Kristin Espinasse's Blog, page 65
July 7, 2015
Another way to say "Mind your own business!" in French
Choose a better hiding place next time, Smokey! Now that you are found, let's go inside where it's cool and make a delicious and easy tomato tart. While it cooks we can take the leftover tomato scraps and do cleansing spa masks! Read about that, below. Meantime, today we learn a fun French idiom:
Est-ce que je te demande si ta grand-mère fait du vélo?
Literally: Did I ask you if your grandmother rides a bike?
Meaning: Mind your own business!
July 3, 2015
tresser & weaving with lavender
How to making iced tea in Provence.... (As for how to make lavender wands... read on!)
tresser (treh-say)
1. to plait, to braid; to twist
2. to weave, wreathe (basket, garland)
synonyms: natter (to plait, braid), entrelacer (to interlace, intertwine)
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AUDIO FILE: listen to Jean-Marc pronounce today's word and quote:
mp3 or wav
Tressons, tressons ces fleurs, hâtons-no...
June 30, 2015
Paris story + How to say "locked out" in French?
View from Jackie's studio in Paris. More about this canyon of French windows you are viewing, in today's missive. And félicitations! to our 17-year-old daughter, who has completed her 4th internship in fashion design.
enfermé dehors
: locked out
Mas de Perdrix. A home in France that artists and writers love to rent. Work on your creative project in this inspiring environment.
AUDIO FILE: Listen to Jean-Marc read today's example sentence:
Downloa...
June 26, 2015
How to feel alive in France & chapeau!
This picture appears in my book, where each hat represents a character in a preceding chapter. Some of these hats now represent the book's reviewers, including "Wise Owl," who writes:
[Kristi] has lived in France most of her adult life raising a family and living in touch with the natural world. Her words and photographs capture the small and often unnoticed bits of buildings, blooms and interactions among people that help me feel that I have traveled to where she is, seeing new...
June 22, 2015
Serendipity in French: un heureux hazard
Serendipity - it is just the word to begin the summer edition of this journal sentimental. Only, do the French even have a word for serendipity? Et oui!
"UN HEUREUX HASARD"
: serendipity, serendipitously
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AUDIO: Listen to Jean-Marc read today's example sentence:
Download MP3 or Wav
Mais, heureux hasard, au détour d'une rue bruxelloise, une affiche crayonnée...
June 16, 2015
risk in French + an update from Kristi
Jackie is doing well in Paris. Max is making friends in Portland. Our dogs are healthy! I am feeling myself again. And Jean-Marc? Read on....
Mas de Perdrix. A home in France that artists and writers love to rent. Work on your creative project in this inspiring environment.
aléa (noun, masculine)
: risk, hazard, chance
les aléas du métier = the risks of the trade
après bien des aléas = after many ups and downs
AUDIO FILE: Hear today's word:...
June 9, 2015
gaver + winner announced
Style & comfort in the beauty of the Provencal countryside. 4 bedrooms & a study with a sofa bed, each with ensuite (full) bath. Villa comfortably sleeps 7-9 adults.
TODAY'S WORD
gaver (gah-vay)
: to stuff, to fill up
se gaver = to stuff oneself
Expressions:
ça me gave = I'm sick of it
je me suis gavé = I outdid myself! I rock! Look how good I did!
Exclusive French made clothes now available to purchase on-line. ...
May 31, 2015
gerer
MAS DE LA PERDRIX. Lovely months to rent this home France: July, for fields of sunflowers & lavender. September, for the grape harvest! October: fall leaves. The exchange rate is great. It's a wonderful time to rent this dreamhouse.
GERER (zher-ay)
: to manage, to handle things
EXAMPLE SENTENCE
Maman, ne t'inquiète pas, je suis assez capable de me gérer moi-même.
Mom, don't worry. I am capable enough to manage things on my o...
May 29, 2015
French antique giveaway or "key" to the French language with FluentU
Over the years, you have seen these treasured keys in various scenes at our old vineyard and here, in the window seat at Mas des Brun. Today, I am giving away a precious third key! Reader Gus Ellison won the first in 2012, and shared these touching photos. It's time to share one more cherished antique French key... in today's post. (Notice Jackie in the photo. She leaves tomorrow for her couture internship in Paris...)
TODAY'S WORD
la clé (klay)
: key
PRENDRE LA CLE DES CH...
May 25, 2015
Le Memorial Day: We will never forget
I will never forget watching this American speak to the lost soldiers on the beaches of Normandy. Today we honor those who lost their lives, au champs d'honneur.
Memorial Day
: jour des soldats morts au champ d'honneur
(day of commemoration of soldiers who were killed in action)
Audio File: Listen to Jean-Marc read the French definitions, recording today's sound file from his field of vines where he's paused to remember soldiers:...
