Archive for 'Vocabulary'
I Put a Spell on You! All Your Favorite “Hocus Pocus” Moments in French Posted by Josh Dougherty on Oct 28, 2017
Halloween is right around the corner. Jack-o-lanterns are on front porches. Pretty leaves are on the ground and sidewalks. Last-minute costumes are being purchased. Blah, blah, blah, etc. etc. etc. There’s certainly something magical about this time of year, but everyone knows the true reason for the season is the 1993 classic film “Hocus Pocus…
Green France Posted by Tim Hildreth on Oct 24, 2017
France has a long history of using alternative sources of fuel to generate electricity. After the global oil crisis of the early 1970’s France embarked on an ambitious program to ensure energy independence and today generates about 75% of its electricity from nuclear. While nuclear may not be the greenest source of energy, on our…
Describing Fear in French Posted by Josh Dougherty on Oct 22, 2017
October is here, and the leaves are changing colors, the air is becoming more crisp, and you can buy pretty much anything pumpkin flavored. It’s also a favorite month for many for the simple fact that Halloween makes an appearance. Who doesn’t love putting on a costume and getting candy in exchange? I am, admittedly…
Un Été Indien – Surprising Autumn Weather In France Posted by John Bauer on Oct 18, 2017
Cette semaine (this week) the weather in Paris has been surprisingly good. Le chaleur (the heat) surprised many people and un collègue (a coworker) in turn surprised me with un nouveau mot (a new word) for the nice weather! The idea of surprise heat when the season should be getting colder is not something I…
Fixing My French Internet – Wi-Fi Out Of La Box Posted by John Bauer on Oct 11, 2017
Unpacking is unfortunately not the end of le déménagement (moving). When all the boxes are gone there can still be issues with les appareils (appliances) and sometimes even l’électricité (electricity). In our modern age, a new important thing to check après le déménagement (after moving) is la connexion Wi-Fi (the Wi-Fi connection) from votre chambre…
French group – Boulevard des Airs Posted by Tim Hildreth on Oct 10, 2017
This week we pause our travels once more for another “back to school” related video from France. After last week’s song pour les filles, this week we enjoy a song by French group Boulevard des airs pour les garçons (for the boys). Where last week‘s video had a bit of an “American vibe” to the…
French Raisin Juice – Dried Grapes And False Friends Posted by John Bauer on Oct 4, 2017
Misunderstandings can be the best way to learn un nouveau mot (a new word), as long as you eventually figure out what you didn’t understand. I have learned many nouveaux mots from not understanding something, par exemple, les piles et la lessive (for example, batteries and laundry detergent). Grapes and wine bring up thoughts of…