This episode complements episode 222: "What are these strange " LE " and "NE" words with no actual meaning in French ??". We'll see examples of letters being added with the only purpose of making French pronunciation easier. There will also be examples of common spelling alterations to achieve that same purpose. So, if you want to get more clarity on why you may find a mysterious "NE"/"LE"/"S"/"T" or accent in a French sentence or word which doesn't usually has it, this episode is for...

Joanna asked me : Why is the " l' " neccesary in "Tu verras ce que l'on gagne à vouloir vivre libre"? What is it a pronoun referring to? it is direct or indirect? Merci! Good question! It may be very surprising but this "l' " doesn't mean anything and is not compulsory! Ok, I think you need to listen to this episode so I can explain! 😉 Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Cet homme est plus intelligent que tu (ne) crois / qu'il (ne) parait. J'ai bien peur...

Thanks to Tina for suggesting to talk about French expressions on the podcast. Idiomatic expressions can be so difficult for language learners because they often don't make sense when they are translated literally. However, they're rather fun and also commonly used, therefore it is always useful to know them. Of course, I also find it very interesting to research the ORIGIN of the expressions! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Donner sa langue au...

Pronunciation rules around the verb "acheter" (and more!) Listener Nuvia is in doubt on how to pronounce the verb "acheter" in the present tense. There are indeed a few opportunities for you to learn or brush up various aspects of the French language in this seemingly short and simple question. Let's dive in! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode ACHETER J'achète Tu achètes Il / elle / on achète Nous achetons Vous achetez Ils / elles...

If you haven"t taken the challenge yet, grab your pen and paper and test yourself with the free French dictation I ran live in August! This is a great opportunity for you to brush-up your French listening, grammar and phonetic skills. As always, I"ll also comment on and explain a few tricky points ;-) The text used for the dictation is below, no cheating! Do it by yourself first! You can also find the video recording (and downloadable notes) on my YouTube channel. Check out my...

This episode complements episode 217 ("How to convert a verb into a noun or adjective in French?") and sheds light on some special spelling rules that may happen inside a same family of words. You'll get a grammar brush-up and become a French spelling Jedi if you can remember these rules! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode pratiquerIl se donne toutes les chances de réussir son concours en pratiquant le piano tous les jours.Nous avons grandi dans une...

This weekend, challenge your mind and join me on the live sessions that I’ll be running for you! I’m always delighted to see you, the familiar faces, as well as the new ones! There will be: A free Games in French session and A French Grammar Clinic with a dictation and practice around tricky verb forms (the imperative, the agreements of the past participle). As always, the Grammar Clinic replay will be available to those who register, even if they can’t attend on the day! I’ve...

I have to thank Abdulelah from Saudi Arabia for inspiring me to make this episode because what follows is just what I l LOVE to explain: you’re both going to work on your grammar AND increase your vocabulary in a blink of the eye (or so I hope!) In English, you may convert a verb into a noun by adding _ing to it (sail à sailing, read/reading, etc) The -ING added to a verb being generally translated by the present participle in French, Abdulelah wanted to know whether in French we can...

While the topic of the previous episode was light and rather fun (How to talk to your pet in French), today’s episode is more serious and I hope will be very useful to you. Listener Kate emailed me the following question: “I am a relatively new French learner and there is something important that I need to get right.  I have a severe nut allergy (the type that will put me in the hospital or even kill me if I accidentally eat nuts!).  It's important that I'm able to communicate this when...

Bonjour à tous! Comment ça va ? I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be running not one but TWO FREE sessions online this weekend so that we can do French together, have fun and switch off for a moment from all the chaos outside! So, join me to play games in French and/or challenge yourself with a French dictation - which we’ll correct, explain and expand on! Below are the details and the links to participate (it’s a very easy process!). Games in French Come practice your...

Do you know how to choose between passé compose and imparfait? If you need to gain confidence with using these tenses properly, don’t miss my live Grammar Clinic Workshop running this weekend! (If you can’t attend, registering will give you access to the replay of the video recording and the worksheet.) Check out my Upcoming events page for more information You’ll also find the dates for EIGHT more workshops and TWO Games in French sessions to help you with your French that will be...

This episode inspired by a question from Philip was a particularly fun one to prepare. Philip lives in Saint-Tropez, a beautiful and town on the Mediterranean coast in the South of France which attracts many visitors and celebrities in the summer. He did pet sitting for French friends and had many questions around how to talk to your pet in French. Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Un poisson rouge = a goldfish Marine : « Haha je peux te parler de...

Many episodes ago, I recorded a series of lessons about the use of the various French pronouns. I think it’s time for a quick brush-up! Here’s the question I received from a Joanna, a listener of French Your Way podcast: "Why would the pronoun for the Louvre not be "y" in the following example: Tu visiteras le Louvre - Tu le visiteras (you’ll visit it) " ? In this episode, I’ll clarify a few points to help you better understand the use of the place and direct pronouns in French. I’ll also...

Listen to a real French lesson that I recorded with John, a student from the USA! John wanted to focus on a general conversation. I interrupted him here and there to correct or point out a few grammatical or pronunciation points and give him relevant vocabulary. If you've enjoyed learning from a real French lesson situation, I encourage you to participate. This is a great opportunity to get my personal feedback on your French and ask me anything that you need help with. Book you...

What is the difference between "Bonne chance" and "Bon courage" in French? Can they be used interchangeably? Find out in this episode and learn a few more common French expressions to wish someone well! This episode was inspired by a question from Joan. If you also have a question about the French language or French culture, email me Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode La chance = luck, good fortune Le courage = courage, bravery, fearlessness, gut, heart,...

Live French Grammar Clinic workshops : Launching on July 18th and 19th 2020!! You know how curious I am about how the language works. In my French Your Way Podcast, I not only investigate about the origin of French words and expressions; I also always strive to explain grammar in the simplest, most memorable way possible to help you. Breaking down a language into its simplest elements and understanding how it work, how the "pieces" fit together is so fascinating! This is part of the way I...

Join other students from around the world and let’s play in French together! This recording is an excerpt from the latest Games in French session I ran on Zoom last weekend. You’ll hear us play "Le Petit Bac" (I explain the rules and point system) in the recording. For these two rounds, we played with the following categories: Nourriture (= food) Vêtement / accessoire de mode (= piece of clothing / accessory) Personnalité (= celebrity) Couleur (= colour) Animal Corps...

We’ll play French language games live on Zoom this week-end, please join in!! Attendance is limited to the first 100 participants who will join. The time, date and link to the meeting is in this week’s newsletter. I’ll also be sending 2 more notifications as a reminder and so that new subscribers can get the link on time as well. I’d love to see you there and have fun together! If you’ve subscribed to my newsletter: Make sure you receive my emails: check your spam folder for my...

While trying my hand at new baking techniques, I have come to learn a few valuable lessons which can also apply to learning a language... French for instance! ;-) In this episode I’m sharing a personal baking experience and talking about fear, analysis-paralysis, trial and error and even failure! All of them are part of any learning experience, and part of life too. Listen for a dose of inspiration and a shift of perspective which, I hope, you will find useful! Watch this video on...

This is the last episode about my reading of "Le Petit Prince" to you! Contact me if you think you can help me grow my collection of Petit Prince books in a foreign language :-) Full text available online: "E-books libres et gratuits" I’m reading: "Le Petit Prince", Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Le grand livre pop-up, Gallimard Jeunesse My article about "Le Petit Prince" (binlingual article) 

Don’t miss this special rendez-vous with Le Petit Prince for a daily dose of French literature and poetry. I’ll read you two chapters on YouTube each day to keep you entertained and work on your French comprehension while you’re stuck in quarantine! 🏠😉Subscribe to my YouTube channel and don’t miss an episode! Full text available online: "E-books libres et gratuits" I'm reading: “Le Petit Prince », Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Le grand livre pop-up, Gallimard Jeunesse My article about « Le...

Don’t miss this special rendez-vous with Le Petit Prince for a daily dose of French literature and poetry. I’ll read you two chapters on YouTube each day to keep you entertained and work on your French comprehension while you’re stuck in quarantine! 🏠😉Subscribe to my YouTube channel and don’t miss an episode! Full text available online: "E-books libres et gratuits" I'm reading: “Le Petit Prince », Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Le grand livre pop-up, Gallimard Jeunesse My article...

Don’t miss this special rendez-vous with Le Petit Prince for a daily dose of French literature and poetry. I’ll read you two chapters on YouTube each day to keep you entertained and work on your French comprehension while you’re stuck in quarantine! 🏠😉Subscribe to my YouTube channel and don’t miss an episode! Full text available online: "E-books libres et gratuits" I'm reading: “Le Petit Prince », Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Le grand livre pop-up, Gallimard Jeunesse My article...

Don’t miss this special rendez-vous with Le Petit Prince for a daily dose of French literature and poetry. I’ll read you two chapters on YouTube each day to keep you entertained and work on your French comprehension while you’re stuck in quarantine! 🏠😉Subscribe to my YouTube channel and don’t miss an episode! Full text available online: "E-books libres et gratuits" I'm reading: “Le Petit Prince », Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Le grand livre pop-up, Gallimard Jeunesse My article...

Don’t miss this special rendez-vous with Le Petit Prince for a daily dose of French literature and poetry. I’ll read you two chapters on YouTube each day to keep you entertained and work on your French comprehension while you’re stuck in quarantine! 🏠😉Subscribe to my YouTube channel and don’t miss an episode! Full text available online: "E-books libres et gratuits" I'm reading: “Le Petit Prince », Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Le grand livre pop-up, Gallimard Jeunesse My article...