The Quill Pen“, which we feature today, together with an exclusive translation of its…
Vous n’aurez jamais notre cœur (You Will Never Have Our Heart) Posted by Hichem on Apr 3, 2013
Last week, while evoking l’Alsace et la Lorraine, and raising the question of whether they were originally French or German, we characterized the temporary loss of these two territories as provoking to many a French person a corresponding “temporary loss of sanity.” For nearly half a century, a heavy wind of revanchisme (from the word…
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…