Ça Va: 6 Ways to Use the Incredibly Popular French Phrase

Even if you’re only at the beginning of your French learning journey, you’ve probably come across the phrase ça va…or you soon will. Ça va (literally “it goes”) is one of the most common French phrases and is most commonly used as the shortened form of comment ça va (how are you.) Some of its …

READ LESSON

What You Really Need to Know About Writing French Letters and Emails

When I was learning French in school, writing letters was one of the most intimidating things we covered. There were so many formules de politesse (polite phrases and salutations) and all of them seemed absolutely required to be included in any formal or business correspondence. Then, I came to France and found that letter (and …

READ LESSON

How to Use (And Not to Use) Au Contraire

Au contraire means “On the contrary”. But if you’re an English-speaker, the phrase’s translation isn’t contrary at all; it turns out we use it the same way the French do. Still, it’s not quite so simple. Let’s take a closer look at au contraire. The meaning of au contraire Important: There is only one way …

READ LESSON

The essential French cooking terms you need to know

Whether you’re a budding chef, enthusiastic foodie, or just trying to expand your knowledge of the French language and culture, there are two main kinds of French cooking vocabulary you need to know: cooking words commonly used in French recipes, and French cooking words that have been borrowed into English. Let’s look at the most common …

READ LESSON

The 25 most beautiful French words (and how to pronounce them)

Many people consider French to be one of the most beautiful languages in the world. But what are some of the most beautiful French words? It turns out that while the French have a lot of opinions about many different topics, favorite words doesn’t seem to be among the most popular. Of course, this is …

READ LESSON

Faire Conjugation: How to Use the Common French Verb

When it comes to French verbs, faire is one of the most important to learn. The fourth most frequently used verb by the French, it essentially means “to do” or “to make”. It’s also present in a number of important phrasal verbs and common expressions. In addition to being a big, important verb, faire is …

READ LESSON