Abuser, vtr : to take advantage of; overdo, overindulge in; exceed, overstep, abuse. The French word « abuser » looks almost exactly like the English word “abuse.” The word “abuse” in English typically means to treat someone badly, to misuse something, or to consume too much. As a semi-false cognate, in French « abuser » […]
Clarté, nf : brightness, lightness, clarity, clearness, intelligibility, skin fairness. La clarté des pièces apportait tout son cachet à la maison. The brightness of the rooms gave the house its style. Il est difficile de le comprendre parce que ses propos manquent de clarté. It’s difficult to understand him, as what he says lacks clarity. […]
Did you know that France will celebrate Pentecôte (Pentecost) this week on Sunday, May 24 and Monday, May 25? Pentecost is a public holiday in France that takes place 50 days after Easter, commemorating the day the holy spirit descended upon the apostles and caused them to speak in tongues. During Pentecost weekend (celebrated on […]
She loved Paris! … and London too! About a month ago, I posted that one of my French students was making her way to London and Paris. She has returned with some wonderful memories. With her family, she made it to many of the amazing sites, such as the Eiffel Tower, le Musée d’Orsay, l’Opéra, […]
« Faire le mur ». Literal translation: To do the wall. Meaning: To escape, to go over the wall, to sneak out. Quand j’étais ado, je faisais souvent le mur pour aller en boîte. When I was a teenager, I used to sneak out frequently to go to the nightclub.
Point de Vue, le 13 May 2026, par Thomas Pernette, avec Candice Dupret ROIS, REINES ET PRÉSIDENTS Les chiens, meilleurs amis du pouvoir Ils sont, depuis plusieurs décennies, membres à part entière des familles royales au point de figurer sur leurs cartes de voeux et de s’inviter dans les coulisses des visites d’État. Ces compagnons […]
Zone, nf : zone, area; rough area, trashy. The French word « zone » looks exactly like the English word “zone.” The word “zone” in English typically refers to an area, but can refer to a “time zone” or “climate zone.” As a semi-false cognate, in French « zone » can mean “zone or area,” […]
Apprécier, vtr : to like, to appreciate; appreciation, enjoyment; to assess, to gauge, to estimate, to appraise. s’apprécier : to like each other, to have a lot of time for each other. J’apprécie beaucoup cette idée. I really like that idea. J’apprécierais que tu … I would appreciate it if you … Tous les élèves […]
Did you know that France observes it’s third May public holiday this week? Thursday, May 14th is Jeudi de l’Ascension or Ascension Day, celebrating Christ’s ascension into heaven 40 days after Easter. It always takes place on a Thursday, but the date will vary based on the calendar each year. Many businesses also close on […]
This weekend, I finished watching the recent Masterpiece/PBS TV adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ iconic French novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, which follows Edmond Dantès, a young man falsely accused of treason. Although this tv series is in English, it is set in France, mostly Paris and Marseille. It has been a while since I […]
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