In 1872, French author Jules Verne (1828-1905) wrote a fantastic novel that described the adventures of Phileas Fogg, a man who bet his colleagues that he could successfully travel all the way around the world in just eighty days. In the days before airplanes this would be a pretty remarkable, if not impossible feat. The … Read more
How can one travel? To show a means of transportation in French, it is important to choose the correct preposition. Ask yourself, “In or on?” If it’s “in,” use en. If it’s “on” use à. Par exemple: by car (in a car) = en voiture by bicycle (on a bicycle) = à bicyclette entrain, bateau, … Read more
How do you get there from here? Use one of these ways of travelling: train = trainbateau = boatautocar = coach busavion = airplanevoiture = carhélicoptère = helicopterautomobile = carautobus = busdos d’éléphant = the back of an elephantvélo = bikebicyclette = bicyclepied = on footmotocyclette = motorcyclemotoneige = snowmobilecheval = horse Test yourself and … Read more
Just posted! Try Club Mimi’s quiz on the forms of the verb AVOIR in the present tense: Quiz: AVOIR = to have Sponsored by Nallenart. For more information about L’Art de lire and other products, visit our website: Nallenart.com
LE THERMOMÈTRE (luh TARE-moh-MET-ruh = the thermometer) When it is winter here in Canada, you need to dress warmly to go outside. Check the thermometer first to see just how many layers of clothing you need to wear. Notice that THERMOMÈTRE is almost exactly the same as our English word thermometer. These words both come … Read more
Le CHAPEAU (luh sha-POH = the hat) Le chapeau means “the hat” in French. Notice that the letters CH say “sh” in chapeau and the letters EAU say “oh.” You can almost see the English word cap in CHAPEAU. Remember, though, that all hats are not caps! French has a different word for cap, which … Read more
L’HIVER (lee-VAYR* = the winter) L’HIVER (lee- VAYR) means winter in French. As I write, winter is now in full force in the northern hemishere, where France is located. At my home in Canada, the ground is covered with a dazzling layer of snow. Canada is famous for winter sports including skating, skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, … Read more
Bonhomme de neige, the French phrase for snowman, is a contraction of the words, BON (good) and HOMME (man) with NEIGE which, of course, means snow! This is often shortened to just BONHOMME. The English language uses the word bonhomie to describe a “good nature,” or a “pleasant manner.” Did you know that a snowman, … Read more
If you are in Canada in February, you will need a warm hat! In mostparts of Canada temperatures are regularly below freezing, zero degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. French Canada has given us LA TUQUE(la TYOOK=the tuque), a warm knitted cap that can usually be folded double at the ears for extra protection. English … Read more
Faire means to make or to do. je fais = I do, I make tu fais = you do, make (s.) il fait = he does, it does, he makes, it makes elle fait = she does, it does, she makes, it makes nous faisons = we do, we make vous faites = you do, … Read more