French Lessons and Articles 2008-2009

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

by date | by topic

12-30-09 - 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.

12-29-09 - Past Imperative
The French past imperative is very rare, because its usage is restricted to a single situation: it gives a command for something that must be done before a certain time.

12-28-09 - Expressions with monter
The French verb monter literally means "to go up" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to be promoted, rise gently, turn up the volume, and more with this list of expressions with monter.

12-27-09 - 2010 French Calendars and Date Books
It's not too late to get a new calendar or datebook - why not incorporate just that little bit more French into your life by using a calendar that's either in French or about France? Choose between my favorite French-related calendars and date books and a printable French calendar à la LKL. :-)

12-26-09 - 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.

12-25-09 - Christmas in France
Christmas in France 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.

12-24-09 - C'est cadeau
What does the French expression c'est cadeau mean? Learn all about it here.

12-22-09 - Top French Gifts
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.

12-21-09 - Imperfect subjunctive
The French imperfect subjunctive (imparfait du subjonctif) is a literary verb form used in formal writing, such as literature, journalism, and history. Like all literary verb forms, you really only need to be able to recognize it, not use it.

12-20-09 - Expressions with raconter
The French verb raconter literally means "to tell" or "to relate" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to tell one's life story, spin yarns, be fooling oneself, and more with this list of expressions with raconter.

12-18-09 - Un ange passe
What does the expression un ange passe mean? Learn all about it here.

12-17-09 - Position of French adjectives
The use of French adjectives can be difficult, because they may be placed before or after the noun, depending on their type and meaning. This lesson can help you understand where to put French adjectives.

12-15-09 - Negative adjectives
French negative adjectives, sometimes called indefinite negative adjectives, are made up of two parts which surround the verb. Negative adjectives (ne aucun, ne nul, ne pas un) negate, refuse, or cast doubt on a quality of the noun they modify.

12-14-09 - Expressions with fois
The French word fois literally means "time" or "instance" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say at the same time, just in case, to think twice before doing something, and more with this list of expressions with fois.

12-10-09 - Meilleurs vœux
What does the French expression meilleurs vœux mean? Learn all about it here.

12-9-09 - 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 10 most common French verbs.

12-8-09 - Infinitive
The infinitive is the basic, unconjugated form of a verb, sometimes called the name of the verb. 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.

12-7-09 - Expressions with croire
The French verb croire literally means "to believe" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say take it from me, it's unbelievable, you don't know how right you are, and more with this list of expressions with croire.

12-4-09 - Noël malin
What does the French expression Noël malin mean? Learn all about it here.

12-3-09 - Devoir vs Falloir
The French verbs devoir and falloir can be confusing because they both express obligation and necessity, but in different ways. In addition, each verb has a different meaning when followed by a noun.

12-1-09 - Exclamative adjectives
The French exclamative adjective, quel, is placed in front of a noun to express admiration, astonishment, indignation, or another strong sentiment about that noun.

11-30-09 - Expressions with tomber
The French verb tomber literally means "to fall" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to fall in love, be gullible, knock something over, and more with this list of expressions with tomber.

11-28-09 - Haut comme trois pommes
What does the French expression haut comme trois pommes mean? Learn all about it here.

11-27-09 - French Advent Calendar
Celebrate the Christmas and New Year's holiday season with this online French Advent calendar. Click any date up until today to open that door.

11-26-09 - French Thanksgiving Vocabulary
Thanksgiving is not celebrated in France, so here is some French vocabulary related to the American holiday, which occurs each year on the fourth Thursday in November.

11-25-09 - Tongue Twisters - Virelangues
Tongue twisters, known as virelangues in French, are words or phrases which are repeated as quickly as possible as a test of the speaker's ability to correctly pronounce the succession of similar sounds. For French students, les virelangues provide an interesting insight into the French language as well as a way to practice phrases which are difficult even for native speakers.

11-24-09 - Expressing Gratitude
Right now is probably a good time to review the many different ways to express gratitude in French. Take a look at this lesson to learn the formulas.

11-23-09 - Food in French
Whether you're traveling in Europe or just going out to a local French restaurant, food is one of the necessities of life, so here are some key French words and phrases related to food.

11-20-09 - How to pronounce French wines
If you love French wine but hate ordering it, here's a page that can help. This list of French wines and related vocabulary includes sound files to help you pronounce the names of French wines.

11-19-09 - Le nouveau est arrivé
What does the French expression le nouveau est arrivé mean? Learn all about it here.

11-16-09 - Expressions with falloir
The French verb falloir literally means "to be necessary" or "to need" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say far from it, that's more than we need, it takes all kinds, and more with this list of expressions with falloir.

11-13-09 - À mon avis
What does the French expression à mon avis mean? Learn all about it here.

11-12-09 - Top 10 French gestures
My lessons on French gestures are among the most popular pages on my site, partly because gestures are so frequently used when speaking French, and partly because many gestures are not commonly taught in French classes. Among the dozens of gestures and facial expressions in my lessons, there are ten that really stand out.

11-11-09 - French names
There are hundreds of common French first names. Some of them look just like their English counterparts, others are fairly similar, and still others may be uniquely French. These pages include more than 200 of the most popular French names, along with their pronunciation and English equivalents.

11-10-09 - Interrogative adjectives
Sometimes French grammar is much stricter than English grammar. A simple question like "What book do you want?" is technically incorrect, because in proper English, the question should be "Which book do you want?" In reality, the former is much more common than the latter. In French, however, one does not have this option: the French equivalent of which, quel, must be used whenever there is more than one noun that you are choosing between.

11-9-09 - Expressions with trouver
The French verb trouver literally means "to find" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to meet one's match, find one's way, be lost for words, and more with this list of expressions with trouver.

11-6-09 - Appeler sous les drapeaux
What does the French expression appeler sous les drapeaux mean? Learn all about it here.

11-5-09 - Singulars and Plurals
Nouns are not always singular in both French and English. These pages include lists of words that are singular or uncountable one language but plural in the other.

11-4-09 - 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.

11-3-09 - French Past Tenses ~ Le Passé
One of the most striking differences between French and English is in verb tenses. Learning how to use the various past tenses can be very tricky, because English has several tenses which either do not exist in or do not translate literally into French - and vice versa. Learn the difference between the passé composé and the imperfect with this lesson.

11-2-09 - Expressions with comprendre
The French verb comprendre literally means "to understand" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say it has two parts, to catch on quickly, you don't have a clue, and more with this list of expressions with comprendre.

2-8 November - National French Week
Organized by the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF), National French Week is an annual celebration of French language and francophone cultures. If you are a French teacher, National French Week is the perfect opportunity to organize in-class and/or extracurricular events for current or potential students. Take a look at this page for some ideas with links to additional information.

10-31-09 - Halloween in France
Read about how Halloween is celebrated and viewed in France, and learn some related French vocabulary.

10-30-09 - Faire un temps de Toussaint
What does the French expression faire un temps de Toussaint mean? Learn all about it here.

10-29-09 - 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.

10-28-09 - 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.

10-27-09 - Faux amis
Watch out for these newly added word pairs that with similar spelling but very different meanings: baraque/barracks, délit/delight, engagement, important, and marmite.

10-26-09 - Expressions with chose
The French word une chose literally means "thing" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say above all, at best, to take bad news well, and more with this list of expressions with chose.

10-25-09 - Passer à l'heure d'hiver
What does the French expression passer à l'heure d'hiver mean? Learn all about it here.

10-22-09 - 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.

10-21-09 - Differences between French and English
French and English have both been influenced to varying extents by German and Latin, and they have also influenced one another, so they have some similarities. Perhaps more importantly, however, there are a number of differences, both major and minor, between French and English. Here is a brief outline with links to further information.

10-20-09 - Passive Voice - La Voix passive
The passive voice is used to focus on the person or thing performing the action, or to focus on an action without identifying the performer. Learn how to conjugate, use, and avoid the passive voice with this lesson.

10-19-9 - Expressions with savoir
The French verb savoir literally means "to know" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say knowledge is power, make up your mind, God only knows, and more with this list of expressions with savoir.

10-16-09 - Avoir un chat dans la gorge
What does the French expression avoir un chat dans la gorge mean? Learn all about it here.

10-15-09 - French Verb Conjugation
Introduction to conjugation, the five possible inflections of a verb, and explanation of which conjugation to use for potentially tricky subjects like "c'est moi qui..." and "beaucoup de nos étudiants...."

10-13-09 - Indefinite Pronouns - Pronoms indéfinis
Indefinite pronouns, such as certain, chacun, quelqu'un, on, and tout, are unspecific and are used in place of nouns. They can be the subject of a sentence, the object of a verb, or the object of a preposition.

10-10-09 - Expressions with tour
The French word tour different meanings depending on whether it's masculine or feminine, and both words are found in idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say acrobatics, to play a trick on someone, Bob's your uncle, and more with this list of expressions with tour.

10-9-09 - Avantages et inconvénients
What does the French expression avantages et inconvénients mean? Learn all about it here.

10-8-09 - "What" in French
French learners often have trouble deciding how to translate "what" into French. Should it be que or quoi, or maybe that pesky quel? Understanding the difference between these terms is critical to knowing how to use them correctly.

10-6-09 - Past Participle ~ Le participe passé
The participe passé is the French equivalent of the -ed or -en form of English verbs. It is used in compound tenses, in the passive voice, and as an adjective.

10-5-09 - Expressions with chercher
The French verb chercher literally means "to look for" or "to search for" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to court danger, pick a fight, search for one's path in life, and more with this list of expressions with chercher.

10-2-09 - À l'étage
What does the French expression à l'étage mean? Learn all about it here.

10-1-09 - 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.

9-29-09 - Gender patterns
French gender is a constant headache for many students of French. There's no simple way to know the gender of every noun other than just learning the gender with each word. There are, however, some patterns in suffixes and word endings - certain endings tend to indicate masculine nouns, while other endings favor feminine nouns. These gender patterns are not fool-proof, but they can help you to figure out the gender of many French nouns.

9-28-09 - Expressions with quelque
The French word quelque literally means "some" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say in a little while, somewhat, in a word, and more with this list of expressions with quelque.

9-25-09 - Quatre à quatre
What does the French expression quatre à quatre mean? Learn all about it here.

9-24-09 - AI / AIS - French Pronunciation
The letters AI in French can be pronounced in one of three ways: like the E in "bed," more or less like the A in "gave," and like the A in "father." Learn more with this detailed lesson and sound files.

9-22-09 - Object pronouns
Object pronouns are those tricky little words in sentences that replace nouns affected by verbs. There are two types: direct objects and indirect objects, and they are some of the most common French words.

9-21-09 - Expressions with payer
The French verb payer literally means "to pay" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to fob someone off with empty promises, take a risk, make sacrifices, and more with this list of expressions with payer.

9-18-09 - Ce n'est pas terrible
What does the French expression ce n'est pas terrible mean? Learn all about it here.

9-17-09 - All about Être
Être is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation and literally means "to be." Être is also used in some idiomatic expressions and as an auxiliary verb for compound tenses and the passive voice.

9-15-09 - Imperative - l'Impératif
The imperative is a French mood which is used to give an order, express a desire, offer advice, recommend something, and make a polite request. Learn the conjugations and uses of the French imperative.

9-14-09 - Expressions with champ
The French word champ literally means "field" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say sphere of activity, battlefield, having room to move, and more with this list of expressions with champ.

9-13-09 - French Vocabulary in English
Over the years, the English language has borrowed a great number of words and expressions from French. Some of this vocabulary has been so completely absorbed by English that speakers might not realize its origins. Other words and expressions have retained their "Frenchness" - a certain je ne sais quoi which speakers tend to be much more aware of. Here, then, is a list of French terms commonly used in English.

9-11-09 - C'est le pied
What does the French expression c'est le pied mean? Learn all about it here.

9-10-09 - French Listening: Accents and variations
French varies from country to country and from region to region. Learn about and listen to some of the accents you might encounter in France.

9-8-09 - Nouns with two genders
There are a number of French nouns which have different meanings depending on whether they are masculine or feminine.

9-7-09 - Expressions with laisser
The French verb laisser literally means "to leave" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to abandon something, to leave room to maneuver, drop everything, and more with this list of expressions with laisser.

9-4-09 - Chanter comme une casserole
What does the French expression chanter comme une casserole mean? Learn all about it here.

9-3-09 - All About Faire
Faire is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation and literally means "to do" or "to make." It is also used in numerous idiomatic expressions and in the causative construction.

9-2-09 - French grammar glossary
The French grammar and pronunciation glossary provides definitions and links to further information about each of the French verb tenses, pronouns, and other grammatical structures, as well as information about various pronunciation issues. If you don't know the different between transitive and intransitive, or direct and indirect objects, this is the place to find out.

9-1-09 - French Preterite ~ Le Passé simple
The passé simple is the literary equivalent of the passé composé, used only in formal writing and speech. Although you will probably never need to actually use the passé simple, it is important and easy to recognize it. Take a look at this lesson for passé simple conjugations of regular and irregular verbs.

8-31-09 - Expressions with sans
The French preposition sans means "without" and is also used in many expressions. Learn how to say homeless, otherwise, barefoot, and more with this list of expressions with sans.

8-28-09 - Prendre l'eau
What does the French expression prendre l'eau mean? Learn all about it here.

8-27-09 - The Importance of Accents
Think accents don't matter when writing or typing in French? Think again! There are dozens of French word pairs which are spelled (though not always pronounced) the same other than accents. To avoid confusion, you should always distinguish between these "accent homographs" by using the correct accents.

8-25-09 - Lequel - French Pronoun
Lequel is arguably the most difficult French pronoun. In addition to the fact that it belongs to two different categories of pronouns and can also be an adjective, lequel has to agree with its antecedent and contract with certain prepositions. Learn everything you need to know about troublesome lequel with this lesson.

8-24-09 - Expressions with voir
The French verb voir literally means "to see" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to see stars, see life through rose-colored glasses, wait and see, and more with this list of expressions with voir.

8-21-09 - À la rentrée
What does the French expression à la rentrée mean? Learn all about it here.

8-20-09 - All About Avoir
Avoir is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation and literally means "to have." However, it is also used in numerous idiomatic expressions and as an auxiliary verb.

8-19-09 - Advanced French Proficiency Test
Test yourself on advanced French grammar and vocabulary.

8-18-09 - Past anterior
The French past anterior is the literary equivalent of the pluperfect. It is 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 practice conjugating it, but it is important for you to be able to recognize it.

8-17-09 -Expressions with casser
The French verb casser literally means "to break" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to talk about breaking someone, boring someone stiff, warning someone, making an omelette by breaking eggs, and more with this list of expressions with casser.

8-16-09 - True Cognates
Even if you're just starting to learn French, you already know 1,700 words. True cognates are words that are spelled (although not pronounced) identically in French and English and have the same meaning. Take a look at this list to discover just how much vocabulary is shared between French and English.

8-14-09 - Le chassé-croisé des juillettistes et des aoûtiens
What does the French expression le chassé-croisé des juillettistes et des aoûtiens mean? Learn all about it here.

8-13-09 - The Senses
Learn French words and verbs related to the five senses, as well as some French vocabulary related to the sixth sense.

8-11-09 - Demonstrative Pronouns - Pronoms démonstratifs
Demonstrative pronouns (this one, that one, these, those) refer to a previously-mentioned noun in a sentence. In French, they must agree with the gender and number of the noun they modify.

8-10-09 - Expressions with bouche
The French word bouche literally means any kind of "mouth" - of a person, an oven, a volcano... - and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say food bills, gourmet, astonished, and more with this list of expressions with bouche.

8-7-09 - À la limite
What does the French expression à la limite mean? Learn all about it here.

8-6-09 - French Semi-Auxiliary Verbs
In addition to the auxiliary verbs avoir and être, French has a number of semi-auxiliary verbs; that is, verbs which are conjugated in order to express various nuances of time, mood, or aspect and are followed by an infinitive.

8-5-09 - French audiomagazines
Get regular French listening practice with one of these online or snail mail subscriptions.

8-3-09 - Expressions with mettre
The French verb mettre literally means "to put" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to take great care in doing something, spend money on, bolt the door, and more with this list of expressions with mettre.

7-31-09 - Tomber dans la marmite
What does the French expression tomber dans la marmite mean? Learn all about it here.

7-30-09 - French Exclamations
Exclamations are words or phrases that express a desire, an order, or a strong emotion. There are several different French grammatical structures that can be used as exclamations.

7-27-09 - Expressions with temps
The French word temps literally means "time" or "weather" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say spare time, job sharing, to pause, and more with this list of expressions with temps.

7-23-09 - All about Paraître
Paraître is a very common and useful French verb. It is irregular in conjugation, can be used impersonally, and means "to appear" or "to seem."

7-21-09 - Pluperfect subjunctive
The French pluperfect subjunctive is the least common literary tense - it's the literary equivalent of the past subjunctive. Like all literary tenses, the pluperfect subjunctive is used only in literature, historical writings, and other very formal writing, so it is important to be able to recognize it but chances are that you will never in your life need to conjugate it.

7-20-09 - Expressions with pouvoir
The French verb pouvoir literally means "to be able to" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to be beside oneself, to be fed up, to do what you can, and more with this list of expressions with pouvoir.

7-19-09 - What's the best way to learn French?
Students always ask, "what's the best way to learn French?" Unfortunately, the best way to learn French may not be the affordable way to learn French or the practical way to learn French. Read this article to learn about the best way to learn French as well as the runners-up.

7-16-09 - Mnemonic être verbs
There are certain French verbs which require être as the auxiliary verb in the passé composé, and students sometimes have a hard time remembering them. You will eventually know instinctively which verbs take être, but in the meantime, you might want to try one of these mnemonic devices.

7-14-09 - 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 - in French or English - and listen to the Marseillaise.

7-13-09 - Neuter Object Pronoun - Optional Le 
The French pronoun le can be a neuter object pronoun in certain constructions. The neuter object pronoun is optional; its usage is formal and is most common in written French.

7-12-09 - Expressions with sur
The French preposition sur means "on" and is also used in many expressions. Learn how to say immediately, red-handed, by order, and more with this list of expressions with sur.

7-10-09 - Dire ses quatre vérités
What does the French expression dire ses quatre vérités mean? Learn all about it here.

7-9-09 - All about Que
The French word que, which contracts to qu' in front of a vowel or mute h, has numerous uses and meanings. This lesson includes links to detailed information on each use of que.

7-7-09 - Past perfect
The French past perfect, or pluperfect, is used to indicate an action in the past that occurred before another action in the past. The latter can be either mentioned in the same sentence or implied.

7-6-09 - Expressions with vouloir
The French verb vouloir literally means "to want" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to hold a grudge, only half want something, wish someone well, and more with this list of expressions with vouloir.

7-3-09 - La question ne se pose pas
What does the French expression la question ne se pose pas mean? Learn all about it here.

7-2-09 - French Astronomy Vocabulary
Learn French vocabulary related to astronomy to talk about planets, stars, and other celestial objects.

6-30-09 - Demonstrative Adjectives - Adjectifs démonstratifs
Demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these, those) are words used in place of articles to indicate a specific noun. In French, they must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify (ce, cet, cette, ces). Learn about these essential adjectives and then take the test.

6-29-09 - Expressions with coup
The French noun un coup literally refers to a shock or blow. It is also used in dozens of idiomatic expressions, noun clauses, and prepositional phrases. Learn how to talk about luck, glances, surges of anger, love at first sight, and much more with this list of expressions with coup.

6-26-09 - Changer de cap
What does the French expression changer de cap mean? Learn all about it here.

6-25-09 - Invariable Adjectives ~ Adjectifs invariables
In French, adjectives normally have to agree with the nouns they modify in gender and number. However, there are numerous adjectives which don't agree - they have a single form that does not change to reflect the gender or number of the noun. Many colors and most words borrowed from other languages are invariable in French.

6-23-09 - Imperfect ~ Imparfait
The French imperfect (imparfait) is a descriptive past tense which indicates an ongoing state of being or a repeated or incomplete action. The beginning and end of the state of being or action are not indicated, and the imparfait is very often translated into English as "was" or "was ___-ing."

6-22-09 - Expressions with arriver
The French verb arriver literally means "to arrive" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to arrive safe and sound, to manage to do something, to not be able to hold a candle to, and more with this list of expressions with arriver.

6-19-09 - Robe des champs
What does the French expression en robe des champs mean? Learn all about it here.

6-18-09 - Informal Negation - Pas without Ne
If you've ever watched French movies or television, or chatted with native speakers, you have almost certainly heard pas (or another negative adverb) without ne, as this is a typical characteristic of informal and familiar French. Although it is nearly always written, ne is often dropped in spoken French.

6-15-09 - Expressions with de
The French preposition de means "from" or "about" and is also used in many expressions. Learn how to say first of all, on behalf of, as a result, and more with this list of expressions with de.

6-11-09 - Nouveau vs Neuf
English speakers sometimes find it difficult to translate "new" into French, due to confusion over the French words nouveau and neuf. In fact, the French adjectives have distinctly different meanings; the problem is actually caused by the fact that the English "new" has more than one meaning. Fortunately, this is an easy problem to remedy. Read over this lesson, learn the difference between nouveau and neuf, and you won't have any more trouble saying new in French.

6-9-09 - Conditional
The conditional is a verb mood used for events that are not guaranteed to occur; often they are dependent on certain conditions, usually translated as "would" in English.

6-8-09 - Expressions with venir
The French verb venir literally means "to come" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to come into the world, send for, manage to, and more with this list of expressions with venir.

6-4-09 - All About Penser
Penser is a regular -ER verb and means "to think." Penser is commonly used like its English counterpart, but there are a few aspects that make it a little tricky. This lesson explains which verb mood to use with penser, the difference between penser à and penser de, the meaning of penser followed by an infinitive, and a few essential expressions with penser.

6-2-09 - Reflexive pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are a special kind of French pronoun which can only be used with pronominal verbs. These verbs need a reflexive pronoun in addition to a subject pronoun because the subject(s) performing the action of the verb are the same as the object(s) being acted upon.

6-1-09 - Expressions with en
The French preposition en means "on" or "in" and is also used in many expressions. Learn how to say backward, live broadcast, in any case, and more with this list of expressions with en.

5-28-09 - Special Occasions
Learn how to say (and sing) happy birthday in French, and other French vocabulary for special occasions.

5-26-09 - Future Tense - Le Futur
The future is one of the simplest French tenses. There is only one set of endings, and most verbs - even those which are irregular in the present tense - use their infinitive as the root for the future tense. After studying this lesson, you will be able to talk about future events.

5-25-09 - Expressions with faire
The French verb faire literally means "to do" or "to make" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to build castles in the air, turn a deaf ear, act like a child, and more with this list of expressions with faire.

5-22-09 - Faire les quatre cents coups
What does the French expression faire les quatre cents coups mean? Learn all about it here.

5-21-09 - All about Comment
The French adverb comment can be interrogative or exclamative and is one of the most common French words. Learn how to use comment to mean "how" and "what" as well as which uses of "how" in English are not translated by comment in French.

5-20-09 - Buying French Supplies
I review a lot of French products for this site, from books to CDs, and some of the best products are very pricey. As a die-hard francophile, I tend to cut other corners in order to be able to afford the very best French tools, but since that's not always possible, I've come up with this list of tips to help you find your "must have" French supplies at the best possible prices.

5-19-09 - Present Tense
The French present tense, called le présent or le présent de l'indicatif, is pretty similar in usage to the English present tense, but there are some differences. Learn all about it with this lesson.

5-18-09 - Expressions with à
The French preposition à means "to," "at," or "in" and is also used in many expressions. Learn how to say definitely, nearby, at the same time, and more with this list of expressions with à.

5-17-09 - Verlan
Verlan is a form of French slang that consists of playing around with syllables, kind of along the same lines as pig Latin. Unlike pig Latin, however, verlan is actively spoken in France - many verlan words have become so commonplace that they are used in everyday French.

5-15-09 - Pour et contre
What does the French expression pour et contre mean? Learn all about it here.

5-14-09 - How to Read a French Menu
Reading the menu in a French restaurant can be a little tricky, and not just due to language difficulties. There may be important differences between restaurants in France and in your own country, including what food is offered and how it is prepared. Here are some terms and tips to help you find your way around a French menu.

5-12-09 - Stressed Pronouns
Stressed pronouns, also known as disjunctive pronouns, are used to emphasize a noun or pronoun that refers to a person. There are 9 forms in French, one of which, soi, can be very confusing for French students. Take a look at this updated lesson to learn about French stressed pronouns in general and soi in particular.

5-11-09 - Expressions with avoir
The French verb avoir literally means "to have" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to be lucky, feel blue, hold a grudge, and more with this list of expressions with avoir.

5-7-09 - Introduction to French Sentences
A sentence (une phrase) is a group of words including at minimum a subject (which may be stated or implied) and a verb. Learn about French sentences, including sentence parts and the four different types of sentences.

5-5-09 - Conditional perfect
The French conditional perfect, or past conditional, is usually used just like the English conditional perfect: to express action that would have occurred if in the past circumstances had been different.

5-4-09 - Expressions with aller
The French verb aller literally means "to go" and is also used in many idiomatic expressions. Learn how to go fishing, get to the bottom of things, go away, and more with this list of expressions with aller.

4-28-09 - Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns are the words which replace nouns modified by possessive adjectives. In French there are different forms depending on whether the noun is masculine or feminine, singular or plural.

4-27-09 - French Long Stay Visa and Residence Permit
If you're American and want to live in France for an extended period of time, you need a visa de long séjour before you go and a carte de séjour once you get there. Having gone through the entire process, I put together this article explaining everything I know about it.

4-23-09 - Assimilation
Assimilation is a pronunciation phenomenon which causes consonant sounds to change according to the sounds that surround them. More specifically, assimilation occurs when voiced and unvoiced sounds are combined. Because it can be difficult to pronounce voiced and unvoiced sounds together, one or the other is assimilated: either a normally voiced consonant becomes unvoiced or a normally unvoiced consonant becomes voiced.

4-21-09 - Translating French Verbs
French has quite a few different tenses and moods, which come in two forms: simple (single word) and compound. Translating French verbs into English, and vice versa, can be difficult for several reasons. This lesson should help you understand how French and English verb forms match up.

4-20-09 - Expressions with Bout
The French noun un bout can mean tip, end, or bit, and is used in all kinds of idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say fingertips, from one end to the other, through and through, to the limit, and more with this list of French expressions with bout.

4-16-09 - Intermediate French Mistakes 
After learning French for a while, whether in a class or on your own, you've probably found that there are some things you just can't figure out how to say, or that people are always correcting you on. These may be issues that you haven't been taught yet, or concepts that you've studied but just don't get. As an intermediate French speaker, there is still plenty of time to fix these mistakes before they fossilize in your mind. Here are ten of the most common intermediate-level French mistakes with links to lessons.

4-14-09 - French verb conjugator
All the simple conjugations for more than 1,200 French verbs are available at the click of a mouse.

4-13-09 - Expressions with Claquer
The verb claquer literally means "to slap" or "to bang." It is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions, including snapping one's heels or fingers, slamming the door, pulling a muscle, and more.

4-9-09 - Introduction to Translation and Interpretation
Translation and interpretation are the ultimate jobs for people who love language. However, there are a lot of misunderstandings about these two fields, including the difference between them and what kind of skills and education they require. This article is an introduction to the fields of translation and interpretation.

4-7-09 - Past subjunctive
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.

4-6-09 - Expressions with Paraître
The French verb paraître literally means to appear or to seem, and is used in a number of idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say apparently, to die, to publish, and more with this list of expressions with paraître.

4-2-09 - All about Chercher
Chercher is a regular -ER verb and means "to look for." Chercher is commonly used like its English counterpart, but there are a few aspects that make it a little tricky. This lesson explains which verb mood to use with chercher, the meaning of chercher followed by an infinitive, and a few essential expressions with chercher.

3-30-09 - Expressions with Sonner
The verb sonner literally means "to ring" and is used in a number of idiomatic expressions which must be memorized. Learn how to talk about ringing bells, ringing ears, ringing hollow, and more with this lesson.

3-27-09 - Je n'en reviens pas
What does the French expression je n'en reviens pas mean? Learn all about it here.

3-26-09 - Spelling Change Verbs
There are two groups of verbs that have spelling changes in certain conjugations due to hard and soft vowels. These spelling change verbs are conjugated like regular -ER verbs, except for slight spelling variations in certain conjugations in order to maintain the correct pronunciation.

3-24-09 - Future perfect
The French future perfect is most commonly used like the English future perfect: to describe an action that will have happened by a specific point in the future. But there are also three uses of the French future perfect that don't correspond to the English future perfect.

3-23-09 - Parts of Speech
Learning French is hard, and it's even harder if you don't understand the basics of grammar in your own language. If your mind boggles when people start talking about nouns, adjectives, and other parts of speech, this lesson is for you.

3-20-09 - International Day of Francophonie
Join the celebration around the world.

3-19-09 - Un vs L'un
What's the difference between un and l'un? Isn't the second one kind of redundant? Learn about when and why to use l'un in place of un in this lesson.

3-17-09 - Stem-changing verbs
French stem-changing verbs, which always end in -ER, are conjugated with the same endings as regular -ER verbs but have two different radicals or stems. Stem-changing verbs are sometimes also called boot verbs or shoe verbs.

3-16-09 - Top French Pronunciation Mistakes and Difficulties
Many students find that pronunciation is the hardest part of learning French. The new sounds, the silent letters, the liaisons... they all combine to make speaking French very tricky. By listening to French as much as possible, and by studying and practicing the pronunciation aspects that you find most difficult, you can do a lot to improve your pronunciation. Here is a list of the top French pronunciation difficulties and mistakes, with links to detailed lessons and sound files.

3-13-09 - Trouver son bonheur
What does the French expression trouver son bonheur mean? Learn all about it here.

3-12-09 - All about Vouloir
The verb vouloir has several different meanings, depending mainly on the tense and mood it is conjugated into. This lesson explains the various uses and meanings of this common French verb.

3-10-09 - Conjunctions
Conjunctions provide a link between similar words or groups of words, such as nouns, verbs, people, etc. There are two types of French conjunctions: coordinating and subordinating.

3-9-09 - Exclamative Adverbs
Exclamative adverbs are placed in front of clauses to indicate shock, disbelief, awe, or some other strong emotion felt by the speaker. There are five French exclamative adverbs: comme, que, qu'est-ce que, ce que, and combien.

3-6-09 - Passer à l'heure d'été
What does the French expression passer à l'heure d'été mean? Learn all about it here.

3-5-09 - Euphony
In French, there are rules about maintaining euphony; that is, agreeable or harmonious sound. French is a very musical language because it tends to flow from one word to the next with no hiatus (pause). In situations where euphony doesn't happen naturally, French requires that sounds be added or words changed.

3-3-09 - Regular -ER Verbs
Regular -er verbs, that is, verbs that end in -er, are the largest category of French verbs. Thousands of regular French -er verbs are conjugated according to the same pattern, so once you've learned the rules of conjugation for regular -er verbs, you'll be able to conjugate all of them.

3-2-09 - Regular -IR Verbs
Regular -IR verbs are the second largest category of French verbs, with hundreds of verbs conjugated according to the same pattern.

3-1-09 - Regular -RE Verbs
Regular -RE verbs are a small group of French verbs conjugated the same way.

2-27-09 - Découvrir le pot aux roses
What does the idiomatic French expression découvrir le pot aux roses mean? Learn all about it here.

2-26-09 - All About Si
The French word si can be an adverb or a conjunction. Either way, si has several meanings and is used in numerous French constructions.

2-24-09 - Y and En ~ French Adverbial Pronouns
The adverbial pronouns y and en are so tiny that one might think their role in a sentence is not very important, but in fact they are both extremely important in French.

2-23-09 - Auxiliary Verbs - Avoir and Être
An auxiliary verb is a conjugated verb used in front of another verb in compound tenses in order to help form the mood and tense of the verb. French verbs are classified by which auxiliary verb they take. Most French verbs use avoir, so you need to memorize this list of verbs that require être.

2-24-09 - French Vocabulary Related to Mardi Gras
Mardi gras is an annual celebration called le mardi gras (literally, "fat Tuesday") or le carnaval in French. Learn the vocabulary you need to celebrate  Mardi gras in French on 24 February 2009

2-20-09 - Ce n'est pas mardi gras aujourd'hui
What does the French expression ce n'est pas mardi gras aujourd'hui mean? Learn all about it here.

2-19-09 - Qui vs Que
As interrogative pronouns, qui and que mean who and what, respectively, and can be used on their own or in larger constructions.

2-17-09 - Passé composé
The passé composé is the most common French past tense, often used in conjunction with the imperfect (imparfait) and used to express actions completed in the past.

2-16-09 - Adjectives with special forms
Since French adjectives usually have to agree with the nouns they modify in gender and number, most of them have up to four forms. But there are several French adjectives that have an additional variation: a special form that is used when the adjective precedes a word that begins with a vowel or mute H.

2-14-09 - French Love Language
According to our poll, French is the most romantic language, so there can be nothing more romantic than French love language.

2-13-09 - Heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour
What does the French expression heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour mean? Learn all about it here.

2-12-09 - Negative Adverbs
Making sentences negative in French is a bit different than in English, due to the two-part negative adverb and the sometimes difficult issue of placement. Normally, ne...pas is the first negative adverb that we learn. But there are actually many negative adverbs used just like it, so once you understand ne...pas, you can make just about any sentence negative.

2-10-09 - Free - French Lesson
The English word "free" can be an adjective, adverb, verb, or noun and has a number of different meanings, which can make it difficult to translate free into French. Take a look at this lesson on how to say free in French.

2-9-09 - Living Sentences
Some days students just aren't in the mood to learn, which can make French classes frustrating for them as well as for the teacher. Playing games in French is one technique that can help recapture students' interest while helping them learn or review French. This game, called Living Sentences, is a fun way to practice vocabulary and verbs.

2-8-09 - DILF DELF DALF
DILF, DELF, and DALF are official French proficiency certifications, awarded by the French ministry of education accepted in lieu of linguistic entrance exams around the world.

2-5-09 - Envoyer sur les roses
What does the French expression envoyer sur les roses mean? Learn all about it here.

2-5-09 - French Nouns
A noun is a word that represents a person, place, or thing, whether concrete (e.g., chair, dog) or abstract (idea, happiness). In French, all nouns have a gender - they are either masculine or feminine - learn more.

2-3-09 - Partir, S'en aller, Sortir, Quitter, Laisser
There are five French verbs that mean to leave: partir, s'en aller, sortir, quitter, and laisser. These all have different meanings, so how do you know which one to use? Study this lesson to find out.

2-1-09 - Negritude
La Négritude was a literary and ideological movement led by francophone black intellectuals, writers, and politicians.

1-31-09 - Largonji / Loucherbem / Louchébème - French Slang
Largonji, also called loucherbem or louchébème, is a form of French slang that consists of playing around with syllables, much like pig Latin. It is a secret language that was invented by the butchers of la Villette in Paris.

1-30-09 - On peut se tutoyer ?
What does the French expression on peut se tutoyer mean? Learn all about it here.

1-29-09 - French numbers
Learn how to count in French with this expanded lesson and plenty of sound files.

1-28-09 - How to type French accents
You don't need to buy a French keyboard or any software to type French accents. There are several different ways to type them on both Windows and Mac computers.

1-27-09 - Subject Pronouns
The subject of a verb is the person or thing which performs that action. Subject pronouns replace this person or thing. When learning French, you must understand subject pronouns before you can begin conjugating verbs, because the forms of verbs change for each subject pronoun.

1-26-09 - Expressions with Rouler
Rouler literally means to roll, to wheel along, or to con, and is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions. Learn how to talk about rolling on the ground laughing, rolling out dough, getting swindled, going 80 km per hour, and more useful expressions with this lesson.

1-25-09 - French Alphabet
The French alphabet has 26 letters - learn 'em all!  ;-)

1-22-09 - All About Tenir
Tenir is an irregular -IR verb and usually means "to hold" or "to keep." Tenir has a number of other meanings, including some which depend on the preposition that follows.

1-21-09 - What is French? Fact and Figures about French
How many French speakers are there? Where is French spoken? How many French-speaking countries are there? In which international organizations is French an official language? Read this introduction to some facts and figures about the French language.

1-20-09 - French Greetings
Learning to greet people is an essential part of learning a new language. Whether you're planning to continue learning French or just learn a few basics in preparation for a trip, these French greetings can help you on your way.

1-19-09 - Temporal words and phrases 
Talking about time requires a fair amount of vocabulary. Here are dozens of French words and expressions related to time, including periods of time, points in time, relative time, and frequency.

1-16-09 - C'est parti
What does the French expression c'est parti mean? Learn all about it here.

1-15-09 - Top 10 Beginning French Mistakes
When you start learning French, there's a lot to remember - new vocabulary, all kinds of verb conjugations, strange spelling... just about everything is different. It's normal to make mistakes, but it's in your best interest to try to fix them as soon as possible. The longer you make the same mistake, the harder it will be for you to get it right later on. With this in mind, this article discusses ten of the most common French mistakes made by beginners, so that you can fix these problems right from the beginning.

1-13-09 - To meet
The English verb "to meet" is very vague when talking about meeting people. 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.

1-12-09 - Expressions with Demander
The verb demander literally means to ask and is used in a number of idiomatic expressions which must be memorized. Learn how to ask for assistance, to ask for a favor, to ask to speak to someone, and more with this lesson.

1-9-09 - Avoir une dent contre quelqu'un
What does the French expression avoir une dent contre quelqu'un mean? Learn all about it here.

1-8-09 - All about Any
The English word "any" has numerous French translations, depending on what it means and whether it is used as an adjective, pronoun, or adverb.

1-7-09 - French verb deconjugator
Type a conjugation to find out its infinitive.

1-6-09 - Direct objects
Direct objects are the people or things in a sentence which receive the action of the verb, and direct object pronouns are the words that replace them.

1-5-09 - Online Translators - Machine Translation
While machine translation is an interesting concept and considerably cheaper and faster than professional translators, the results are less exciting. This article puts the top five online translators to the test - see how they hold up against one another and against a real person.

1-3-09 - Warm-Up Activities + Fillers
Most language teachers find that there is a bit of dead time during class. This may occur at the beginning of class, as the students are arriving; at the end of class, as they are thinking about leaving; and right in the middle of class, when transitioning from one lesson to another. During this dead time, the best option is to spend five or ten minutes on a short, interesting activity.

1-2-09 - Meilleurs vœux
What does the French expression meilleurs vœux mean? Learn all about it here.

1-1-09 - Introduction to French
If you've ever wondered where French came from and how it fits in with other languages, or what exactly a Romance language is, here is some basic information.

1-1-09 - New Year's in France
As in most countries, New Year's calls for a big celebration in France. Learn about some French New Year's traditions and customs.

12-31-08 - 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.

12-28-08 - C'est cadeau
What does the French expression c'est cadeau mean? Learn all about it here.

12-27-08 - French Tongue Twisters - Les Virelangues
Tongue twisters, known as virelangues in French, are words or phrases which are repeated as quickly as possible as a test of the speaker's ability to correctly pronounce the succession of similar sounds. For French students, les virelangues provide an interesting insight into the French language as well as a way to practice phrases which are difficult even for native speakers.

12-26-08 - 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.

12-25-08 - 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.

12-24-08 - Crèche provençale
The traditional nativity scene includes both religious and everyday scenes.

12-24-08 - Top 15 Expressions Lessons
Idiomatic expressions are key to language learning. When you learn French, it can seem like there is always more grammar to learn, but in fact grammar lessons are finite. Expressions, on other hand, are virtually endless. No matter how much you study, it sometimes feels like there are always a couple of new expressions in whatever you read. To help you learn some of the most common French expressions, I've put together a list of the top 15 lists of French expressions on my site.

12-23-08 - French Adjectives
An adjective is a word that modifies a noun by describing it in some way: shape, color, size, nationality, etc. French adjectives are very different from English adjectives in two ways: agreement and word order.

12-22-08 - Hanukkah Vocabulary
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival of survival and freedom that lasts for eight days. Learn some French vocabulary related to this annual celebration.

12-19-08 - C'est dans la poche
What does the French expression c'est dans la poche mean? Learn all about it here.

12-18-08 - Adverbial French Adjectives
By now you know that French adjectives normally agree with the nouns they modify, but you've probably seen a few cases where they don't. There are a number of French adjectives which are often used as adverbs (that is, they modify verbs rather than nouns), and when used in this way, these "adverbial adjectives" are invariable.

12-17-08 - 2009 French Calendars and Date Books
It's not too late to get a new calendar or datebook - why not incorporate just that little bit more French into your life by using a calendar that's either in French or about France? Choose between my favorite French-related calendars and date books and a printable French calendar à la LKL. :-)

12-16-08 - Comparatives and Superlatives
Comparatives and superlatives are adverbs that let you make comparisons between two or more things. Their names indicate the difference between them: comparatives compare two or more things, while superlatives express extremes.

12-15-08 - Expressions related to invitations
There are a number of different ways to extend, accept, and refuse invitations in French, both formally and informally.

12-12-08 - Tomber dans les pommes
What does the French expression tomber dans les pommes mean? Learn all about it here.

12-11-08 - Dessus and Dessous
The adverbs dessus and dessous are used alone as well as in a number of adverbial phrases, such as au-dessus/dessous, là-dessus/dessous, par-dessus/dessous, and more. Despite their similar spelling, dessus and dessous are exact opposites.

12-9-08 - Mistake: tu et je or toi et moi?
What's the correct way to say "you and I" in French? The answer might surprise you - read this lesson to learn how to avoid this potential French mistake.

12-8-08 - Money + Banking Vocabulary
A basic introduction to French vocabulary related to money and banking, with links to more detailed sources.

12-4-08 - LL - French Pronunciation
In French, the double L is sometimes pronounced like an L, and other times like a Y. How do you know when to pronounce it each way? This lesson explains the general rules and the inevitable exceptions.

12-2-08 -age - French Suffix
The French suffix -age can be added to verbs or nouns to make new nouns (which are always masculine) and has a couple of possible meanings.

12-1-08 - Expressions with Tirer
The French verb tirer usually means to pull, but it has numerous other meanings and is also used in many different idiomatic expressions. Learn how to juice, to criticize, to sell at rock-bottom prices and more with this list of expressions.

11-28-08 - Manger le morceau
What does the French expression manger le morceau mean? Learn all about it here.

11-27-08 - French Advent Calendar
Celebrate the Christmas and New Year's holiday season with this online French Advent calendar.

11-26-08 - Approximate French Numbers
When you want to make an estimate or take a guess, you can use approximate French numbers, like dizaine, douzaine, vingtaine, and more.

11-25-08 - You might be a Francophile if ...
Are you a Francophile? Do you think about and in French all day long? What does it mean to be a French fanatic, and is there a cure? Share your French thoughts with other Francophiles.

11-24-08 - All about Sembler
Sembler is a very common and useful French verb. It is a regular -ER verb, can be personal or impersonal, and may be followed by the subjunctive.

11-23-08 - Certain âge et âge certain
French word play with adjectives that change meaning depending on placement.

11-22-08 - Make French Flash Cards
Studying endless lists of French vocabulary can get tedious, which doesn't do language students - or their teachers - any good. One way to make learning vocabulary more interesting and interactive is with the use of flash cards. This article has information and tips on creating French flash cards and putting them to good use.

11-21-08 - Avoir un poil dans la main
What does the French expression avoir un poil dans la main mean? Learn all about it here.

11-20-08 - Introduction to Conjunctions
Conjunctions provide a link between similar words or groups of words, such as nouns, verbs, or people. Check out this introductory lesson and then try the brand-new quiz.

11-19-08 - Languages and Nationalities in French
Learn to talk about languages and nationalities in French - vocabulary and sound files.

11-18-08 - Prefix - a
The French prefix a, known as a privatif (privative a), is added to adjectives and nouns to indicate negation or deprivation, and becomes an in front of a vowel or h.

11-17-08 - Accord - French Agreement
Agreement is arguably one of the most difficult aspects of the French language. This summary of the different types of agreement includes links to detailed lessons on each grammatical point.

11-13-08 - L'On or On?
On is the French impersonal subject pronoun, and normally shouldn't be preceded by l' - neither the direct object nor the definite article. However, if you've been studying French for a while, particularly written French, you've probably seen l'on where you expected to find on and wondered what that l' was doing there. Here's everything you need to know.

11-11-08 - Improve your French accent
Speaking French is more than just knowing the vocabulary and grammar rules - you also need to pronounce the letters correctly. Unless you started learning French as a child, you're unlikely to ever sound like a native speaker, but it's certainly not impossible for adults to speak with a decent French accent. Here are some ideas to help you improve your French pronunciation.

11-10-08 - Expressions with Casser / Se Casser
The French verbs casser and se casser literally mean to break, and are also used in a number of idiomatic expressions. Learn how to talk about breaking someone, boring someone stiff, warning someone, making an omelette by breaking eggs, and more.

11-9-08 - Daily French Practice
Daily French practice is a must, as it is only by practicing and using your French that you will be able to retain what you've learned and, eventually, develop fluency. Aside from the obvious ways to practice, like speaking up in class and reading books, there are a number of ways you can incorporate French into your daily life.

11-7-08 - Péter les plombs
What does the French expression péter les plombs mean? Learn all about it here.

11-6-08 - All about Passer
Passer is a very common and useful French verb. It is a regular -ER verb but may be conjugated with avoir or être in the compound tenses, depending on whether it is transitive or intransitive.

November 5-11 2008 - National French Week
2008 marks the tenth annual National French Week in the United States, a celebration of French language and francophone cultures. If you are a French teacher, National French Week is the perfect opportunity to organize in-class and/or extracurricular events for current or potential students. Take a look at this page for some ideas with links to additional information.

11-4-08 - H - French Pronunciation
The letter H is always silent in French, but there are two different kinds of H's: H muet and H aspiré. The type of H at the beginning of a word lets you know whether to make contractions and pronounce liaisons with that word. Check out my lists of words with each type of H and then see how well you do with my quiz.

11-3-08 - Expressions with Coup
The French noun un coup literally refers to a shock or blow. It is also used in dozens of idiomatic expressions, noun clauses, and prepositional phrases. Learn how to talk about luck, glances, surges of anger, love at first sight, and much more with this list of expressions with coup.

10-31-08 - Halloween in France
Read about how Halloween is celebrated and viewed in France, and learn some related French vocabulary.

10-30-08 - French Passive Constructions
Passive constructions are those in which a verb's action is performed on the subject, rather than the subject performing the action as in active (normal) constructions. The passive voice is the most common French passive construction, but there are a couple of others to watch out for as well.

10-29-08 - Non-Fiction about French and France
You've probably glanced through dozens of French travel guides and grammar books, but what about the human side of learning French and visiting France? There is some great non-fiction out there - humorous yet helpful, fun but not frivolous. Read about my favorite non-fiction books related to French and France and then add yours to the list.

10-27-08 - French Nouns with Two Genders
There are a number of French nouns which are identical in pronunciation (and often spelling as well) but which have different meanings depending on whether they are masculine or feminine. Take a look at this list and then see how well you do with my brand-new quiz.

10-24-08 - N'importe quoi
What does the French expression n'importe quoi mean? Learn all about it here.

10-23-08 - OU vs U ~ French Pronunciation
The letter u is one of the most difficult sounds in the French language, at least for English speakers. In addition, English speakers often find it difficult to distinguish between u and ou. Here are some tips and numerous sound files to help you hear and say the difference.

10-20-08 - French and France Vocabulary
When describing France, particularly in writing, the French like to use a variety of terms rather than constantly repeating français and la France. Here are the most common synonyms for French and France as well as some related vocabulary that will come in handy when discussing France à la française.

10-17-08 - Tu m'étonnes
You might think you know what the French expression tu m'étonnes means, or you might be surprised. Learn all about it here.

10-16-08 - French verbs of perception
Verbs of perception are verbs which, logically enough, indicate a perception or sensation. Learn about the six common French verbs of perception, which may be followed by a noun or an infinitive, as well as word order and agreement with verbs of perception.

10-14-08 - Re- French Prefix
The French prefix re- can be added to hundreds if not thousands of verbs to make new verbs. Depending on the first letter of the word it's added to, re- may change to ré-, res-, or r-.

10-13-08 - Expressions with Payer
The French verb payer literally means "to pay (for)," and is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions. Learn how to pay in kind, pay for the damages, pay out of one's own pocket, and more.

10-12-08 - Keep a French Journal - French Project
There are any number of ways to practice French every day, and one easy and interesting one is to keep a French journal. This project, which can be done in class or independently, is fully adaptable for any level and duration.

10-10-08 - Faire cadeau
What does the French expression faire cadeau mean? Learn all about it here.

10-9-08 - French Homophones
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.

10-8-08 - Gender Patterns
French gender is a constant headache for many students of French. There's no simple way to know the gender of every noun other than just learning the gender with each word. There are, however, some patterns in suffixes and word endings - certain endings tend to indicate masculine nouns, while other endings favor feminine nouns. These gender patterns are not fool-proof, but they can help you to figure out the gender of many French nouns.

10-7-08 - Pluperfect - Le Plus-que-parfait
The pluperfect (aka past perfect) is used to indicate an action in the past that occurred before another action in the past. The latter can either be mentioned in the same sentence or implied. Learn how to conjugate and use this compound tense.

10-6-08 - Mot du jour Tips
If you visit the Mot du jour page every weekday, you're well on your way to increasing your French vocabulary, but what can you do to retain all of those new words? Here is a collection of tips and tricks from other Mot du jour lovers.

10-2-08 - French Listening Tips
This site includes dozens of French listening exercises for all levels, but sometimes it's difficult to figure out the best way to use them. Should you listen first, and then read the transcript, or is it ok to listen and read at the same time? This article offers ideas on how to make the most of the listening exercises on this site as well as your own audio tools.

9-30-08 - ée - French Suffix
The French suffix -ée can be added to nouns or verbs to make new nouns and has a number of possible meanings.

9-29-08 - Expressions with Passer
The French verb passer usually means to pass, and is also used in many idiomatic expressions.

9-25-08 - Only / Not Only - Ne... que, Seulement, and their negatives
There are two common French equivalents for the restrictive "only" in English: ne... que and seulement. These two terms mean essentially the same thing, but their negative forms are a bit more complicated.

9-22-08 - Baby Talk ~ Langage enfantin
French has quite a bit of "baby talk" or "kiddie speak" - words and expressions which are usually used by children or when talking to children. Even if you don't talk to kids in French, this informal language is important to recognize, as baby talk can also be found in jokes and in conversations with good friends.

9-21-06 - Learn French
Learning French is an ongoing and involved process. You can't learn French overnight, and you probably can't learn it entirely on your own, no matter how many books and tapes you buy. What you can do is use resources like this site to supplement your classes.

9-18-08 - French Presentatives ~ Les Présentatifs
French presentatives are terms which introduce something at the same time that they emphasize it. They are not a single part of speech, but rather a category of terms which includes various prepositions, conjunctions, adverbs, and expressions used in this particular way.

9-16-08 - Être Verbs Used Transitively
Verbs that require être in the passé composé and other compound tenses are intransitive - that is, they have no direct object. But some of them can be used transitively (with a direct object), and when this happens, these verbs need avoir as the helping verb. In addition, there is a slight change in meaning.

9-15-08 - Comparatives and Superlatives
French comparative adverbs (plus... moins... aussi... autant... que) and superlative adverbs (le plus, le moins, le meilleur, le pire) describe something as more/less/the most/the least. They are a little tricky in French, so check out this page, which is better than the best lesson for learning all about French comparatives and superlatives. :-)

9-14-08 - Travel French newsletter
Taking a trip to France or another francophone country? My six-week Travel French newsletter is just the thing - learn the essential French vocabulary and phrases you may need during your trip, from making reservations and eating at restaurants to getting around and dealing with emergencies.

9-11-08 - Capitalization of French Titles
The rules for the capitalization of French titles are quite complicated - so complicated, in fact, that I have been unable to find a definitive system. This lesson looks at the three different schools of thought.

9-9-08 - Faux amis
There are hundreds of French/English word pairs that look alike but don't mean the same thing in the two languages. Learn about agréable/agreeable, cave, date, infect, and versatile.

9-8-08 - "J'ai lui dit"
What's wrong with saying j'ai lui dit? Learn about this French mistake.

9-7-08 - Physical Descriptions
Learn the French vocabulary used to describe someone physically: height, weight, eye color, etc., and then take the quiz.

9-5-08 - Jeter la pierre
What does the French expression jeter la pierre mean? Learn all about it here.

9-4-08 - Subjunctive
Students of French tend to agree that the subjunctive is the most difficult French verb form, which is why I have over a dozen pages of lessons and info on the French subjunctive to help you learn all about it.

9-3-08 - Teacher Supply Stores
French teachers often need to supplement the textbook with movies, posters, and other classroom supplies. Here are some good sources of materials for French teachers.

9-2-08 - Plural French Nouns
In both French and English, many nouns can be singular or plural: un homme (one man), deux hommes (two men), la chaise (the chair), les chaises (the chairs). But there are quite a few French nouns that can only be plural, including some related to religion and material possessions.

9-1-08 - Expressions with Chercher
The French verb chercher literally means to look for or to search for. It is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions which must be memorized. Learn how to look for a fight, look everywhere for something, look for words, and more.

8-31-08 - Language Scrapbook Project
Creating a language scrapbook is a fun and interesting way to arrange all of your materials on everything related to French and the place(s) where it is spoken. The end product makes a wonderful keepsake, and - if you use a loose-leaf binder - can be added to in future classes.

8-29-08 - Mettre de l'eau dans son vin
What does the French expression mettre de l'eau dans son vin mean? Learn all about it here.

8-28-08 - Verbs with Prepositions
Many French verbs require a certain preposition in order for their meaning to be complete. Here is an alphabetical list of French verbs and the prepositions they need (if any).

8-26-08 - French Project: Travel Brochure, Poster, Sticker
Creating a travel brochure, poster, or bumper sticker related to a French-speaking country or region is an interesting project for French classes or for independent studiers looking to spice up their self-instruction. This project is a short- to medium-term activity for any level of French student.

8-25-08 - French Impersonal Expressions ~ Expressions impersonnelles
Impersonal expressions are those which do not have a specific subject, as in "Il est difficile à dire." In grammatical terms, "impersonal" does not mean cold, but rather invariable by grammatical person.

8-22-08 - Tomber dans le panneau
What does the French expression tomber dans le panneau mean? Learn all about it here.

8-21-08 - Agreement with French Compound Verbs
If you've already studied le passé composé, you know that certain French verbs have to agree with their subjects. In addition, you may know that this is true for all compound verb tenses and moods. What you may not be aware of is that some verbs require agreement not with the subject of the sentence, but with the direct object.

8-18-08 - All about Faillir
Faillir is a very interesting and useful French verb. It is irregular in conjugation and does not have an English equivalent; the simplest translation is "to almost do something."

8-15-08 - Être à côté de la plaque
What does the French expression être à côté de la plaque mean? Learn all about it here.

8-14-08 - Passive Impersonal ~ Impersonnel passif
The passive impersonal is commonly used in place of the passive voice. In this construction, a non-reflexive verb is used reflexively in order to demonstrate the passive nature of the action, as in Ça se voit - That's obvious.

8-12-08 - "On est allés"
Is there anything wrong with writing "on est allés"? Check out this lesson to learn about this potential mistake.

8-11-08 - Expressions with Dire
The French verb dire literally means "to say" or "to tell" and is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions. Learn how to talk about telling someone off, putting words in someone's mouth, and much more with this list of expressions.

8-8-08 - Avoir le cafard
What does the French expression avoir le cafard mean? Learn all about it here.

8-7-08 - Au restaurant ~ At the Restaurant
Beginning-level French dialogue between a waiter and customer.

8-4-08 - All about Mettre
Mettre, which means "to put," is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation and is found in a number of idiomatic expressions.

7-31-08 - To Take
The English verb to take has several French equivalents. Learn the difference between prendre, amener, and all the rest.

7-29-08 - "Que livre," "Quoi livre"
What's wrong with saying que livre or quoi livre? Learn about this French mistake.

7-28-08 - Vegetarianism in France
There is a growing movement toward vegetarianism in France, including restaurants, cooking classes, and B+Bs that cater not only to foreign tourists, but also the French themselves. So if you're a vegetarian heading to France, you don't need to worry about finding enough to eat - just check out these places and resources.

7-27-08 - French News Vocabulary
The French you learn in classes and grammar books is not always enough when dealing with the real world. This list of French vocabulary related to current events will help you understand news in French.

7-25-08 - Appeler un chat un chat
What does the French expression appeler un chat un chat mean? Learn all about it here.

7-24-08 - Indefinite Demonstrative Pronouns - Ce, Ceci, Cela, Ça
Indefinite (aka neuter or invariable) demonstrative pronouns do not have a specific antecedent and thus do not have different forms for gender and number.

7-22-08 - Ces vs Ses
When writing, it's easy to mix up ces and ses. Learn the equally easy way to avoid this French mistake.

7-21-08 - Expressions with Voir
The French verb voir literally means "to see," and is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions. Learn how to talk about seeing stars, not seeing a thing, and much more with this list of expressions.

7-18-08 - Tu ne manques pas d'air
What does the French expression tu ne manques pas d'air mean? Learn all about it here.

7-17-08 - Special Uses of the Subjunctive
Although the French subjunctive is most often used in subordinate clauses, it can also be used in main or independent clauses, with or without que. Take a look at these special uses of the subjunctive mood.

7-15-08 - "Je veux que j'aie assez de temps"
What's wrong with saying je veux que j'aie assez de temps? Learn about this French mistake.

7-13-08 - Expressions with Perdre
The verb perdre literally means "to lose," and it's also used in a number of idiomatic expressions. Learn how to talk about losing consciousness, losing interest, losing one's mind, and much more.

7-11-08 - Pronouncing French Wines
If you love French wine but hate ordering it, here's a page that can help. This list of French wines and related vocabulary includes sound files to help you pronounce the names of French wines.

7-10-08 - All about Dire
Dire is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation, means "to say" or "to tell," and is found in a number of idiomatic expressions.

7-7-08 - Top 10 French Gestures
My lessons on French gestures are among the most popular pages on my site, partly because gestures are so frequently used when speaking French, and partly because many gestures are not commonly taught in French classes. Among the dozens of gestures and facial expressions in my lessons, there are ten that really stand out.

7-6-08 - Tour de France and French 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.

7-4-08 - Figure-toi
What does the French expression figure-toi mean? Learn all about it here. 

7-3-08 - French Punctuation ~ La Ponctuation
Although French and English use nearly all of the same punctuation marks, some of their uses in the two languages are considerably different. This lesson is a simple summary of how French punctuation differs from English.

6-30-08  - Emergency and Disaster Vocabulary
Hopefully you'll never be in a situation where you need to use French emergency vocabulary, but if you ever do, you'll be glad you took the time to memorize this list of French vocabulary for both medical and non-medical emergencies.

6-27-08 - Raconter des salades
What does the French expression raconter des salades mean? Learn all about it here.

6-26-08 - Tant vs Autant
The French words tant and autant are both adverbs of quantity, but their meanings and uses are different. Autant means as much/many and is usually used in comparisons. Tant means so much/many and tends to be used to intensify. Take a look at this lesson for more details.

6-23-08 - Inversion - Uses of French Inversion
Inversion is the grammatical structure where the normal French word order subject + verb is inverted to verb + subject. You probably know that inversion is commonly used in asking questions, but there are a number of other uses as well.

6-20-08 - Expressions with Pas
The French word pas has a number of meanings and is found in many French expressions. Learn about making blunders, taking the initiative, advancing at leaps and bounds, and more with this lesson.

6-19-08 - Going to the Dentist ~ Chez le dentiste
Going to the dentist is another situation where you want to make sure that you can communicate effectively. Take a look at this page for essential French vocabulary and verbs for talking to a dentist.

6-17-08 - Verbs and Indirect Object Pronouns
In French, à plus a person can usually be replaced by an indirect object pronoun that gets placed in front of the verb (e.g., Il me parle). However, a few French verbs and expressions do not allow a preceding indirect object pronoun - instead, they require that you keep the preposition after the verb, and follow it with a stressed pronoun.

6-16-08 - Expressions with Sans
The French preposition sans literally means without and is also used in a number of expressions. Learn about sans abri, sans faute, sans souci, and more in this lesson.

6-13-08 - Bien dans sa peau
What does the French expression bien dans sa peau mean? Learn all about it here.

6-12-08 - Advanced Past Tenses
The difference between the two main French past tenses, the passé composé and the imparfait, is a constant struggle for many French students. In the basic lesson on le passé, you learned about the fundamental differences between these two tenses. In this more advanced lesson, you will learn about the particularities of certain verbs, including those that are usually in the imperfect and those that have different meanings depending on which tense is used.

6-9-08 - De vs Du, De la, Des
The preposition de tends to be very difficult for French students, even at advanced levels. Trying to figure out whether to use de, du, de la, or des can be a real challenge! This lesson is a summary of when to use de and when to use the indefinite article, partitive article, or de + definite article (which looks like the partitive - but isn't. Ugh!)

6-8-08 - Password - French Classroom Game
Some days students just aren't in the mood to learn, which can make French classes frustrating for them as well as for the teacher. Playing games in French is one technique that can help recapture students' interest while helping them learn or review French. This game, called Password, is a fun way to practice descriptions.

6-6-08 - Faire du lard
What does the French expression faire du lard mean? Learn all about it here.

6-5-08 - All about Voir
Voir is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation, means "to see" in most senses of the word, and is found in a number of idiomatic expressions.

6-3-08 - Top 100 French words
Do you know the most common French words? I've just added another ten words, bringing the total to 100.

6-2-08 - French Symbols + Punctuation Marks
A quick reference guide to the names of French symbols and punctuation marks, including ! ? « » * & dozens more.

5-29-08 - Causative - Faire + Infinitive
The causative construction faire + infinitive is used to describe when someone/something has something done, causes something to happen, or makes someone do something.

5-27-08 - "Il y sera"
What's wrong with saying il y sera to mean "there will be?" Learn about this French mistake.

5-26-08 - Expressions with Tenir
The French verb tenir has several meanings on its own, and is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions which must be memorized. Learn how to be anxious, to cherish something, to be on the right track, and more with this lesson.

5-23-08 - Expressions with Comprendre
The French verb comprendre normally means "to understand," but also has a few other meanings, and is used in some expressions. Learn how to make yourself understood, catch on quickly, take a joke, and more with this list of expressions.

5-22-08 - Synonyms for Très
If you want to make your French sound more, well, French, one place to start is with your vocabulary. In French classes, you tend to learn the most common, basic terms. The adverb très is one example of a very common word that can be replaced by any of a number of synonyms, in both normal and informal registers. Take a look at this lesson to learn some different ways to say "very," and be sure to note the differences in intensity.

5-19-08 - Expressions with Prendre 
The French verb prendre normally means "to take," but has several additional meanings, and is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions which must be memorized. Learn how to catch a cold, to gain weight, to take something literally, and more with this lesson.

5-16-08 - Pédaler dans la choucroute
What does the French expression pédaler dans la choucroute mean? Learn all about it here.

5-15-08 - Concordance des temps
When speaking French, it is important to use the correct sequence of tenses. In complex sentences, there is a relationship between the verb in the main clause and the verb in the subordinate clause. Using the correct sequence of tenses is just as important as conjugating the verbs correctly and using the appropriate mood.

5-12-08 - Top Listening Exercises
There are over a hundred listening exercises on this site, ranging from simple dialogues to in-depth listening comprehension exercises. The most visited listening pages tend to be those that offer practical advice or discuss someone or something famous. Here are the 15 most popular French listening exercises on this site.

5-8-08 - Common Ailments ~ French Illness Vocabulary
Getting sick is never fun, but being in a foreign country and not being able to communicate about your illness can definitely ruin your trip. Learn some French illness vocabulary so that you can communicate with French-speaking doctors, dentists, nurses, and pharmacists.

5-6-08 - Expressions with fois
The French word fois is feminine and is equivalent to one meaning of time. It's also used in a number of idiomatic expressions. Learn how to say once upon a time; going, going, gone!; oft-repeated and more with this list of expressions.

5-5-08 - Changing Money and Banking
When traveling (or doing anything else, for that matter), you need access to money, which means you need to know how to talk about it in the local language. Here's a page of useful French vocabulary and brand-new quiz related to money and banking so that you can change money, talk about your payment method, manage bank accounts, and more.

5-2-08 - Passer du coq à l'âne
What does the French expression passer du coq à l'âne mean? Learn all about it here.

5-1-08 - All About Aimer
Aimer is one of the most common French verbs. It is a regular -ER verb, requires avoir in the compound tenses, and can mean "to like" or "to love." There is a little bit of a trick to using aimer correctly with people and direct object pronouns which you will learn about in this lesson.

4-29-08 - Invariable adjectives from other languages
In French, adjectives normally have to agree with the nouns they modify in gender and number. However, there are numerous adjectives which don't agree - they have a single form that does not change to reflect the gender or number of the noun. French adjectives borrowed from other languages are usually invariable.

4-28-08 - Soi ~ Indefinite Stressed Pronoun
Soi is an oft-confused French pronoun, used only for unspecified persons. Need more info? See the lesson!

4-25-08 - "Je suis plein"
What's wrong with saying je suis plein? Learn about this French mistake.

4-24-08 - French Geography
Lessons related to French geography, including vocabulary (countries, French regions, US states, and Canadian provinces) and grammar (geographical prepositions, gender).

4-22-08 - Expressions with chose
The French word chose is usually feminine and means "thing." It is used in a number of idiomatic expressions, and can also be masculine, with a somewhat different meaning.

4-21-08 - Faux Adjectives ~ Les adjectifs occasionnels
In French, there are a number of words which are not actually adjectives but may be used as adjectives. These "occasional adjectives" or "faux adjectives" are always invariable - they do not agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify. There are three different types of words that may be used as adjectives.

4-18-08 - Fais gaffe !
What does the French expression fais gaffe ! mean? Learn all about it here.

4-15-08 - Listening: Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir was one of France's most beloved authors and an early French feminist. Learn about her life and work in this listening comprehension exercise from Champs-Élysées audiomagazine (read my review).

4-14-08 - All about Partir
Partir is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation, requires être in the compound tenses, and has different meanings depending on the preposition that follows.

4-11-08 - "Ce hôpital"
What's wrong with saying ce hôpital? Learn about this French mistake.

4-10-08 - Determiners ~ Adjectifs déterminants
The grammatical term determiner refers to a word, either an article or a certain type of adjective, which introduces and simultaneously modifies a noun. Determiners, also known as non-qualifying adjectives, are much more common in French than in English - some sort of determiner is nearly always required in front of each noun used.

4-8-08 - Fête des fleurs, Hyères, France
On 5 and 6 April 2008, the southern French city of Hyères hosted its annual flower festival with an open day event at SICA (Société d'intérêt collectif agricole) / Marché aux fleurs d'Hyères. 500 growers produce over 180 million flowers a year, making it the largest flower market in France and the fourth largest in Europe. With information booths, wine and flower tasting, and a flower parade, it was a fascinating look at this colorful aspect of the Hyérois community.

4-7-08 - To Make
To make is a very general, very useful verb in English. Its French translations vary wildly, so take a look at this lesson to learn how to translate various meanings of "make" into French.

4-4-08 - Tu te rends compte !
What does the French expression tu te rends compte ! mean? Learn all about it here.

4-1-08 - Tips on using bilingual dictionaries
Bilingual dictionaries are essential tools for second language learners, but using them correctly requires more than just looking up a word in one language and picking the first translation you see. There's a lot more to bilingual dictionaries than meets the eye, so check out these pages to learn how to get the most out of your bilingual dictionary.

3-31-08 - Se ~ French Reflexive Pronoun
Se is one of the most often misused French pronouns. It is the third person singular and plural reflexive pronoun, and can only be used in two kinds of constructions.

3-28-08 - "Je vais !"
What's wrong with saying je vais? Learn about this French mistake.

3-27-08 - Expressions with Tomber
The French verb tomber means "to fall" and is also used in numerous idiomatic expressions. Tomber usually needs être as the auxiliary verb, but there are a few meanings for which it needs avoir. Learn how to faint, to bump into someone, to be unlucky, and more with this list of expressions with tomber.

3-25-08 - Album de photos / Arbre généalogique
Making a photo album or family tree is an interesting project for French classes or for independent studiers looking to spice up their self-instruction. This project is perfect as a short-term activity for beginning to low-intermediate students.

3-24-08 - Synonyms for Bon
If you want to make your French sound more, well, French, one place to start is with your vocabulary. In French classes, you tend to learn the most common, basic terms. Bon is one such example, but there are numerous synonyms to choose between, in both normal and informal registers. Take a look at this lesson to learn some different ways to say "good."

3-21-08 - Quelle mouche t'a piqué ?
What does the French expression quelle mouche t'a piqué mean? Learn all about it here.

3-20-08 - Personal Correspondence ~ Correspondance personnelle
Writing letters in French can be somewhat tricky, because it requires special formulas. This lesson on personal correpondence will help you find the correct formulas when writing to family, friends, or non-commercial acquaintances.

3-18-08 - Singular French Nouns
In both French and English, many nouns can be singular or plural: un homme (one man), deux hommes (two men), la chaise (the chair), les chaises (the chairs). But there are quite a few French nouns that can only be singular, including abstractions, matter, and sciences.

3-17-08 - Number Expressions - Confusing Pairs
There are quite a few confusing pairs and difficult expressions related to numbers in French: second/deuxième, en premier/au premier/de premier, tiers/troisième....

3-14-08 - "Le moment quand..."
What's wrong with saying le moment quand...? Learn about this French mistake.

3-13-08 - French Driving Terms
Useful vocabulary for anyone planning to drive in France, with sound files.

3-11-08 - Faux amis
Learn five new word pairs that look alike in French and English but mean very different things: are, fronde/frond, gommer/gum, porche/porch, and traîner/train/trainer.

3-10-08 - Affective Accent ~ Accent affectif
In English, speakers emphasize words simply by saying them louder, but this is not the case in French. French speakers use the affective accent to provide emphasis, usually to express an emotion.

3-7-08 - Avoir du chien
What does the French expression avoir du chien mean? Learn all about it here.

3-6-08 - Subjunctivator
An interactive tool that helps to improve your knowledge of which French verbs and expressions take the subjunctive.

3-4-08 - Top words: 81-90
Do you know the most common French words? Here are numbers 81 to 90.

3-3-08 - Lettres muettes - Silent Letters in French
Part of the difficulty with French pronunciation is that French is not a phonetic language - it has letters that can be pronounced in different ways or sometimes not at all. This lesson will teach you all about silent letters.

2-29-08 - "Je suis 25 ans"
What's wrong with saying je suis 25 ans? Learn about this French mistake.

2-28-08 - Expressions with Entrer
The French verb entrer literally means "to enter." It is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions, noun clauses, and prepositional phrases. Learn how to join, to drop in, to turn forty, to get in touch, to be taken into consideration, and other common French expressions with entrer.

2-26-08 - Improve your French vocabulary
Words, words, words! Languages are made up of words, and French is no exception. Here are all kinds of French vocabulary lessons, practice ideas, and tips to help you get better at learning and remembering French words.

2-25-08 - À l'hôtel ~ At the Hotel
Work on your French listening comprehension and travel French at the same time with this beginning-level dialogue between a hotel receptionist and a guest.

2-22-08 - Vendre la peau de l'ours (avant de l'avoir tué)
What does the French expression vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué mean? Learn all about it here.

2-21-08 - Contractions
Although contractions in English are optional, in French they are required, so it is important to learn when and how to make contractions. Fortunately, the rules for French contractions are quite simple.

2-19-08 - Expressions with Trouver
The French verb trouver literally means to find, and is also used in a number of idiomatic expressions. Learn how to talk about seeing fit to do something, fainting, meeting one's match, and more with this list of expressions with trouver.

2-18-08 - Mood ~ Le Mode
Mood refers to the verb forms that express the attitude of the speaker toward the action/state of the verb - how likely or factual the statement is. The French language has six moods - learn 'em all! :-)

2-15-08 - "Tu ne fais pas ça"
What's wrong with saying tu ne fais pas ça to mean "you just don't do that"? Learn about this French mistake.

2-14-08 - French Love Language
If French is the language of love, what better language is there with which to express your love? Here are some key French words and phrases related to love, friendship, and special occasions.

2-13-08 - Word Order - Inversion ~ Ordre des mots
The order of words in a French sentence can be very confusing, due to dual-verb constructions, object and adverbial pronouns, and negative structures. Inversion further complicates matters, so check out this lesson to straighten out your questions.

2-12-08 - French Terms of Endearment
French has all kinds of interesting terms of endearment, including a rather odd assortment of barnyard animals. Check out this list of French terms of endearment to use with your loved ones (both romantic and familial).

2-11-08 - Attributive Adjectives ~ Adjectifs épithètes
Attributive adjectives describe or emphasize some characteristic of the noun they modify. The defining characteristic of attributive adjectives is that they are joined to the noun they modify - immediately preceding or following it with no verb in between.

2-7-08 - All about Sortir
Sortir is one of the most common French verbs. It is irregular in conjugation and may require either être or avoir in the compound tenses, depending on whether it means "to go out" or "to take out."

2-5-08 - Mardi Gras Masks | Mardi Gras Vocabulary
Mardi Gras, which means "fat Tuesday" in French, is celebrated in many francophone regions. Mardi Gras masks are a traditional part of this annual celebration, and making them is a fun and very creative project.

2-4-08 - Synonyms for petit
If you want to make your French sound more, well, French, one place to start is with your vocabulary. The adjective petit is a very common French word that can be replaced by any number of synonyms. Take a look at this lesson to learn some different ways to say "small" and "short," and be sure to note the different nuances.

2-3-08 - Ne explétif
The ne explétif is used after certain verbs and conjunctions but has no negative value in and of itself. It is used in situations where the main clause has a negative (either negative-bad or negative-negated) meaning, such as expressions of fear, warning, doubt, and negation.

2-2-08 - 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.

2-1-08 - "Je sais pas"
Is there anything wrong with saying je sais pas? Learn about this French (non) mistake.

February - Negritude - La Négritude
February is Black History Month in the US. This is a good time to study La Négritude, a literary and ideological movement led by francophone black intellectuals, writers, and politicians. The founders of la Négritude, originally from three different French colonies, each had different ideas about the purpose and styles of la Négritude.

1-31-08 - E muet ~ Élision
There are no stressed syllables in French, but the unaccented E is sometimes "unstressed." That is, it disappears in spoken French. Learn how to recognize the E muet and when (not) to pronounce it.

1-29-08 - Top French Words: 71-80
I've just added another page to my list of the most common French words, bringing the total to 80. The top hundred will be available within the next couple of months.

1-28-08 - Ne littéraire
What I call the ne littéraire is the phenomenon in literary writing (and, to a much lesser extent, spoken French) whereby certain verbs and constructions need ne but not pas in order to be negative.

1-25-08 - Se fourrer le doigt dans l'oeil
What does the French expression se fourrer le doigt dans l'oeil mean? Learn all about it here.

1-24-08 - Expressions with Pain
The French word pain means "bread" and is also used in numerous idiomatic expressions. Be sure to look at the second page as well, which has translations of all different kinds of French breads.

1-22-08 - All about Croire
Croire is one of the most common French verbs. It's irregular in conjugation and literally means "to believe," and is also used in many idiomatic expressions.

1-21-08 - Indefinite French
I find that one of the hardest things to translate into another language is indefiniteness: anyone did something everywhere all the time. This index includes links to lessons on every kind of indefiniteness, from indefinite adjectives to the indefinite subject pronoun.

1-17-08 - Word Order - Dual-Verb Constructions ~ Ordre des mots
The order of words in a French sentence can be very confusing, due to dual-verb constructions, object and adverbial pronouns, and negative structures. Learn how to string them all together.

1-15-08 - La Révolte des Accents
La Révolte des Accents is a fictional tale about a problem that's all too real: the disappearance of accents in written French. Learn about this wonderful book, its author, and his linguistic crusade in this listening comprehension exercise.

1-14-08 - Habiter vs Vivre
The French verbs habiter and vivre both mean to live, but are used in different circumstances. You won't be able to live with yourself if you don't learn how to use them both.

1-10-08 - Literary Tenses ~ Temps littéraires
You've heard of them, maybe even learned to recognize some of them, but just what are literary tenses? This lesson explores where they are used, why to avoid them, and what is lost when you do.

1-8-08 - All about Arriver
Arriver is one of the most common French verbs. It's a regular -ER verb but takes être in the compound tenses. Arriver literally means "to arrive," but is also used in some idiomatic expressions and as an impersonal verb.

1-7-08 - Indefinite Relative Pronouns ~ Pronoms relatifs indéfinis
Indefinite relative pronouns (ce qui, ce que, ce dont, and quoi) link relative clauses to main clauses when there is no specific antecedent.

1-4-08 - All about Vouloir
The verb vouloir has several different meanings, depending mainly on the tense and mood it is conjugated into. This lesson explains the various uses and meanings of this common French verb.

1-3-08 - Back to School - French Class
Ready to start dusting off last semester's French notes and figuring out whatever happened to that beat-up old dictionary? 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.

1-2-08 - 2008 French Calendars and Date Books
It's time to get a new calendar or date book, so why not incorporate just that little bit more French into your life by using a calendar that's either in French or about France? Choose between my favorite French-related calendars and date books and a printable French calendar à la LKL. :-)

1-1-08 - New Year's in France
As in most countries, New Year's calls for a big celebration in France. Learn about some French New Year's traditions and customs.

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