Category Archives for Speaking
The French Cuisine and When to Pronounce the s in “plus”
Salut, ça va? If you have already subscribed to the weekly Talk in French newsletter, you’ll know that in every issue that comes out on Sundays, I feature a Question of the Week. These questions are sent by different subscribers and covers everything from French language, culture, and even random questions. (If you’re not yet […]
Continue reading22 Embarrassingly Awkward English-French Translation and Pronunciation Mistakes
Have you ever had an embarrassing translation faux pas that is so cringe-worthy it made you want to duck to the nearest restroom and hide there forever? Or probably pronounced a French word so inappropriately that it made everybody snicker? French words, with its subtle nuances and undertones, is quite easy to bungle. You might […]
Continue readingThe Quick Guide to Making Small Talk in French
Small talk is the polite (sometimes dreadfully awkward) conversation usually shared between people who are strangers or mere acquaintances. Though it may sound simple enough, it’s not as easy to pull off as one would think, with some people claiming that there is a special “art” to it. But whether you’re fond of it […]
Continue readingPardon My French! 20 French Curse Words that are NSFW
Every language has its own share of bad words and French is no different. Today, we’ll be taking a look at some of the curse words (les gros mots) used by French people—and no, it’s not just “merde !”; there’s plenty more where that word came from. But wait—why do we need to learn some […]
Continue readingThe Simple Guide to Informal French Grammar
Are you already speaking French so well but still sound as if you just came out of a French grammar book? Do you feel so formal and out-of-place when speaking with native French speakers? Well, let me let you in on one practical tip: try to speak a little bit informally! When speaking in your own native language, you […]
Continue reading7 Ways to Overcome Anxiety in Speaking French
Speaking a foreign language can be totally nerve-wracking. Especially French where there are so many ways to fumble on the word genders, mispronounce the words to the point of incoherence, forget the right vocabulary, or probably use the wrong tense. Scary, right? I can almost hear you shuddering from here. Don’t worry, a lot of […]
Continue readingPodcast #32 Discover a new area of France: Pays Basque/ How to pronounce the sound U in French.
Here is the 32nd session of Talk in French Podcast! You can download the podcast to your computer or listen to it here via iTunes. There is a button where you can download the Podcast. In this episode: – Some information about French culture. Discover a new area of France that you might not have […]
Continue readingPodcast #30 Discover a new area of France: Normandy /4 tips to sound more French
Here is the 30th session of Talk in French Podcast! You can download the podcast to your computer or listen to it here via iTunes. There is a button where you can download the Podcast. In this episode: – Some information about French Culture. Discover a new area of France that you might not have heard […]
Continue readingFrench Slang: Speaking the Real French (a major update)
If you have ever been to France, you already probably know that, the French spoken in the street (or even in a movie) can be WAY different from what you learn in your textbook. If you are looking to sound more like the French themselves, your main focus should be to learn the informal words […]
Continue reading50 French Expressions for Disagreement and Agreement
French people love to argue or debate so having these little words and expressions can come in handy. These french connectors will help you: – Gain time to elaborate your next sentence or idea. – Make the conversation without any empty silence. – Avoid the syndrome “Did you understand me?” since you will react faster. […]
Continue readingTalk in French Podcast #22 – French Wedding and French Interjection (E.G: Ohlalala….)
Here is the 22nd session of Talk in French Podcast! In this episode: – Some information about French Culture. Discover how French people celebrate a wedding ceremony. I explain here some differences. – Some French Words with an English Translation. – A quick French Grammar Explanation. Learn some French interjections (Hein, Ohlàlà…) and try to […]
Continue readingThe Differences Between French in Québec and France
[You can also listen to this article plus additional information in this podcast episode here.] It can be said that Metropolitan (or Standard European) and Québec (or Canadian) French, while both rooted in early modern Classical French, are two completely distinct varieties of French. While even a non-French could correctly make this assumption, most would […]
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