Sat, 29 December 2007
Though France could not be described as a religious country, Christmas is widely celebrated in French towns and cities, with children eagerly anticipating the arrival of Santa Claus. But what about the vocabulary related to this festive season? Christmas trees, decorations, Christmas markets, red ribbons, gifts… let’s study some of the key expressions. We’ll start with a role-play… |
Mon, 17 December 2007
This time, we’ll hear a conversation between two people who meet in the park and have a general chat about their dogs. We'll study lots of new vocabulary - discussing the breed of dog, commenting on his coat, describing his personality, and more. Our lesson is in response to a suggestion from Alyssa, one of our listeners, who has relocated to Geneva... with her dog. Allons-y! |
Sat, 8 December 2007
This lesson is in response to a suggestion made by Gene who will be looking after an 8-month-old baby on New Year's Eve for friends. But what about all those baby terms? Changing diapers, burping the baby, putting the baby to sleep, cooing, crawling? It's almost a language in its own right. Let's learn some of the key phrases in this lesson. Let's start with a role-play between Xavier and Amélie… |
Sat, 1 December 2007
It seems nobody can organise strikes quite like the French. In recent weeks, President Sarkozy has had his first real test since coming into office with the public transport system grinding to a halt. For now, though, the public are on his side – and the side of the government. In this lesson, let’s learn some vocabulary which will help us engage in conversation about the strikes – and the crisis in general. C'est parti! |
Wed, 21 November 2007
In the last lesson, we called a plumber and spoke to him over the phone. This time, in lesson 84, the plumber calls ‘round to conclude the job. Let’s see how the conversation unfolds. |
Sat, 10 November 2007
This lesson is based on a request from one of our listeners who needed the assistance of a plumber while in France. So, what happens if the bath drain gets blocked? How do we convey this to the plumber ? Let’s see in this two-part lesson. |
Tue, 30 October 2007
In this lesson, lesson 82, we talk about a recent court ruling in the U.S regarding Jammie Thomas, found guilty of downloading and illegally re-distributing copyrighted music. Let’s study some of the relevant vocabulary in this exchange. On y va!... |
Wed, 17 October 2007
The scene of this lesson is the forest of Fontainebleau where Amélie and Xavier are having a stroll, and picking up a few delicious mushrooms along the way. Let’s listen to their conversation unravel on a beautiful autumnal afternoon… |
Tue, 9 October 2007
In this, our 80th lesson, we talk about a change which will soon apply to all new French car registrations. The distinctive French number plate which tells us which department a car comes from, will take a new form. We'll learn several useful expressions including 'être au courant de', 'entrer en vigueur', 'conduire comme un pied' and 'forcer le passage à quelqu'un'. Allons-y!… |
Fri, 28 September 2007
In this lesson, lesson 79, we will learn how to simply ask if someone would fancy a cup of coffee that we are about to make. And, while we are at it, we will learn some trivia about a former Phillipine First Lady!… |
Thu, 20 September 2007
This month, Italy lost one of her great musicians and personalities in Luciano Pavarotti. In this lesson, let’s talk about what made him a household name and such a popular figure the world over. We'll learn how to say someone has passed away, how to say we miss someone, how to say 'It's sad that...', and more. C'est parti! |
Sat, 8 September 2007
Some people love them, others hate them. Still more cannot do without them. But, what if someone asks you if it is ok to light up a cigarette in your presence? Let’s listen to a role-play and see how such an exchange might unravel. |
Sat, 1 September 2007
It’s an issue none of us likes to talk about but one we occasionally confront in the workplace. So what about the delicate subject of personal hygiene ? How do we discuss it in French ? In this lesson we'll find out. Allons-y!... |
Fri, 24 August 2007
It is perhaps the most hated word in the French language. In fact, the noun itself - 'la rentrée' - means simply, 'the return' but, for secondary school students it means the end of 'les grandes vacances' and the return to a new school year. In this lesson we’ll hear Amélie and Alex talk about what needs to be organised before the kids go back to the classroom. |
Fri, 17 August 2007
In this lesson, Amélie will tell us about 'les Vélib' (vélos libres), an initiative in the French capital which puts bicycles at the disposal of those looking for a healthier option for getting around. We'll learn new expressions including 'Ça marche du tonnerre!' and 'prendre un abonnement'. We'll study some verbs, too, including 'assombrir', 'se réjouir de' and 'mettre en place'. |
Fri, 10 August 2007
Continuing our theme of the last lesson, this time we look at the promises made by President Sarkozy in relation to the environment during the run-up to the French presidential elections. Let’s examine what he said … and what he promised. We'll hear Jacques' and Laure's views on some of those promises, too… |
Wed, 1 August 2007
Though he wasn’t in the final reckoning for the French presidential election, the participation of Nicolas Hulot, a prominent environmentalist, drew the attention of many French voters to the precarious state of our planet. In this lesson, let’s focus on some vocabulary which relates to environmental issues. We’ll start with a role-play between Natacha and Matthieu. |
Fri, 27 July 2007
The number of hours worked per week by French employees has been a hot topic in France recently. In this lesson, let’s study some of the vocabulary which will enable us to talk about overtime, in particular. Let's listen to a conversation between Christian and Marie in which Christian chastises Marie for not standing up to her boss and saying enough is enough… |
Tue, 17 July 2007
Perhaps the first thing tourists to the French capital must think about is how best to get around. In this lesson, lesson 70, let’s hear a conversation which takes place at the ticket counter to find out how to approach this task. We'll revise the expression 'I'd like [+ infinitive]…', we'll discuss the verbs 'exister' and 'circuler' and we'll see how to respond to the expressions 'Ça fait' and 'Ça fera' when making a payment. |
Fri, 13 July 2007
In the last lesson, we were talking about hiring a car. In this second part of the two-part lesson, let’s complete the task. We’ll hear the final part of the discussion between the customer and agent of the car hire company. We'll study the expressions 'être garé', we'll practice the Imperative in the context of giving directions and we'll discover the names of specific parts of the body of a car. Let's begin... |
Thu, 28 June 2007
It's summer vacation time. In this lesson, let's discover how to carry out a common task for tourists - to hire a car. We'll learn how to ask the basic questions related to this undertaking, as well as some more specific vocabulary including 'car insurance', 'driving licence', 'deposit', 'petrol', 'a refill (of the tank)', and more. |
Sat, 23 June 2007
Antoine and Linda are visiting the Louvre Museum in this lesson. Though it should be an enjoyable outing, Antoine is unhappy about a number of things and is doing his fair share of moaning and groaning. So, let's learn how to say 'You never stop moaning!'. There are lots of other interesting expressions, too, including: 'You didn't have to (come, you know!)', 'Try to talk more quietly!' and 'Don't draw attention to yourself!'... |
Thu, 21 June 2007
A listener recently asked us: 'Which lesson deals with 'Ça va?'!…' Though it's a simple expression, it's an essential one. As it’s been a while since we’ve had a beginner lesson, let's visit some of the basics in this short lesson. We’ll see how to ask how someone is, we’ll learn a little about the weather, and we'll see examples of 'tout' and 'toute'. Let's get going. |
Wed, 13 June 2007
It’s a physical feeling we experience frequently, after sport, a day’s gardening, whatever. We’ll be talking about feeling stiff in this lesson – lesson 65. We'll see how to say 'What's the matter?', 'What did you do to yourself!?', 'You should have...' and a range of othe useful expressions and vocabulary. Allons-y!... |
Wed, 30 May 2007
A good deed - giving blood, to be precise - is the topic of this lesson, lesson 64. We'll study a variety of expressions, including 'I did a good deed...' and 'It's for that (very) reason that...'. We'll also learn the meaning of an amusing expression: 'tomber dans les pommes'. At first sight, it appears to have something to do with falling into apples but, in fact, means something quite different! Let's get started... |
Fri, 25 May 2007
We're looking for someone to help us with a specific task, once again, in this lesson. The job in question is electrical work: we'll discover some electricity-related vocabulary and we'll revise some key expressions from previous lessons including: 'venir de (+ infinitive)', 'avoir besoin de', and 'falloir (+ infinitive)'. We'll also learn how to say 'When it comes to...' and 'You mustn't joke about that!' Allons-y! |
Mon, 21 May 2007
We're looking for someone to help create a website in this lesson - Lesson 62. We'll learn some useful computing-related vocabulary. In addition to this, we'll study the useful expressions 's'y connaître en', 'donner un coup de main (à quelqu'un)' and 'se débrouiller'. Let's get started... |
Wed, 16 May 2007
When we bump into someone we haven’t met for a while, we’ll commonly ask them what they’ve been up to. That’s the topic of this lesson. We'll work with a variety of useful expressions including: 'Ça fait…?', 'pas mal de' and 'Ça a mis…'. We'll also see how to make use of the verbs 'devenir', 'intervenir' and 'se permettre de'. |
Tue, 8 May 2007
In this lesson, we'll study the vocabulary needed to ask someone how he or she is progressing at an art course. We'll examine a range of useful expressions, including 'avoir peur de', 'il y a toutes sortes de' and 'se moquer de (quelqu'un)'. We'll also look at 'plaire (à)', a common verb but one which is often the cause of errors for learners of French. |
Sun, 29 April 2007
We'll discover how to discuss a programme from last night's TV schedule in this lesson. In particular, Xavier talks about a documentary he saw on the life of Henri Troyat, a prolific French writer. We'll meet - and practice - new expressions including 'passer à la télé', 'être décédé', 'être crevé' and 'rester éveillé jusqu'à'. Allons-y! |
Thu, 26 April 2007
In our recent discussion of American politics, we mentioned Barack Obama. This time our role-play will focus on whether America is ready for a woman to take the top job at the Oval Office. Let's hear what Caroline, in particular, thinks of Hillary Clinton and her chances of landing the ultimate position in politics. We'll learn some new expressions including 's'exprimer', 'être persuadé que', 'être ouvert d'esprit', and more. |
Fri, 20 April 2007
France will soon have a new President. So, too, will the U.S. In London, Tony Blair will be leaving 10 Downing Street after 10 years as British Prime Minister. In this lesson, let's study some vocabulary and expressions related to the political scene in the U.S. as eyes are turning towards the White House. Allons-y!… |
Tue, 17 April 2007
Hardly a day passes without the terrible conflict in Iraq making the news headlines. In this lesson, lesson 56, we'll study vocabulary which will allow us to offer an opinion on a situation for which a solution seems more elusive than ever. |
Tue, 10 April 2007
This time, our dog is in trouble and requires a trip to the vet. We'll learn how to say that something is wrong and we'll study a number of useful verbs, including 'rester', 'se mettre à', 's'attarder' and 'se rétablir'. It's a longer lesson this time, so let's get started... |
Fri, 30 March 2007
In our last lesson, a trip to the dentist resulted in a filling. The dentist and patient had a brief chat at the end of the appointment. Let's see how their conversation ended up. We'll study the expressions 'to finish [doing]', 'to be in agony' and 'to find it difficult [to do]'. We'll also discuss using the Imperfect Tense to describe physical states in the past. Allons-y! |
Thu, 29 March 2007
In our last lesson, we saw how to make an dental appointment. This time, we’re in the dentist’s chair… The drill, fillings, injections, cavities – we’ll meet them all in this first part of a two-part lesson. |
Sun, 25 March 2007
We'll see how to make an appointment to see the dentist in this lesson. We'll meet a variety of useful expressions, including 'prendre rendezvous avec quelqu'un', 'ressentir (une douleur)' and 'le plus rapidement possible'. To see what all these mean - and how to use them - let's get started! |
Sat, 17 March 2007
Our task is a simple but common one in this lesson - that is, to make a restaurant reservation. We'll learn to recognise some common questions which are likely to be put to us by the receptionist and we'll revise how to spell some words, including one or two surnames. |
Fri, 9 March 2007
A ski-wear shop is the setting for this, our 50th Learn French by Podcast lesson. We'll see how to make effective use of the verbs 'aimer', 'suivre', 'passer' and 'essayer' and we'll also learn revise the object pronouns 'le', 'la' and 'les'. |
Wed, 28 February 2007
A hotel guest makes contact with the front desk in relation to a problem in his room. We'll discover how to say 'I can't get it to work'. We'll also practice using several verbs, including 'se mettre en marche', 'appuyer' and 'arriver à'. We meet a noun, too, which can either refer to a technical fault - or a flaw in one's character. |
Mon, 26 February 2007
We'll learn how to carry out a common task in this lesson - to book a hotel room. We'll see how to ask the receptionist how we should pay, if we can have our luggage taken up to our room, if we can be called early for breakfast, and more. |
Fri, 23 February 2007
With the presidential elections in France just around the corner, it’s time to learn some vocabulary related to politics and voting, in general. That will be the topic of this lesson. We'll learn how to say 'I'm exhausted!' and 'They really get my back up!' We'll also meet several useful verbs. Allons-y! |
Sat, 17 February 2007
In lessons 21 and 22 we spoke about a vacation we’d had. This time, in lesson 46, we’ll hear about a winter vacation and, with the World Ski Championships taking place at the moment, it's an opportune time to learn a few key terms related to skiing. We'll also see how to use the verbs 'adorer', 'partir' and 's'inscrire (à)'. |
Fri, 9 February 2007
In this lesson, lesson 45, a father brings his son to playschool for the first time. Let's hear the conversation between Mr. Jones and the playschool teacher. We'll meet the expressions ‘Je vais faire en sorte que’ and ‘jusqu'à ce que’, both of which require that the verb which follows be in the subjunctive form. |
Tue, 30 January 2007
The French tendency to drive fast will form the basis of our lesson this time - our conversation will deal with a near miss on the road. We'll learn how to say 'I had a narrow escape', we'll meet the expression 'il m'a mis hors de moi' and we'll see how to use the verbs 'doubler' and 'faillir'. Let's get started. |
Thu, 25 January 2007
An incident in a shop where a customer drops and breaks something is the subject of this lesson. The reaction of the shop assistant will bring up the topic of the subjunctive and one particular situation in which this form of the verb is required. |
Tue, 23 January 2007
Our food is almost prepared. But we want to ask when exactly it will be ready and when we should sit at the table. Let's see how to do that in this lesson. We'll also meet the expressions 'Je meurs de faim!' and 'passer à table'. |
Thu, 18 January 2007
We'll be talking about someone who is quite religious in this lesson. We'll meet the adjectives 'croyant' and 'pratiquant' to describe such a person, we'll see how to use 'ne... jamais', we'll use the verb 'se souvenir de', and we'll practice other interesting expressions, too. Let's get started... |
Wed, 10 January 2007
Relationship problems are the topic of this lesson! We'll learn how to ask someone what's wrong, we'll meet the reflexive verb "se séparer" and we'll ask ourselves the question, "How am I going to explain it to him?" We'll also distinguish between "ne... pas" and "ne... plus". |