French Lessons and Articles - 2007

Previous French lessons, quizzes, and articles, from Learn French at About

by date | by topic
 

12-31-07 - New Year's Resolutions
Another new year is almost upon us - take advantage of this annual fresh start to make a New Year's resolution (une bonne résolution de nouvel an) regarding your French learning.

12-30-07 - Are you a Francophile?
Take this little quiz to find out how much or little of a Francophile you are.

12-29-07 - Introduction to Register
Register refers to the level of formality of a given word, expression, grammatical structure, gesture, or means of pronunciation. In French, there are six registers.

12-28-07 - Avoir un petit creux
What does the French expression avoir un petit creux mean? Learn all about it here.

12-27-07 - Le petit déjeuner ~ Breakfast
Beginning-level dialogue between a customer and waiter at breakfast.

12-26-07 - French Kwanzaa Vocabulary
Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration of African identity and culture throughout the world, particularly in the United States. This list of vocabulary will help you celebrate it à la française.

12-25-07 - Christmas in France
In France, Christmas is a time for family and for generosity, marked by family reunions, gifts and candy for children, gifts for the poor, Midnight Mass, and le Réveillon. The celebration of Christmas varies in France by region.

12-24-07 - Top French Searches
Looking for something? Here are links to the most common French search terms at Learn French at About.

12-23-07 - Expressing Gratitude in French
'Tis the season to be grateful, so it's also a good time to review the many different ways to express gratitude in French. Take a look at this lesson to learn the formulas.

12-21-07 - "Chapître"
What's wrong with the French word chapître? Learn about this French mistake.

12-20-07 - Expressions with Vivre
Vivre usually means "to live" or "to be alive," but it's found in such varied idiomatic expressions as to move with the times, to go through a crisis, to know how to behave, and to straighten someone out. Study this list of expressions for more uses of the French verb vivre.

12-19-07 - Gifts for Francophiles
Still wondering what to buy for the French lover on your list? Someone who really loves French probably already has a good dictionary and grammar book, so here are some gifts that will thrill your favorite Francophile.

12-18-07 - Faux amis
There are hundreds of French words that look similar to English words but have different meanings. Learn five new false cognates: antique, dérogation/derogation, embarras/embarrass, glas/glass, and tongs.

12-17-07 - Christmas Crossword
This crossword puzzle provides fill-in-the-blank clues related to French Christmas words.

12-16-07 - Christmas Word Search
Have some Christmas fun with a word search puzzle featuring French Christmas and New Year's words and phrases.

12-15-07 - Negation ~ Négation
A summary of all the different negative structures and their uses in French, with links to detailed explanations and quizzes.

12-13-07 - Twelve Days of French
Hopefully both useful and fun, "12 Days of French" is (rather loosely) based on the song "12 Days of Christmas" and includes practical gift suggestions for French lovers on any gift-giving occasion: Christmas, Chanukah, birthdays....

12-12-07 - Quiconque
Quiconque is a formal French word, found mainly in formal registers such as law and other administrative jargons. It can be an indefinite relative pronoun or an indefinite pronoun.

12-9-07 - Letters to Santa in French
In the run-up to Christmas, it can be difficult to keep students interested in French. Instead of fighting it, why not incorporate Christmas into the classroom? One fun and easy way to do this is to write a letter to Santa.

12-7-07 - "C'est une fait"
What's wrong with saying c'est une fait? Learn about this French mistake.

12-6-07 - Prepositions - Les Prépositions
This lesson includes detailed information about the most common French prepositions, including meanings, usage, comparisons between prepositions, and related expressions and verbs.

12-5-07 - French Christmas Carols ~ Chants de Noël
Spread some Christmas cheer à la française! Lyrics and translations of many French Christmas carols, including Douce Nuit, Les Anges dans nos campagnes, Vive le vent, Il est né le divin enfant, and Mon beau sapin.

12-4-07 - French Hanukkah Vocabulary
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival of survival and freedom that lasts for eight days. Learn some French vocabulary related to this annual Jewish celebration which begins this year on 4 December.

12-3-07 - Expressions with Arriver
The French verb arriver literally means "to arrive," and is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions. Learn how to come to power, arrive safe and sound, and turn up at the worst possible moment with this list of expressions with arriver.

12-2-07 - All About Pouvoir
Pouvoir is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation and literally means "can" or "to be able to." Pouvoir has different meanings in certain tenses and is found in numerous expressions.

12-1-07 - French Christmas Vocabulary
Whether writing a letter to Santa or just celebrating Christmas, this French Christmas vocabulary will come in handy.

11-30-07 - Faire le pont
What does the French expression faire le pont mean? Learn all about it here.

11-29-07 - Conjunctions
Explanation of the different kinds of French conjunctions and how to use them, plus a list of the most common ones.

11-27-07 - French Advent Calendar
Celebrate the run up to Christmas with this online French Advent calendar. Each day has a different seasonal term, Christmas carol, game, quiz, and gift idea.

11-26-07 - Improve Your French Verb Conjugations
Conjugating French verbs in a workbook or letter is one thing, but remembering individual verb conjugations when you're speaking is another matter entirely. Here are some tips to help you get better at conjugating French verbs.

11-25-07 - Compound Nouns ~ Noms composés
French compound nouns are made up of two or more words and are often connected by hyphens. Making them plural can be a little tricky, but there are some guidelines that can help.

11-24-07 - "Je habite"
What's wrong with saying je habite? Learn about this French mistake.

11-23-05 - Top French Gifts
It's officially the first day of Christmas shopping (in the US, at least), so here are my top gift picks for the French lovers on your list, whether they are kids; beginning, intermediate, or advanced students; translators; or teachers. Each list has an assortment of different kinds of resources, including dictionaries, grammar books, audio resources, software, movies, and interesting non-fiction.

11-22-07 - French Thanksgiving Vocabulary
Thanksgiving is not celebrated in France, so here is some French vocabulary and a quiz related to the American holiday.

11-21-07 - Formal Negation
There are three negative structures particular to formal French. While they are not unheard of in spoken French, they are most commonly found in writing, especially literature.

11-20-07 - Liaisons
A liaison is the phenomenon whereby a normally silent consonant at the end of a word is pronounced at the beginning of the word that follows it, and it is part of the reason that French pronunciation and aural comprehension are so difficult. This lesson includes plenty of sound files to help you master French liaisons.

11-19-07 - Expressions with Champ
The French noun un champ literally refers to a field. It is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions, noun clauses, and prepositional phrases. Learn how to say "the coast is clear," "at every opportunity," "to run away," and more with this lesson.

11-16-07 - Mettre sa langue dans sa poche
What does the expression mettre sa langue dans sa poche mean? Learn all about it here.

11-15-07 - Encore vs Toujours
The French adverbs encore and toujours can be confusing, because they each have several meanings that partially overlap. After studying this lesson, you'll remember the differences toujours.

11-14-07 - French Quiz of the Day
Test yourself daily with the French quiz of the day

11-13-07 - Faux amis
Learn 5 new word pairs that look alike but mean very different things: bât/bat, chute, foyer, pitance/pittance, and usure/usury.

11-12-07 - Indefinite Adverbs ~ Adverbes indéfinis
I've never seen this covered in French grammar books, but I think French indefinite adverbs, or at least the French equivalents for English indefinite adverbs, are interesting and very useful.

11-11-07 - Holidays and Celebrations
French teachers, the holiday season is coming up. If you're planning to celebrate with your classes, check this page for articles, games, music, and quizzes related to Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and other holidays.

11-8-07 - All About Savoir
The verb savoir has several different meanings, depending mainly on the tense it is conjugated into. This lesson explains the various uses and meanings of this common French verb.

11-7-07 - Champs-Élysées Audiomagazine
Champs-Élysées provides intermediate/advanced level French listening practice via news and cultural reports. Their new Global Language Membership option allows you to download the audio of all four languages they offer, not just the one you're subscribed to.

11-6-07 - Vers vs Envers
Vers and envers both mean toward, but in difference circumstances. Review this lesson, and then try the quiz.

11-5-07 - Rhythm ~ Le Rythme
The musicality of the French language is due to its rhythm, particularly the lack of stressed syllables. Learn about the prosody of French, how it differs from English, and more about French pronunciation.

11-2-07 - Métro, boulot, dodo
What does the expression métro, boulot, dodo mean? Learn all about it here.

11-1-07 - Visit, To Visit, Visitor
All of this visiting vocabulary has several French equivalents. Une visite vs un séjour, rendre visite vs visiter vs aller voir - these and more are thoroughly dissected and explained in this lesson.

10-31-07 - Halloween in France
Read about how Halloween is celebrated and viewed in France, and learn some related French vocabulary.

10-30-07 - Expressions with Croire
The French verb croire literally means to believe, and is used in many idiomatic French expressions. Learn to make no mistake about it, take someone's word for it, and believe it or not with this list.

10-29-07 - Tips for adults learning French
Learning French as an adult is not the same thing as learning it as a child. Adults tend to learn by comparing it to their native language and often want to know why something is said a certain way in the language. However, adults have an advantage in that they choose to learn a language for some reason and being interested in learning something is very helpful in one's ability to actually learn it. It is not impossible for anyone to learn French, no matter what their age. It's never too late!

10-26-07 - Mistake of the Week Quiz
If you've been following the mistake of the week, there are 20 mistakes you should never make again. Take this quiz to see how well you've mastered these common French mistakes.

10-25-07 - At the store - Beginning French Dialogue
Listen to this beginning-level dialogue between a customer and storekeeper. You have the option to read the transcript and/or translation as you listen.

10-24-07 - Long-stay visa
Learn about what it takes to live legally in France.

10-23-07 - French singulars / English plurals
Nouns are not always singular in both French and English. Here is a list of words that are singular, uncountable, or invariable in French but are plural or countable in English.

10-22-07 - All about Laisser
Laisser is a regular -er verb that means "to leave." It is also found in numerous expressions and is commonly used as a semi-auxiliary as well as a pronominal verb.

10-18-07 - On
On is the indefinite French subject pronoun, used mainly in colloquial French. Read this lesson to learn how to use on and discover the grammatical debate surrounding it.

10-16-07 - Top words: 61-70
Do you know the most common French words? Here are the top 70.

10-15-07 - To Teach - Apprendre, Enseigner, Instruire, Éduquer
These four verbs mean "to teach," but there are subtle differences in meaning and usage. Learn how to recognize and use these four verbs correctly.

10-14-07 - Actuellement
Do you know if actuellement actually means "actually"? Learn about this potential French mistake.

10-12-07 - Quand on parle du loup
What does the expression quand on parle du loup mean? Learn all about it here.

10-11-07 - Informal Questions
French questions asked informally can sound a lot different from the grammatically correct questions that you learn to ask in French class. Read over this lesson to learn about how questions are used informally.

10-9-07 - Faux amis
Learn five new potentially confusing word pairs: bribe, isolation, morgue, photographe/photograph, and scientifique/scientific.

10-8-07 - Bon vs Bien, Mauvais vs Mal
The French words bon and bien, mauvais and mal are often mixed up, because the two pairs have similar meanings: bon and bien are positive while mauvais and mal are negative. In addition all four of these words can be adjectives, adverbs, or nouns. Learn more about these confusing French pairs.

10-7-07 - "Je n'ai dit pas"
What's wrong with saying je n'ai dit pas? Learn about this French mistake.

10-5-07 - Un ange passe
What does the expression un ange passe mean? Learn all about it here.

10-4-07 - Compound Tenses ~ Temps composés
French verb conjugations can be divided into two categories: simple tenses and compound tenses. Simple tenses have only one part (je vais) whereas compound tenses have two (je suis allé). This lesson will explain what you need to know about compound tenses and includes links to detailed lessons on each tense.

10-3-07 - Pluperfect Subjunctive - Plus-que-parfait du subjonctif
The rarest literary verb form - learn to recognize it and then you never have to think about it again.

10-2-07 - Media and Communication
Learn French vocabulary related to media and communication, including television, radio, internet, and snail mail.

10-1-07 - Manquer
Manquer means to miss, but can cause confusion because it is sometimes used in an unusual construction. Does Tu me manques mean "I miss you" or "You miss me"? The answer and explanation are here - don't miss this lesson on the confusing French verb "to miss."

9-30-07 - "Ils se sont parlés"
What's wrong with writing ils se sont parlés? Learn about this French mistake.

9-28-07 - Monter en épingle
What does the expression monter (quelque chose) en épingle mean? Learn all about it here.

9-27-07 - French Articles - Articles français
French articles are sometimes confusing for French students, because they have to agree with the noun they modify and because they don't always correspond to articles in other languages. Take a look at this lesson for detailed explanations, tips, and comparisons of French definite, indefinite, and partitive articles.

9-25-07 - All about Jouer
Jouer is a very common and useful regular -ER French verb. It means "to play" both transitively and intransitively, and it needs different prepositions depending on what exactly is being played.

9-24-07 - Giving Orders in French - Les Ordres
You probably know that the imperative is commonly used to give orders, but what about other constructions? Have you ever seen another verb form used and figured it was a mistake? It probably wasn't - in fact there are four different ways to give orders in French.

9-23-07 - "Bon matin"
What's wrong with saying bon matin? Learn about this French mistake.

9-21-07 - C'est pas de la tarte
What does the expression c'est pas de la tarte mean? Learn all about it here.

9-20-07 - Informal pronunciation and grammar
If you've ever listened to native French speakers talk to friends or family, you've almost certainly noticed that they don't sound like your French teacher or audio tapes. You might notice missing or different words, funny contractions, and strange grammar - because French, like any other language, has different levels of formality. This series of lessons will summarize the various informal and familiar sounds and structures of French. In this lesson, you will learn about how pronouns are used informally.

9-18-07 - Dans vs En
The prepositions dans and en can both express time and location in French, but their uses are completely different. Check out this lesson and quiz.

9-17-07 - Jeopardy - French Classroom Game
It can be hard for teachers to keep their students interested and motivated. Games can be an excellent way to learn, practice, and review French in interesting and creative ways. Jeopardy, based on the American game show, is an easy game because you don't need a lot of props.

9-16-07 - "Beaucoup des"
What's wrong with saying beaucoup des? Learn about this French mistake.

9-14-07 - Faire une croix dessus
What does the idiomatic French expression faire une croix dessus mean? Learn all about it here.

9-13-07 - Hyphens and Dashes - Le Tiret et le trait d'union
Hyphens and m-dashes are important in both English and French, but they are considerably more common in the latter. This lesson explains when, why, and how to use hyphens and m-dashes in French.

9-11-07 - Expressions with Parler
The French verb parler means to talk or to speak, and is used in many idiomatic French expressions. Learn how to speak fluently, talk shop, use sign language, and meet one's match with this list of expressions with parler.

9-10-07 - Passive Infinitive
Even though the French infinitive translates as "to + verb," the French sometimes needs to be preceded by a preposition. This is the case with the passive infinitive, which is commonly used with indefinite and negative words.

9-9-07 - "Tomber en amour"
What's wrong with saying tomber en amour? Learn about this French mistake.

9-7-07 - Mon œil !
What does the idiomatic French expression mon œil ! mean? Learn all about it here.

9-6-07 - Imperfect Subjunctive - Imparfait du subjonctif
The French imperfect subjunctive is the literary equivalent of the present subjunctive and the infinitive. Although you'll probably never need to use it, you should be able to recognize it.

9-4-07 - French verb conjugator
Conjugations for more than 1,200 verbs, at the click of a mouse.

9-3-07 - Numerical Adjectives - Adjectifs numéraux
Numerical adjectives aren't as complicated as they might sound - numerical adjective is simply the grammatical term for numbers. There are three types of numerical adjectives, each of which is used for a different purpose. Learn about the types, placement, and agreement of numerical adjectives.

9-2-07 - "Tu peux s'asseoir"
What's wrong with this? Learn about this French mistake.

8-31-07 - Tirer une carotte
What does the idiomatic French expression tirer une carotte mean? Learn all about it here.

8-30-07 - Perfect Participle - Passé composé du participe présent
The French perfect participle is used to describe a condition existing in the past or an action that took place right before another action. It means the same thing as après + l'infinitif passé, with one difference: the perfect participle can have a different subject than the main clause. Having studied this lesson, you'll have no trouble with the French perfect participle.

8-28-07 - Top words: 51-60
What are the most common French words? Here are the top 60, with links to lessons.

8-27-07 - Expressions with Tour
The French word tour has different meanings depending on whether it's masculine or feminine, and is also used in numerous idiomatic expressions.

8-26-07 - "Je suis fini"
What's wrong with this? Learn about this French mistake.

8-24-07 - Sauver la mise
What does the idiomatic French expression sauver la mise mean? Learn all about it here.

8-23-07 - Top 10 verb lessons
French verbs can be difficult, and certain verb lessons on my site get visited over and over. For some people, certain verb concepts just don't sink in the first (or second or third) time they are learned, or continue to cause confusion even after years of study. To make it easier for you to find the French verb lessons you need, here are the most commonly visited French pages on my site. If you need to review any of these, know that you are not alone!

8-22-07 - Back to School - French Class
Ready to start dusting off last year's French notes and figuring out whatever happened to that beat-up old dictionary? To help you get back into the French mood - pun intended - here are some links to general information about French, lessons, online resources, and recommended tools and supplies. Whether it's time to start thinking about a formal evaluation of your French level, figuring out what kind of job you can use your French in, or upgrading to a bigger dictionary, this page has everything you need to get back into French.

8-21-07 - Faux amis
There are hundreds of French-English word pairs that look similar but mean very different things. Learn about the false cognates achever/achieve, formation, militant, station, and unité/unity.

8-20-07 - Classroom number practice
Do you find teaching numbers boring, figuring that once you've taught your students to count in French, there's not much else you can do? Don't despair - French teacher from around the world shared all kinds of great ideas for practicing numbers, including several games.

8-19-07 - "Cettes filles"
What's wrong with this? Learn about this French mistake.

8-17-07 - Casser les pieds
What does the idiomatic French expression casser les pieds mean? Learn all about it here.

8-16-07 - French only
In French classes, teachers usually want to encourage students to speak only in French. Practice makes perfect and the more French students speak in class the more they will learn and remember. However, it can be difficult to enforce French only. Here are a variety of creative and effective techniques.

8-14-07 - Après vs Derrière
There is often confusion between the prepositions après and derrière. But there's a big difference in the way they are used. Learn all about it with this lesson and quiz.

8-13-07 - "French" Expressions
There are dozens of expressions in English which contain the word French: French fries, French doors, French toast... but are these things actually French? Take a look at this list - you might be surprised.

8-12-07 - "Je vous avez dit"
What's wrong with this? Learn about this French mistake.

8-9-07 - Conditional Perfect, 2nd Form - Seconde forme du conditionnel passé
The second form of the French conditional perfect is a rather strange verb tense/mood. It is the literary equivalent of the conditional perfect and is identical in conjugation to another verb form. As with all literary tenses, you should learn to recognize the second form of the conditional perfect, but chances are that you will never need to conjugate it.

8-8-07 - To Meet - Rejoindre - Se Réunir - Rencontrer - Retrouver - Faire la connaissance
The English verb to meet, when referring to meeting people, is very vague. Its five literal French equivalents are much more specific, so you need to know in which circumstances to use each of them. This lesson will meet your expectations.

8-6-07 - French Possession
There are four different ways to express possession in French. This lesson provides a summary of each construction and has links to more detailed information.

8-5-07 - "Parlez-vous Français ?"
What's wrong with writing "parlez-vous Français"? Learn about this French mistake.

8-3-07-C'est pas tes oignons
What does the idiomatic French expression c'est pas tes oignons mean? Learn all about it here.

8-2-07 - Dialogue: Greetings and Introductions
Practice your French listening ability with this beginning-level French dialogue featuring greetings and introductions and your choice of speeds: regular and slow.

7-31-07 - Top 10 Verbs - Conjugation Test
Test yourself on the conjugations of the top 10 French verbs: aller, avoir, dire, être, faire, falloir, pouvoir, savoir, voir, and vouloir.

7-30-07 - Quand, Lorsque, Lors de, Pendant
What's the difference between the conjunctions quand and lorsque, the similar-looking expressions lorsque and lors de, and the temporal terms lors de and pendant? That's what this lesson is all about.

7-29-07 - "Il m'a dit du faire"
What's wrong with "il m'a dit du faire"? Learn about this French mistake.

7-27-07 - Trempé comme une soupe
What does the idiomatic French expression trempé comme une soupe mean? Learn all about it here.

7-26-07 - Verbs with Prepositions
Many French verbs require a certain preposition in order for the meaning of the verb to be complete, and unfortunately the prepositions required for French verbs are often not the same as the ones required by their English counterparts. In addition, some verbs that require a preposition in English don't take one in French, and vice versa. Learn all about French verbs with prepositions and then take the test.

7-24-07 - To Be - Être, Avoir, or Faire
Even though être is the French equivalent of "to be," there are certain expressions in which you have to use avoir or faire to translate "to be." See how well you know them with this test.

7-23-07 - Past Anterior - Passé antérieur
The French past anterior is the literary equivalent of the plus-que-parfait, used in literature and historical accounts to indicate an action in the past that occurred before another action in the past. Because it is a literary tense, you don't need to learn to conjugate it, but it is important to be able to recognize it.

7-22-07 - "Je te manque"
What's wrong with saying "je te manque" to mean "I miss you"? Learn about this French mistake.

7-20-07 - Chercher midi à quatorze heures
What does the idiomatic French expression chercher midi à quatorze heures mean? Learn all about it here.

7-19-07 - Ainsi, Alors, Donc; Après, Ensuite, Puis - "Then" in French
The English word "then" has two distinct meanings: one related to consequence and the other to time. These two meanings translate differently into French, and the various synonyms further complicate matters. The French words ainsi, alors, and donc are commonly used to explain the consequences or effect of an action. In contrast, après, ensuite and puis are used to indicate the order of events. This lesson should help you to understand the difference between all of these terms and thus use them correctly.

7-18-07 - Architecture Quiz
How much do you know about architecture in France and other francophone countries?

7-17-07 - Être Verbs
Most French verbs are conjugated with avoir in the compound tenses - but not all of them. Which verbs need être? Are they always conjugated with être, or do they sometimes need avoir? And what about reflexive verbs? Check out this lesson for lists, tips, mnemonic devices to help you remember, and a brand-new quiz.

7-16-07 - Mettre and Mise - French Expressions
Learn dozens of French expressions that contain mettre, se mettre, or mise.

7-15-07 - "Cet jeune homme"
What's wrong with this? Learn about this French mistake.

7-14-07 - Bastille Day!
The French national holiday commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which took place on 14 July 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution. Do you know what this event represents? When the French observe this holiday in mid-July, what ideals are they celebrating? Learn all about Bastille Day - in French or English - and listen to the Marseillaise.

7-13-07 - Il pleut des cordes
What does the idiomatic French expression il pleut des cordes mean? Learn all about it here.

7-12-07 - Exclamative Adjectives - Adjectifs exclamatifs
Exclamative adjectives are placed in front of nouns to express admiration, astonishment, indignation, or another strong sentiment, and take the same form as French interrogative adjectives: quel, quels, quelle, quelles. Learn how to exclaim in French with this lesson.

7-10-07 - Faux amis
Learn five new word pairs that look alike but don't mean the same thing in French and English: accéder/accede, gendre/gender, risquer/risk, trimestre/trimester, and usage.

7-9-07 - Expressions with Laisser
The French verb laisser can mean "to leave," or it can mean one of dozens of other things, depending on the idiomatic expression it's used in. Learn to talk about leaving someone in the lurch, letting oneself go, living for the day, making a good impression, allowing oneself to be persuaded, and more with this lesson.

7-8-07 - "Si vous voudriez"
What's wrong with this? Learn about this French mistake.

7-6-07 - Mettre les pieds dans le plat
What does the idiomatic French expression mettre les pieds dans le plat mean? Learn all about it here.

7-5-07 - Plus
The French word plus can be used as an adverb or in a number of different expressions. Plus, it can be pronounced in three different ways. Learn everything you need to know about the meaning, pronunciation, and usage of plus right here.

7-4-07 - Fickle French Adjectives
There are a number of French adjectives which have different meanings depending on whether they are placed before or after the noun. Generally speaking, when the adjective precedes the noun, it has a figurative or subjective meaning, whereas the adjective which follows the noun has a literal or objective meaning.

7-3-07 - Cycling Vocabulary
Whether you love cycling or just watching competitions like the Tour de France, you'll want to learn some French vocabulary related to cycling.

7-2-07 - Past Infinitive - Infinitif passé
The French past infinitive indicates an action that occurred before the action of the main verb. In order to use the past infinitive, the subject of both verbs has to be the same.

7-1-07 - "Chercher pour quelque chose"
What's wrong with "chercher pour quelque chose"? Learn about this French mistake.

6-29-07 - Parler le français comme une vache espagnole
What does the idiomatic French expression parler le français comme une vache espagnole mean? Learn all about it here.

6-28-07 - Avoiding the subjunctive
The subjunctive is a fairly difficult verb mood for many students of French. Between the conjugations and deciding when to use it, the subjunctive can be very tricky. Although the subjunctive is commonly used in French, there are numerous ways to avoid it.

6-27-07 - Gender of Countries Quiz
Do you know the gender of countries in French? Take this quiz to find out.

6-25-07 - Irregular -RE Verbs
French has a lot of irregular verbs, but fortunately there are some patterns in the irregularities - once you learn the conjugations for one verb in a group, you shouldn't have any trouble with the other verbs in that group. The bad news is that the majority of irregular verbs end in -RE, so there are a lot of patterns to learn. Here's a lesson to help you get started.

6-24-07 - "J'espère que tu sois" 
What's wrong with this? Learn about this common French mistake.

6-22-07 - Que dalle !
What does the idiomatic French expression que dalle ! mean? Learn all about it here.

6-21-07 - Tennis vocabulary
If you love watching annual tennis tournaments like Wimbledon, you'll want to learn some French vocabulary related to tennis.

6-18-07 - French Business Letters - Correspondance commerciale
Writing a good French business letter depends mainly on knowing the correct formulas. This lesson consists of categorized lists of the various formulas needed for commercial correspondence and job letters. Study the topics that apply to the kind of letter you are writing, then take a look at the sample letter to get an idea of how to put it all together.

6-17-07 - "Il s'est fait piqué"
What's wrong with this? Learn about this French mistake.

6-14-07 - French Pronouns - Les Pronoms
Pronouns are words that substitute for nouns. There are a lot of different kinds of pronouns, which can make it very confusing to try to figure out what's what. This summary will give you an idea of the different kinds of French pronouns and includes links to detailed lessons and quizzes.

6-12-07 - Independent Study Resources
Learning French on your own? The Learn French at About site has all kinds of tools and resources for independent learners.

6-11-07 - Amener, Emmener, Apporter, Emporter
The two English verbs "to bring" and "to take" have four French equivalents: amener, emmener, apporter, and emporter. This causes all kinds of confusion, but it really is very simple once you understand the differences.

6-10-07 - "Bienvenu !"
What's wrong with this? Learn about this French mistake.

6-8-07 - Donner sa langue au chat
What does the idiomatic French expression "donner sa langue au chat" mean? Learn all about it here.

6-7-07 - Future Perfect - Futur antérieur
The French future perfect is normally used to describe an action that will have happened by a specific point in the future, but can also be used to make simple assumptions about things in the past.

6-5-07 - Les bistrots à Paris
Learn about a typical Parisian café and how it's changing in part 2 of this listening comprehension exercise from Champs-Élysées.

6-4-07 - To Return
The English verb "to return" has seven (7!) French equivalents: retourner, revenir, rentrer, rendre, rembourser, rapporter, and renvoyer. This is because the English verb "to return" is very general and can mean different things, whereas the French verbs are much more precise. In order to use the correct one, you need to figure out exactly what you want to say.

6-3-07 - "Provençe"
What's wrong with this? Learn about this French mistake.

6-1-07 - J'en ai ras le bol !
The idiomatic French expression "j'en ai ras le bol" is analyzed and explained. Learn what it means, how to pronounce and use it, and more in this new weekly feature.

5-31-07 - Present Participle - Participe présent
The English present participle is very simple: it is the -ing form of a verb. The formation of the French present participle is also simple, and it can be used as an adjective, noun, verb, or gerund. Learn all about the French present participle and then test your skills.

5-28-07 - Expressions with Pouvoir
The French verb pouvoir means "to be able to" and is also used in various idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say to be beside oneself, to be pleased as punch, it can't be helped, and more with this list.

5-25-07 - French Tennis Vocabulary
If you love watching annual tennis tournaments like the French Open, you'll want to learn some French vocabulary related to tennis.

5-24-07 - Irregular -IR Verbs
Irregular verbs are the bane of every French student's existence, but there is some good news. There are some patterns in the irregularities - once you learn the conjugations for one verb in a group, you shouldn't have any trouble with the other verbs in that group.

5-22-07 - Top 10 French Verbs
Everything you need to know about the ten most common French verbs: what they mean, how to conjugate and use them, and useful expressions with each of them.

5-21-07 - Double Negatives ~ La double négation
Grammarians insist that two negatives make a positive. While this may be true in English, in French two negatives make a stronger negative. Double negation is very common in French, particularly informal French. However, there are some rules and regulations when using double negatives in French.

5-18-07 - Homophones
Explanations for hundreds of French homophones (words that are pronounced the same but have different meanings).

5-17-07 - Gender of compound nouns
French compound nouns are made up of two or more words and are often connected by hyphens. Figuring out their gender can be a little tricky, but there are some rules that can help.

5-15-07 - Expressions with Vouloir
The French verb vouloir literally means to want, and is used in many idiomatic French expressions. Learn how to say no offense, whether you like it or not, to be dead set on, and more with this list.

5-15-07 - French Texting - Les Textos français
Learning French is one thing, but French on the internet - in chatrooms, forums, text messaging, and email - can seem like a completely different language. Fortunately, help is at hand. Here are some common French abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols to help you communicate via text.

5-11-07 - Les Règles d'écriture
Here's a fun way to review French grammar: each explanatory rule makes the very mistake that it's telling you to avoid.

5-10-07 - All about Venir
Venir is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation and literally means "to come." It is also used in some idiomatic expressions and to conjugate the recent past.

5-8-07 - Geographical Prepositions - Prépositions et noms géographiques
Deciding which French preposition to use with countries, cities, and other geographical names can be somewhat confusing. This lesson explains which prepositions to use and why, and is followed by a quiz with up to 100 questions.

5-7-07 - All about Aller
Aller is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation and literally means "to go." It is also used in some idiomatic expressions and to conjugate the near future.

5-4-07 - Top words: 41-50
What are the most common French words? Here are numbers 41 to 50, with links to detailed information.

5-3-07 - Infinitive - Infinitif
The infinitive is the basic, unconjugated form of a verb, sometimes called the name of the verb. In English the infinitive is to + verb, while the French infinitive is a single word with one of three endings. We usually learn French verbs in the infinitive, since that is what you start with in order to conjugate them, but in fact the French infinitive can also be used several different ways without any conjugation.

5-1-07 - Irregular -ER verbs
There are a lot of French verbs that end in -ER and there are a lot of irregular French verbs, but there is only one irregular -ER verb. However, there are three groups of -ER verbs that have some irregularities.

1-13-05 - An vs Année, Jour vs Journée...
The French words an and année both mean year, but they indicate different ways of looking at the year. There are three other French pairs that work the same way: jour/journée = day, matin/matinée = morning, and soir/soirée = evening. Learn the difference between these confusing pairs.

1-2-05 - Learn French basics in 7 days
If you are interested in learning French or just finding out a little more about this beautiful language, my Learn French course will teach you the basics in seven days.

4-27-07 - Expressions with Falloir
The impersonal French verb means to be necessary or to need and is used in some idiomatic French expressions.  Learn how to say it takes all kinds, you shouldn't have, to do the right thing, and more with this list.

4-26-07 - Negative Adjectives - Adjectifs négatifs
French negative adjectives, sometimes called indefinite negative adjectives, are made up of two parts which surround the verb. Negative adjectives negate, refuse, or cast doubt on a quality of the noun they modify.

4-24-07 - Non
Saying no is pretty simple, but there are quite a few synonyms and precisions to be aware of. Check out this lesson to learn how to say no, not a chance, I don't think so, and more.

4-23-07 - French Names
Read an introduction to French names and a list of more than 200 common names (complete with sound files and English equivalents) and find out about their popularity as well as their origins and meanings.

4-20-07 - Listening: Politics and News
A selection of listening comprehension exercises based on discussions about French politics, news, and current events.

4-19-07 - Word Order with Imperative
The word order of imperatives is a typical pitfall: the order changes depending on whether the command is affirmative or negative. Get your commands in order by studying this lesson.

4-17-07 - Building Sentences
Building sentences is an interesting French class filler or warm-up activity. Students practice verb conjugations or word order by putting together words or sentences on individual index cards.

4-16-07 - Advanced French Mistakes
If you speak French at an advanced level, congratulations! You may not be fluent yet, but you're definitely on your way. Nonetheless, there are probably a few concepts you can use a bit of help with. Here are the ten most common French mistakes and difficulties for advanced speakers, with links to lessons.

4-13-07 - Expressions with Savoir
The French verb savoir means "to know," and is used in many idiomatic French expressions. Learn how to say knowledge is power, to be at a loss, to not have a clue, and more with this list.

4-12-07 - Tonic Accent ~ Accent tonique
In French, you can't emphasize a word by putting stress on it, the way you can in English, because each word in a French sentence is pronounced with the same emphasis (except for the final syllable of each rhythmic group). In order to emphasize a specific word in French, you can use the accent tonique.

4-10-07 - Bistrots à Paris
Cafés have long been a Parisian institution, but they have changed a great deal over the years. Learn more in this listening comprehension exercise from Champs-Élysées audiomagazine (read my review).

4-9-07 - Acronyms
Acronyms and abbreviations abound in French, especially in newspapers, on the news, and in political discussions. You might not be able to learn every French abbreviation and acronym, but you can get a good head start by memorizing this list of the most common ones.

4-6-07 - Gender Quiz: States and Provinces
Do you know which US states and Canadian provinces are masculine and which are feminine? Take this quiz to find out, or click the lesson links to learn the French names for each state and province.

4-5-07 - Basic French Pronunciation
French, like English, can be very difficult in terms of pronunciation, due to intricacies like silent letters, multiple sounds for a single letter, and endless exceptions to whatever rules you find. This simplified pronunciation chart can help you get a good idea about how to pronounce new words.

4-3-07 - Oui
Saying yes is pretty simple, but there are quite a few synonyms and precisions to be aware of. Check out this lesson to learn how to say yes, yeah, sure, and more.

4-2-07 - Why learn French
There are all kinds of reasons to learn a foreign language in general, and French in particular.

3-30-07 - All about Prendre
Prendre, which means "to take," is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation and is found in a number of idiomatic expressions.

3-29-07 - Parce que, Car, Puisque, Comme - Conjunctions of Conclusion
The French conjunctions parce que, car, puisque, and comme are commonly used to draw conclusions or otherwise relate a cause or explanation with a result or conclusion. These conjunctions have similar but not identical meanings and uses - this lesson explains the difference.

3-27-07 - Listening Comprehension - Everyday French
Listen to this selection of anecdotes - the informal discussion format will help you better understand everyday French.

3-26-07 - Voice - La Voix
Voice is one of the five inflections involved in conjugating French verbs. It indicates the relationship between the subject and verb.

3-23-07 - French Webquest
A webquest is an interesting project for French classes or for independent studiers looking to spice up their self-instruction. Here are tips on how to do a webquest, as well as numerous topics and sample questions to consider.

3-22-07 - Indefinite Expressions - N'importe...
The indefinite expression n'importe can be followed by an interrogative in order to designate an unspecified person, thing, or characteristic: n'importe qui, n'importe quel, n'importe où.... Learn these expressions and more with this lesson.

3-21-07 - French -IER Verbs
French verbs that end in -ier are conjugated according to the same rules as regular -er verbs, but there is a letter combination in certain conjugations that makes -ier verbs seem strange.

20 March - International Day of Francophonie
Join the celebration around the world.

3-19-07 - Tout, Tous, Toute, Toutes
The French word tout can be a noun, pronoun, adjective, or adverb, and can take four different forms. Learn all you need to know about tout, one of the most flexible words in the French language.

3-16-07 - Roman numerals in French
Roman numerals are used quite often in French, as both cardinal numbers and ordinal numbers. They are commonly used to express dates, time periods, events, and more.

3-15-07 - At the Airport ~ À l'aéroport
Planning to fly to France or another French-speaking country? Study this airport vocabulary to help you buy your ticket and get on the plane.

3-13-07 - Homophones
Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings and, sometimes, spellings. Learn the most common French homophones beginning with S and T.

3-12-07 - Expressions with Rendre
The verb rendre usually means to return in the sense of giving back, and also has a number of additional meanings both on its own and in idiomatic expressions. Learn how to glorify, pay homage, give someone a head start, and more with this list.

3-9-07 - Top French Verbs
Of the thousands of French verbs, there are a few that get used far more than the rest, so you need to make sure that you know what they mean and how to use and conjugate them. Here are lessons and conjugations for the 5 most common French verbs.

3-8-07 - Past Imperative ~ Impératif passé
A rare French verb mood, used to give a command for something that must be done before a certain time.

3-5-07 - Tel, Telle, Tels, Telles
The French word tel can be a qualifying adjective, an indefinite adjective, or an indefinite pronoun, and is also used in a number of expressions and conjunctions, making it an extremely versatile and useful French word.

March 5-11 2007 - National Foreign Language Week
It's National Foreign Language Week! Don't keep putting off your dreams of learning a new language; this is your chance to get started with free lessons online at About.com. There are also articles on everything from setting up a bilingual home to figuring out if you are fluent.

3-2-07 - All about Falloir
Falloir is an irregular impersonal French verb that is better known in its conjugated form: il faut. Falloir means "to be necessary" or "to need," and may be followed by the subjunctive, an infinitive, or a noun.

3-1-07 - Depuis vs Il y a
The French temporal expressions depuis and il y a have distinctly different meanings and uses, yet they commonly present difficulties for French students. Here is a detailed explanation and comparison of depuis and il y a to help you clearly understand the difference once and for all.

2-26-07 - All about Quelque
Quelque is an indefinite adjective and adverb found in numerous indefinite terms and expressions.

2-25-07 - Presidential Election Polls
This year's French presidential elections are heating up. Will it be the female socialist Ségolène Royal? The pro-American Nicolas Sarkozy? The first-round-2002-winning racist Jean-Marie Le Pen? Let us know who you want to win and who you think will win in these unscientific polls.

2-22-07 - French Number Practice
Learning to count in French is one thing - it's fairly easy to memorize un, deux, trois. It's another matter entirely to be able to think of a number without counting up to it, or to understand individual numbers when you hear them. These exercises can help you to get better at understanding and using French numbers.

2-19-07 - Pas ~ French Negative Adverb
The French negative adverb pas is often used in conjunction with ne, but pas can also be used all on its own. The main difference is that ne... pas is used to negate a verb, while pas without ne is used to negate an adjective, adverb, noun, or some other non-verbal construction. Pas can also be used to confirm a statement.

2-16-07 - Mardi gras vocabulary
Mardi gras is just a few days away - learn some vocabulary, expressions, and a few other tidbits related to this annual celebration.

2-15-07 - Vouloir, Pouvoir, Devoir
To want, to be able to, to have to. It is absolutely essential to understand and be able to use these three irregular French verbs, as they are very common as well as useful. They are often taught together because of the similarities in the conjugations of vouloir and pouvoir and the uses of pouvoir and devoir.

2-14-07 - French Love Language
If French is the language of love, what better language is there to express your love? Here are some key French words and phrases related to love, friendship, and special occasions.

2-13-07 - French Magnetic Poetry
Magnetic poetry is a fun little tool you can use to learn and practice French. 500 magnets with words and parts of words help you to express yourself in a unique and creative way.

2-9-07 - Intermediate French Proficiency Test
Test yourself on intermediate French vocabulary and grammar.

2-8-07 - Online Translation - French Class Project
Online translators can be a blessing or a curse. French students may be uninformed about online translation problems and may try to get away with using one in order to lessen their workload. This project can help them understand why it's not a good idea from a linguistic point of view, and also let them know that their teacher won't tolerate it.

2-6-07 - Nicolas Sarkozy for President
Nicolas Sarkozy is one of the front-runners in the 2007 French presidential election. Learn about his platform and pro-American stance in this listening comprehension exercise from Champs-Élysées audiomagazine (read my review).

2-5-07 - French/English Spelling Tricks
A table of common spelling equivalents between French and English that will help your vocabulary to grow by leaps and bounds by teaching you to recognize and spell French cognates.

2-4-07 - Dictionary of French Expressions
Hundreds of idiomatic French expressions, proverbs, phrasal verbs, and formulas, arranged them alphabetically by the first word in the French expression.

2-2-07 - La Chandeleur / Crêpe Day
In France, 2 February is la Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière, or crêpe day. It's customary to eat crêpes and do some fortune telling, and now there's a fun game for French classes too.

2-1-07 - La Négritude
La Négritude was a literary and ideological movement led by francophone black intellectuals, writers, and politicians. The founders of la Négritude were originally from three different French colonies in Africa and the Caribbean but met while living in Paris in the early 1930s.

1-31-07 - French Negative Pronouns - Pronoms négatifs
French negative pronouns, sometimes called indefinite negative pronouns, are made up of two parts which surround the verb, and are used to negate, refuse, or cast doubt on the existence of the noun that they replace.

1-29-07 - French Past Subjunctive - Subjonctif passé
The past subjunctive is used for the same reasons as the present subjunctive - to express emotion, doubts, etc. The past subjunctive is used when the verb in the subordinate clause - the verb that follows que - happened before the verb in the main clause. Learn the conjugation and uses of the past tense of the French subjunctive mood.

1-26-07 - English Singulars and French Plurals
Nouns are not always singular in both French and English. Here is a list of words that are singular or uncountable in English but plural or countable in French.

1-25-07 - Create a French Magazine ~ French Class Project
Give your students an assignment to create a French magazine, with articles and ads. While this project is best suited for a final project and can be used as the basis for an end-of-term presentation, it can also be adapted for less time - whatever fits your schedule.

1-23-07 - All about Comme
The French word comme can be a conjunction, adverb, or part of an adverbial phrase and is one of the most common French words.

1-22-07 - French Adverbs - Les Adverbes
Need help with those invariable words that modify verb, adjectives, or other adverbs? Learn all about the types, placement, formation, and usage of French adverbs.

1-18-07 - All About Devoir
The French verb devoir has a number of different meanings related to concepts like obligation and probability. Learn about the different uses and meanings of this common French verb.

1-16-07 - French stem-changing verbs in all tenses
French stem-changing verbs have stem changes in more than just the present tense. Here is a summary of the stem changes that occur in each French tense and mood.

1-15-07 - French Expressions with Chat
The French word chat refers to a cat or the game of tag, and is also used in various idiomatic expressions as well as three proverbs. Learn how to call a spade a spade, let sleeping dogs lie, give up, and more with this list of expressions with chat.

1-12-07 - Beginning-Level French Proficiency Test
Test yourself on beginning French vocabulary and grammar - fill in the blanks, choose the best translation, or answer each question.

1-11-07 - French Conditional Perfect ~ Conditionnel passé
The French conditional perfect (also called the past conditional) is used just like the English conditional perfect. It is used to express actions that would have occurred in the past if circumstances had been different.

1-9-07 - French Homophones: Q and R
Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings and, sometimes, spellings. Therefore, French homophones can cause difficulties in oral comprehension and spelling. These pages should help you to understand the difference between the most common French homophones.

1-8-07 - French Definite Article ~ Article défini
The French definite article is used much more often than its English counterpart. In addition to indicating a specific noun or talking about a noun in a generic sense, there are many other uses, which this lesson will discuss in detail.

1-6-07 - La Bravitude
The word bravitude was invented by French Socialist presidential candidate Ségolène Royal, setting off something of a firestorm in the French news.

1-5-07 - French Listening Exercise: Americans in Paris
Tourism in France took a major hit in 2003, but times are changing once again. Learn about Americans in Paris - what they like to do, and what Paris is doing for them - in this listening comprehension exercise from Champs-Élysées audiomagazine (read my review).

1-4-07 - Francophonie Report
Researching a francophone region or country and writing a report or country study is an interesting project for French classes or for independent studiers looking to spice up their self-instruction. This project is perfect as a long-term activity for intermediate and advanced students, though it can also be adapted for beginners.

1-2-07 - French Impersonal Verbs ~ Verbes impersonnels
Impersonal verbs have only one conjugation: the third person singular indefinite, or il. Some of these verbs also have personal versions with different meanings, so it's important to learn to recognize impersonal verbs.

1-1-07 - French Hotel Vocabulary
If you're going to France, this page of French hotel vocabulary will help you to make your reservation, ask about services, and pay your bill.
 

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