Kristin Espinasse's Blog, page 20
May 6, 2021
From huppes to rapaces--birds in our French garden, les oiseaux dans le sud de la France
Un gabian strutting across the table on our front porch. Read to the end for all the useful French words and expressions.
Today's Word: s'envoler
: to fly away, to take flight; to take off, to be blown away
Hear Jean-Marc read the following in French and in English.
Si tu te sers de la liberté en échange d'autre chose, comme l'oiseau, elle s'envolera. If you use freedom in exchange for something else, like the bird, it will fly away. --Gao Xingjian (émigré to Paris, Nobel Prize for literat...
April 28, 2021
Arsenic in my omelette? Animal instincts + French vocabulary you won't find in a textbook (like the slang word for concierge...)
A scene from Cousine Sabine's, where we enjoyed Sunday's "cousinade" or family reunion. The horse is an Irish cob.
Today's Word: un abreuvoir
: watering hole, drinking bowl, trough, birdbath, fountain
Click here to listen to Jean-Marc read in French and in English
Study the sentence below, then click on the following sound file to hear the French and English
On peut conduire un cheval à l'abreuvoir, mais non le forcer à boire. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.
A DAY...
April 21, 2021
What does “Féerique” mean in French? + compare translations of our bilingual book synopsis
Photo of me and Jean-Marc in 1991. Today, enjoy an extended sound file in French as Jean-Marc summarizes our story. Now that our vineyard memoir is written, we have arrived at a critical step: finding an agent and then a publisher for the hardcopy edition. Your help is vital! Please study the following synopsis in English and in French, and help answer the questions that follow.
Today’s Word: féerique
-magical, stellar, enchanting, fairy tale
The Lost Gardens is the story of a man who pursue...
April 15, 2021
Wish us luck (Souhaitez-nous bonne chance)! + Putting the cart before the horse (la charrue avant les boeufs)...
“Do not send a letter... we don’t live there any more.” This beautiful calligraphy by Joy Fairclough, captures the beauty and romance of what many imagine to be life on a French vineyard. Jean-Marc and I share the true blood, sweat, and tears reality in our memoir, The Lost Gardens which we have just finished writing. Fêtons çela!
Today's word: un ouvrage
: book, work, publication
Click here to listen to Jean-Marc read the following in French and in English:
Nous sommes heureux de vous anno...
April 8, 2021
Demain il fera jour: A reminder not to take work (life, everything) too seriously + Escapade to Porquerolles Island
If today's word is too easy for you, détrompez-vous. Think again. This letter has a lot more to offer when you read to the end. More photos on my Instagram
Today's Word: la plage
1. beach
2. track of music
3. time span, range
Listen to Jean-Marc read the following in French and English
Porquerolles, ses plages de sable fin, ses eaux turquoise et transparentes. C’est un véritable paradis à quelques minutes de la presqu’île de Giens en bateau. -Hyères Tourisme Porquerolles, its fine sandy beach...
April 1, 2021
France's "Cité de L'Espace" and SpaceX "dearMoon" + Jules is ready to fly the coop.
Our little wooden boat, an authentic French “pointu” left the old port Monday for a special mission...to accompany my Mom beyond the limits of La Ciotat. Find out what this floating craft has in common with spacecraft in today's intergalactic missive.
Today’s word: une fusée
: rocket, space rocket
Audio File: listen to Jean-Marc read the following French and English:
Un milliardaire japonais offre huit sièges pour un voyage autour de la Lune à bord d’une fusée développée par Elon Musk. ...
March 26, 2021
Update on Max + Mortgage is a creepy word! Use this French expression instead! + bien immobilier, hypothéque, piaule, licitation judiciaire
The colorful port de plaisance in La Ciotat. Apartment sales in our town are exploding at the moment.
THE FRENCH WORD FOR MORTGAGE?
Did you ever stop to think about the word "mortgage"? The first four letters are a clue-in: "mort" in French means death and gage = pledge. Mortgage = death pledge. If the term is too creepy for you, then use one of these when in France:
- un emprunt immobilier = real estate loan
- un prêt immobilier = real estate loan
-un prêt hypothécaire and une hypothéque (when...
March 19, 2021
Un avion de chasse: after “canon” another French word for “hottie” or “babe” + French vocabulary: prendre sa revanche, taquin, rebonjour, phare, pantoufle
Learn a host of new French words as I poke fun at my husband in today’s billet. Don't miss the sound file, where Jean-Marc pronounces all the vocabulary in French and in English. Photo taken in the magnificent Parc du Mugel, here in La Ciotat.
Today's Word: Taquiner
: to tease, to kid, to joke, annoy, poke fun at
What is Taquiner?
Having fun irritating, annoying (someone) in small things and without malice.
S'amuser à irriter, à contrarier (quelqu'un) dans de petites choses et sans méchan...
March 12, 2021
Following a hunch from Paris to Miami + know these useful French words?: débrouillard, fonceuse, farfelu, embaucher, boulot, bagnole
Today's lesson: Be a smart cookie and follow your dreams! Learn the French, below, and read about a fashion student who "sows" an unusual seed, and is hired to mix designer drinks.
Today's Word: un débrouillard, une débrouillarde
: resourceful, clever, self-starter
: a smart cookie, self-reliant, street-smart
Listen to Jean-Marc read the following French
Sois débrouillarde. Suis ton rêve!
Be a smart cookie. Follow your dream!
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
Following a...
March 5, 2021
Jules update + Which of these French words is new to you?: guet-apens, tuyau, épuisette, taule, couvre feu, comme si de rien n'était, arroser, pantoufle...
My son, Max, spearfishing here in La Ciotat. In today's story, his grandmother Jules goes fishing in the garden, while I reel in a boatful of new French words for you. Enjoy, and please share this post with somebody who loves France or the French language. Merci!
Today’s French expressions: avoir la pêche (vs) aller à la pêche
: avoir la pêche = to feel great, to feel happy
: aller à la pêche = to go fishing
Listen to Jean-Marc pronounce the following sentence in French:
Quand ma belle-mère...
