French Language – Three Wise Monkeys Posted by Tim Hildreth on Oct 8, 2019
A random line in one of my favorite French podcasts sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole to explore a variety of expressions … and from rabbits I was soon at des singes (monkeys)! Il n’y a pas pire aveugle … A few years back, I wrote a blog on the senses in…
French Music – Michel Polnareff Posted by Tim Hildreth on Oct 1, 2019
As one season (l’été) turns into another (l’automne), I find it’s time for another song that evokes memory, loss, and the oncoming of fall. Je me souviens, moi, Me, I remember, De ce musicien That musician C’était l’automne à It was fall at La maison The house Je me souviens, moi, I remember, I do…
French Literature – La Dame aux Camélias Posted by Tim Hildreth on Sep 24, 2019
France has supplied the world with some of its greatest writers. I often return to my favorites to keep up my skills. Some – like Victor Hugo’s Notre-Dame de Paris (which incidentally helped to save the magnificent cathedral the last time it was in need) or Alexandre Dumas‘s Les Trois Mousquetaires – are quite long…
French Culture – The latest news from France Posted by Tim Hildreth on Sep 17, 2019
One of the ways that I keep my French up is by watching the news from France. It’s a good way for me to practice my language skills, to keep up with what’s happening, and to feel closer to the people and places that still occupy a big place in my heart. A few stories…
French Vocabulary – Talking about family Posted by Tim Hildreth on Sep 10, 2019
I just finished a book called Mon frère (My bother) in which the French écrivain (writer) Daniel Pennac interweaves his memories of a dear older brother with excerpts from a Herman Melville short story. The short text, which I picked up last summer on my trip to France avec mon fils (with my son), touched…
French Culture – Back to School Posted by Tim Hildreth on Sep 3, 2019
Et oui, c’est encore la rentrée (des classes). (And yes, it’s back to school time!). This year, les élèves français (French students) across the country returned to leurs études (their studies) le lundi, 2 septembre (Monday, September 2). Mais avant / But first (before) Back to school (la rentrée) means back to school shopping. Chaque année, les parents reçoivent…
See You Soon On The Bus – Saying Goodbye With A French Expression Posted by John Bauer on Aug 28, 2019
Idioms showing up when you least expect them is one the best parts of becoming un francophone (a French speaker). The shift from finding something completely incomprehensible to clearly identifiable is an incredible feeling for anyone learning le français. Of the many expressions I’ve misunderstood over the years, there is one that recently came up…