Tag Archives: French culture
French Music – Saying Goodbye to Summer Posted by Tim Hildreth on Sep 8, 2020
It’s only early September, but here in the northeastern United States, things are already sliding towards fall. It’s time to get back to school, to work, and to say … Au revoir à l’été La Madrague is a charming little chanson française that for years I thought was written for Brigitte Bardot by Serge Gainsbourg ……
French Culture – Catastrophe Posted by Tim Hildreth on Sep 1, 2020
The young suedoise (Swede, f.) Greta Thunberg has, over the last few years, reinvigorated a global conversation about the climate and the future of our planet. This week I discovered an interesting French musical group that puts these same concerns to a party beat to remind us that . . . Ensemble on peut faire…
French Culture – The Little Prince Posted by Tim Hildreth on Aug 25, 2020
I realized recently that, while we’ve often evoked it, no one here at the Transparent Language French Blog has ever really talked about Le Petit Prince … perhaps one of the most famous (or if not, at least well-loved) books ever written in French. Je ne veux plus être raisonnable … Often taught in high…
French Vocabulary – On the farm Posted by Tim Hildreth on Aug 18, 2020
Once upon a time you could find many little family farms in towns and villages across many parts of le province. Many of these owned by families who, while not farmers, kept animals. The animals, popularly known as les animaux de la basse-cour (the animals of the lower court), provided des œufs, du lait, et…
French Culture – Summer Music Posted by Tim Hildreth on Aug 11, 2020
August is traditionally vacation time in France et qui dit vacances d’été dit chanson d’été (and summer vacation means summer songs) ! This retro hit from the French group Niagara is the perfect way to embrace your beach love if you can’t get there in person. L’amour à la plage Niagara was part of the soundtrack of…
French Language – Right is right Posted by Tim Hildreth on Jul 21, 2020
It’s not uncommon to forget or to mix up words when you first start learning a new language. I once asked for un orteil sans plume (a toe without feathers) when what I really wanted was un oreiller sans plume (a pillow without feathers)! These sorts of errors usually work themselves out with practice, but…
French Culture – Fireworks Posted by Tim Hildreth on Jul 14, 2020
Happy Bastille Day! Or as they say in France Joyeux quatorze juillet. This year because of Covid-19 the annual celebrations of the birth of the French republic will look a little different, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate. Un défilé, des bals, et des feux d’artifices A typical quatorze juillet (July 14th) in France…