Learn French for free with these free French lessons for intermediate learners! Often with audio recorded by native speakers.
As French verbs go, mettre isn’t the most exciting. It’s got practical definitions, it isn’t living a double life, and it doesn’t immediately evoke big, thrilling feelings like inspiration. But mettre might also be one of the most underrated verbs in French. It’s used in so many ways and in so many expressions that it’s …
READ LESSONAll About “Mettre”, One of the Most Underrated French Verbs
What sound does a hen make in France? It depends on who you ask. A French person would say cot cot, but an Anglophone would answer “cluck”. Both are correct. Onomatopoeias are words that sound like what we hear. Although the actual sounds around us don’t change from country to country or language to language, …
It may have only two letters, but “by” is a big a word! We use it in so many situations, from giving directions, to talking about art and literature, to expressions – and so much more. But unlike many other words like this, “by” doesn’t have an exact, constant French equivalent. Luckily, if by chance …
Quick – name a French cookie! If you couldn’t, don’t be disappointed. The French are known for their pastries, but they’re not a cookie culture. No, “cookie culture” isn’t an actual term used to categorize civilizations. I made it up. But hopefully you get what I mean. There are some cultures, like the Anglo-Saxon one …
Even if you’re just starting to study French, believe it or not, you’ve already got a pretty extensive vocabulary! The reason for this is over 10,000 English words come from French. Many others come from Latin, the language from which French originated. This means that a significant number of English words have either exact French …
“Please don’t use the passé simple tense in your essay.” This is the first sentence our professor told us, a group of French college students, as we were about to take an exam. “Most French college students don’t know how to use the passé simple properly”, he went on. My professor was right. Most French …
READ LESSONThe Ultimate Guide to the Passé Composé (And The DR MRS P. VANDERTRAMP Rule)