The English language takes advantage of many loanwords. These words originated in other countries but have stayed true to their original meanings and pronunciations. They are often colorful and descriptive words and phrases that add to the tone and detail of an author’s message. Sangfroid is a great example of …
Cause célèbre isn’t a term you hear often used in everyday conversation. I’ve really only ever seen it within the context of a powerful new story. But it’s a phrase that can be applied to anything popular or high profile, like a murder case or celebrity gossip. Let’s take a …
Being married to a bi-lingual person means I get to hear cool French phrases all the time, like comme ci, comme ca and c’est comme ca. My husband uses those all the time. While I didn’t actually know their meanings, I understood the intent within the context he used them. …
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The English language has many nuances that can confuse people attempting to make their writing sound clear and concise to an audience. Because of this, I write a lot about homophone pairs or words that sound the same but are spelled differently. And there is a good reason to do …
One of the most important differences between French and English is how gender is used. Every French noun is either masculine or feminine, and this affects how the noun is treated. This phenomenon comes from the language’s Latin origins. Archaic English had a few gender-related rules, but they’ve mostly disappeared …
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When referring to a noun whose quantity or amount is not specified, French speakers use the partitive article de, which conveys essentially the same meaning as some or any in English. For example, rather than saying the equivalent of I bought cheese, French speakers always say, I bought some cheese. Rather than …
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An indefinite article is used when referring to a general noun rather than a particular noun. While definite articles are used with specific nouns that are understood by both speaker and listener (the being the only English definite article), indefinite articles are used to call upon unspecified people or things. In …
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French uses the same numbers as English, but the spellings and pronunciations are quite different. There are no simple memory tricks for remembering French numbers, so they just have to be memorized. Zero through 19 French Pronunciation Number zéro zay-ro 0 un(e) uhn/oon 1 deux duh 2 trois twah 3 quatre …
Are you visiting France for the first time? Knowing the French seasons, days, and months is an excellent first step to learning their holidays, culture, and language. This guide will help you remember the French seasons, days of the week, and months of the year. Once you’ve mastered the terms, …
If you want to be polite in a French-speaking country, memorize these common French words and phrases and use them liberally in your routine interactions. Formal vs. Informal Use Some greetings in the French language can be used formally, while others are informal. Knowing which to use and when to …