La Petite Histoire

If you've ever done a group lesson here at Lingua Franca, you've probably come into contact with La Petite Histoire*. A tale with the very humblest of beginnings, it winds up becoming a rollicking schlockbuster as you move up the levels and your French improves enough to handle the outrageous (some would say impossible) turns of events of the six young friends.

La Petite Histoire is currently only available to our students, however La Préquelle is for everyone’s enjoyment. Below, another instalment of this new series, Chapter 4 of the Intermediate 3 level.

*The Little Story | *The Prequel

Cinq minutes plus tard, je cherchais toujours mes boucles d’oreilles préférées, mais je ne pouvais pas les trouver.

Soudain, Hervé a crié “Allons-y, Leïla ! On va être en retard.”

“Jean-Louis, tu as vu mes boucles d’oreilles ?” j’ai crié de la chambre.

“Oui, elles sont dans la poche de ma veste, dans l’armoire. Tu me les as données l’autre soir après le dîner avec Noëlle. Tu m’as dit qu’elles te faisaient mal.”

“Ah, oui, tu as raison. Deux minutes !” j’ai répondu.

Mais en cherchant dans la poche, je n’ai rien trouvé. “Quelle veste, Jean-Louis ?” j’ai crié. Je commençais à paniquer.

“Leïla, viens ! On va rater l’avion si tu ne viens pas tout de suite!” a dit Hervé.

“Leïla,” a dit mon mari quand je suis revenue au salon, “encore une fois, ne t’inquiète pas ! Tu as ton passeport ?”

“Bien sûr,” j’ai répondu, “Il est là, dans mon sac à main. J’ai le passeport d’Anouk aussi.”

“Tu as les billets?” Hervé a demandé.

“Oui, je les ai avec les passeports,” j’ai répondu. “Et j’ai les chèques voyage.”

“Bon, tu es prête, alors !” a dit Jean-Louis.

“De toute façon,” a ajouté Hervé, “Amina a beaucoup de boucles d’oreilles. Elle peut te donner une paire.”

“C’est gentil, Hervé, mais ce sont mes préférées ! Ah, zut !”

“Chérie, s’il te plaît, laisse tomber. Pourquoi pas acheter une nouvelle paire à Londres ? Les Anglais ont des boutiques aussi, tu sais,” Jean-Louis a dit, en souriant.

J’étais surprise. Jean-Louis est normalement très prudent avec l’argent.

“Tu es sûr ?” j’ai demandé.

“Pour toi, ma reine, oui, je suis certain.”

“Merci beaucoup, chéri,” j’ai dit, touchée. Jean-Louis était vraiment très cool à propos de ce voyage, je me suis dit. “C’est très gentil. De toute façon, je les ai probablement mises dans ma valise par accident.”

Jean-Louis a souri, il m’a prise dans ses bras, et on s’est embrassés.

“Allez, ça suffit, vous deux. Il y a un avion qui nous attend. Allez, hop ! Dans la voiture !”

“Tu vas me manquer. Fais bon voyage, Leïla,” a dit mon mari.

“Merci, mon amour,” j’ai répondu avec des larmes aux yeux.

J’ai oublié le mauvais pressentiment et j’ai suivi mon frère vers la porte.

Five minutes later, I was still looking for my favourite earrings, but I couldn’t I find them.

Suddenly, Hervé yelled out “Let’s go, Leïla! We’re going to be late.”

“Jean-Louis, have you seen my earrings? I shouted from the bedroom.

“Yes, they’re in my jacket pocket, in the wardrobe. You gave them to me the other night after the dinner with Noëlle. You said they were hurting you.”

“Oh, yes, you’re right. Two minutes!” I responded.

But in searching the pocket, I didn’t find anything. “Which jacket, Jean-Louis?” I cried. I was starting to panic.

“Leïla, come on! We’re going to miss the plane if you don’t come straight away!” Hervé said.

“Leïla,” said my husband when I came back into the living room, “once again, don’t worry! Do you have your passport?”

“Of course,” I responded. “It’s here, in my handbag. I have Anouk’s passport as well.”

“Do you have the tickets?” Hervé asked.

“Yes, I have them with the passports,” I said. “And I have the travellers’ cheques.”

“Right, so you’re ready, then!” said Jean-Louis.

“In any case,” Hervé added, “Amina has lots of earrings. She can give you a pair.”

“That’s nice of you, Hervé, but they’re my favourites! Oh, damn!”

“Darling, please, drop it. Why not buy a new pair in London? The English have shops as well, you know,” Jean-Louis said, smiling.

I was surprised. Jean-Louis is usually very careful with money.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“For you, my queen, I am certain.”

“Thank you very much, darling,” I said, touched. Jean-Louis was really cool about this trip, I said to myself. “That’s really kind of you. In any case, I probably put them in my suitcase by accident in any case.”

Jean-Louis smiled, he took me in his arms and we kissed.

“Okay, that’s enough, you two. We have a plane waiting for us. Come on, let’s go. In the car!”

“I’m going to miss you. Have a good trip, Leïla,” my husband said.

“Thank you, my love,” I responded with tears in my eyes.

I forgot the bad feeling and I followed my brother towards the door.

Tout va bien

Do you ever struggle with the verb pouvoir*? This song by Ezéchiel Pailhès will help you remember the negative, first-person conjugation, je ne peux pas*, for good. Simple and repetitive, it’s a bit of an ear worm. Go on and have a listen – we think you’ll be surprised how much tu comprends*. (But we’ve also included the translated lyrics, au cas où*.)

Listen on Spotify.

‘Tout Va Bien’

Je ne peux pas dire non, tout va bien
Ce serait mentir, oui, de le dire
Je ne peux pas dire non, tout va bien
Ce serait mentir, oui, de le dire

Je ne peux pas dire non, tout va bien
Ce serait mentir, oui, de le dire
Je ne peux pas dire non, tout va bien
Ce serait mentir, oui, de le dire

Mais ça va, va, va, va, va
Toujours mieux, mieux, mieux, mieux, mieux
Dès le soir
J'oublie tout, tout, tout, tout, tout
C'est bien trop, trop, trop, trop, trop dérisoire

Mais ça va, va, va, va, va
Toujours mieux, mieux, mieux, mieux, mieux
Dès le soir
J'oublie tout, tout, tout, tout, tout
C'est bien trop, trop, trop, trop, trop dérisoire

Je ne peux pas dire non, tout va bien
Ce serait mentir, oui, de le dire
Je ne peux pas dire non, tout va bien
Ce serait mentir, oui, de le dire
Je ne peux pas dire non, tout va bien
Ce serait mentir, oui, de le dire

Mais ça va, va, va, va, va
Toujours mieux, mieux, mieux, mieux, mieux
Dès le soir
J'oublie tout, tout, tout, tout, tout
C'est bien trop, trop, trop, trop, trop dérisoire

Mais ça va, va, va, va, va
Toujours mieux, mieux, mieux, mieux, mieux
Dès le soir
J'oublie tout, tout, tout, tout, tout
C'est bien trop, trop, trop, trop, trop dérisoire

Et en anglais*…

I can't say no, it's alright
It would be lying, yes, to say so
I can't say no, it's alright
It would be lying, yes, to say so 

I can't say no, it's alright
It would be lying, yes, to say so
I can't say no, it's alright
It would be lying, yes, to say so 

But it goes, goes, goes, goes, goes
Always better, better, better, better, better
From the evening
I forget everything, everything, everything, everything, everything
It's too, too, too, too, too ridiculous

But it goes, goes, goes, goes, goes
Always better, better, better, better, better
From the evening
I forget everything, everything, everything, everything, everything
It's too, too, too, too, too ridiculous

I can't say no, it's alright
It would be lying, yes, to say so
I can't say no, it's alright
It would be lying, yes, to say so
I can't say no, it's alright
It would be lying, yes, to say so 

But it goes, goes, goes, goes, goes
Always better, better, better, better, better
From the evening
I forget everything, everything, everything, everything, everything
It's too, too, too, too, too ridiculous

But it goes, goes, goes, goes, goes
Always better, better, better, better, better
From the evening
I forget everything, everything, everything, everything, everything
It's too, too, too, too, too ridiculous

*to be able to (can) | *I can’t | *you understand | *just in case | *And in English…

Rabbit holes and jumbo tennis balls

In the last How to Learn French post, we talked about les hauts et les bas* of being a beginner learner. I mentioned that when students sign up for their first French course, they’re usually brimming with excitement and just busting to start speaking French.

Unfortunately, that initial brio is often quickly replaced with something nearing despair as they realise the enormity of the task ahead. I’ve spoken about how that happened to me only very recently with learning Sanskrit. On a side note - I’ve had four weeks off due to a term break and guess who’s done about two hours of the 20 she planned? I have, though, managed to draw myself up a cheat sheet so at least I know what I don’t know (and I’m counting that as a win).

So, what to do when, after getting a handle on the groundwork, you’re ready to launch into actually speaking? This will likely happen to you a few times along your learning adventure. Here at Lingua Franca, we encourage you to do our Speaking Practice Courses right from Absolute Beginner 1, and it’s usually around the Absolute Beginner Revision mark that you’ll get your first soupçon* of desire to speak. Once you’ve got the present tense sur le bout des doigts*, you’ll probably be drawn to making your own simple sentences.

When you do, you’ll soon realise how great it would be to be able to tell someone what you did yesterday and what you’re going to do tomorrow. You can still say quite a lot without knowing those tenses, but roll on Beginner Revision…

Then, by the time you reach Intermediate Revision, usually in about your third year, you’ll be impatient to start speaking up, and rightly so. You’ve diligently learned several tenses as well as un tas de* vocab, you’ve got the numbers under your belt and have a pretty good handle on the pronunciation. You’re probably looking for a reward for all that hard work and your fervent hope is that when you do open your mouth the words will flow out as easily as they do from the ball of your pen.

Mais, non*!

How many times have we heard this refrain from our Chouchous*? It’s a lament I know well personally, having expressed it about my own French many, many times. Préparez-vous*, it’s a question you’ll ask yourself more than once throughout your French learning career, but it seems to be at its most piquante* when you know a lot in theory, but seem unable to let the words coulent*.

I remember in Year 12, just as we were nearing our final exams, our French teacher was particularly pleased with our performance one day. She said: “Félicitations, la classe*! You’re now able to speak at the level of an eight-year-old!”. While she smiled at us beatifically, we let out huge (and let’s face it, dramatic) sighs of disappointment. I’ll never forget it. All that work to be able to speak like a virtual bébé*? You’ve got to be kidding!

I’ve reflected a lot on that moment in the years hence, and have come to realise that Mlle MacPherson was paying us a sincere compliment. Though at 16 the thought of speaking like an eight-year-old was frankly insulting, when you think about how much an eight-year-old is able to say, most French learners would be delighted to have that level of fluency.

So, how to set yourself up for succès* as you take your first steps?

As frustrating as the advice to take it ‘slowly but surely’ may sound, it really will set you off on le bon chemin*.

Leaping out of the gates at full galop* might feel great for the first few words (which you’ve likely prepared ahead of time in your head), but a sentence or two later, you might feel yourself barrelling full speed into a rabbit hole from which it’s hard to escape. Trying to express yourself as you do in your native language, with the vocabulary, fluency and dexterity built up over a lifetime will ensure you spend more time underground than above it. It amounts to trying to run before you can walk, and from recent experience I can tell you this is probably not the way to build confidence, which will account for about 80% of your success.

Last month, I promised you a story about a jumbo tennis ball, so here it comes.

In a year of new things for me, I’ve recently taken up tennis. While my friend and I were keen to get on the court and rip a few backhands down the line at our first lesson, our teacher insisted we start by standing on either side of the net and throwing (carefully and very gently) an oversized pink tennis ball to one another. Oh, la honte*! This action apparently mimics the elements of a solid backhand and laid the groundwork for us graduating to our first strokes with a regular-sized ball later in the hour. 

This applies to your French as well. Freezing up mid-sentence because you don’t know the word for ‘four-wheel drive’, for example, is the equivalent of me trying to pull a drop shot on my opponent when I can’t even be sure I’ll make contact. Could you use the word for ‘car’ instead? How important to your story is it that your audience know you’re talking about a specific type of vehicle? Remember, the goal is to communicate. In order to get your message across, you may need to simplify the message itself. My bet is it won’t overly impact your story and the most important thing is that by choosing a word you know instead (voiture*), you’ll likely get to the next word and the next and the next, and before you know it, you’ll being having yourself a real-life conversation.

Next month, more tennis analogies* await, as we consider the concept of the 100-point rally. À la prochaine*!

*the highs and lows | *hint | *down pat | *a heap of | *but no | *my mouth | *Teacher’s Pets | *Get ready | *pointed | *flow | *Congratulations, class | *baby | *success | *Slowly but surely | *the right path | *gallop | *Oh, the shame of it! | *car | *analogies | *Until the next time

Sneak Peek into le Nid | Mot Français Préféré

There’s no denying French is, by and large, a beautiful langue*. However, some words are particularly satisfying to say en français*. Like our students, we all have our personal favourites. So without further ado, here are the favourite mots francais* of votre profs*.

*language | *in French | *French words | *your teachers

Recette: Gratin Dauphinois

Pommes frites*, tartiflette, aligot… The French sure know their way around a root veg and have a knack for elevating the humble spud into a gustatory sensation. Notre plat préféré*, toutefois*, is the creamy, dreamy delight that is gratin dauphinois. For your next dinner party (or all for toi-même*), give this pomme de terre*-packed recipe a go.

Bon appétit*!

Merci à Marmiton pour la recette*.

*French fries | *our favourite dish | *however | *potato | *yourself | *Enjoy! | *Thank you to Marmiton for the recipe

Paris Métro Roleplay

Récemment*, one of our profs* stumbled across this gem of a photo gallery of pranksters (or amateur actors?) roleplaying the names of different Paris metro stations. For example, a rock and roll band at ‘Duroc’, Les Trois Mousquetaires* at ‘Alexandre Dumas’ station and a naked man showcasing his personal freedoms at ‘Liberté*’. 

There are dozens of photos to ponder, so we’ll let you peruse the rest at your leisure. Bonne chance* figuring out some of the more obscure references!

*Recently | *The Three Musketeers | *teachers | *Freedom | *Good luck

La Petite Histoire

If you've ever done a group lesson here at Lingua Franca, you've probably come into contact with La Petite Histoire*. A tale with the very humblest of beginnings, it winds up becoming a rollicking schlockbuster as you move up the levels and your French improves enough to handle the outrageous (some would say impossible) turns of events of the six young friends.

La Petite Histoire is currently only available to our students, however La Préquelle is for everyone’s enjoyment. Below, another instalment of this new series, Chapter 3 of the Intermediate 3 level.

*The Little Story | *The Prequel

“D’accord, maman !” ma fille m’a répondu et elle a quitté la chambre. “Papa, tu es où ? Je vais à Londres et je veux dire au revoir !”

Finalement, j’étais toute seule pour la première fois de la matinée. J’ai poussé un soupir de soulagement. J’étais surprise de remarquer que même après ça, je me sentais toujours mal à l’aise. “C’est normal, Leila,” je me suis dit. “C’est la première fois que tu voyages sans tous les enfants. Elles vont beaucoup te manquer .”

Si je suis honnête, j’étais un peu anxieuse de laisser les filles avec Jean-Louis, même si sa mère allait l’aider. C’est leur père, c’est vrai, mais mon mari à la tendance à travailler très, très dur, donc il ne passe pas beaucoup de temps avec nos filles. Et le fait que sa mère vienne pour l’aider lui donne l’excuse parfaite pour travailler encore plus.

Mais même en admettant tout ça, j’étais toujours un peu inquiète. Je ne savais pas pourquoi, mais j’avais un mauvais pressentiment.

Je ne pouvais pas y réfléchir plus, parce que tout d’un coup, j’ai entendu la voix de mon frère. “Tu es prête, frangine?”

“Oui, frérot, j’arrive. Deux minutes !”

J’ai fini de fermer ma valise et je suis entrée dans le salon. Tout le monde était là. 

Jean-Louis parlait à Hervé et Anouk jouait avec ses sœurs et ses cousines, Sara et Mina.

“Bon, on est prêts pour le grand voyage ?” a demandé mon frère.

“Oui, tout à fait,” j’ai répondu. “Chéri, n’oublie pas qu’il y a une quiche pour vous dans le frigo pour ce soir. Vous restez ici ce soir, non ?”

“Ne t’inquiète pas, Leïla, ça va aller. Demain, on va à l’hôtel avec grand-mère. Vous avez hâte de la voir, les filles ?” Jean-Louis a demandé à Céline et Vivienne.

Mais les petites étaient trop occupées avec leurs cousines pour lui répondre.

“Ah, un instant, j’ai oublié mes boucles d’oreilles préférées. Je reviens tout de suite.” j’ai dit et je suis retournée à la chambre pour les chercher.

“Okay, Mum!” my daughter replied and she left the room. “Dad, where are you?” I’m going to London and I want to say goodbye!”

Finally, I was alone for the first time that morning. I let out a sigh of relief. I was surprised to notice that even after that I still felt ill at ease. “It’s normal, Leïla,” I said to myself. “It’s the first time you’re travelling without all the children. You’re going to miss them a lot.”

If I’m honest, I was a bit anxious about leaving the girls with Jean-Louis, even if his mother was going to help him. He’s their father, it’s true, but my husband has the tendency to work very, very hard, so he doesn’t spend a lot of time with our girls. And the fact his mother is coming to help him gives him the perfect excuse to work even more.

But even in admitting that, I was still a little worried. I didn’t know why, but I had a bad feeling.

I couldn’t think about it any more, because all of a sudden, I heard my brother’s voice. “You ready, sis?”

“Yes, bro, I’m coming. Two minutes!”

I finished closing my suitcase and I went into the living room. Everyone was there.

Jean-Louis was speaking to Hervé and Anouk was playing with her sisters and cousins, Sara and Mina.

“Right, are we ready for the big trip?” asked my brother.

“Yes, absolutely,” I responded. “Darling, don’t forget there is a quiche for you in the fridge for tonight. You’re staying here tonight, aren’t you?”

“Don’t worry, Leïla, it’s all going to be fine. Tomorrow, we’re going to the hotel with Grandma. Are you keen to see her, girls?” Jean-Louis asked Céline and Vivienne.

But the little ones were too busy with their cousins to answer.

“Oh, one sec, I’ve forgotten my favourite earrings. I’ll be back straight away,” I said and I returned to the bedroom to look for them.

Famous French Brands: A.P.C.

For most of us, missing luggage is an inconvenience, but for Tunisian-born, Paris-based Jean Touitou, it also served as inspiration. Losing his bags en route* to Barcelona and setting off in search of un jean*, the former Kenzo employee was unimpressed by the options on offer, especially the lack of his favoured raw denim.  

This experience, and his disdain for the OTT fashion of the 1980s, led Touitou to create the utilitarian-chic French label A.P.C. in 1987. Initially selling menswear only, Touitou soon realised les femmes* also craved a fuss-free alternative to loud, trend-led clothing. He introduced womenswear the following year – and the rest, as they say, is history. 

Headquartered in Paris, A.P.C. (or Atelier de Production et de Création*) has become synonymous with high-quality, practical, and casually elegant clothing. Think raw Japanese denim, well-cut basics like the perfect white tee or striped crew-neck sweater, and simple leather accessories. We’ll take the ‘Demi-Lune’ sac* in each colour, svp.

35 years on, the still-independently-owned marque* is highly sought after in Europe, the U.S. and Asia. Collabs with brands and celebs from Asics to Jane Birkin, Goop and Kid Cudi keep things fresh, and A.P.C. stores can be found in the world’s most fashionable cities – including Melbourne.  

But if un vol* down south isn’t on the cards, don’t worry. You can still get that French girl (or gars*) look by shopping the collection online.

*on the way | *jeans | *women | *Production and Creation Workshop | *Half-Moon bag | *brand | *a flight | *guy

Who Speaks French?

How much do you know about the French language? Who speaks it and where do they live? If you’re up for a translation challenge, this article provides some interesting insights. Or, if you want to take the easy route, we’ve pulled out the key facts below.

But before you take a peek, can you deviner* how many Francophones there are around the world? If it helps, the total number of English speakers is environ* 1.5 billion…

Drapeau de la francophonie

French is…

• The official language of 30 countries. This represents more than 300 million people, half of whom live in Africa.

• The world's fifth-most spoken language after Mandarin, English, Spanish and Arabic or Hindi.

• The only language spoken on 5 continents (besides English).

• The second most taught language in the world.

Francophones (French speakers)…

• Number around 274 million, globally.

• 212 million are native speakers, while 62 million have learned French as a second language.

• Have a total income representing about 5% of the world economy (while making up only 1.5% to 2% of its population).
  
  *guess | *around

The happy medium

I have found it absolutely fascinating to watch the progress of our students over the years, particularly when it comes to speaking French.

I have seen hundreds follow more or less the same path and it is only now that I am learning a couple of new skills myself that I think I’m able to see clairement.*

Teaching absolute beginners is a real rush because they’re so excited about the language. Everything is new to them and if French is a treasure chest, they’re just dying to crack the lid. There’s nothing quite like the energy of teaching them their very first list of greetings, which at Lingua Franca (and no doubt many schools around the world) takes place in the first 15 minutes of Lesson 1. It’s delightful to see adults play around with the language, testing out the new sounds, finally seeing words in print that, prior to that moment, may have simply been absorbed by osmosis (s’il vous plaît* springs to mind, as well as monsieur*). Watching the spark of recognition as they make the links between the French and the English is particularly gratifying.

This high energy usually lasts until Lesson 4, which is when we learn to conjugate our first verb. These days, I know to warn the tutors that at the end of that lesson, their students will most likely leave the classroom with their shoulders down and frowns on their fronts*. As a tutor, it’s hard not to feel like a bit of a failure at that moment, especially since the previous three weeks have usually been so much fun. I imagine it’s a bit like being a parent in that sometimes you have to deliver hard truths for the good of your child. It must fait vibrer la corde sensible* to see them crestfallen, but you know it’s only temporary and is truly for their long-term benefit. I now view lesson number four as a very important piece of the puzzle. 

Not only do students need to know how to conjugate regular -re verbs if they ever want to speak French well, it’s also important that they know fairly early on in the piece that French is not a cake walk. Learning a language is similar to learning to play an instrument. I’m sure someone could teach me how to pluck out a tune on a guitar in a few hours, just as we could arm a student with a few rote phrases to help them navigate an upcoming trip. Sometimes, that style of learning is absolutely appropriate for the occasion. However, if your goal is to achieve some level of mastery, it makes sense that one has to put the hard yards in. 

Lesson 4 seems to be when the enormity of the scale of the language first hits. The exact same thing has just happened to me with my Sanskrit lessons. The first week I was just dying to try out all the new sounds and mesmerised by difference of the script. As I mentioned last month, though, just a few short lessons later, I felt I was drowning as I came to see just how much work I was going to have to do to even be able to get a simple sentence out of my mouth. I think this is the exact point where many of our students lose their nerve to speak and instead retreat into the theory in an attempt to just get things straight! I know I did for a bit.

A mentor of mine commented recently that she notices I delve into detail when I want to regain control of a situation. As soon as she said it I knew she was right. When the vast scope of Sanskrit hit me for the first time,  my instinctive reaction was: “Right, I just need some time alone to get this information in order”. Actually, that’s not entirely true, my first thought was “What the hell have I done?”, but after I gathered myself, my next instinct was to grab an A3 sheet of paper so I could start mapping out what I’d learned. 

I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. Of course, ideally, you’d be able to continue to exercise your vocal skills at the same time as you’re putting all of your theoretical canards* in a row, but this is not always the reality. Like Lingua Franca courses, my Sanskrit lessons give me ample opportunity to work on my speaking skills at the same time as I tackle the theory. When I felt that I really needed to get to grips with the basics, though, that sort of practice went out the fenêtre* for a time and this is not the end of the world. 

In the very next lesson, I was able to recognise most of the character symbols in the alphabet, so that felt like a win. Meanwhile, my nascent Sanskrit accent had gone to custard. It seems I was concentrating so hard on the academic side of things that I’d left no room for any flourish. Again, that is fine. The point is that I was further along the bumpy path than I was a week before that.

I was heartened to be able to recognise that. In the past, I would have given the floor to my inner critic who would have berated me for not getting it all perfect out of the blocks. By the way, if you too have this little voice that sits on your shoulder at lessons or keeps you company when you do your homework, maybe it’s best to tell it to take a seat and just let you get on with it. It’s hard enough as it is without unsolicited criticism coming from the cheap seats.

So if you’ve cracked the lid of the treasure chest and brushed away the top layer of gold coins only to reveal the mass of tarnished trove below, ne te décourage pas. The chest is lined with gold and idling in the juste milieu for a bit is time well spent. Shoring up your connaissances* will never be wasted, as you’ll see when your desire to speak returns (and it will, c’est promis*).

Next month: how a jumbo tennis ball, a rabbit hole and a bit of forward thinking can set you on the path to speaking success.

*clearly | *The treasure chest | *please | *sir | *Hitting rock bottom | *foreheads | *tugs at the heartstrings | *the happy medium | *ducks | *window | *don’t be discouraged | *knowledge | *I promise

D'accord vs ça va

Do you think you know the difference between d’accord and ça va? Es-tu sûr*? While in some circumstances these expressions both mean ‘OK’, that’s not always the case – and they’re not interchangeable. D’accord and ça va have different uses, yet even our most advanced students mix them up from time to time.

Ne t’inquiète pas*, though. After you’ve finished this lesson, tout sera clair*! And in case you get lost, just remember this:

When you want to say ‘OK’

D’accord and ça va both mean OK. However, d’accord is to do with agreement, whereas ça va is about how you are feeling or how someone or something is going. Confused? Consider how both are used in conversation below. 

D’accord

Q: Tu veux venir avec nous?
Do you want to come with us?
R: D’accord!
OK!

Q: D’accord?
OK?
R: Oui, d’accord.
Yes, OK.

In these examples, you are agreeing to an activity, idea or decision. 

Ça va

Q: Ça va? 
How are you? (Literal translation: it goes?)
R: Ça va.
OK/ fine. (Literal translation: it goes.)

Q: Je prends ta voiture, ça va?
I’m taking your car, is that OK? 
R: Oui, ça va.
Yes, it’s OK.  

In these examples, you are being asked if you are OK or if a certain situation is OK. 

Other uses of d’accord

Still with us? While ça va is quite straightforward, there are plusieurs* other uses of d’accord to wrap your tête* around.  

Être d’accord (literally, ‘to be in agreement’) means to agree with someone or something. 

Par example*…

Q: Ils sont d’accord?
Do they agree? 
R: Oui, ils sont d’accord.
Yes, they agree. 

Q: Es-tu d’accord avec elle?
Do you agree with her?
R: Oui, je suis d’accord. 
Yes, I agree.

Q: Qu’est-ce que vous pensez?
What do you think?
R: Je ne suis pas d’accord avec ça. 
I don’t agree with that. 

Être d’accord pour is also used to express agreement or willingness to do something.
Par example…

Q: Vous êtes d’accord pour arroser mes plantes quand je suis en vacances?
Do you agree to water my plants while I’m on holiday?
R: Oui, je suis d’accord pour les arroser.
Yes, I’m willing to water them. 

Je suis d’accord pour travailler samedi. 
I agree to work on Saturday. 

Finally (for now), être d’accord que means ‘to agree that’.

Par example…

Il était d’accord que ce n’était pas une bonne idée. 
He agreed that it wasn’t a good idea. 

TO RECAP

Got it? Here are some common traps to avoid. 

COMMON MISTAKES

*Are you sure? | * Don’t worry | *Everything will be clear! | *several | *head | *For example

The Ultimate Snack?

Récemment*, an American mother in Paris created quite the social media storm by posting a video of her child’s after-school snack to TikTok. The meal in question? A chunk of baguette filled with chocolate and beurre salé.*

While Aussie dietitians would likely choke on their activated almonds, this is apparently a common delicacy among French children for le goûter*. With goûter meaning ‘to taste’, le goûter is the sweet afternoon snack les enfants* enjoy around 4:30pm when the bell rings. 

Served by parents and after-school carers, this non-negotiable snack is designed to tide les petits* over until dinnertime. It might simply consist of yoghurt and fruit. But if you're lucky, you'll score a couple of cookies, pain au chocolat, or Nutella on bread. The TikTok goûter in question is also popular.

One thing that’s a little contentious, however, is the addition of salted butter. “Baguette + chocolate bar + BUTTER. Butter is compulsory for me, not an option! But never salted, beurk*,” says LF’s Josephine. What do you think, les chouchous*? Is salted butter a ‘oui’ or a ‘non’ for you?

*Recently | *salted butter | *afternoon snack | *children | *the little ones | yuk! | *teacher’s pets

AFFFF Playlist

Watching, reading, listening… We all learn in different ways, and many of our students use music to polish up on their French. If that's you, or if you're simply looking for something to listen to en faisant le ménage*, you might be interested in the playlist from this year's Alliance Française French Film Festival. 

Listen here

*while doing the housework

La Petite Histoire

If you've ever done a group lesson here at Lingua Franca, you've probably come into contact with La Petite Histoire*. A tale with the very humblest of beginnings, it winds up becoming a rollicking schlockbuster as you move up the levels and your French improves enough to handle the outrageous (some would say impossible) turns of events of the six young friends.

La Petite Histoire is currently only available to our students, however La Préquelle is for everyone’s enjoyment. Below, another instalment of this new series, Chapter 2 of the Intermediate 3 level.

*The Little Story | *The Prequel

C’était le jour de mon départ à Londres et j’étais à la maison en faisant les valises pour ma fille Anouk et moi.

Anouk est entrée dans ma chambre, en chantant: “On va à Londres pour voir La Reine et je vais devenir princesse!”

J’ai rigolé et j’ai hoché la tête. “Je ne peux pas promettre qu’on va voir la Reine, ma petite, mais tu es déjà une princesse à mes yeux.”

Elle a souri et elle a pris ma main.

“On part bientôt, maman?” elle a demandé, avec de grands yeux.

“Oui, ma chérie. Très bientôt. Tonton Hervé va venir nous chercher pour aller à l’aéroport.”

“Est-ce que Tatie Amina va venir aussi?” Anouk a continué.

“Oui, elle vient avec tes cousins. C’est Tati Amina qui a organisé ce voyage pour aller voir ses amis anglais,” j’ai répondu.

“Ah, bon,” elle a dit. “Maman, pourquoi Céline et Vivienne ne viennent pas avec nous? Ce ne sont pas des princesses comme moi?”

“Mais bien sûr que si! Ce sont des princesses comme toi, mais tes sœurs sont trop petites pour faire un long voyage comme ça. Toi, tu es grande.”

“Oui, j’ai 3 ans, maman. Je suis une grande fille.”

“Oui, je sais, ma grande, mais tes sœurs vont faire un petit voyage avec ton papa et ta mamie, tu te souviens? Mamie vient du Maroc pour aider papa avec tes sœurs. Ils vont tous rester à l’hôtel de Papa pendant que nous sommes à Londres.”

J’ai presque rigolé, mais je me suis arrêtée. C’était le premier voyage à Paris pour la mère de Jean-Louis. Il voulait lui offrir de rester à son hôtel. Jean-Louis vient d’une famille simple. Ses parents n’avaient pas beaucoup d’argent, donc pour mon mari c’était important de montrer à sa maman qu’il gagnait bien sa vie. Ses parents étaient horrifiés quand il a décidé d’émigrer en France, donc il voulait prouver à sa mère qu’il avait pris la bonne décision. Je comprenais ça, bien sûr, mais ma pauvre belle-mère! Certes, elle allait adorer rester dans un hôtel de luxe au centre de Paris avec le service de chambre, mais de partager sa chambre avec deux bébés ce ne sont pas des vacances! Mais ma belle-mère a dit qu’elle était ravie. Si on allait aller voir La Reine en Angleterre, ma belle mère, Fatima, aller voir son roi en venant en France. Pour elle, Jean-Louis était le soleil de sa vie.

“Allez, oust!” j’ai dit à Anouk. “Je dois finir de faire les valises. Va dire au revoir à Papa.”

It was the day of my departure for London and I was at home, packing suitcases for my daughter, Anouk, and me.

Anouk came into my bedroom singing “We’re going to London to see The Queen and I’m going to become a princess!”

I laughed and I shook my head. “I can’t promise we’re going to see The Queen, my darling, but you’re already a princess in my eyes.”

She smiled and she took my hand.

“Are we leaving soon, Mum?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“Yes, my darling. Very soon. Uncle Hervé is going to come and pick us up to go to the airport.”

“Is Aunty Amina coming too?” Anouk continued.

“Yes, she’s coming with your cousins. It’s Tati Amina who organised this trip in order to go and see her English friends,” I responded.

“Oh really?” she said “Mum, why aren’t Céline and Vivienne coming with us? Aren’t they princesses like me?”

“But of course they are! They are princesses like you but your sisters are too little to go on a long trip like that. You, you’re a big girl.”

“Yes, I’m three.”

“Yes, I know, my big girl, but your sisters are going to go on a little trip with your Daddy and your Grandma. Do you remember? Grandma’s coming from Morocco to help Daddy with your sisters. They’re all going to stay at Daddy’s hotel while we’re in London.”

I nearly laughed, but I stopped myself. It was Jean-Louis’ mother’s first trip to Paris. He wanted to offer for her to stay at his hotel. Jean-Louis comes from a modest family. His parents didn’t have a lot of money, so for my husband it was important to show his Mum that he was doing well for himself. His parents were horrified when he decided to emigrate to France, so he wanted to prove to his mother that he made the right decision. I understood that, of course, but my poor mother-in-law! Sure, she was going to love staying in a luxury hotel in the centre of Paris with room service, but to share her room with two babies was no holiday! But my mother-in-law said that she was delighted. If we were going to see the Queen in England, my mother-in-law, Fatima, was going to see her King by coming to France. For her, Jean-Louis was the moon and the stars.

“Come on, scoot!” I said to Anouk. “I have to finish packing the suitcases. Go say goodbye to Daddy.”

Recette: Kir Royal

Planning a dinner party and want to impress tes amis* with un apero* you can prepare in under two minutes? Let us present the incredibly simple, always impressive Kir Royal. Featuring just two ingredients, champagne and traditional French blackberry liqueur Crème de cassis, this fresh and fruity beverage is the perfect accompaniment to une gougère au fromage.  

Santé*!

Merci à Marie Claire pour la recette*.

*your friends | *an aperitif (pre-dinner drink) | *for one | *Cheers! | *Thank you to Marie Claire for the recipe

Sometimes simple is best.

As some of you know, I started learning French il y a très longtemps*. If my calculations are correct, I learned my first words of French in 1983 as a Year 6 student so that makes it a neat forty years ago.

For the first few years, we didn’t seem to advance much beyond basic greetings, colours, saying how old we were and the numbers. It almost seemed as though we started over every year and progressed very little. This didn’t bother us at all as we were just having fun with the language at that point, as well as devouring the pretend pains au chocolats* our Year 9 teacher would bring in which consisted of Furry Friends squished between two bits of Tip Top Bread. Miam*!

It wasn’t until Year 10 that things became a little more serious, and by Year 11 and 12 we were in the thick of it. I can picture (and I reckon Mum could still find) the reams and reams of foolscap A4 paper covered in verb conjugations in my Kilometrico-blue script. I have always loved French so the laboriousness of the task didn’t put me off. I’d just write the verbs out over and over and I ended up knowing them pretty well. Strangely, I cannot visualise an equal stack of pages covered in algebra equations.

So, in recent years when new students ask “How am I ever going to remember these verb conjugations?” my instinct is to tell them to write them out over and over as I did. I often second-guess myself, though, since my technique literally dates from the last century, when applications were something you filled out, not something you télécharge*. If the student is around my age or older, I’ll be honest and say that I don’t know of a better way than learning them rote. However, when younger people ask, I sometimes feel embarrassed I don’t have a more tech-based conseil* to give. Surely, I think to myself, memorisation techniques must have developed in the four decades since I opened my lever-arch file to pull out a fresh sheet?

In an effort to appear more early-adopter than flat-earther, occasionally I’ll recommend the app Quizlet, a great website that allows you to make digital flashcards for free.  Mais*, old-timer that I am, I add the caveat that students should create their own digital pack rather than just accessing someone else’s, as I believe a great deal of retention comes in the act of writing out the conjugations. I’m also a believer that if something costs you a bit of effort, you’re more likely to feel some ownership (voire* pride) and therefore more likely to use it.

Even as I’m offering this advice, though, I really want to just say “Write them out!”. To me, it’s so quick and easy to grab a pen and paper and just hop into it. Easy, that is, until you actually have to do it…

I have recently started studying Sanskrit and as you may know, it uses a special (and quite decorative) script instead of the Roman letters used by French, English and many other languages. 

In Term 1, our focus is to learn the alphabet and its sounds. It’s a twelve-week course. At Lingua Franca, we cover the French alphabet in one lesson, so I could see I had some work ahead of me.

Like the Chouchou* I aspire to be, I read the course materials before my first lesson and felt bien préparée* as I met my teacher and classmates for the first time. About halfway into the hour, though, the challenge in learning a brand new script became very clear. I made a promise to myself to devote Saturday afternoons to it until I had it nailed. I truly thought it’d take one samedi après-midi* and I’d be done, ready to be a total know-it-all by lesson two. Je suis très naïve*, it turns out.

For various reasons, my first whole Saturday afternoon turned out to be a grand total of 40 minutes by the pool. By the end of it I was confident with seven of the 49 characters and could (almost) recognise another six. “Pas de problème*,” I told myself, “the lesson isn’t until Thursday evening. You’ve got plenty of time.”

Needless to say I didn’t perform terribly well in that class, which didn’t bother me particularly, though I did have to laugh when I noticed I was exhibiting the behaviours we see in our own classes here at Lingua Franca from time to time: avoiding eye contact with the tutor and working out which question she was going to ask me and preparing that instead of listening to what was going on in the moment. Some of you know the drill, I suspect.

So while not being the star of the class was not bothering me, I didn’t like seeing what my lack of preparation was doing for my enjoyment of the language. I was so keen to unlock the doors between the characters, the sounds and their meanings, but I couldn’t do it as I hadn’t mastered the alphabet yet. I felt like I was falling behind. A couple of my new classmates were exclaiming how beautiful the language was and I just couldn’t see it. Worse, I knew that I wasn’t putting myself in a position to be able to make an informed decision as to whether I even liked my new hobby or not. 

At the end of the lesson, the tutor set our homework, which seemed a bit overwhelming but I vowed to do it to get myself back on le bon chemin*.

Despite my resolve to do better, I knew I had a busy week coming up. Luckily, I mentioned my dilemma to one of my classes and I noticed one of the student’s eyes light up. Edith stayed behind as everyone else filed out of the room, and then enthusiastically told me how she prepared for her vet science exams. Guess what her conseil was? Rote learning of course. She told me to write the characters out over and over again, in groups first, marking them as I went. Those that I hadn’t mastered she suggested I regroup and go over as many times as necessary to commit them to memory. Then, once I believed I’d mastered them, to throw them back into the mix and go again. Over and over and over until it worked.

I was relieved. Even though she’d done her undergraduate degree some moons ago, it was clear she was a lifelong learner, and had chosen these techniques even when brighter, shinier techniques were available. 

She also suggested tackling the learning first thing in the morning, before my day got underway. “Do it every couple of days in bed with a coffee when the world is still quiet. It doesn’t have to take too long.” I admit, this sounded a lot more appealing than devoting an entire Saturday afternoon to the task.

Again, though, I had to roll my eyes at myself. We regularly tell our students to do a little bit often rather than a big session on the eve of their lesson. Why wasn’t I listening to my own advice?

Easier to take Edith’s advice, it seemed, and I tried this technique in the days that followed. The first morning, I ended up with only 10 minutes to spare but rather than put it off, I decided to at least get my homework in my hands and just have a look at the scope of what I had to do. From the course materials, I isolated my reference points and matched that with the homework sheets. That act alone was enough to get me excited again about the challenge before me and as I write this, I only have three or four characters that remain stubbornly out of my grasp. I can also report that my second lesson was an entirely different experience. Though still difficult, I could at least follow along with the class, making mistakes, getting a few right and thoroughly enjoying myself.

Most importantly, my encounter with this ancient language that is brand new to me delivered a powerful lesson in empathy. I know I’m probably preaching to the converted, but learning a language is not easy. Let’s go easy on ourselves and just chip away at it together. I’m pretty sure it’s the key to unlocking the door between frustration and joy.

*a long time ago | *chocolate croissants | *Yum! | *download | *piece of advice | *but | *indeed | *Teacher’s Pet | *well-prepared | *Saturday afternoon | *I am very naive | *No problem | *the right track

Mecspliquez that again?

If you’re a woman you’ve no doubt rolled tes yeux* as un homme* has condescendingly “explained” the simplest of concepts to you. And guess what? The idea of mansplaining also exists in French – and it goes by the name of mecsplication.

A homonym for m'expliquer*, mecspliquer means to explain something to a woman in a patronising or oversimplified manner. It’s a clever combination of two French words. Mec – meaning guy, dude, man or bro in slang. And expliquer, meaning – you guessed it – to explain.

Want an example of mecsplication in action? Regarde* this famous 2021 tweet by Dr Jessica McCarthy.

Oh, la honte!*

*your eyes | *a man |* explain to me | *Look at | *Oh, the shame!

Fancy a French Series?

Au nid*, we’re lucky to receive some great recommendations for French series and films. Whether you’re into crime, medical or period dramas, here are three of our chouchous’* recent favourites. We hope you’ll find some fresh inspiration if tu cherches quelque chose de nouveau à regarder*.

Les Combattantes (Women at War)

France, 1914. As the German troops advance and men leave for the frontlines, four women must grapple with the devastating consequences of war at home.
Starring: Audrey Fleurot, Julie de Bona, Camille Lou
Watch it on: Netflix

Vise Le Cœur (Aim for the Heart)

From childhood antagonists to first loves to fierce enemies, police captain Julia Scola and criminal lawyer Novak Lisica have a long and complicated history that culminated in 20 years of estrangement. When Novak leaves his firm to join the police, he supervises Julia’s squad as the new commissioner, and the two must confront their past relationship as they take on Paris’s most challenging crimes.
Starring: Claire Keim, Lannick Gautry, Noémie Chicheportiche, Zinedine Soualem, Waly Dia, Nicolas Cazalé
Watch it on: SBS On Demand

Hippocrate (Interns)

In this French medical drama, a group of interns are forced to take responsibility when doctors in charge of the intern department find themselves quarantined at home due to drastic preventative health measures in a public hospital. (Apparently, the super squeamish best give this one a miss.)
Starring: Louise Bourgoin, Alice Belaïdi, Karim Leklou, Zacharie Chasseriaud
Watch it on: SBS on Demand

*At the nest | *teacher’s pets’ | *you’re looking for something new to watch  

L’appel de Dieu

When you think of church, you don’t automatically think of chuckles. Mais apparemment*, this notice can now be found in many French églises*.

Il est possible qu’en entrant dans cette église, vous entendiez l’appel de Dieu. Par contre, il est peu probable qu’il vous contacte par téléphone.

Merci d’éteindre vos téléphones.

Si vous voulez parler à Dieu, entrez, choisissez un endroit calme et parlez-lui. Si vous voulez le voir, envoyez-lui un texto en conduisant.

Ou, en anglais*… It is possible that, on entering this church, you may hear the Call of God. On the other hand, it is not likely that he will contact you by phone. Thank you for turning off your phone. If you would like to talk to God, come in, choose a quiet place and talk to him. If you would like to see him, send him a text while driving.

*But apparently | *churches | *Or, in English

Swoon: Jardins de Marqueyssac

High above the Dordogne river, surrounding an early 19th Century château, Les Jardins de Marqueyssac are among France's listed 'Jardins Remarquable' – and the most visited gardens in South-West France. Top of any amateur topiary artist’s bucket list, these verdant green gardens were designed by a student of André Le Notre – he of Versailles fame.

Faire une promenade* along more than 6 km of paths lined with 150,000 hand-pruned, century-old boxwoods, taking in waterfalls, rock gardens and breathtaking views of the valley.

Check out this website for a mini virtual tour. We think you’ll agree, c’est assez magique*.

*Take a walk | *It’s rather magical