Tag Archives: free French lesson
L’Éclipse Solaire Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Aug 22, 2017
For many people living in across a certain path in the United States, today was a historic day. It was the first time a full solar eclipse was viewable from the US since 1919. (The solar eclipse of 1919 was also a particularly historic one, as Einstein’s theory of relativity was shown to be correct…
Les Papillons Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Aug 7, 2017
I’ve recently had a loss. When someone you love dies, it is easy to see (or want to see) signs around you that show your loved one is still with you. There can be many signs that are specific to your culture. For example, in American culture, seeing a red cardinal is often interpreted as…
À La Pharmacie Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Jul 31, 2017
Going to the pharmacy in France is a very different experience from visiting a pharmacy in the United States or elsewhere. Here is all you need to know about picking up medication in France, as well as vocabulary to help you get everything you need while there! In France, unlike where I live currently in…
4 Fun Facts About the French Language Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on May 29, 2017
You may know all about French grammar and have an extensive French vocabulary, but you might not be aware of some fun (and just plain interesting) facts about the French language itself. Here are four fun facts, some you may be aware of and some that might surprise you: 1.The French Language May Become The…
Back to the Basics: French Definite Articles Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on May 22, 2017
Last week, we went over the basics of French articles. This week, we are going to dive more into French definite articles and the ways in which they can change when they are combined with prepositions such as à and de. In French, the preposition à means “to” and the preposition de means “from.” When they are combined with definite articles…
More Faux Amis Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Apr 10, 2017
We’ve gone over faux amis, or false cognates, on the Transparent Language blog before (here and here). But faux amis are one of the most likely vocabulary issues to trip up new French learners…so it is always worth going over again! For a quick recap, les faux amis are words that seem to be the same in…
Blizzard! Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Mar 14, 2017
In New York, we are awaiting a huge blizzard just several weeks before the first day of spring. But did you know that the word “blizzard” is actually a loanword–from English to French? The exact etymology of “blizzard” is unknown, although it was first used in the eighteenth century in Minnesota and it has been claimed…