Kristin Espinasse's Blog, page 52
February 27, 2017
Yada yada in French + Your favorite words and expressions
BORDEAUX AND THE DORDOGNE small group tour Sept 18-26 - culture, cuisine & wine. Click here for itinerary.
TODAY'S WORD: Et patati et patata
: and so on and so forth, blah blah blah
: yada yada
Try Mastering French Vocabulary with Audio MP3
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Et patati et...
February 23, 2017
Fourmillement: Restless Legs Syndrome in French
Restless leg syndrome affects men and women and, when it strikes, my face looks very much like this dog's face: Oh no! Not again! (Those legs belong to my friend Tanja. That's her wonderful dog, Ricard. If you like her espadrilles, they are found here, by Soludos.)
TODAY'S WORD: le fourmillement
: pins and needles, tingling (sensation), itch, numbness
: swarm, swarming
3-minute video : there is no Y sound in the French word for "pure." Watch the demonstration.
EXAMPLE SENT...
February 21, 2017
Hay fever in French: rhume des foins
Is it a cold or maybe hay fever? With so much blossoming going on, and le printemps around the corner, it is probably le rhume des foins causing this sneezing and stuffy nose and not simply le rhume.
TODAY'S WORD: le rhume des foins
: hay fever, rhinitis
3-minute video : there is no Y sound in the French word for "pure." Watch the demonstration.
EXAMPLE SENTENCE & Audio File
Démangeaisons du nez, éternuements, écoulement nasal clair, sensation de nez bouché en sont les princip...
February 18, 2017
Stylo: Is Handwriting still necessary? French cover letters & How he stole my heart
Will handwriting soon be obsolete? Currently, French employers still appreciate a penned cover letter. (Picture of the handmade pen my sister gave me for my birthday.)
TODAY'S WORD: le stylo
: pen
un stylo bille = ballpoint pen
un stylo plume = fountain pen
un stylo feutre = a felt-tip pen
Try Mastering French Vocabulary with Audio MP3
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Votre lettre doit être irréprochable : écrivez sur une feuille blanche A4, au stylo bille noir ou bleu foncé (pas de bleu turq...
February 15, 2017
Ecureuil, Pronunciation Fears, and most difficult French words to pronounce (read aloud by Jean-Marc!)
Using the keyword "squirrel," I searched my photo archives for an image to illustrate today's word...and this is what came back. Do you see a squirrel in there somewhere??
We begin this edition with a quote from a reader:
When I studied French decades ago, I was told by one prof that during the war, écureuil was a test word used to ascertain whether the speaker was, indeed, French or perhaps a spy. This word remains difficult for me to this day. - Mary
TODAY'S WORD: écureuil
:...
February 13, 2017
Candidature, Applying for a job in France & Jackie's cover letter in French
Today we talk about cover letters in France--an important part of French business etiquette. Listen to Jackie read her lettre de motivation, for a summer job she is applying for.
TODAY'S WORD: la candidature
: application (for a job)
un appel à candidature = a call for applications
poser sa candidature = to apply for a job
3-minute video lesson: When does the S in French sound like a Z ?
By Dave at www.FluentFrench.com
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE....
by Kristi Espinasse...
February 9, 2017
Soins des animaux: Why can't our dog sit down? Visit to the vet & collerette
Benjamin Houy, a young Frenchman from Paris, has written some helpful language posts for this blog. His 30-Day French program will teach you everything you need to know to speak French with 30 lessons based on real-life conversations. Try it out.
TODAY'S WORD: le soin
: care, attention, treatment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Don't miss the soundfile for this text, click here.
Une collerette vétérinaire, cône pour animal ou collier élisabéthain, est un ustensile de soins des animaux. Ce cô...
February 8, 2017
Vocabulary Roundup + Audio file for all the French terms we learned in January!
If you read all the stories posted here in January, your French vocabulary grew like the dickens (il a beaucoup poussé)! Let's go over some of the terms we learned in the context of this French life. Click on the titles below to read any stories you missed. Be sure to click on the sound file below each list.
1. Hospitality, a recipe, and keep things simple
pas si simple que ça = not so easy as that
comme d'habitude = as usual
un oursin = sea urchin
le déjeuner = lunch
une patate = spud, p...
February 6, 2017
Vallon : an update on our move... to Le Beausset?
Today's post is illustrated with valleys, in theme with today's word and story. Wish to speak French fluently? 30-Day French will teach you everything you need to know to speak French on your next trip to France with 30 lessons based on real-life conversations. Try it out.
TODAY'S WORD: le vallon
: valley, little valley
Try Mastering French Vocabulary with Audio MP3
AUDIO FILE:
listen to the word "vallon" in context:
La nature est inimitable
Et quand elle est en liberté
Elle br...
February 3, 2017
Bilingual Story: Tondre, Domaine Tempier, and Tant Pis
TODAY'S WORD: Tondre
: to mow, to cut, to shave, to shear
1 Minute video : learn to say "monsieur" correctly. By Dave over at www.fluentfrench.com
BIILINGUAL LETTER by Jean-Marc
Il y a 4 ans, alors que nous venions tout juste de nous installer dans notre mas, nous avons eu la surprise de voir un tro...
