Archive for 'Vocabulary'
French Language – Demonstrative Pronouns Posted by Tim Hildreth on Jan 14, 2020
Pronouns are handy – they can save us from repeating the same nouns over and over again – and important – as you get deeper into language learning, knowing your pronouns will help you understand more … and sound more like a native! But pronouns can also be tricky. An especially tricky category of pronouns is…
French Culture – Oh what a year! Posted by Tim Hildreth on Dec 31, 2019
It is once again New Year’s Eve, and around the world people are greeting un nouvel an even as they look back at the year (et toute une décennie ! / and a whole decade) that is coming to an end. And what a year it was! Les Français dans les rues As far back as La Révolution…
French Music – A Christmas Song Posted by Tim Hildreth on Dec 24, 2019
Today is le réveillon de Noël (Christmas eve) … et demain c’est Noël (tomorrow is Christmas). And while it is a time of joy and celebrations for many, it is also a time to remember those who cannot fully enjoy the saison des fêtes (holiday season) for whatever reason. In 2015, the French singer Michel Polnareff released…
French Commercial – Sharing the work Posted by Tim Hildreth on Nov 26, 2019
Ariel is not just famously the Petite Sirène (Little Mermaid), in France, it is also the name of a well-known laundry detergent. On my recent trip to France, I saw the following commercial that resonated with me. Commercials are not only a great way to learn vocabulary, since they are often very concrete and the…
La Place Dauphine – Paris Posted by Tim Hildreth on Nov 19, 2019
I’ve been to Paris so often that sometimes I think I must have seen it all (even though I know I have so much more to discover!) On my recent trip, I got to discover one of those little hidden gems that make Paris so wonderful … and I had been walking right by it…
From Paris With Love Posted by Tim Hildreth on Nov 12, 2019
I recently spent the weekend in Paris. Two very important people in my life were celebrating leur 25e anniversaire de mariage (25th wedding anniversary) and since I had been at their wedding 25 years ago, it seemed only fitting to go back for the party! While I (happily!) spent most of my time visiting with loved…
Retro French Music – Michel Fugain Posted by Tim Hildreth on Nov 5, 2019
Michel Fugain is a French singer and songwriter who, with his ‘Big Bazar’, chanté l’insouciance et la joie de vivre (sang about being carefree and about the joys of living). This week, just for fun, a song from the early 1970’s that embodies this spirit (and will, I hope, tide you over until i have…