Did you know that most English words ending in -able or -ible are often true cognates for the same or similar word in French? Most of these words are adjectives, but a few are nouns. Some examples: (this is not a comprehensive list) -able adorable – adorable (adj) applicable – applicable (adj) durable – durable […]
So now you have navigated from the Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport to where you will be staying in Paris, and you are all settled in. After a relaxing dinner in your adopted neighborhood, and a good night’s sleep, you are ready to venture out. Let’s say that you are staying close to the Arts et Métiers Métro […]
Salut tout le monde ! Something fun! This week we celebrated two special birthdays, my Gary and a very good friend! Their birthdays are 3 days apart, so I thought it would be fun to make a French dinner and dessert for them. All went well and we had a delicious meal! We started with […]
« Courir deux lièvres à la fois ». Literal translation: To run after two hares at the same time. Meaning: To work both ends against the middle. To have one’s finger in more than one pie. J’ai l’impression que tu es en train de courir deux lièvres à la fois ! Il n’est jamais bon […]
Le Républicain (Lot-et-Garonne), 17 Jul 2025, par Lucie Vigué Un hôtel très particulier ouvre dans le bourg… mais est réservé aux chats Composé de sept chambres, cet hôtel accueillera des chats. Commune sensible au bien-être animal, elle met désormais les chats libres. C’est un hôtel original qui a ouvert ses portes ce vendredi 11 juillet […]
Grand, adj : great; big, large; “tall” when describing a person’s physical appearance. The French word « grand » looks exactly like the English word “grand.” The problem is that the word “grand” can have a different meaning in English than it does in French. In English, “grand” can mean “splendid” or “fancy” and also […]
Reconnaissance, nf : gratitude, gratefulness; recognition, acknowledgement. Reconnaissant, adj : grateful, thankful, appreciative. Reconnaître, vt : to recognize, to admit, to acknowledge. Il a beaucoup de reconnaissance pour l’aide apportée. He feels a lot of gratitude for the help he was given. Il a attendu de nombreuses années la reconnaissance de son talent. He waited […]
Now that you know that French words ending in -ion are often true cognates for the same or similar word in English (see Saviez-vous que … from 07.01.2025), lets spend the next few weeks looking at more true cognates that will immediately boost your French vocabulary. Remember, the pronounciation will be a bit different… c’est […]
Salut tout le monde ! A few weeks ago I mentioned that driving in Paris would not be something that I would enjoy… so much traffic. I would always prefer to use the Métro in Paris if I want to go somewhere that isn’t close to where I’m staying. But first things first. What about […]
« Poser un lapin à quelqu’un ». Literal translation: To lay a rabbit on someone. Meaning: To stand someone up. Je t’ai prevenu de lui, et maintenant, il t’a posé un lapin. I warned you about him, and now he’s stood you up.
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