Le changement climatique

With the devastating European heatwave hitting France, *le changement climatique might be on your mind. Here is some climate and weather-related vocab to have up your sleeve. 

* climate change

How to Learn French - It's all Greek to me...

You may have noticed the pronunciation table was becoming a little bit hors de contrôle* recently. I had, too, so I spent most of my writing time designing a new, coherent layout with all 37 of the French sounds included. I hope to be able to show it to you in the coming months.

I was in two minds as to whether to include all of the consonnes*, as many of them are so similar to English, but in the interests of completeness (or the disease of le perfectionnisme*), I decided to put them all in.

It was in doing this that I learned something brand new (for me) and thought I’d share it with you, too. This is not a major component of French pronunciation (au contraire*) but it is really interesting.

In French, the combination of ch is almost always pronounced as a ‘sh’ sound. One very famous example springs immediately to mind, but there are others.

champagne
chambre
chercher
marché
chocolat

However, there’s un petit groupe* of words where a ‘k’ sound is pronounced instead. Most often, they are words of Greek origin, so if your word belongs to the realm of medicine, science, music, religion or ancient history, fais attention* !

Here are a few of the more common ones to get you started.

chœur (choir)
chorale (chorale group)
chronologie
chrome
chaos
orchestre
écho
psychologie
Christ
choléra
technique
charisme


C’est intéressant, non* ?

*out of control | *consonants | *perfectionism | *on the contrary | *a little group | *be careful | *It’s interesting, isn’t it?

Sneak Peek into le Nid: Nos bons petits plats

When it’s cold outside, you’ve had a bad day, or the world is feeling bleak, you probably reach for your favourite comfort food (or ‘bon petit plat’). So do *vos profs – but ours are French of course (and probably contain *beaucoup de beurre).

Quel est ton bon petit plat préféré?

Katrina - Baguette grillée avec du bon beurre
Toasted baguette with good butter

Emeline - Gratin dauphinois
Potato gratin with cream (no cheese!)

Marion – Croziflette
Cheesy pasta bake with bacon

Sarah - La raclette
Melted raclette cheese

Angéline - La poule à la crème
Chicken in cream sauce

* your teachers | *lots of butter

Paris’s snail mail café

If you miss the good old days of snail mail, bookmark Café Pli in Paris. Located in the 11th (with a second brand in the 10th) the concept café allows you to pick your favourite stationery and write your future self *une lettre that you can choose to receive in 1, 5 or 20 years.

Voir cette publication sur Instagram

Une publication partagée par Caitlin Bea (@caitlinbea)

Café Pli Instagram

* a letter

4 French podcasts to try

Do you listen to podcasts *en conduisant, en marchant ou en préparent le dîner? We do – and we’ve recently introduced a few more *chouchous to their joys 

Whether you love a good yarn, are a newshound, or are simply looking for a new way to level up your French learning, here are four LF-approved podcasts to try. *Bonne écoute!

Duolingo French Podcast

Fans of the popular Duolingo language app will love this podcast aimed at intermediate learners. The easy-to-follow episodes feature a wide range of compelling real-life stories told in clear French, interspersed with English where explanation is needed. The podcast has since wrapped, but it’s well worth working your way through the back catalogue.  

Listen here

Little Talk in Slow French

Hosted by French actress Nagisa Morimoto, this intermediate-friendly podcast is a pleasure to listen to. Covering everything from the French revolution to topics such as how to stay optimistic in *ce monde fou and Nagisa’s *meilleurs conseils pour apprendre des langues, the slow(ish) pace and transcripts help with comprehension.  

Listen here

News in Slow French

Like it says on the tin, this weekly podcast delivers news and current affairs in (truly) slow French. Practice your listening skills while keeping abreast of *l'actualité in under 10 minutes. There are episodes for intermediate and advanced learners.

Listen here (intermediate) and here (advanced)

French Through Stories

If the last thing you need in your life is more news, this podcast provides a welcome respite. Listen to well-paced short stories (or passages) in French, then see how much you understood as the host translates them into English. For beginner (A2) to intermediate (B1) learners.

Listen here 

* while driving, walking or making dinner | *teacher’s pets | *Happy listening! | *this crazy world | *best advice for learning languages |*the news

Swoon: Orne – the ‘Cotswolds of France’

All copyright details and full article.

For an authentic rural French experience away from the madding crowd, place Orne at the top of your travel to-dos. Just two and a half hours from Paris, the charming Normanby department is considered the ‘Cotswolds of France’.

Expect a feast for the eyes and belly with charming villages, picturesque countryside and the local cider, Calvados and apple products to savour as you enjoy the slower pace. It’s also the birthplace of Camembert – so don’t visit without stocking up on a few wheels to sustain you on your travels.

How to Learn French - Name your poison.

In the last post, we looked at the ‘z’ sound in French, created by (bien sûr*) a ‘z’ as in zéro but also when an ‘s’ is flanked by two vowels, as in maison*.

As it turns out, that is the exception for the letter ‘s’ in French. The default pronunciation is a hissing sound, as in the word sept (and interestingly, the word seven in English). So you can rest safe in the knowledge that (almost) every time you see an ‘s’ in French, you’ll be ssssounding like a ssssssnake.

Here are a few examples of where you may find them:

At the start of a word. Any ‘s’ beginning a word (before a vowel) hisses.

For example:

salut
soleil
septembre
sac
savoir

When doubled between vowels. The doubling of the letter is there specifically to keep the sound as a hissing ‘s’ but more on that later.

For example:

poisson
dessert
assez
classe
poussin
tasse

When it sits next to a consonant. If an ‘s’ butts up against another consonant (on either side) it hisses.

For example:

stade (before)
espoir (before)
veste (before)
reste (before)
danse (after)
casque (before)
penser (after)
absolu (after)

As you know, a general rule in French is that if a word ends in a consonant, it is mute, and that includes the letter ‘s’. But where would be the fun if there weren’t the odd exception ou deux*?

When a final ‘s’ is actually pronounced.

Watch out for these ones:

fils
bus
ours
mars
tennis
sens

Where things can become tricky (or funny…okay, embarrassing) is if you accidentally make a buzzing sounds (like a ‘z’) instead of a hissing ‘s’ sound. In some instances it can actually completely change the meaning of the word. If you do make the mistake, fear not, it’ll likely just elicit a small smile from a native French speaker. However, there is one instance where it may convey something more illicit, so if you’re keen to avoid that one, read on…

poisson (fish) vs poison (poison)
coussin (cushion) vs cousin (cousin)
dessert (dessert) vs désert (desert)

Imagine the following:

”Ce poison est délicieux !”
(This poison is delicious!)

”Tu peux me passer un cousin ?”
(Can you pass me a cousin?)

”Pas de désert pour moi !”
(No desert for me!)

There are many more like this, but unless you want to find yourself in a fairly awkward position, I’d recommend you pay special attention to the following pair:

baisser (to lower) vs baiser (For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge)

(By the way, apparently the etymology of this very expressive word does not include the acronym above, but it’s fun, isn’t it? I believe these made-up-after-the-fact acronyms are called ‘backronyms’ in grammatical terms).

I won’t disturb you with an example phrase for this one, but there is some mitigating information. Baiser as a verb does indeed mean to engage in sexual relations, but as a noun, un baiser simply means a kiss, so you never know, you may one day find yourself accidentally-on-purpose making this petite erreur* !

Bon courage, les Chouchous* !

*of course | *house | *or two | *little mistake | *Good luck, Teacher’s Pets

French gym vocab

The French are not exactly known as gym junkies – favouring a more incidental, low-intensity approach to fitness. However, recent research shows attitudes – and actions – are starting to catch up with the rest of the Western world.

So, if you do find yourself in a *salle de sport, here are some handy terms to keep up your moisture-wicking sleeve.

*Bon entraînement!

* Gym | *Have a good workout!

Tour de Haute-Garonne

It’s that time of year again, when your couch gets a workout for three nail-biting weeks during la Grande Boucle (the Big Loop – aka le Tour de France). And, if all that cycling action and alpine beauty leaves you craving your own adventure, you’re in luck.

There’s a brand new *cyclotourisme attraction in France – the 13-stage Tour de Haute-Garonne, which spans 665 idyllic kilometres in Occitanie.

Explore the route – and stunning scenery – here.

* cycle-tourism

Are French-Canadians more French than the French?

Fun fact: Conversations among friends in Quebec may be littered with them, but in the workplace, streets and public life, Anglicisms are frowned upon – and vigorously policed by the Office québécois de la langue française.

For example, while European French favours the terms e-mail, parking lot and week-end, French-Canadians stick steadfastly to the pure French equivalents – courriel, stationnement and fin de semaine – in attempts to protect the French language.

In Quebec, KFC goes by PFC (for Poulet Frit Kentucky), and movie titles must, by law, be translated into French, despite often being marketed *en anglais in the motherland.

*C’est fascinant, non? This article explains the background.

* in English | *It’s fascinating, isn’t it?

Where to find the best butter in France

From the iconic Maison Bordier – hand-kneaded in Saint-Malo, Brittany – to the hazelnut notes and smooth texture of Échiré, French butter is widely deemed the best in the world. (Ask the opinion of an Irishman at your peril.)

As much a cultural symbol as a culinary staple, the delectable dairy lures tourists from all over the globe, including one intrepid National Geographic scribe.

“*Le beurre, c’est la vie,” the author writes in this article – and here’s where to savour it on your next trip to France. Plus all the other, less calorific attractions in France’s best butter regions.

* Butter is life

Le vieillissement: Jacline

If age is an attitude, not a number, Jacline is several decades shy of her 100 years. From embracing ageing gracefully to the pursuit of pleasure and maintaining relationships, we’ll explore the French approach to *le vieillissement in this new video-based series.

* ageing

How to Learn French - What is ze problème?

Often neglected by French learners, the letter Z is nonetheless quite an agreeable little element in the whole pronunciation puzzle.

Firstly, as a letter of the alphabet, it is pronounced just as it is in (Australian) English: zed. I can picture our students sighing with relief as they’ve battled their way through the French alphabet, puzzling over ‘e’ first (remember, it’s like earth), then side-stepping the landmines of ‘g’ and ‘j’ before tensing in the face of the dreaded ‘i grec’ (the letter ‘y’) and then finally arriving in the green zone of ‘z’. Ouf* !

Similarly, as a sound it is a very faithful friend. I can’t think of a word where it is not pronounced as it is in English: a slight buzzing created by the exhalation of air through front teeth with your tongue behind your bottom teeth. Think of ‘zoo’, ‘craze’ or ‘zenith’.

In French, the first word that comes to mind is zéro, the French word for…you guessed it…zero.

WORDS CONTAINING THE SOUND ‘Z’

onze
douze
treize (etc…)
zèbre
gaz

The words above are very common in French, but how about a few more exotic ones? I think these ones are really fun and very useful for practising your ‘z’ sound.

zozoter (to lisp - just plain unfair to say if you do have one!)
zigzaguer (to zigzag)
zapper (to channel surf)
zonzonner (to buzz/to hum)
zinzin (nutty/crazy)
zizi (willy/childish name for penis)

Mignon, non* ?

Oh! And just one more. I couldn’t leave it out as it’s so poetic.

zéphyr (a gentle breeze).

Hopefully you’re feeling really comfortable with the sound ‘z’ as seen above. So, having lulled you into a false sense of security (désolée*) I’d love to ask you to remember this:

When a single ‘s’ appears between two vowels in French it is almost always pronounced as a ‘z’ sound. Next blog post we’ll have a look at what can potentially happen if you accidentally pronounce it as an ‘s’ sound as in the English word ‘snake’ (or serpent* for that matter…). But for now, please take a look at the list below and zonzonnez* your way to authentic French pronunciation! No hissing please, just buzzing.


maison - (house)
raison - (reason)
saison - (season)
chose - (thing)
rose - (rose)
cuisine - (kitchen)
musée - (museum)
visage - (face)
désert - (desert)
bise - (kiss on the cheek)

À très bientôt* !

*Phew! | *Cute, don’t you think? | *sorry | *snake | *buzz | *See you very soon

Recette: Potage parmentier

If you’re looking for an easy, budget-friendly meal for batch cooking or feeding a hungry family, potage partmentier – a classic French potato and leek soup – ticks all the boxes.

Named after Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, a French pharmacist who championed the potato as a staple food source in the 1700s, this hearty soup has a smooth, creamy texture that pairs perfectly with crusty bread. *Bon appétit!

*Merci à Marmiton pour la recette.

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

11 French animal expressions

Just as we’re quiet as a mouse or blind as a bat in English, the French language is equally peppered with animal expressions. While some are unique (*avoir le cafard comes to mind), others are identical in meaning – just with a different animal to keep French learners on their toes!

Here are 11 of our favourites. See how many you already know.

Appeler un chat un chat
Translation: To call a cat a cat
Meaning: To call a spade a spade

Avoir le cafard
Translation: To have the cockroach
Meaning: To feel down/ be depressed 

Avoir des fourmis dans les jambes
Translation: To have ants in one's legs
Meaning: To have pins and needles 

Être une poule mouillée
Translation: To be a wet chicken
Meaning: To lack courage

Être muet comme une carpe
Translation: To be mute like a carp
Meaning: To be silent (or quiet as a mouse)

Être copains comme cochons
Translation: To be friends like pigs
Meaning: To get on very well

Avoir une faim de loup
Translation: To have a wolf's hunger
Meaning: To be starving

Avoir un chat dans la gorge
Translation: To have a cat in the throat
Meaning: To have a frog in the throat

Poser un lapin
Translation: To put a rabbit
Meaning: To stand somebody up

Il pleut comme vache qui pisse
Translation: It’s raining like a peeing cow
Meaning: It’s raining cats and dogs
*Not for polite conversation!

Être myope comme une taupe
Translation: To be short-sighted as a mole
Meaning: To be as blind as a bat

* to feel down/ blue (literal translation: ‘to have the cockroach’)

Feeling frisquet?

As we enter another harsh Brisbane winter (*on plaisante), you may be searching for the perfect words to describe the weather.

Two good options to try out are il fait frais and il fait frisquet. While froid means truly cold, these more accurate alternatives translate to ‘it’s cool/ fresh’ and ‘it’s a bit chilly’.

Or, if you really do feel it, and you have a flair for the dramatic, ça caille! is another useful expression to keep up your cardi sleeve. Derived from cailler, meaning to curdle, ça caille! suggests it’s so cold your blood is thickening into lumps.

* we joke

'Grandma' hobbies

Around the world, Gen Zs are dipping their *orteils back into analogue life, from baking to bird watching and reading good old-fashioned books (in paper form). But do you know the French expressions for these ‘grandma’ hobbies? Here’s a handy cheat sheet.

À La Bonne Franquette

You may have tried the delicious home-style French cooking from Brunswick Street favourite À La Bonne Franquette, but do you know the meaning of the name? So many of our chouchous have been asking us recently – perhaps in light of our upcoming *dîner at ALBF to celebrate La Fête Nationale (Bastille Day) – so here’s a little explainer.

Put simply, the expression refers to a fuss-free, homely (often improvised) meal, enjoyed in a convivial way. Want to see your friends but don’t have enough time, or the ingredients, to prepare a tricky meal? You might say, "Viens manger à la bonne franquette ce soir".  Meaning: “Come eat, it’s just simple/ casual tonight.”

On Friday 17 July, our Bastille Day dinner at À La Bonne Franquette won’t be improvised – but you can be sure it will be informal, fun, and *délicieux.

Read more about it and book your ticket here – spots are sure to sell out!

* dinner | *delicious

Sublime Saint Laurent

With the world on fire, we’re all looking for some escapism, and this breathtaking video offers just that. Katrina chanced upon Saint Laurent’s women’s summer ’26 show when looking to update the Club de culture *mode material – and she couldn’t resist sharing.

Staged against the backdrop of a twinkling tour Eiffel, the show is sheer perfection. Make sure you hang around for the glorious gowns at around the 8-minute mark. Sublime.

* fashion

La Bonne Brosse

How do those French girls get their bobs looking so chic? The answer, we suspect, is La Bonne Brosse. Launched in 2021 by friends and former beauty industry executives Flore des Robert and Pauline Laurent, the Parisian brand is taking on the iconic Mason Pearson with premium hairbrushes infused with that quintessentially French ‘*je ne sais quoi’.

With a signature twisted handle in biodegradable cellulose acetate (produced in France by the last remaining French acetate manufacturer), La Bonne Brosse (The Good Brush) brushes come in a rainbow of colourful, ergonomic designs. Made with sustainability in mind, they feature high-quality ingredients designed to pamper your *cuir chevelu and bring out the best in your strands.

Not sure whether boar, nylon or a combination of bristles is best? Take the online quiz to find your perfect match. They’re not exactly a steal at $272 at Mecca ($190 for la petite), but there’s luxury in every stroke.

La Bonne Brosse | Website and Instagram
Shop La Bonne Brosse at Mecca

*Indescribable quality | *scalp