{"id":31639,"date":"2019-10-29T05:30:54","date_gmt":"2019-10-29T04:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=31639"},"modified":"2019-10-20T22:38:15","modified_gmt":"2019-10-20T20:38:15","slug":"french-vocabulary-teaching-and-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/french-vocabulary-teaching-and-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"French Vocabulary – Teaching and Learning"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a few short months, I will be completing my studies towards a Masters in Education. If all goes well, one of these days I hope to become\u00a0prof de fran\u00e7ais<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>(a French teacher<\/em>) in a local\u00a0college ou lyc\u00e9e<\/strong><\/a> (middle or high school<\/em>). While that days is still a ways off, my work got me thinking about the different types of knowledge and about the different ways to talk about teaching and learning in French.<\/p>\n

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To teach or to learn?<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the nuances of French that I have always wondered at is the way that the verb apprendre<\/strong> can mean both\u00a0to teach\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0to learn.\u00a0<\/em>While most of us learn the later definition, it is commonly used in French to mean it opposite.1<\/a><\/sup>The French linguist and philosopher Roland Barthes called words like this – that can mean one thing and their opposite – \u00e9nantios\u00e8mes. You can see a few more of them here<\/a>. <\/span> Let’s look at some examples. [Click the play button if you would like to hear each phrase pronounced.]<\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>J’apprends le fran\u00e7ais.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>\/ I am learning French.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>J’apprends le fran\u00e7ais \u00e0 mon neveu.<\/strong>\u00a0\/ I am teaching my nephew French.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>Nous apprenons \u00e0 jouer au tennis.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>\/ We are learning to play tennis.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span>Nous apprenons \u00e0 jouer au tennis \u00e0 nos nouveaux amis.<\/strong>\u00a0\/ We are teaching our new friends to play tennis.<\/em><\/p>\n
Apprendre<\/strong> is a regular -re verb. The present tense conjugations are: j’apprends<\/strong> \/ tu apprends<\/strong> \/ il<\/strong>\/elle<\/strong>\/on apprend<\/strong> \/ nous apprenons<\/strong> \/ vous apprenez<\/strong> \/ ils<\/strong>\/elles apprennent<\/strong> . You can see more here<\/a>.<\/div>\n

Of course if you’re mad at someone, you can also say “Je vais t’apprendre … !<\/strong>” which would mean “I’m gonna teach you … !”<\/em><\/p>\n

The other common verb for\u00a0to teach<\/em> is\u00a0enseigner<\/strong>. It is a bit more formal than\u00a0apprendre<\/strong> and likely to be the word you would hear and would use when talking about teaching in a school. A French teacher would be more likely to say “J’enseigne le fran\u00e7ais.<\/b>“, for example, when asked what they do for a living.<\/p>\n

Don’t forget that French also has multiple words for talking about what is being taught. Review this post<\/a> to see how the verbs savoir<\/strong> and conna\u00eetre <\/strong>can both mean to know.<\/em><\/div>\n

Fait divers<\/strong> \/ Variety<\/p>\n

I don’t want to let this week go by without acknowledging that Halloween<\/a> is Friday. If you are someone qui aime avoir peur<\/strong> (who likes to be scared<\/em>) you might like the new series now streaming on Netflix, Marianne<\/a>. The story takes place in France and is filmed entirely in French. A (potentially) great way to work on your listening comprehension skills … if you can stand the fright! \ud83d\ude09 I will miss the fun this year as I will be on a plane flying to France! More on that when I return\u00a0la semaine prochaine<\/strong> (next week).<\/em><\/p>\n

Apple picture CCo from https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/close-up-of-apple-on-top-of-books-256520\/<\/p>\n