Kristin Espinasse's Blog, page 53
January 31, 2017
A Tip Jar, a Girl, and Wings
A father putting his artistic talents to work for rémunération. I once had a bird like the little girl's. When it sat on my shoulder I felt invincible. So why is it hard, now, to do certain things? Where are my wings?
Bonjour, dear Reader,
I have been busy around here lately. "Here" refers to this French word journal, which I began in 2002. Since quitting a full-time job at a Swedish owned vineyard in 2003, I have made this newsletter my vocation. Writing it is my life. I am entirely dev...
January 30, 2017
Undressed in Aix: A surprise warning posted in Jackie's apartment building
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TODAY'S WORD: la cage d'escalier
: staircase, stairwell
EXAMPLE SENTENCE, read by Jackie:
Ma cage d'escalier est plutôt du style ancienne époque.
My staircase is mostly in an old epoch style.
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Improve your French voice, try Exercises in French Phoneti...
January 27, 2017
Bilingual French Story and Book Hotels in France and beyond
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TODAY'S WORD: la sève
: sap, lifeblood
Parlez mieux : Pronounce it Perfectly in French or Exercises in French Phonetics
BILINGUAL STORY by Jean-Marc
Il est temps de tailler la vigne
January 23, 2017
Hygge in French: Cozy weekend & Magret de Canard: Easy 3-Ingredient Duck recipe
Our 21-year-old, Max, came home from Montpellier for the weekend and cooked a cozy meal for the whole family. Read on in today's missive, below.
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TODAY'S WORD: le magret de canard
: fillet of duck, duck breast
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Maxime nous a cuisiné des magrets de canard selon la recette que je lui ai donnée.
Maxime cooked us some duck fillets according...
January 21, 2017
Bavarder: Catching up with a friend amidst canine chaos!
I needed help translating part of Tessa's story (below), so I posted this phrase on Facebook--and chose Joy's lively entry. Then Jean-Marc recorded another entry... and Olivier suggested a word replacement or two. Oups! Many chefs in today's post.
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TODAY'S WORD: bavarder
: to chat, talk, chatter...
January 17, 2017
Amitie: What Balzac said about friendship
Today, a rendez-vous with friends in Cassis and Aix-en-Provence. Meet sweet Noelle in today's story. Photo by Barbara Barrielle
TODAY'S WORD: amitié
: friendship
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ce qui rend les amitiés indissolubles et double leur charme, est un sentiment qui manque à l’amour, la certitude. What makes friendship indissolute and what doubles its charms is a feeling we find lacking in love: I mean certitude. -Balzac
ECOUTEZ - Hear Jean-Marc pronounce the example sentence in French: Do...
January 13, 2017
Bilingual post, broche, and Jean-Marc's surgery is today
Over a year ago, at the summit of his life, my husband took a hard fall. The accident changed the course of our lives. We put our vineyard up for sale and, just yesterday, sold our boat in preparation for our move. Read Jean-Marc's poignant update in French and in English and listen to his reading in today's sound file.
TODAY'S WORD: la broche
: pin, rod; brooch
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Aujourd'hui, mon chirurgien doit enlever les broches de mon coude.
Today, my surgeon must remove the pins f...
January 10, 2017
Soulagement: Relief after a stormy delivery at our vineyard
There's a dog in there somewhere...and he looks hopeless. But there is a happy ending to this story. Read on.
TODAY'S WORD: un soulagement
: a relief
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
C'était un soulagement de voir que la mise en bouteilles s'est bien déroulée.
It was a relief to see that the wine-bottling unfolded well.
ECOUTEZ - Hear Jean-Marc pronounce the example sentence in French: Download Soulagement
Improve your spoken French with Exercises in French Phonetics
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE
by K...
January 6, 2017
False friends, la déception, and it wasn't meant to be?
Home sweet home...for the moment. But where will "home" be this summer?
TODAY'S WORD: la déception
: disappointment, blighted hope
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Apprendre que nous ne pouvions plus acheter cette jolie bastide, était une grande déception.
To learn we could no longer buy this pretty bastide was a big disappointment.
ECOUTEZ - Hear Jean-Marc pronounce the example sentence in French, Download Deception
Improve your spoken French with Pronounce it Perfectly in French
A DAY IN A FRENC...
January 3, 2017
Recipe + Hospitality + gardons les choses simples (one pot meal in the Land of 5 Courses)
Bringing in the New Year at a party in Marseilles. Thank you Christine and Thierry, for your wonderful hospitality!
TODAY'S WORD: avoir hâte de
: to look forward to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
En 2017, nous avons hâte de passer de bons moments avec notre famille et nos amis.
In 2017 we are looking forward to spending good times with our family and friends.
ECOUTEZ - Hear Jean-Marc pronounce the example sentence in French: Download Avoir hate de
Improve your spoken French with Pronounce it Per...
