French grammar points – Frequently Misused Verbs: visiting, returning & coming back
The most commonly used French verbs of motion If I’m going back to Paris, I’m visiting a friend and I’ll return on Monday! The translation of these French verbs is not always straightforward. You’re visiting a friend? Instinctively, a native English speaker will say je visite. In French, we visit a city or a touristy place but not a person; therefore we cannot use the verb visiter in...Read More
French grammar points – The Negative Forms in French
The construction of the negative forms in French works differently than in English because it is composed of two elements and because of its placement: the first element, ne (n’), comes in front of the conjugated verb; the second or main negation (pas, jamais, rien, etc..) has to be placed after the conjugated verb. For example, if you wanted to make the following sentence negative,...Read More
French grammar points – Il faut – Do I Have to? Or Should I?
Il faut ! If you live or have traveled in France, you’ve probably heard these two short words over and over again. When do we use it exactly and how does the sentence construction work? We use il faut to express directions, orders and very strong suggestions. Il faut can be expressed in an impersonal or personal way. Instinctively, foreigners are likely to say “c’est nécessaire de”,...Read More
How to be Polite in French – Quelques formules de politesse
One of the first expressions everyone learns when settling in France is “Je voudrais” (I would like), which works very well for simple everyday life transactions in stores, at the markets, or for obtaining general information. But, when you wish to ask for a favour or some additional information, “Je voudrais” might seem too demanding! It would be more...Read MoreFrench Flash Cards
To help you review and remember the usage of certain French verbs and words, we created a series of flash cards. Teachers hear the same typical mistakes that are being said often due to false friends (a French word that looks awfully close to the English word but differ significantly in their meaning), or due to literal translations. If they are useful to you, we suggest that you...Read More