French Blog

20 Authentic Ways to Say Goodbye in French

You just ate in a lovely restaurant in the centre of Bordeaux. You paid, left a tip to the friendly waiter and are about to leave.

And you wonder…Should you say “au revoir”? Or is it “salut”? You want to sound friendly, but not too informal.

Oh and you’d love to communicate your desire to come back to try that fondant au chocolat the couple sitting at the next table is eating.

If only you knew how to say “see you soon” in French!

You’ll after reading this article!
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18 French Newspapers to Improve Your Reading Skills

By Benjamin Houy 6 Comments

As a kid, I was fascinated by adults reading newspapers. They looked so smart! So serious!

I wanted to be like them!

So, when I grew up, I started reading Le Monde, then Mediapart, Le Monde Diplomatique, Le Canard Enchainé…

If these names don’t sound familiar to you, this article is for you.

After reading it, you’ll know most French newspapers and the key differences between them.

How to Say “How Are You” in French Like a Local

By Benjamin Houy 2 Comments

You walk to your friend, ask him “comment allez-vous ?” (how are you) and expect a passionate answer about what’s he’s been up to lately.

Instead, your friend simply answers “good, and you?”.

What did you do wrong?

Not much.

In fact, the only mistake you made was to use the wrong “how are you”.

In French, there are at least 15 ways to say “how are you”.

Use the right “how are you” and French people will open up to you and gladly tell you about their day, thoughts and feelings.

Use the wrong form and they’ll tell you “bien merci” while you’re left wondering what to say next.

Today, I’d like to show you 10 common ways to say “how are you” in French and explain when and how to use each variation so you can easily connect with people, start conversations and show how much you care.

The 14 French TV Shows You Should Watch Next

By Benjamin Houy 6 Comments

Do you ever wish you could just sit back, relax and upload the knowledge of French to your brain?

I’m sure it’ll be possible one day, but in the meantime why not simply watch a French TV show?

You’ll learn a lot about French culture, laugh and maybe cry, but most importantly, you’ll improve your understanding of spoken French, grow your vocabulary and learn to speak French more naturally.

Don’t know which one to watch first? Here are 14 French TV shows people love!

11 Authentic Ways to Say “Sorry” in French

By Benjamin Houy 8 Comments

imagine how you’d react if your boss fired you and told you “sorry bro” as an apology.

You’d probably curse him and wonder what crossed his mind.

Now imagine how you’d react if someone bumped into you in the street and told you “I beg your pardon”.

You’d wonder why he spoke so formally, or maybe think he was actually making fun of you.

These two examples illustrate the importance of using the right phrase for the right situation, and that’s what this article will help you do.

After reading it, you’ll know the best phrase to use to say “sorry” in every situation you may encounter in France. [Read more…] about 11 Authentic Ways to Say “Sorry” in French

23 Must-See French Movies

By Benjamin Houy 63 Comments

In January 1896, the Lumières brothers invited a paying audience to watch their movie, and people panicked.

These people had never been to the cinema before and seeing a train moving on screen ovewhelmed them so much that they ran to the back of the room.

Whether this story is true or not remains uncertain, but one thing is certain: watching movies is an excellent way to learn French.

The movies you’ll find on this page are movies French learners like you enjoyed the most and a few movies I personally love. But before getting to the movies themselves, let’s talk about subtitles!

19 French Tv Channels You Can Watch Online Even If You Live Abroad

By Benjamin Houy 62 Comments

Watching French TV is one of the best ways to learn vocabulary and improve your understanding of the French language and culture.

The only problem is that finding French TV channels you can watch online can be challenging, most of all if you don’t live in France.

That’s why I’ve done all of the hard work for you and created a list of the best French TV channels you can watch online. You’ll also find some Canadian and Belgian TV channels.

In some cases, you may need to install a VPN to avoid geographical restrictions though. That’s something I show you how to do at the end of this article.
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4 Ways to Use “Quand Même” Like a Local

By Benjamin Houy 22 Comments

“Quand même” is an expression the French use all the time. The problem is that its meaning never seems to be the same.

If you open a dictionary, you’ll see that it can mean “anyway”, “even though”, “really” or “despite”.

Confusing, right?

After reading this article, you’ll know how to use “quand même” like a local and will be able to understand all the nuances behind this expression.