Kristin Espinasse's Blog, page 26

Draguer: At what age are you "lucky" to be hit on (or even noticed at all)?

Joyeuse Saint Valentin! That's Happy Valentine's Day in French. Photo: A "liste des courses" spotted at our local supermarché...where pick-up artists and good Samaritans operate. Don't miss today's vocabulary-packed story, below.

TODAY'S WORD: se faire draguer or se faire brancher

: to get hit on

brancher une nana = to hit on a girl, to make a pass at a girl

CLICK HERE to listen to the following example sentence

Ah bon? Tu t'es fait draguer au supermarché? Oh really? You got hit on at...

Boui-boui: Jackie and I lick windows in Miami while Jean-Marc gets stuck in immigration

Keeping this French language journal going is a joyous struggle: there is joy in writing it and there is a struggle in maintaining it. Your help is not only appreciated--it keeps me employed. One very helpful way to support this site is to buy a book for a friend, via this link. Or scroll to the end of this post for other options. Now on to today's story, packed with useful French vocabulary in context. Enjoy and bonne lecture!

Today's French Word: un boui-boui

: a small, cheap restaurant,...

Une bêtise: You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm.

We are visiting our daughter in Miami, so I have prepared this re-run for you. I hope it makes you laugh! Photo taken at the beautiful Château de Pibarnon, where our story begins....

Today's Word: une bêtise

: a mistake, something stupid, something foolish

Improve your French pronunciation with the book Exercises in French Phonics

Audio File: click here to listen to the following French:
Faites des bêtises, mais faites-les avec enthousiasme. -Colette
You will do foolish things, but do...

Culotté: a cheeky word for you today

Travel with award-winning author Gail Thorell Schilling as she jaunts alone to Paris and southern France to ransom her self-confidence and learn how to age in her engaging memoir, Do Not Go Gentle. Go to Paris: Travels of an Uncertain Woman of a Certain Age. Rattled by fears that she is losing her keys, her job, her looks, this 62-year-old American with a little French and less money transcends mishaps ranging from botched connections to a fickle sweetheart. Her travels expose her to the...

Cheri, did you pay the water bill? Two breakdowns in the Alps....

Find your “joie de vivre” in Provence this summer on our small group tour. Unpack at the villa and become a “local” in our little French village. We offer daily excursions to historical sites, (this year Nimes), the best markets, a private wine tasting/tour and to our secret lavender fields. At Lavender and Vine we make it easy for you to feel at home in Provence.


Today's word (posted in 2004): en panne

: broken down, out of order


A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse

Last...

Voir: An assumption...followed by an unforgettable encounter

A New Year's sale from Amazon! The spirit of van Gogh lives on the pages of this touching story set in Arles and the intriguing Camargue." Follow Patricia at www.patriciasandsauthor.com or on Instagram

Today's Word: voir

: to see, watch, look at

voir la vie en rose = to look on the bright side

Audio: Listen to Jean-Marc read the following:
La marque constante de la sagesse est de voir le miraculeux dans le banal. The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common. -...

An art escape in France + a little more vocabulary for you...

My dear friend Tessa is organizing more art escapades in France, discover the itinerary at Paint in Provence. Her colorful flyer, above, sets the tone for today's topic: art.

Today's Word: MERCURIEL

: changing (mood), fluctuating, inconstant, variable...

Audio file here, Translation at the end of post.

Le monde est violent et mercuriel--il fera ce qu'il veut avec vous. Nous sommes seulement sauvés par l'amour--l'amour l'un pour l'autre et l'amour que nous mettons dans l'art que nous nous...

Les étrennes: This French custom will have you digging into your pockets.

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TODAY'S WORD: LES ETRENNES

: New Year's gift, tip, bonus

étrenner = to wear or use for the first time; to be first in the line of fire

Listen to Jean-Marc read from FranceTVInfo.fr:
Avec les vœux du...

Cahier? Carnet? Calepin? Harness time, dreams and goals in a BuJo (bullet journal)!

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Today's Word: une liste de tâches

: a task...

Regaler + Papilles + Coquilles?? The delight and downfall of our our tastebuds!

Half our household is ill after Christmas (was it the fruits de mer--or a stomach bug that is going around?). Before I return to my nurse duties, I will hastily post today's story (begun before the stomach storm). If you see a coquille (typo or misprint) I would be grateful if you'd point it out in the comments below. Merci!

Today's Expression: se régaler les papilles

: to delight, excite the taste buds

A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse

Mom said this was the best Christmas she...