Kristin Espinasse's Blog, page 12
April 7, 2023
The French word "capter" + Exploring the Wonders of Chatgpt and AI-Assisted Writing
Salut! This week I have a personal assistant who speaks 40 languages and who has just written this blog's first press release in French. Follow along today as I become the last person on earth to learn about Chatgpt, a computer program and tool that can talk with you and help you by answering questions, translating languages, and giving suggestions. (It also helped with the phonetic pronunciation of today's word and more...) To read the full post (if not shown here), click here.
Today's French ...
April 1, 2023
The Missing Link
I am very sorry for this extra email in your inbox but there was a missing link to my current post making it difficult to access today's update.
To access the full story, click here or go directly to French Word-A-Day.com. Thank you very much for your understanding (and if you follow me on social media you have probably heard enough from me today). Désolée!
Bisettes et bon week-end,
Kristi
March 31, 2023
The French Speedo is Back as France strips down for the Climate
Levant Island, off the coast of Hyérès, is one of France's naturist territories. From April to October locals and tourists roam free (of clothing). Find out why the French government is expanding its "no clothes zones" across the Hexagone and what, if any, effect this will have on Paris. First, today's French phrase:
"EN TENUE D'ADAM"
: in one's birthday suit, without a stitch on
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
In the three decades I've lived in France, I have witnessed a few ...
March 23, 2023
Feu! Fire! Scary mystery solved here at home
Jackie, getting ready for work, in a photo from a few years back, with our Angel, Smokey. Notice the old table and the bench. Read today about a mystery surrounding their disappearance. Reading via email? Be sure to click through to the blog for the whole story and photos.
TODAY'S FRENCH WORD: "rester bouche bée"
: to be speechlesss, stand gaping, stunned
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE...by Kristi Espinasse
On Saturday morning I came downstairs eager to check on some homemade bread. Earlier, I'...
March 16, 2023
La Colocation: Jackie's house-share in Lyon is featured in the evening news!
In the video at the end of today's column, see our daughter's cool house-share in Lyon--featured recently on the evening news!
Sincere thanks to Michelle D, Felicia B, and Mary B. who sent in donations via Zelle. I'm sorry I wasn't able to send you a thank-you note as I did not receive your email addresses (or find them on file). To anyone who has ever supported this journal, MILLE MERCIS! If you have not received a personal reply from me, my note may have ended up in a filter or your email wa...
March 9, 2023
"Bisettes"- a favorite new word + photo essay with family updates
End of winter in La Ciotat. By the way, have you ever wondered how to pronounce the name of our town? Listen to the sound file and find out....
I loved the French word bisette the moment I learned it and am using it now in email endings in place of "amicalement" (unless you are the IRS or some such other). See an example at the end of this post.
TODAY'S FRENCH WORD: bisettes
: kisses
synonyms for bisette include bécot (peck) and bise (kiss)
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinas...
March 2, 2023
Guess Who Moved to Lyon? + A useful computer term in French
One of the vocabulary words in today's story is brise-bise, for these charming half-curtains seen across France
TODAY'S WORD: un logiciel
: software
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
Good news! Our daughter will be moving to Lyon to begin a 10-month intensive program in Web Design. Since returning from Miami in September of 2021, Jackie's path has been hit and miss and the highs and lows were beginning to take a toll. So after she completed a 4-week computer coding program, a gu...
February 23, 2023
Coqueluche: My teen heartthrob & 70s fashion through a French girl's eyes
An ancient hair-salon-turned-fashion boutique in Paris where you can buy a glittery 70s ensemble and more. Don't miss the sound file, near the end, with all the French vocabulary from this edition.
Follow me on Instagram or here on Facebook to ensure you are receiving the weekly posts (which don't always end up in your emails--owing to filters, a full inbox, and other issues beyond our control). Thanks for reading and on with the French word for the day...
TODAY'S WORD: la coqueluche
: he...
February 15, 2023
Disco Fever: A Funny Way to View The Flu
Missed you, dear reader, for Valentines Day. Our family has been under the weather. A brief update, today, and the regular edition will be back next week.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
“Saturday Night Fever”
It is Day 9 of the flu and Jean-Marc (who is on Day 12) has returned to our matrimonial bed after sleeping downstairs. It is early morning and we are having “coffee and complaints”—astounded at how we can still be coughing up “liquid” after a fortnight.
“Liquid”...I’m trying t...
February 6, 2023
Something to Celebrate!
If I were a 20-year sober cat, this is what my life would look like. I love this imperfect, slightly crooked picture and hope you do too for a future postcard. Meantime. many thanks for current your postcard orders!
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
“In The Clouds”
I don’t know what it is about my mind but sometimes the most obvious things escape me. I am a dreamer. Blame it on that. But when I quit floating through the moment, and stop to focus, I do see the picture!
This week, and ...
