Archive for 'Uncategorized'
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…
La Coupe du Monde (The World Cup) Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jun 26, 2018
Any soccer (or, rather, football) fans out there are surely aware of the important games that are occurring now. It is, of course, the World Cup (La Coupe du Monde), which occurs only once every four years. Unfortunately for American fans, the United States did not make it through qualifications. But, you can always still root…
French Poetry: “La Coccinelle” de Victor Hugo Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on May 21, 2018
I always love the time of year when ladybugs start coming out. In French, a ladybug is called une coccinelle, and it symbolizes good luck. The French often refer to les coccinelles as “les bêtes à bon Dieu,” which means something like “Good God’s creatures.” Some linguists state that this expression dates back to medieval times. According to medieval legend…
Strange French Sites: Who Was Nicholas Flamel? Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Apr 5, 2018
If you happen to be in Paris, you might want to check out the oldest stone home in the city. Located at 51, rue de Montmerencey, it dates to 1407. But that’s not the only special thing about this house: it was built by Nicholas Flamel, the most famous French alchemist of all time. For…
French Biathlon at the 2018 Winter Olympics Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Feb 19, 2018
Have you been watching the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang? (Tim offered some really useful French vocabulary for the Olympics last week.) If you have, and you’re based in the United States, you’ve probably been following several sports in particular, including figure skating, ice hockey, and skiing/snowboarding. There’s another sport that you may not be as…
On Verra Bien (French Music) Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jan 23, 2018
In French, on verra bien means “we shall see.” It’s an expression that you’ll often hear in French. For example, On verra bien comment ça va se passer. (“Well, we’ll see how it will work out.”) Or, On verra bien avec le temps. (“We shall see in due time.”) A popular French song, drawing on classic hip-hop, uses this French expression…
L’Ascension (French Film) Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jan 8, 2018
My husband and I found a cute French comedy on Netflix the other night, called L’Ascension. It tells the story of a man who will do anything for love. L’Ascension (The Climb) tells the story of Samy (played by the comedian Ahmed Sylla), a young man who lives in La Courneuve, a banlieue of Paris. He is…