It Comes In Pints! – Beer In French Posted by John Bauer on Apr 6, 2016
When ordering something in a new country there are always surprises waiting in all the small differences from what you would expect and what actually arrives. One of my first times dans un bar français (in a French bar), on top of not knowing how to toast, I didn’t know how to order a beer…
Août en Bretagne Posted by Tim Hildreth on Apr 5, 2016
I arrived in France for the first time at the end of July (‘fin juillet’). I was jet-lagged, confused, and a little scared at the prospect of spending the next year so far away from everything and everyone I had grown up with back in the US. Before I even had time to settle in…
Le Passé Simple for Irregular French Verbs Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Apr 4, 2016
Last week, I introduced the simple past tense and showed you how to conjugate regular French verbs in this literary tense. However, as you probably know … not all French verbs are regular. In fact, many verbs are conjugated irregularly in French. Today, we will go over these difficult irregular verbs in the past simple…
Sick As A Dog – Catching A Cold In French Posted by John Bauer on Mar 30, 2016
I woke up l’autre jour (the other day) feeling sick. The combination of les maux, le nez bouché et le mal à la gorge (the aches, a stuffy nose, and a sore throat) let me know I had to get myself to une pharmacie or I’d end up calling les urgences. I took une douche…
Le Passé Simple for Regular Verbs Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Mar 28, 2016
Have you ever heard of a French verb tense called “le passé simple”? The preterit, or the simple past, as it is known in English, is used primarily in literature and very formal speech. However, in modern French usage the simple past tense is rarely used and, frankly, going out of style. However, this doesn’t…
Want to Try a Nun’s Fart? No Really – They’re Delicious! Posted by Josh Dougherty on Mar 24, 2016
Who doesn’t love a good French pastry? Even those who aren’t fans of sweets (they really do exist…) have to partake in these culinary treats while abroad to see what the big deal is. France is known for its pastries, but there are so much more than just les pains aux chocolat and les croissants…
Trilingual Belgium – What Language Do They Speak? Posted by John Bauer on Mar 23, 2016
Drapeau de la Belgique (Belgian Flag) De tous les peuples de la Gaule, les Belges sont les plus braves Of all the people of Gaul, the Belgians are the bravest. – Jules César (Julius Cesar) After les attentats hier matin (the attacks yesterday morning), all our hearts are with la Belgique (Belgium). La capitale (the…