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Oui, c’est la vie ! Souvent vous lisez ou entendez une phrase et vous vous demandez : « Mais qu’est-ce que cela veut dire ? » Alors aujourd’hui, nous allons apprendre plusieurs expressions bien françaises que vous rencontrerez quand vous aurez la chance de mettre les pieds en France. Allons-y !
Yes, that’s life! Often you read or hear a sentence and wonder, “What the hell does this mean?” So today, we are going to learn several very French expressions that you will encounter when you have the chance to set foot in France. Let’s go!
Voir rouge: être en colère – Il a vu rouge quand un automobiliste a tamponné sa voiture.
(to see red – to be angry) – He saw red when a motorist collided his car.
Avoir des idées noires : être déprimé, avoir le cafard – La mort d’un proche lui a donné des idées noires.
(to have black ideas – to be depressed, be down in the dumps) – The death of a loved one gave him dark thoughts.
Broyer du noir – Il broyait du noir depuis sa banqueroute.
(to brood – he was brooding ever since his bankruptcy)
Voir tout en noir – Elle voyait toujours tout en noir.
(to be pessimistic – She was always pessimistic)
Prendre la vie du bon côté: être optimiste. – Elle prenait la vie du bon côté et ignorait les adversités.
(Taking life from the bright side – She was taking life on the bright side and was ignoring the adversities.)
Voir le côté positif des choses – Rien ne la troublait, elle voyait seulement le côté positif des choses.
(To see the bright side of things – Nothing would disturb her, she’d see only the bright side of things.)
C’est gagné d’avance ! –Elle y arrivera, c’est gagné d’avance !
(It’s a sure thing! She’ll make it, it’s a sure thing!)
Y arriver – Il y arrivera, je t’assure.
(to make it – He’ll make it, trust me.)
Regonfler le moral – Son frère lui a regonflé le moral après son échec au tournoi de tennis.
(to cheer someone up – His brother cheered him up after his failure at the tennis tournament.
Faire confiance – Je lui ai fait confiance et tout a marché comme sur des roulettes.
(to trust – I trusted him and everything went like a charm.)
Marcher comme sur des roulettes : marche sans aucun accroc.
(Running like clockwork: working without a hitch.)
Sans accroc – La soirée s’est déroulée sans accroc.
(without a hitch – the evening went without a hitch.)
Revenons à nos moutons – Revenons à notre sujet
(Let’s get back to our sheep – Let’s get back to our topic)
Cette expression vient de « La farce de Maître Pathelin, » qui fut écrite au Moyen-Âge par un auteur inconnu. Édouard Fournier l’adapta selon la langue française de l’époque pour une représentation à la Comédie Française le 26 novembre 1872.
This expression comes from a comedy titled « La farce de Maître Pathelin. » It was written by an unknown author in the Middles Ages. The French was adapted by Édouard Fournier pour une représentation à la Comédie Française le 26 novembre 1872.
Comme un cheveu sur la soupe – Pas au bon moment
(Like a hair on the soup – Not at the right time) – Il entra dans la salle de réunion comme un cheveu sur la soupe. – (he came in the conference room not at the right time.)
Sans crier gare – sans avertir/à l’improviste – N’arrivez pas sans crier gare !
(Without warning – without notification / unannounced – Don’t arrive without warning!
Prendre ses aises – Ne pas se gêner – Prenez vos aises, faites comme chez vous.
(Make yourself comfortable – Don’t be embarrassed – Make yourself comfortable, do like at home)
Faire l’école buissonnière – être absent à l’école – L’école buissonnière était toujours plus plaisante.
(Playing hooky – being absent from school – Playing hooky was always more fun.)
Sécher un cours – ne pas aller en classe – Elle séchait tous les cours de physique.
(Skipping a class – not going to class – She skipped all physics classes.)
« Un buisson » is a bush. « Sécher »;literally means “to dry.”
Avez-vous appris quelquechose ? J’aimerais le savoir.
Did you learn anything? I’d like to know.
Vous avez des questions? Contactez-moi !/ Do you have questions? Contact me!
New French words spoken by the people force them to eventually enter the French Dictionaries every year. They come from what the French borrow from what they live day in, day out, from other languages such as English, or areas such as Africa, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, etc.
Maybe those which have taken the less time to get into the dictionary are related to the current pandemic. French and foreign newspapers made a big deal out of it. As a comparison, in 1990 a review of the French language brought about several changes. However, it took until 2016 for these to
appear in the French dictionaries!
According to an article in Le Monde published in May 2019, the 2020 Petit Larousse dictionary has an addition of some 150 new French words.
For example, “divulgâcher,” which obviously comes from to “divulge” and “spoil,” (“gâcher” in French) and means to reveal prematurely.
“Ubériser” which is to make an existing business model obsolete.
Another new French word: le “bioplastique,” which indicates either biodegradable plastic, or plastic originating from biodegradable resources. However it may not be necessarily biodegradable, depending on what processes were applied to it. It took a considerable amount of time for the word to enter the French dictionary.
Indeed, it is interesting to note that bioplastic already existed in ancient Egypt and reappeared in the 17th century with the discovery of natural rubber. However, what is considered as the first plastic is a mixture of cellulose, nitric acid and camphor discovered in 1855 by Alexander Parkers (English chemist and metallurgist) and marketed in 1869 in the United States by the Hyatt brothers.
Pixabay – Rubber Tree
In the early 1920s, IG Farben began manufacturing petroleum-based plastics. The use of bioplastics is somehow “disappearing” until humanity begins to realize the damage to the aquatic fauna due to the tons of plastics thrown into the ocean that do not break down.
Next, a new word coming from the English language: “bore-out” which means to be professionally depressed by uninteresting work.
And now let us have a look at Le Petit Robert 2121. It welcomes the words of the pandemic, among others, “la Covid,” which is Covid-19 of course.
As a point everyone in France is talking about “le Covid” but l’Académie Française has decided that it should be “la Covid” because it is referring to an illness which stands for “la maladie” and is a feminine noun. But when this word came out, everyone was saying “le coronavirus” because “virus” is masculine, thus people transferred “le coronavirus” into “le Covid.” We do need our Academicians to keep us on the rails.
Then we have “le déconfinement,” this is ending the lockdown, “télétravailler,” meaning telecommuting, “le patient zéro,” which represents the patient from which a viral disease originates.
There are many others that cover other fields. Here are a few:
Un “texto,” to name a digital text, la “story,” which is to tell one’s story, “Lady Gaga,” le “cloud,” le “bot, “brainstormer” and “spammer,” all coming from the English language. None of these should be new words for you.
We also have “reconditionné,” meaning “repackaged,” as well as “technophile,” lover of technology and “technophobe,” hater of technology!
Sources: Le monde May 19, 2020 – https://www.lemonde.fr/culture/article/2019/05/07/adulescence-uberiser-bore-out-klouker-les-nouveaux-mots-du-dictionnaire_5459430_3246.html
Le Petit Robert.com – https://www.lerobert.com/mots-nouveaux-petit-robert.html
To get help with French new words or old French words write to learnfrenchwithbrigitte@gmail.com
Whether you’re a beginner or looking to brush up on your French, these phrases, from greetings and introductions to common expressions used in daily life, will help you build a foundation for basic French conversation. Mastering these 100 essential phrases will set you on the path to becoming a confident French speaker.
You get the text and the audio. And we’ll send you more. If there is a particular topic you want covered. Write back and let us know.
Several High Schools are delivering French in Simi Valley and surrounding cities. This, in spite of being right in the middle of the highest speaking Spanish population in the US, at 40 miles North of downtown Los Angeles. However, this is not so surprising when you know that California counts over 120,000 French speaking people and, per a study made by the investment bank Natixis, the number of French speaking people in the world is meant to increase drastically within the next 30 years due to the African continent’s forecast development .
So, if you live in the Simi or Conejo Valleys and are interested in learning the French language, simply apply to one of these establishments listed below:
Royal High School
1402 Royal Ave, Simi Valley, CA 93065
Phone: (805) 306-4875
Standing since 1968, Royal HS delivers French as part of the International Baccalaureat (IB program).
Simi Valley High School
5400 Cochran Street, Simi Valley, CA 93065
Phone (805) 577-1400
Simi Valley HS was established in 1920 and will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The French language is part of their curriculum.
Santa Susanna High School
570 Cochran St, Simi Valley, CA 93063
Phone: (805) 520-6800
Santa Susanna HS was built in 1970 and is located 6-7 miles down the same street as Simi Valley HS. They also teach French as part of their syllabus.
Thousand Oaks High School
2323 N Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Phone: (805) 495-7491
Founded in 1962, you’ll be able to learn French at the Thousand Oaks HS
La Reina High School
106 W Janss Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Established in 1964, La Reina HS is a private independent high school and lists French on its curriculum.
Newbury High School
456 N Reino Rd, Newbury Park, CA 91320
Phone: (805) 498-3676
Standing since 1967, Newbury HS delivers French as part of its IB program.
Westlake High School
100 Lakeview Canyon Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
(805) 497-6711
Westlake HS is in Ventura county and presents French on its curriculum.
Christian Oaks High School
31749 La Tienda Rd, Westlake Village, CA 91362
Phone: (818) 575-9900
Founded in 2000, Christian Oaks HS is a non-denominational high school and shows French on its syllabus.
Viewpoint High School
23620 Mulholland Hwy, Calabasas, CA 91302
(818) 591-6500
Viewpoint School is a private school in Calabasas, Los Angeles County. It delivers French as part of its curriculum.
Adolfo Camarillo High School
4660 Mission Oaks Blvd, Camarillo, CA 93012
(805) 389-6407
Adolfo Camarillo HS was established in 1956 and offers French as one of the languages taught.
Head over to my contact page here. I’ll give you certainty you can master French in less time than you think.
The Reagan Library invites you to a fabulous Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition in Simi Valley. Not only will you find copies of pages of the famous Codex Atlanticus written in mirror image, i.e. written with the left hand from left to right, but also live representations of his many sketches and drawings throughout it. For example, you’ll admire his Musical Cannon and Great Organ.
Leonardo Da Vinci was born in the small town of Vinci in Tuscany, close to Florence, Italy, on 14 April 1452. He died at Clos Lucé, Amboise, France, on 2 May 1519 at the age of 67.
At age 14, Leonardo Da Vinci apprenticed in Verrocchio’s workshop in Florence. Andrea del Verrocchio was a painter, sculptor and goldsmith. He was the master of a workshop where he trained many painters.
There, Leonardo, exposed not only to the humanities but also to a vast range of technical skills such as drafting, drawing, painting, sculpting, modeling, chemistry, metallurgy, mechanics, carpentry. At 20, he became a master in the Guild of St Luke, the guild of artists and doctors of medicine.
Up until 1481 he was commissioned for several paintings in Florence. Then, in 1482 he moved to Milan where he was at the service of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan. He was employed as a military architect and engineer, devising methods to improve the city waterways.
At the same time, he painted The Last Supper in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. He completed it in 1498.
In 1499, after the French invaded Italy, Ludovico Sforza was overthrown. Subsequently, Leonardo returned to Florence. Between 1500 and 1502 he painted The Virgin and Child with St. Anne and St. John the Baptist.
In 1502 he started working for Cesare Borgia as a military architect and engineer. He was traveling with him throughout Italy. You will observe, as you move along the exhibition, his numerous works relating to battleships and artillery as well as city planning.
At the end of 1503, he went back to Florence where he spent two years painting a great mural of The Battle of Anghiari for the Signoria (the Florence government at the time).
From 1513 to 1516, he worked at the Belvedere in the Vatican palace along with Raphael and Michelangelo. In 1515, Francis I of France won the Battle of Marignano. Then, on 19th December, Leonardo assisted at the meeting between Francis I and Pope Leo X in Bologna. Subsequently, he was commissioned to build a mechanical lion for Francis I. The lion walks and hands lilies. A live representation of it stands at the beginning of the tour.
For the last three years of his life, he worked for Francis I, and lived at Clos Lucé near the king’s residence at the Chateau Royal d’Amboise.
The king became a close friend. He was the one who eventually acquired the Mona Lisa painting which is now on display at The Louvres museum in Paris.
Throughout his life, Leonardo da Vinci has had a drive and concern of producing useful work for the community. This intention reflects in the details and precision of each of his endeavors. His notes were meticulous and precise. One example is what he did with the Vitruvian man as well as his study of the human body anatomy.
The 500th anniversary of his death has generated numerous expos throughout Europe and the USA. The Simi Valley Leonardo Da Vinci Exhibition is a must see for all. If you happen to live in the area, don’t miss the incredible opportunity to meet one of the genius of all times. It ends September 8, 2019.
Grammar is the user’s manual to put words in the correct sequence to make sentences. Refer to “grammar” here for a more complete definition. As a grammar tutor I will help you understand the structure of a sentence. I’ll teach you how to spot when you’re in trouble and how to get on top of it before it is too late. A language consists of various spoken sounds and their written representation are what we call words. Assembled words according to the rules of grammar is what makes communication possible.
When you know the function of each word in a sentence then, any study or communication becomes easy. This, as long as you ensure you understand the words you’re using. I’ll help you on this too.
The majority of my students come to me because they simply cannot follow in French. Very often it is a matter of straightening some basic English grammar. The structure of our language is unfortunately taught in a way that most students have a hard time to grasp. In fact, there is no reason for this difficulty, as basic grammar is easy. It isn’t that the student is stupid, it is the fact that the teacher gives an obscure explanation and thus creates a confusion. Fortunately, this is easily remedied.
I teach grammar to anyone who has problems with writing in his own language or difficulties to acquire a second language.
The whole purpose of grammar is to be able to write a sentence that communicates to the reader or listener. Grammar is also needed when you want to learn another language. Indeed, grasping its basics will facilitate your understanding and mastering of the other language.
Grammar is a very simple subject. Most of the time a couple of hours will be all what you need to handle the original difficulty. It goes hand in hand with the understanding of words. There is a method of understanding words and remember their meaning.
If you’re struggling writing an essay in your native language about a subject you are familiar with, if you’re struggling learning a second language, the first thing you should check is your comprehension of basic grammar in your mother tongue. Once the basics are cleared, the rest flows. One or two hours spent learning the basics of grammar are well worth their while. Contact me here.
50 years ago (1968) Geneva, Switzerland, saw the creation of the IB Diploma Programme. The objective was and still is, to provide an international education to live, learn and work in a world which was and is becoming more and more connected. Currently, the program uses three official languages: English, French and Spanish.
The IB Diploma Programme first official exams occurred in 1970. To this day, this two-year program is the sesame to enter universities and colleges across the world. However, other programs, which were added in the 90’s such as the Middle Years Programme in 1994 and the Primary Years Programme in 1997, now prepare students in their early years from 3 years of age. Since 2012, the Career-related Programme offers an additional option to the 16-19 year old crowd.
If you’re French and wonder if the International Baccalaureate® is the same as the “Bac” that you get at the end of secondary school in France, well, not quite. If you’re planning in continuing your higher studies in France, you should probably follow the French curriculum. But if you’re planning on studying in the UK or the US, or anywhere else for that matter, you’re probably better off with the IB. You will find a bit more details here.
Taken from the International Baccalaureate ® Organization (IBO) website, here is its mission:
“The International Baccalaureate ® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.
These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.”
I’ll only cover here the two-year program that prepares students to enter colleges and universities of their choice internationally called the Diploma Programme or DP. In short:
1) the program is for 16-19 year old students.
2) the program is delivered in schools who have been authorized to do so by the IBO.
3) The DP curriculum is composed of three mandatory elements called DP Core and I quote from the horse’s mouth:
a) “Theory of knowledge, in which students reflect on the nature of knowledge and on how we know what we claim to know.”
b)”The extended essay, which is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper.”
c) “Creativity, activity, service, in which students complete a project related to those three concepts.”
4) “The six subject groups are:
a) Studies in language and literature
b) Language acquisition
c) Individuals and societies
d) Sciences.
e) Mathematics
f) The arts.”
You will find all the details on their website.
People who are successful have a specific goal in mind and follow the needed steps with persistence which will lead them to it. “Specific”, “needed steps” and “persistence” are in bold as these points are paramount to success. This is nothing new, simply a reminder. Wishy-washy hope in any endeavor won’t get anyone anywhere and so it is for your high school diploma. To succeed, you’ve got to know why you’re doing it and what’s your purpose.
If you’re wondering whether the IB is for you, a good way to find out is to go to YouTube and watch some of the people who have done it successfully and listen to what they recommend. Just because they’ve been there, they know what it takes, and they will tell you. Start with Brighton below:
Below are the schools I found delivering the IB in the neighborhood. If you happen to come across my site and your school is delivering the IB but is not listed below, use the contact form on this site and let me know, I’ll add it to the list.
Royal High School – 1402 Royal Avenue, Simi Valley, CA 93065. This school offers the IB French SL (Standard Level).
Newbury Park High School – 456 N Reino Rd, Newbury Park, CA 91320. The school offers the French IB.
Agoura High School – 28545 W Driver Avenue Agoura Hills, CA 91301. The school offers the French IB.
