Archive for December, 2009

Twitter Mini-Lesson Series- Shopping

Monday, December 28th, 2009

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.”

Twitter Mini-Lesson Series - At Home

Friday, December 11th, 2009

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!

Twitter Mini-Lessons - At Home II

Friday, December 4th, 2009

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!

Twitter Mini-Lessons - At Home I

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

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!