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Youtube: Moca113
Twitter: groundupmedia
FrenchPod101: valerie_

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In this series of mini-lesson tweets on Twitter, we help you perfect your shopping vocabulary to become a master in bargaining in French. Here is the recap of last week’s phrases for your reference:

Flea market browsing and antique hunting, shopping…Now is time to “marchander”, “to bargain”!

To find antiques, go to “le marché aux puces”, the flea market. “Le marché aux puces est le samedi.”, “The flea market is on Saturdays.”

Now that merchant’s old bicycle is overpriced. Just tell him “C’est trop cher”, “It’s too expensive.”

You want to lower the price of this antique phone (after all, it doesn’t work!), “Vous pouvez baisser?”, “Can you lower the price?”

A tip to find cheap antiques, look for a “brocante” sign in villages. “Une brocante” is an rustic antique store, generally cheaper.

You only want to spend 5 euros on that cute silver spoon? “Je n’ai que 5 euros”, “I only have 5 euros.”

In this series of mini-lesson tweets on Twitter, we help you perfect your house-related vocabulary to become a master in knowing French homes. Here is the recap of this week’s phrases for your reference:

Have you ever had a neighbor who kept complaining about “le bruit”, “the noise”? Or maybe you are the one who complains…

Your female neighbor is “la voisine”, and your male neighbor is “le voisin”.

Neighbors in their whole have a name in French, “le voisinage”.

A lot of “repas de quartier”, “block parties” are organized throughout French cities.

And if you live in the French country, you can go to the annual “fête du village” (fem.), like a block party, only for a whole village.

Now, if you live the French country, and have no neighbors, then you probably live by “un champ de blé”, “a wheat field”!

Enjoy!

In this series of mini-lesson tweets on Twitter, we help you perfect your house-related vocabulary to become a master in knowing French homes. Here is the recap of this week’s phrases for your reference:

If you are lucky and have a backyard, “un jardin”, you can sunbathe in the summer.

And if you don’t have a backyard, you can still open “la fenêtre”, “the window”, for some fresh air.

Take a look at your neighbor’s life by getting up “le toit”, ‘the roof”.

What do you do with your “garage”, “garage”? Park your car? Store your things?

You are “casanier” (male) or “casanière” (female) if you are a homebody “Je suis casanière en hiver.” In the winter I am being a homebody.

Enjoy!

In this series of mini-lesson tweets on Twitter, we help you perfect your house-related vocabulary to become a master in knowing French homes. Here is the recap of this week’s phrases for your reference:

Where you hang out with family and friends : “le salon”, “the living-room”.

Where the magic happens (or not) : “la cuisine”, “the kitchen”.

Where the magic also happens (or not) : “la chambre”, “the bedroom”.

Have you ever waited for someone to get out of the bahtroom, “la salle de bain”?

Usually in France the bathroom is separated from “les toilettes”, “the restrooms”.

It’s always nicer to work from home, in your  “bureau”, “office”.

Hope you enjoyed!

Every month, we are giving away great FrenchPod101.com prizes to 4 lucky listeners. Sign up to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or FrenchPod101.com to be eligible to win. Increase your chances of winning by following us on all four sites!

Here are November’s winners:

Facebook: Vicki Truitt
Youtube: SeniorUser
Twitter: vickitruitt
FrenchPod101: mopsley

See your name here? Email us at contactus@FrenchPod101.com to claim your prize. Check back next month for December’s winners!

In this series of mini-lesson tweets on Twitter, we help you perfect your public transportation vocabulary to become a subway master in France. Here is the recap of this week’s phrases for your reference:

When users are mad at strikers from the Paris subway they say “RATP: Rentre Avec Tes Pieds”, “RATP: Go home by foot”.

Need you daily dose of caffeine while riding the train? Ask “Où est le wagon-restaurant?”, Where is the restaurant car?

When you missed your train and try to negotiate with an agent, start with “J’ai raté mon train”, I missed my train”.

Tired of public transportation? Get in a cab! Tell the driver where you go with “Je vais à …”, I am going to…

Using public transportation allows us to avoid “les embouteillages”, traffic jam.

Have you heard of “le vélib”? It’s a public bicycle rental program in Paris.

Bicycles in Paris have to ride on the bus lane, “le couloir de bus”. Dangerous!

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In this series of mini-lesson tweets on Twitter, we help you perfect your public transportation vocabulary to become a subway master in France. Here is the recap of this week’s phrases for your reference:

Don’t wait for ever at that bus stop on a Sunday, and ask “Ce bus fonctionne le dimanche?”, Does this bus work on Sundays?

Are you given the look by someone you just bumped into? The basics: “Excusez-moi”, Sorry.

You’d better validate your ticket before you get on the train, “Où est-ce que je composte mon billet?”, Where do I validate my ticket?

Going to the Riviera and nver coming back? Ask for “un aller simple”, a one-way ticket, at the ticket booth.
Taking a day trip outside Paris and need a round trip ticket? Ask for “un aller-retour”, a round trip ticket.

Some country train station don’t have English signs. Look for a “guichet” sign to find the ticket booth.

Why is the train station empty? Why is the subway not working? There might be “une grève”, a strike.

When you ride Paris subway, you ride with la “Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens”, “Autonomous Management of Parisian Transportation”.

In this series of mini-lesson tweets on Twitter, we help you perfect your public transportation vocabulary to become a subway master in France.  Here is the recap of last week’s phrases for your reference:

When the bus map doesn’t make any sense to you, “Quel est le prochain arrêt?”, What is the next stop?

Don’t take the wrong bus, “Vous vous arrêtez à …(name of the stop)?”, Do you stop at (name of the stop)?

You need to find the right platform, “Où est le train pour (name of the city)?”, Where is the train for Bordeaux?

To be able to sit on the subway train, ride during “l’heure creuse”, off hours.

Vous descendez ici?

Someone stubbornly standing in the way of the bus door? Say “Excusez-moi, je descends ici”, Excuse me, I get off here.

Pregnant at rush hour? Say “Je voudrais m’asseoir s’il vous plaît.”, I would like to sit please.

Stay tuned daily for our tweets, and for those of you who haven’t started following us on Twitter, head there now and sign up!