La Petite Histoire

If you've ever done a group lesson here at Lingua Franca, you've probably come into contact with La Petite Histoire*. A tale with the very humblest of beginnings, it winds up becoming a rollicking schlockbuster as you move up the levels and your French improves enough to handle the outrageous (some would say impossible) turns of events of the six young friends.

La Petite Histoire is currently only available to our students, however La Préquelle is for everyone’s enjoyment. Below, another instalment of this new series, Chapter 3 of the Advanced 1 level.

*The Little Story | *The Prequel

« Ça va, frangine ? » a demandé Hervé avec un air inquiet.

J’ai regardé à ma gauche, désireuse d'éviter la question. Je ne pouvais pas m'empêcher de sourire en regardant Amina et les trois enfants complètement absorbés alors qu'ils regardaient une ligne de canetons suivre leur mère vers le lac. Comme c'est mignon, j’ai pensé.

« Leïla, je t'ai demandé si ça va. Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas ? Tu as l'air si distraite tout ce voyage. »

« Oh Hervé, pas ça encore, s'il te plaît ! Je t'ai dit, je pense juste que j'essaie de faire trop de choses. Tu as de la chance, tu as Amina. Je veux dire, c’est un rêve. Si aimante et patiente, et vous deux travaillez en équipe. N'oublie pas que j'ai la complication supplémentaire de mes études en plus d'un mari accro à son travail. »

« Leïla, quand on a parlé au pub, avant que tu partes à Oxford, je t'ai dit que j'étais là pour toi et je le suis. Tu n'as pas été toi-même tout ce voyage et bien que nous soyons officiellement ici pour qu'Amina rende visite à sa famille d'accueil et pour que tu améliores ton anglais, je dois te dire que nous pensons tous les deux que tu pourrais vraiment bénéficier d'un changement d'air. Nous avons remarqué... »

À ce moment-là, j'ai coupé brusquement mon frère. « Oh, je vois, donc vous avez parlé de moi dans mon dos. Merci beaucoup. »

« Oh Leïla, je commence à perdre patience avec toi. Je te jure, j'essaie d'être un ami pour toi aussi bien qu'un frère, mais tu me rends la tâche très difficile. »

« Eh bien, qu'avez-vous exactement remarqué, Hervé ? Qu'est-ce qui est si différent chez moi récemment ? »

« Frangine, si nous allons parler ouvertement, ce n'est pas seulement récemment, je suis désolé de le dire. Cela fait un moment que tu es différente. »

« Qu'est-ce que tu veux dire par différente ? » j’ai demandé, sur la défensive.

« Regarde, il me semble qu'à partir du moment où tu as épousé Jean-Louis, tu n'es plus tout à fait la Leïla que nous avons toujours connue et aimée. »

« Quoi, tu ne m'aimes plus, c'est ça que tu dis ? »

« Non, pas du tout, bien sûr que non. Mon dieu, Leïla, nous sommes une famille, bien sûr que je t'aime et Amina aussi. C'est juste que nous avons l'impression de perdre un peu de l'ancienne Leïla jour après jour », il a avoué doucement.

« Et qui est cette ancienne Leïla, Hervé ? Comment est-elle ? Il semble que j'aimerais la rencontrer ! » Je sentais la colère monter en moi, mais plus que tout, ses paroles avaient touché quelque chose au fond de moi que je soupçonnais depuis un moment.

« Insouciante, vive, confiante, légère ! Leïla, crois-moi, je sais que le mariage et les enfants ajoutent un certain niveau de stress à la vie de n'importe qui, mais avec cela devraient venir la joie, la satisfaction et un certain sentiment de calme. » Hervé me regardais d’un air implorant. J’ai baissé les yeux sur mes chaussures, les yeux remplis de larmes.

« Eh bien, c'est un peu difficile d'être calme quand tu penses que ton mari a une liaison, tu ne trouves pas, frérot ? » Et sur ces mots, je m'éloignai en faisant semblant de m'intéresser aux canards.

“Are you okay, sis?” asked Hervé with a look of concern.

I looked to my left, keen to avoid the question. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched Amina and the three children completely engrossed as they watched a line of ducklings waddling after their mother towards the lake. How cute, I thought.

“Leïla, I asked you if you’re okay. What is up with you? You’ve been so distracted this whole trip.”

“Oh Hervé, not this again, please! I told you, I think I’m just trying to do too much. You’re lucky, you’ve got Amina. I mean, she’s a dream. So loving and patient and the two of you work as a team. Don’t forget I’ve got the added complication of my studies as well as a husband who is addicted to his work.”

“Leïla, when we spoke at the pub, before you went to Oxford, I told you I’m here for you and I am. You haven’t been yourself this trip and although we’re officially here for Amina to visit her host family and for you to improve your English, I have to tell you that we both thought you could really benefit from a change of scenery. We’ve noticed…”

At this point, I cut my brother off abruptly. “Oh I see, so you’ve been talking about me behind my back. Thanks a lot.”

“Oh Leïla, I am starting to lose patience with you. I swear, I’m trying to be a friend to you as well as a brother, but you’re making it very difficult for me to do that.”

“Well, what exactly have you noticed, Hervé? What’s so different about me recently?”

“Sis, if we’re going to speak openly, it’s not just recently I’m sorry to say. It’s been quite a while now that you’ve been different.”

“What do you mean different?” I asked, defensively.

“Look, it seems to me that ever since you married Jean-Louis, you’re not quite the same Leïla we always known and loved.”

“What, so you don’t love me anymore, is that what you’re saying?”

“No, not at all, of course not. My god, Leïla, we’re family, of course I love you and Amina does, too. It’s just that we feel we’re losing a bit of the old Leïla day by day,” he admitted quietly.

“And who is this old Leïla, Hervé? What’s she like? It sounds like I’d like to meet her!” I could feel myself getting angry, but more than anything, his words had hit something deep inside of me I’d been suspecting a while.

“Carefree, spirited, confident, light! Leïla, believe me, I know marriage and children add a certain level of stress to anyone’s life, but along with that should come joy and satisfaction and a certain sense of calm.” Hervé looked at me pleadingly. I looked down at my shoes, my eyes filling with tears.

“Well, it’s a bit hard to be calm when you think your husband’s having an affair, don’t you think, bro?” And with that, I stormed off to pretend to be interested in the ducks.

How to Learn French - Et tu, Brutus ?

Well, this is embarrassing. Oftentimes when I ask our Chouchous* how they are as they come into class, they respond like this:

“Très bien, merci….et…..(long pause, scrunched up face)…tu (pleading eyes) ?”

For some reason, whenever I hear this response, the phrase “Et tu, Brutus?” comes to mind. It’s one of those phrases that you seem to pick up by osmosis and I’ve always thought that perhaps this is why students struggle to give the correct response to ça va* (which is et toi* ? by the way).

However, in doing some preliminary research for this article, I found out tout de suite* that the phrase is in fact “Et tu, Brute?” in Latin and “And you, Brutus?” in English. It turns out that long-standing loop in my head was wrong all along in any case.

Of course, if you’re reading this and have no idea (or interest) in what I’m talking about, you may more readily accept this logical (and simple) explanation as the most likely. Simply put, tu in French means ‘you’, so many students put two and two together (being et for ‘and’ and tu for ‘you’) and come up with et tu ?

It’s not a terrible mistake, but it is one that can crop up right at the start of a conversation and slightly derail proceedings, so if we can fix it without too much effort, tant mieux*, no?

The word toi belongs to a group of pronouns called ‘disjunctives’ and the name holds the key to their use. The dictionary definition of ‘disjunctive’ is: lacking any clear connection.

Bear that definition in mind as we contrast it with tu, for example. Tu is a subject pronoun and must be connected to a verb. In fact, you could say that subject pronouns need their accompanying verbs to make any sense at all.

Disjunctive pronouns, on the other hand, can be used without a verb. They can actually be used all by themselves (moi ?) or with little connecting words called conjunctions. Take a look at the table below to see the difference.

You’ll see I’ve marked in bold the shared English translations between the two different types of pronouns. I think this may be the root cause of the confusion.

By the way, disjunctive pronouns marry really well with lots of other little words to create quick rejoinders:

et toi ?
avec moi ?
sans nous ?
pour eux ?

and my personal favourite: the chez* family. In fact this is how I tend to remember them:

chez moi
chez toi
chez lui
chez elle
chez soi
chez nous
chez vous
chez eux
chez elles


So, next time you’re asked ça va, take a breath before answering with confidence, très bien, merci, et toi ?

Of course, you could simplify your life by calling everyone the formal vous, but that’s not nearly as much fun, is it?

*Teacher’s Pets | *How are you | *And you (yourself) | *straight away | *so much the better | *home/place

Ortolan

“There is a dish so aromatic, so indulgent, so cruel, that it is meant to be eaten with a towel draped over the diner’s head – both to keep in the smells and, perhaps, to hide one’s face from God.”

So says a Gastro Obscura article about an illegal French delicacy involving a tiny songbird, Armagnac brandy and a cast iron stomach. Not to mention a black-market fee approaching €150.

Eating lunch? We suggest you come back later… Otherwise, gird your loins for an interesting read about orotolan. 

*cast iron stomach

Source : www.francebleu.fr

Pâtisserie Stohrer

If you're in Paris, don’t miss a trip to Stohrer in the second arrondissement. Established in 1730 by King Louis XV's pastry chef, Nicolas Stohrer, the city's oldest pâtisserie is a must-visit for anyone with a taste for history and dessert in equal measure.

With an unchanged facade and cosy interior, the sole shopfront of this Parisian institution retains its historic charm on the busting Rue Montorgueil, a pedestrian market street popular with locals and tourists. Enter the store, and you’ll face a tough choice – will it be a classic éclair, a zesty tarte au citron*, or Nicolas’ famous creation, the booze-soaked Baba au rhum*?

Or, in the spirit of research, pourquoi pas les trois*? Visit the website to whet your appetite.

*lemon tart | *rum baba | *Why not all three?  

Source : www.facebook.com/StohrerParis/

20 Montmartre Must-Sees

Sacré-Coeur, Le Moulin Rouge, and the charming Maison Rose* (of Emily in Paris fame) may be some of the most-visited sites touristiques* in the picturesque Montmartre. But a tour of the 18th arrondissement’s iconic district shouldn’t stop there!

This video gives an insider’s pick of Montmartre’s 20 must-sees – complete with a route map. Make sure you bookmark it for your next trip to Paris.

*tourist sites | *Pink House

French Speaking Exam

Ever had one of those days when you just can’t seem to get the words out in any logical order? As language learners, we’ve all been there. This video sums it up perfectly. We hope it gives you un rire*. 

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A post shared by paris davis ~ slow travel | freedom lifestyle (@____viaparis)

 *a laugh

Recette: Pot-au-feu

Now that l’automne* chill is finally in the air, do you find yourself wanting to swap the summer salads for heartier fare? Well then, you’re in luck! This simple pot-au-feu* is a classic French recipe that will fill your family’s bellies and warm the cockles of your heart.

 
Bon appétit*!

Merci au Marmiton pour la recette*.

*autumn | *beef stew | *Enjoy! | *Thank you to Marmiton for the recipe.

Explain French to me?

One of our students shared this little treat with us recently. We found it *très drôle and hope it brings you *un sourire.

*very funny | *a smile

My French Adventure: Elanor

We could all learn a thing of two from Elanor’s positive approach to her French. It’s no surprise to us here at Lingua Franca, though. Even though Elanor attends evening classes, she’s a complete rayon de soleil* and we’re so happy to to have her learn with us. Merci* Elanor et très bonne continuation*!

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO STUDY FRENCH?

I have always wanted to learn French, and for no particular reason other than it really appealed to me. After travelling through France in 2010, I found I had picked up a lot and was not finding the basics too difficult, so I grabbed a few self-study books upon my return, and that was the start of the journey! 

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STUDYING FRENCH?

I have studied on and off since 2010. I mainly used workbooks and would enjoy my days off learning this way. Last year I was getting more keen to really get back into it and more seriously, so I started listening to podcasts as I did my long drive to and from work.

This was hugely beneficial and really helped me to rote learn how to conjugate verbs… immensely helpful, but a little bland. I wanted to use my knowledge and work on conversations and translating faster. So, I enrolled at Lingua Franca! 

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT IT?

I love how it makes me feel to use another language and to understand it. It is very empowering. Acquiring knowledge and feeling yourself progress is also very rewarding. It is also helping me understand English more, funnily enough.

I love going to lessons and meeting with like-minded people – people who understand and speak at the same skill level and who are also so motivated to learn and share my enthusiasm.

ANY HARD BITS? 

Everything is hard until you learn how to do it! It’s all about taking the time to slowly progress through the content and being patient with yourself. Every week I understand more than I did the week before. It’s like a puzzle slowly coming together and it’s wonderful to see all my new knowledge taking shape. 

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE FRENCH WORD? 

Buanderie* – Laundry room. For no other reason than I love how it sounds… far too nice a sounding word for a room like that. 😊

*Laundry room

*ray of sunshine | *Thank you | *May things continue to go very well for you

Word Power: Papillon

Many of our students tell us they love the French word for butterfly, papillon*. Thankfully, there are plenty of opportunities to use it, too, as ce joli mot* has a surprising number of applications.

As in English, the French refer to la brasse papillon* ­– a complicated (and impressive) stroke in swimming. And you might just find yourself in need of un écrou papillon,* or butterfly nut, if you’re putting together some flat-pack furniture.

Want a few more examples to have up ta manche*? Memorise the little list below, and you’ll be sure to send your French friends into a flutter with your vocab.

*butterfly | *the pretty word| *butterfly stroke |*butterfly nut |*your sleeve

Les Dunes Blanches

If you ever find yourself in Bordeaux or on the Bay of Arcachon and feel your stomach start to rumble, you’re in for a treat. Head to a local pâtisserie* and you’ll have your tastebuds well and truly sated with the iconic Dune Blanche* pastry – a speciality of the region. 

Better yet, enjoy this Chantilly-filled delight in the place of its creation, Chez Pascal in the seaside resort of Cap Ferret. 

Named in honour of a beach on the Cap-Ferret Peninsula, the Dune Blanche (white dune) is a chantilly*-filled chouquette – a small choux puff topped with pearl sugar. A marriage made in heaven, oui*, but it was conceived by happy accident by Brice Lucas, the son of Pascal (of Chez Pascal) – a celebrated baker from Grand Piquey in Cap Ferret. 

Returning home in the wee hours of the morning, Brice decided to make himself a snack. He filled his father’s leftover chou buns with some nearby cream, et voilà*! Culinary magic was made, and la Dune Blanche won its first fan!

Registered in 2009, the light and airy chouquette is the signature dessert of Arcachon and Cap Ferret. However, you can find les Dunes as far afield as Paris, should the fancy take you. 

Just last year, several of our Chouchous* had a chance to sample the delicacy in the most propitious of circumstances - on a visit to a Cap Ferret beach while gazing at the Dune Blanche itself. Sublime*!

*pastry shop | *White Dune | *whipped cream flavoured with vanilla | *yes | there you go | *Teacher’s Pets | *Sublime!

Photo credit: Henri Lajarrige Lombard

Famous French Brands: Mariage Frères

Can’t go past a refreshing tasse de thé*? Then consider popping on the kettle and pouring yourself a first-class cup from renowned French tea brand Mariage Frères.

Founded in Paris in 1854, Mariage Frères has long been elevating tea drinking into an indulgent art. 

Coming from a family of traders with a lust for loose leaves, brothers Henri and Edouard Mariage embarked on a mission to import teas from China, Japan and India – and their eponymous business was born.

Securing a legion of tea-drinking fans with its signature blends and elegant packaging, Mariage Frères today has boutiques and concessions across the globe. 

If you need to find un cadeau* in Paris? Drop by one of their flagship stores in the chic Marais district or Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, and you won't leave empty-handed. 

Enjoyed by local pinkie-raisers and tourists alike, the marque* was one of the first to promote the health benefits of green tea. However, it's Marco Polo, a fragrant blend with notes of fruit and flowers, and the robust Earl Grey Imperial the brand is best known for. 

With a rich history and commitment to quality, Mariage Frères continues to inspire joy with every not-so-humble cup of tea. Read more of their story here.

*cup of tea | *a gift | *brand

La Petite Histoire

If you've ever done a group lesson here at Lingua Franca, you've probably come into contact with La Petite Histoire*. A tale with the very humblest of beginnings, it winds up becoming a rollicking schlockbuster as you move up the levels and your French improves enough to handle the outrageous (some would say impossible) turns of events of the six young friends.

La Petite Histoire is currently only available to our students, however La Préquelle is for everyone’s enjoyment. Below, another instalment of this new series, Chapter 2 of the Advanced 1 level.

*The Little Story | *The Prequel

“Alors, Leïla, tu as passé une bonne journée hier à Oxford ?” a demandé ma belle-sœur, Amina, alors que nous nous installions dans un petit café près de Harrods.

“Ah, oui, c’était un rêve franchement, Amina. Merci d’avoir gardé Anouk. C’est tellement gentil de ta part. Tu t’es bien amusée avec Tati Amina, ma chérie ?” j’ai demandé à ma fille, qui prétendait lire la carte.

“Oui, maman,” elle a dit. “Mais tu m’as manqué un petit peu quand même.”

Pas pour la première fois pendant ce voyage en Angleterre, j’ai eu une sensation de culpabilité. Évidemment, Amina a remarqué ma réaction car elle a dit tout de suite: “Tu es sûre, Anouk ? Tout ce que j’ai entendu de toi hier était à propos des canards à Hyde Park.”

“Ah oui, les canards !” Anouk a crié, “On peut y retourner aujourd’hui, Tati? S’il te plaît ? “

Amina a hoché la tête et m’a regardé en souriant. “Tu vois, Leïla, ta fille t’adore, c’est vrai, mais je ne dirais pas que tu lui manquais trop hier.”

Soulagée, j’ai souri aussi et pris la carte pour voir ce que je voulais commander pour le petit-déjeuner.

Quelques secondes plus tard, j’ai senti un petit doigt sur mon nez. “Regardez !” a crié ma fille. “Le nez de Maman est rouge comme une fraise !”

“C’est vrai, Leïla, tu a pris un coup de soleil hier ?”

Avant que je puisse répondre, mon frère m’a fixé le regard. “Tu as pris un coup de soleil dans une bibliothèque…en Angleterre ?” il m’a dit, d’un air suspicieux.

“Ben, il faisait très, très beau à Oxford hier, tu sais. Et après deux ou trois heures dans la bibliothèque j’ai décidé d’en profiter pour me balader le long de la rivière…” j’ai menti en baissant mes yeux.

“Ah, bon ?” a répondu Hervé. “C’est une longue promenade, il me semble.”

“C’est beau, non, Leïla, près de la rivière ?” a ajouté Amina gentiment.

“Ah oui, c’était tellement charmant que je n’ai pas vu le temps passer. Il faut être plus prudente la prochaine fois. Alors, vous avez choisi ?” j’ai demandé à tout le monde pour changer de sujet. Ouf ! J’adore mon frère et c’est vrai qu’il est très compréhensif, mais je n’étais pas sûre qu’il serait prêt à entendre que sa sœur mariée a passé la journée avec un homme qui n’est pas son mari. J’ai rougi de nouveau en pensant à Simon, qui n’a pas échappé mon frère.

“Bon, Anouk, la première chose qu’on va acheter chez Harrods est un joli chapeau pour ta mère. Elle ne peut pas attraper un coup de soleil à nouveau aujourd’hui. On doit la protéger. Commandons et puis on y va, hein ?”

“Merci, Hervé,” j’ai dit d’une petite voix. “C’est un bon plan.”

"So, Leïla, did you have a good day yesterday in Oxford?" asked my sister-in-law Amina as we settled into a small café near Harrods.

"Oh, yes, it was a dream, honestly, Amina. Thank you for taking care of Anouk. It's so kind of you. Did you have fun with Aunty Amina, darling?" I asked my daughter, who was pretending to read the menu.

"Yes, Mum," she said. "But I still missed you a little bit.”

Not for the first time during this trip to England, I felt a sense of guilt. Obviously, Amina noticed my reaction because she immediately said, "Are you sure, Anouk? All I heard from you yesterday was about the ducks in Hyde Park."

"Oh yes, the ducks!" Anouk shouted, "Can we go back today, Aunty? Please!"

Amina nodded and smiled at me. "You see, Leïla, your daughter loves you, it's true, but I wouldn't say she missed you too much yesterday."

Relieved, I smiled too and took the menu to see what I wanted to order for breakfast.

A few seconds later, I felt a little finger on my nose. "Look!" cried my daughter. "Mum's nose is as red as a strawberry!"

"It's true, Leïla, did you get sunburned yesterday?"

Before I could answer, my brother looked at me pointedly. "You got sunburned in a library… in England?" he said, suspiciously.

"Well, it was very, very nice in Oxford yesterday, you know. And after two or three hours in the library, I decided to take advantage of it by strolling along the river…" I lied, lowering my eyes.

"Oh, really?" replied Hervé. "That's quite a long walk, it seems to me."

"It's beautiful, isn't it, Leïla, near the river?” added Amina kindly.

"Oh yes, it was so charming that I didn't notice the time. I should be more careful next time. So, have you all decided?" I asked everyone to change the subject. Phew! I love my brother, and it's true that he's very understanding, but I wasn't sure if he would be ready to hear that his married sister had spent the day with a man who isn't her husband. I blushed again thinking of Simon, which ddin't escaped my brother's notice.

"Well, Anouk, the first thing we're going to buy at Harrods is a nice hat for your mother. She can't get sunburned again today. We have to protect her. Let's order and then we'll go, hey?"

"Thank you, Hervé," I said quietly. "That's a good plan."

How to Learn French - French-lovin’ friends

With the French film festival almost over for another year, I’m betting many of you have taken a trip to le cinéma* in recent weeks.

While we’re so lucky to have access to this annual buffet* of French celluloid, I know from personal experience and also anecdotally that it can come with an unfortunate effet secondaire*.

Beaucoup de chouchous* (and I include myself in this count) have left screenings with shoulders slumped, regardless of the quality of the film they’ve just seen. Pourquoi*? Because watching a movie is possibly the worst gauge of your true level of French. Arguments, slang, different accents, turned backs and “in” jokes all make the task très difficile*. Yes, it’s true, if you were to travel to or live in a French-speaking country, these are the types of factors you’d be up against, but as a learner, do you really need try to jump over that very high bar just yet? And yet I do…

As you know I’ve been at this French caper for multiple decades, and I still play a (slightly depressing) game with myself each time I go. I know my French should be good enough to watch a whole movie without subtitles, and yet, do you think I can tear my eyes away from the subtitles for more than about three frames? I test myself each time I go, even resorting to closing my eyes at times to avoid the temptation of looking. This is a dangerous game, cependant*, as it removes all the visual clues that are so helpful to our comprehension.

My problem, and the problem of many of our students, is that if I don’t understand every single word, I start to panic, thinking I’m going to lose the thread of the plot entirely. I’ve written about this in the past with regards to listening exams and the same holds true with films. It really is a skill to have the sang-froid* to accept that you’re not understanding everything and to stay tuned in anyway. In my recent, slightly more successful attempts, I’ve noticed that something that slips by me often crops up in another form or phrase just a few seconds later, restoring my understanding. I just have to hold my nerve until it happens.

Of course, I’m speaking as an advanced French speaker here, but les films français* are there to be enjoyed by everyone, so read on for some more tips, no matter your niveau*.

Period pieces can be a good place to start. Not only are the costumes sumptuous and the stories often drawn from French history, but the dialogue is often much easier to understand. In gentler times, people spoke more deliberately and used a higher, more formal register that can be kinder to our oreilles*. Higher level French words are often very similar to English. Also, take out the street slang that often peppers contemporary tales and you’re left with a language that more closely resembles your textbooks. That’s not to say that slang should not be learned at some point (it is after all, a whole lot of fun) but again, is this really the battle you want to wage just yet?

When you’re a beginner, reading the English subtitles is fairly unavoidable if you wish to follow along. As you improve, you may be able to pick up a word or two of the dialogue and see it in the translation, which can be a real thrill. With every movie you watch, your ears will discern more and more and in time, you may even find yourself predicting the English translation. Chapeau*! This is a huge step. Hélas*, no sooner have you fait péter le bouchon* on a fine bottle of champagne to celebrate, you may be scandalisé* to see that the English translations do not match your own. Have you been being duped this whole time? Well, no. It turns out subtitle translators are restricted to three lines of text across the screen. Any more and the text will start to monte* up into the actors’ faces, et ça ne se fait pas*. Therefore, the translators are forced to summarise the French dialogue, which is why you’ll often find a watered-down version of the rich  French dialogue as you read.

Lastly, choose a film that resonates with your interests. You’ll stay more engaged, and if you’re familiar with the subject matter, you’ll be more likely to be able to guess at certain words and meanings. Even better, go for a French film that has had an English remake you’ve seen. There are plenty to choose from. Bon ciné* !

• CODA - La Famille Bélier

• The Birdcage - La Cage aux Folles

• Three Men and a Baby - Trois Hommes et un Couffin

• Cousins - Cousins, Cousines

• The Talented Mr Ripley - Plein Soleil

*cinema | *smorgasbord | *side effect | *Lots of Teacher’s Pets | *Why? | *very difficult | however | *self-control | *French films | *level | *ears | *Hats off to you | *Alas | *cracked the cork (literally “made the cork fart”) | *scandalised | *climb | *that’s not done | *Happy cinema-going!

SWOON: Morocco

If you’re looking to spice up your French studies, Morocco is la destination parfaite*. Located in northwest Africa, the country boasts a rich history and diverse, vibrant culture, coloured by a blend of Berber, Arab and European influences.

Travellers flock to the popular tourist destinations of Marrakech and Fes to drink in the atmosphere of the bustling souks and stunning mosques, with intrepid spirits drawn to the lure of the breathtaking landscapes, from the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert.

Adorned with colourful tiles and tranquil fontaines*, traditional riads provide inspiration for any architecture fan. While foodies will love sampling the local cuisine, from fragrant tagines to hearty couscous and delicate pastilla pastries.

A legacy of Morocco's colonial history, French is widely spoken, offering Francophone travellers (and students) the opportunity to immerse themselves in daily life. It’s what we'll be doing during our October Lingua Franca Morocco trip – will you be joining us?

*the perfect destination | *fountains

10 Romantic French Movies

Whether célibataire ou en couple*, with Saint-Valentin* upon us, what better time to enjoy a French romance film? From Truffaut’s 1962 cult classic Jules et Jim to the quirky charm of Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (Amélie), there’s something for everyone in this list of the 10 most romantic French movies ever made.

Enjoy!

*single or in a couple | *Valentine’s Day

La Petite Histoire

If you've ever done a group lesson here at Lingua Franca, you've probably come into contact with La Petite Histoire*. A tale with the very humblest of beginnings, it winds up becoming a rollicking schlockbuster as you move up the levels and your French improves enough to handle the outrageous (some would say impossible) turns of events of the six young friends.

La Petite Histoire is currently only available to our students, however La Préquelle is for everyone’s enjoyment. Below, another instalment of this new series, Chapter 1 of the Advanced 1 level.

*The Little Story | *The Prequel

Nous étions assis sous un grand chêne près de la rivière. La lumière du soleil passait à travers les feuilles, faisant des taches sur l'herbe douce en dessous de nous. Je me suis appuyée contre Simon et il m'a serrée dans ses bras. Il a repoussé mes cheveux de mon épaule, et pendant qu'il le faisait, la bretelle de ma robe est tombée. Avant que je puisse la remettre en place, il a touché doucement mon épaule et a dit "Oh, tu as un petit coup de soleil là, mon amour." Je me suis retournée pour regarder mon épaule gauche et c'est là que nos lèvres se sont rencontrées.

« Maman, maman, tu dors ? » J'ai entendu une petite voix près de mon visage. « Maman, allez, il est temps de partir ! »

Surprise, je me suis redressée dans mon lit, regardant autour de moi pour retrouver mes repères. L'armoire, la lampe, les rideaux floraux, la serrure de la porte. Où étais-je ?

« Allez, maman ! Lève-toi ! » Anouk a dit en essayant de me tirer les couvertures.

« Anouk ! Arrête ça ! Laisse maman une minute pour se réveiller ! » j’ai dit en frottant mes yeux endormis.

“Mince, j'ai dû faire un sommeil profond avant d'être réveillée, j’ai pensé, un peu grognon. Puis ça m'est revenu. Pas tellement les images du rêve, mais la délicieuse sensation d'être dans les bras de Simon sous le chêne. « Pourquoi m'as-tu réveillée ? » j'ai eu envie de dire, mais dès que j'ai eu cette pensée, une vague de honte m'a envahie. Je suis mariée ! Qu'est-ce que je fais à rêver de mon professeur d'anglais, de tous les gens ! Perturbée par mes pensées, j'ai décidé de me lever, et vite.

« D'accord, allez, mon chéri, préparons-nous et allons retrouver ta tante et ton oncle et les filles. Il ne nous reste pas beaucoup de temps à Londres. Allons-y ! »

Vingt minutes plus tard, nous étions dans le hall de l'hôtel, habillées et prêtes à partir.

« Alors, qu'est-ce qu'on va faire aujourd'hui ? » Hervé a demandé à notre petit groupe.

« Est-ce que je peux voter pour un petit-déjeuner d'abord ? » j’ai demandé. « J'ai une faim de loup. »

« Oh, je pensais que tu serais descendue prendre le petit-déjeuner, Leïla. Tu sais qu'il est inclus, n'est-ce pas ? »

« Oui, je le sais », j’a’i répondu un peu timidement, « mais nous avons un peu fait la grasse matinée, n'est-ce pas Anouk ? »

« Oui, j'ai dû réveiller maman. Elle était une grosse dormeuse ce matin. »

Merci, ma chère fille, je me suis dit.

Amina a souri puis a dit : « D'accord, et si nous nous dirigeons vers Harrods et que nous nous arrêtons pour prendre un petit-déjeuner en chemin ? Je pense que nous aurons tous besoin de carburant dans nos ventres avant d'attaquer le département des jouets avec les enfants. Qu'en pensez-vous ? »

« Ça me semble être un bon plan. Allons-y ? »

We were seated under a beautiful big oak tree close to the river. The sunlight peeked through the leaves, dappling the soft grass below us. I leaned back against Simon and he wrapped his arms around me protectively. He brushed my hair away from my shoulder and as he did so, the cotton strap of my sundress fell to the side. Before I could reach back to straighten it, he touched my shoulder tenderly and said “Ooh, you’ve got a little sunburn there, my love.” I turned to peer at my left shoulder and as I did so, his lips met mine.


“Mummy, mummy, are you sleeping?” I heard a little voice next to my face. “Mummy, come on, it’s time to go!”



Startled, I sat up in bed, looking around to find my bearings. The wardrobe, the lamp, the floral curtains, the lock on the door. Where was I?



“Come on, Mum! Get up!” Anouk said, as she tried to yank the bedcovers from over me.



“Anouk! Stop that! Give mummy a minute to wake up!” I said, rubbing my eyes sleepily.



Gee, I must have been in a deep sleep before being woken up, I thought, a bit cranky. Then it came back to me. Not so much the images of the dream, but the delicious feeling of being in Simon’s arms under the oak tree.

“Why did you wake me up?” I wanted to blurt out, but as soon as I had the thought, a wave of shame came over me. I am married! What am I doing dreaming about my English professor, of all people! Disturbed by my thoughts, I decided to get up, and fast.



“Okay, come on kiddo, let’s get ready and go and find your Aunty and Uncle and the girls. We haven’t got much time left in London. Let’s go!”


Twenty minutes later we were in the foyer of the hotel, dressed and ready to go. 



“So, what are we going to do today?” Hervé asked our little group.



“Can I vote for some breakfast first?” I asked. “I’m starving.”



“Oh, I thought you would have gone down for breakfast, Leïla. You know it’s included, don’t you?”



“Yes, I do,” I answered a little sheepishly, “but we had a bit of a sleep-in, didn’t we Anouk?”

“Yes, I had to wake mummy. She was a big sleepyhead this morning.”



Thank you, darling daughter, I thought to myself.



Amina grinned then said: “Okay, we how about if we make our way to Harrods and we stop for some breakfast on the way? I think we’ll all need some fuel in our tummies before we attack the toy department with the kids. What do you think?”



“That sounds like a plan to me,” I replied. “Shall we go?”

How to Learn French - Gotcha!

I’m not sure about you, but I have memories of being told in primary school that the word ‘get’ was borderline verboten. It’s possible my teachers were stricter than most, but more likely, times have simply changed in the grammar world. Given my primary school days are more than four decades in the past I should not be surprised. Nonetheless, in doing research for this article, I was indeed surprised to see the legitimacy the word ‘get’ is afforded as a highly used, irregular English verb.

Though I likely avoided use of the word ‘get’ in my hunt for scratch ’n’ sniff stickers while at school, I absolutely know I use, even overuse, this verb in my everyday life.

I was first alerted to this through learning French. Since French does not have a verb that directly translates as ‘to get’, once I moved beyond the basics, I was often pulled up short by this missing verb.

Just in case you’re not convinced of its ubiquitousness in English, here are a few examples off the top of my head:

1. To get a drink
2. To get an email
3. To get a new car
4. To get angry
5. To get married
6. To get drunk
7. To get some results
8. To get a cold
9. To get your car cleaned
10. To get your hair cut


In fact, given the multitude of ways we use ‘to get’ in English, this article could run to a smallish book, so, how do we get around this word in the most commonly cases?

The easiest, and probably most ‘correct’ way, is to try to think of an appropriate synonym.

to get a drink = to fetch a drink
to get an email = to receive an email
to get a new car = to buy a new car

So try instead:

Je cherche une boisson (I’m looking for a drink)
J’ai reçu un email (I received an email)
Je vais acheter une nouvelle voiture (I’m going to buy a new car)

What happens, though, when we use ‘get’ to mean ‘to become’ in English, which we do a lot, as in examples #4, #5 and #6 above? This is a little trickier. In my experience, French usually has a dedicated verb for these instances and often it’s a reflexive one.

to get angry = se fâcher
to get married = se marier
to get drunk = se saouler

These verbs are a little tricker to conjugate, granted, but if you practise them enough, they’ll eventually come more naturally to you.

Je me suis fâché(e) (I got angry)
Je me marie ! (I’m getting married!)
Je me suis saoulé(e) (I got drunk).

In some cases, the verb ‘avoir’ will give you a less formal-sounding, but still correct, option. Take these two sentences as examples.

to get some results
to get a cold

Instead of opting for ‘j’ai obtenu des résultats’, you could use ‘j’ai eu des résultats’ instead (literally ‘I had some results’).

Rather than going for the more formal ‘J’ai attrapé un rhume’, ‘j’ai eu un rhume’ works just as well and may even sound more natural to native speakers. Either are fine, though, so the choice is yours.

Those of you who have done advanced courses at Lingua Franca will have certainly encountered le causatif (the causative construction). I didn’t realise the usefulness of this turn of phrase when I first learned it, but having now taught it for several years and listened to a lot of French via the news, podcasts, series and movies I have come to understand its value.

Without realising it, we use it a lot in English as well. Think of the difference in these two sentences:

I clean the house
I have the house cleaned

I know which one I’d rather and this has motivated me to look into this construction more carefully. We use the causative when we’re not performing an action ourselves but having someone else doing it for us. It’s a personal goal of mine to trade active sentences for causative ones for all the menial tasks I don’t want to do.

Sometimes it’s less about la paresse*, it’s just common sense. For example:

I cut my hair
I have my hair cut

So try these:

Je fais nettoyer la maison (I get the house cleaned)
Je fais couper mes cheveux (I get my hair cut)


I predict that the more you think about the use of the verb ‘get’ in English, the more you risk a sense of overwhelm as you realise how heavily we rely on this three-lettered workhorse. Please don’t succumb. The first step is to simply take notice of the ‘get’ phrases including you reach for most often when trying to speak French. Note them down, and see if they fit into one of the four categories above. They most likely will. If they don’t and you really, really want to use one in particular, challenge yourself to dip into a good dictionary to see if you can find the translation and start testing it out for yourself. Bon courage* !

*Good luck!

Musée Carnavalet

While the sheer number of galleries and museums in Paris can be overwhelming, à notre avis*, no visit to the city is complete without a leisurely stroll through the 100-odd rooms of Musée Carnavalet. 

Housed within two Renaissance-era mansions surrounding une très jolie cour* in the heart of Le Marais, the museum tells the story of Paris’s evolution from its humble beginnings to the thriving metropolis of today. 

Walking through Musée Carnavalet is like stepping into a living tableau of Parisian life. From the opulent salons of aristocratic households to the dwellings of everyday citizens, each room is painstakingly curated to capture the essence of different epochs*.

Opened in 1880, le musée* is home to an extensive array of artifacts, paintings and sculptures – over 580,000 objets* that will transport you back in time to the pivotal moments that have shaped the city's identity.

A must-visit for any lover of history, art and the magnificent city of Paris! And a charming spot for un apero* when you’ve had your culture fix.

*in our opinion | *a very pretty courtyard | *eras | *the museum | *objects | *a pre-dinner/lunch drink

Merci à Connolly Cove pour cette belle vidéo.

Le Travel Planner on Rue Bonaparte

Today we’re headed à Paris* with a peek into one of Le Travel Planner’s favourite destinations in the city, Rue Bonaparte. Located on the Left Bank in the 6th arrondissement, this charming street is the perfect pitstop for un café*, to visit a gallery or browse beautiful books at la librairie*, Assouline.

Watch the short video below to learn why Xavier is such un admirateur*. Or, if outdoor adventure (or après ski) is more your style, check out last month’s instalment on La Clusaz.

*to Paris | *a coffee | *the bookstore | *a fan