Sympathique (often shortened to « sympa » ), adj : nice, kind, likeable, friendly, pleasant, enjoyable. The French word « sympathique » looks very similar to the English word “sympathetic.” The word “sympathetic” in English typically refers to someone showing compassion or showing understanding. In French « sympathique » means nice, kind, likeable, friendly, pleasant, […]
Faible, adj : weak, feeble, frail, flimsy, fragile. avoir un faible pour : to have a weakness for, to have a soft spot for. Il a été très malade, il est encore faible. He has been very ill and he’s still weak. Elle parlait d’une voix si faible, on l’entendait à peine. She was speaking […]
Did you know that few French words end in a “c” ? (Only about thirty). In all cases, this final “c” is silent: tabac, estomac, banc, blanc, croc, porc, caoutchouc, etc. The only word where the final “c” is pronounced is “donc”. En français : Saviez-vous que peu de mots français se terminent par un […]
This week, one of my French students is making her way to London and Paris with her family! I am so happy for her!! She has worked really hard for the last year to improve her reading, writing, speaking, and oral comprehension skills… she is READY for this grand adventure. Before departure, I gave her […]
« Avoir l’air d’une poule qui a trouvé un couteau ». Literal translation: To look like a hen that has found a knife. Meaning: To look puzzled or baffled. Tu avais l’air d’une poule qui a trouvé un couteau quand ta clé n’a pas marché. You looked puzzled when your key didn’t work.
EuroNews (French Edition), le 14 avr 2026, par Mohammad Shayan Ahmad Voyager pour s’entraîner : en Europe, les vacances deviennent Les voyageurs ne considèrent plus l’exercice comme quelque chose à mettre entre parenthèses lorsqu’ils sont en vacances. Partout en Europe, les vacances actives se démocratisent, car de plus en plus de personnes réservent des séjours […]
Sale, adj : dirty, filthy, scruffy, careless, bad. The French word « sale » looks exactly like the English word “sale.” The word “sale” in English typically refers to a commercial transaction, or a reduced price offering. In French « sale » means dirty, filthy, scruffy, careless, or bad. Tes chaussures sont très sales, enlève-les […]
Fiabilité, nf : reliability, trustworthiness, responsibility. La fiabilité de cette machine a été testée en laboratoire pendant de longs mois. This machine’s reliability has been tested for months in the laboratory. Elle s’inquiétait de la fiabilité de la voiture et l’a donc amenée la faire réviser avant de partir en voyage. She was concerned about […]
Did you know that when we express a wish, a desire, or a longing in French, we use the subjunctive mood? « J’aimerais que la science soit au cœur de la société. » = “I would like science to be at the heart of society.” Therefore, we find the subjunctive mood after “vouloir” (to want), […]
Recently, I have been enjoying a French television series on PBS. A friend recommended “Astrid” to me. Je l’adore !! The main character, Astrid, is autistic. She works in the criminal records department in Paris and assists a particular police detective with solving crimes. Astrid’s gift of analyzing and synthesizing details from crime scenes becomes […]
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