Did you know that France celebrates La Fête Nationale (Bastille Day) today, July 14? France’s fête nationale commemorates the storming of La Bastille on 14 July 1789, which was the beginning of the French Revolution. Only English speakers call it Bastille Day. In France, it is more commonly known as Quatorze Juillet (referring to the […]
Did you know that Paris has experienced a heatwave over the last several weeks? Now that’s not very fun… but Paris Plages is so fun!! And it started July 4th. What is Paris Plages? Over about an eight week period each summer, Paris brings in sand and places it along the Seine, and other locations, […]
Did you know that the prefix “re-” often indicates repetition: “redire” (to say again). Before a vowel, it becomes “ré-“: “être réélu” (to be re-elected), “réinventer” (to reinvent), etc. There are also some verbs that begin with a vowel or an “h” that take the prefix “r-” (without the “e”): “rouvrir” (to reopen), “rhabiller” (to […]
Did you know that “Au fait” (the final “t” is pronounced) is used at the beginning of a sentence to get someone’s attention and before saying something you’ve just thought of? It can also be used to link back to the topic you were just talking about or to the current situation. En français : […]
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 […]
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 […]
Did you know that during this week, France commemorates Victory in Europe Day? Friday, May 8th is la Fête de la Victoire de 1945 (Victory in Europe Day). This French public holiday is also known as Jour de la Liberation, which marks Germany’s surrender in Reims, France in 1945. With this surrender, World War II […]
Did you know that with the arrival of the month of May this week, France looks forward to four public holidays? May 1st is la Fête du Travail (Labor Day), May 8th is la Fête de la Victoire de 1945 (Victory in Europe Day), May 14th is l’Ascension (Ascension Day) and May 25th is Whit […]
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 […]
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), […]
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