Frederic Bibard's Blog, page 27

10 Misused French Terms in the English Language – Part 3

The English language has borrowed a lot of words and phrases from the French language. But over time, some of these words have evolved and are now used in a completely different way from the original French usage. Most English speakers however, still consider these as “actual” French terms even if it may not be recognized as such by the French. This article (and the previous two articles in this series which can be checked here, and here) lists down supposedly French words and phrases that native French speakers actually know nothing about. To avoid any confusion when conversing with French speakers, check out this additional 10 terms with different meanings in French.   1. passé   Whether written with accent marks or without, this terms appears regularly in English speakers’ conversations to mean something or someone that’s ‘out of style’, unfashionable, or past its prime. Here’s the Urban Dictionary

36 French words and phrases related to yoga

Heads up, yoga enthusiasts! If the French language and yoga are two of your favorite things, this article is especially for you. Here are some French words and phrases that you’ll find quite helpful when doing yoga. Whether you’re in a French-speaking destination and wish to join a yoga class or simply trying to incorporate the French language in your daily activities, this list will provide you with the French equivalents of words that you’ll hear in yoga class. The list includes the equipment, exercises, as well as some yoga poses. Not only that, you’ll also get a list of vocabulary related to body parts. So what are you waiting for? Here’s your list of words. 36 French words and phrases related to yoga:     studio de yoga yoga studio prof de yoga yoga teacher Le tapis mat Le bloc block Une ceinture/sangle de yoga/ la sangle strap Inspirez/expirez

10 Misused French Terms in the English Language – Part 2

French words and phrases often find their way into English usage, but some of these expressions have only been masquerading as actual French words…and French speakers may not actually recognize them in the context that the English speakers are using it. We’re not saying though that these words are incorrect—it’s not—because words are continuously evolving depending on how people use it over time. This series of articles simply aim to: provide the distinction between the anglicized meanings versus how the French people would use it. give you a background of popular “French” expressions and its real meanings and proper usage in French. If some of the words that you think should be on this list, but aren’t, make sure to check out parts 1 and 3 of this series. If they’re still not there, make sure to add it in the comments section below to share with the other readers!

15 Misused French Terms in the English Language – Part 1

You have probably heard of cognates before. Some words in French look and mean the same in English; these are called true cognates or vrais amis (true friends). While some words may look the same in French and English, but are not really similar. These are false cognates or faux amis (false friends). However, we won’t be talking about cognates. Those are topics for another day. What we’ll be digging into now are the French words and expressions that are still considered “French” by English speakers, but actually have different or no meaning and cannot be recognized as such by native French speakers. Some of these words are quite popular and used by English speakers in daily speech, while some are being used as a result of pop culture references. Ready to find out about these and if you have been using these words? Here we go. 1. Accoutrement  

Useful French Greetings for All Occasions

Want to greet your French friends or offer well wishes during special occasions but don’t know how to say it in French? This article will teach you exactly what to say or write during the most important events. Whether it’s a festive event like a birthday, anniversary, wedding, promotion, or holidays—or an unfortunate situation like a sickness or death in the family—stick with me here because I’ll be sharing with you how to express your well wishes in French. 1. French Birthday Greetings   Let’s start with birthday greetings. Birthday traditions in France are same as elsewhere: a cake, gifts, as well as singing of birthday songs. The birthday song is similar in tune to the “happy birthday to you” song you’re quite familiar with—but translated into French, of course. Here are some common ways to greet people a happy birthday in French. Joyeux anniversaire ! Happy birthday! Bon anniversaire

Planning to Learn French this 2016?

Join #MyFrenchResolution Social Media Contest The frenzy of the holiday season is finally over. (Whew!) As the platters of scrumptious dishes have been judiciously cleared and the dust from the fireworks have settled, we are now faced with bright new year. via GIPHY Now it’s time to buckle up for the time-honoured annual tradition of…..listing down new year’s resolutions, of course! Are you one of those whose 2016 resolution is to accomplish your goals for 2015 which you should have done in 2014 because you promised yourself to do it in 2013 and you planned for it in 2012?! via GIPHY Well, this is probably the year that you should kick back and start gearing to really do it this time. Don’t you think? If learning French is one of your new year’s resolutions this 2016, don’t worry because Talk in French.com has got your back. To make sure that

3-Step Guide to Learn and Master French by TalkinFrench.com

Bonjour! Maybe you’ve been following Talk in French for a long while now and you’re already subscribed to my weekly newsletter. Or maybe you’re a complete newbie who has only stumbled across my website recently. No matter which one of the two you happen to be, I know you probably have this question at the back of your mind: How can I learn and master French through Talk in French.com? I know it could be difficult to navigate your way through the dozens of tabs and the hundreds of articles there. So here, let me break down everything to you using this 3-step guide. Step 1. Create a Learning Habit.   The entire Talk in French website and its array of products are all built upon the idea that you can learn French without all the unnecessary stress and pain—and that is through developing a healthy learning habit. Learning French

14 Must-see Romantic French Films

Valentine’s Day is fast-approaching and what better way to get into a romantic mood than to stay at home to watch some of the best French films about love and romance? But regardless of whether you plan to catch these movies with your amour, with your single besties for a night of margaritas, or all alone so you could simply practice your French skills, there’s bound to be a perfect movie here for you. From quirky and funny feel-good movies to the heartbreakingly sad, we list down the romantic French movies that you simply shouldn’t miss. So buckle up, grab some popcorn and let’s get on with the list. 1. Heartbreaker ( L’Arnacœur)   Directed by: Pascal Chaumeil Written by: Laurent Zeitoun, Jeremy Doner, Yohan Gromb “Arnacoeurposter1” by Source. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia –  Heartbreaker is a romantic comedy about a charming guy named Alex who runs a business

10 French Recipes to Make this Holiday Season

The French put a lot of serious thought into food and dining all year round, but even more so during special occasions like Christmas and New Year. So if you: Want to infuse a little French inspiration into the holiday parties you’ll be hosting, Would love some special nibbles to enjoy during cozy nights at home, or Need to prepare a special dish to bring to a gathering, …take a cue from the French and check out the ten mouth-watering recipes that we’ll be sharing in this article.   In a previous post, we have shared the ABCs of French Christmas and New Year celebrations, so to give yourself a background of the French Christmas traditions, better check that out as well. And to complete the whole holiday ambience, you can also watch some French Christmas films that the whole family can enjoy, or listen to these French Christmas songs

Basic French Greetings (Complete Lesson with MP3!)

One of the very first things you need to know when learning a new language is the basic greetings. How do you say hello and introduce yourself in French? In this article which originally appeared as the first lesson in the new book My French Routine Volume 1, we will learn all about the basic French greetings. This lesson will cover: Formal and informal greetings Listening exercises: you can download the MP3 files in this link: Click Here to Get the Audio with requirement to subscribe to newsletter. If you already signed-up. Check your French Learning Package. The MP3 are already there. Conversation topics during introduction Pronunciation practice Mini quiz Let’s start the lesson with a sample scenario     Listen track 1 Man: Bonjour, comment ça va ? (Hello, how are you?) Child: Bonjour, ça va bien. Comment allez-vous ? (Good, thanks. How are you?) Man: Je vais bien, merci.