Don't let your child forget French!

Your child was able to benefit from French lessons during the school year. You have seen his

progress and he is very proud to know the basics of French.

However, when French lessons stop, the child gradually loses what he has learnt. The efforts

he made for a year or a term time were then wasted. This is why revising is essential so as not

to forget French or even another language. And why not go further? Maintaining your

knowledge means keeping your acquired knowledge.

What Should I do?

Taking a grammar or conjugation course in a linear mode can be boring, especially for children.

It's the holidays, and the kids want to have fun. Why make useful something pleasant? What I

am proposing to you may or may not require a permanent presence on your part or of an adult.

- Applications to learn French for children. Some apps are made for children. 5 minutes of

vocabulary review a day is not a lot.

- Books: reading is an asset to help your child progress. Depending on your child's level, if they

are at an intermediate level, they can read on their own. However, this requires knowing how to

pronounce a word. For this, you can use google translate to get the correct pronunciation.

The child writes the word and clicks on the loudspeaker symbol. There are ten booklets on the

adventures of the Martel family, a French family which introduce its young readers to their daily

lives. My students have made a lot of progress. You can even accompany this reading

with a reading card. (see the amazon link and offer reading sheets with the solution).

- Worksheets: Exercises are a good way to revise your child, especially when the fun side is

there. These sheets are online, downloadable and printable. Your child can write on it and

when you are available you can correct their mistakes. Some are free, while others are

chargeable. I offer you my printable worksheets. In order to have an idea on these sheets, I

offer you one from each bundle. I only ask one thing, it is to leave me a small message in

comment. So I could see how many people downloaded this sheet and don't hesitate to tell me

if your child liked it.

In addition my files are accompanied by solutions.

- Film for children, cartoons are a solution to maintain French learning. That makes them

improve their listening. 

- Online sites: the child interacts with the device on which he is playing. The web is full of

games and exercises in French. Some sites give the solution once the exercise is finished with

the score. It can be motivating for children.

They see their progress.

Here are some sites: https://www.languagesonline.org.uk/Hotpotatoes/frenchindex.html

https://www.francaisfacile.com/cours/cours-fle.php

https://learningapps.org/

https://wordwall.net/en-gb/community/french

https://www.french-games.net/

https://www.ortholud.com/puzzles.html (this website is mostly for French speaking children but

your non-speaker child can do these jigsaws).

Try this jigsaw online with ortholud :

https://www.ortholud.com/puzzle-sanglier.html

Do you know these 20 French expressions with animals?

 A few months ago, I made a video about expressions with vegetables and fruits.

Today, that’s expressions with animals. 

1. Heureux comme un poisson dans l’eau.

“To be happy as a fish in water”. That means to feel comfortable in a given situation.

Lisa et Pierre ont adopté un enfant et celui-ci est heureux comme un poisson dans l’eau dans sa nouvelle famille. Lisa and Pierre have adopted a child and he is as happy as a fish in water in his new family.

2. Verser des larmes de crocodile.

“To shed crocodile tears”. That means to pretend to cry. 

L’assassin essaie de tromper les policiers en versant des larmes de crocodiles.

The assassin tries to fool the police by shedding crocodile tears.

3. Avoir un porte-monnaie en peau de hérisson. 

“Having a hedgehog skin purse” means to be stingy. 

J’en ai marre de sortir avec eux. Chaque fois que l’on sort ensemble, c’est moi qui paie car ils ont un porte-monnaie en peau de hérisson. I'm tired of hanging out with them. 

Every time we go out, I pay because they have a hedgehog purse.

4. Faire avaler une couleuvre à quelqu’un.

To make someone swallow a snake. That’s the equivalent of this expression in English. Snake means serpent, the common word for all the varieties:  couleuvre, vipère, python, etc… It means to deceive someone, make them believe anything. 

Heureusement que je connais le sujet car elle me ferait avaler des couleuvres. 

Fortunately, I know the subject because it would make me swallow snakes.

5. Être comme un coq en pâte.

To be like a rooster in dough. That means to be very pampered.

Steve aime aller chez sa grand-mère, elle le gâte trop, il est comme un coq en pâte. 

Steve likes to go to his grandmother's, she spoils him too much, he's like a rooster.

6. Se regarder en chien de faïence.

To look at each other as an earthenware dog. That means some people stare at each other, look at each other suspiciously without speaking.

Gênées l’une et l’autre, elles se regardaient en chien de faïence, ne sachant que dire. 

Both embarrassed, they stared at each other, not knowing what to say.

7. Être à cheval sur quelque chose.

To be on top of something. That means to be very demanding of something, to give importance to something.

Fais attention de ne pas mettre de miettes par terre, ma tante est à cheval sur la propreté. 

Be careful not to put any crumbs on the floor, my aunt is a stickler for cleanliness.

8. Être malin comme un singe.

Equivalent in English : to be sharp as a tack. That means that someone is as sly as a monkey and can easily trick you.

Méfie-toi de ce voisin, il est malin comme un singe, il arnaque les gens avec ses combines.

 Beware of this neighbour, he is smart as a monkey, he scams people with his tricks.

9. Les chiens ne font pas de chats.

Dogs don’t make cats.That means that children inherit the character, personality, and quirks of their parents.

Ces enfants sont souvent malades comme leurs parents. Hé oui, les chiens ne font pas de chats. 

These children are often sick like their parents. Yes, dogs don't make cats.

10.  Se mettre dans un trou de souris.

Getting into a mouse hole. That means to be embarrassed so that we wish to be forgotten, not to be seen.

Hier, à la réunion, j’avais tellement honte que j’aurais voulu me mettre dans un trou de souris.

Yesterday at the meeting, I was so ashamed that I wanted to put myself in a mouse hole.

11. Poser un lapin.

“To stand someone up” that’s the equivalent of this expression. It means that someone didn’t come to an appointment or to a date and the other person who came, waited for.

Julie est furieuse car Pierre lui a encore posé un lapin.

Julie is furious because Pierre has once again stood her up.

12. Mettre la charrue avant les bœufs.

“Put the cart before the horse” that’s the equivalent of this expression in English. In French, they use a bull. That means to do things out of order.

Pour réaliser un projet, il ne faut pas mettre la charrue avant les bœufs.

To carry out a project, you must not put the cart before the horse.

13. Vendre la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué.

To buy the bear skin before killing it means to rejoice in something you haven't gotten yet.

Si tu vends la peau de l’ours avant de l’avoir tué, tu risques d’avoir de gros problèmes.

If you sell the bear skin before you kill it, you could be in big trouble.

14. Donner sa langue au chat.

“Give one’s tongue to the cat” means to give up guessing, find the solution.

Je ne connais pas la réponse, je donne ma langue au chat.

I don't know the answer, so I give my tongue to the cat.

15. Passer du coq à l’âne.

“Jump from pillar to post”. That’s the equivalent of this expression in English. To talk about a topic and skip to another one without relation between these two topics.

Je vous donne un conseil : ne sautez pas du coq à l’âne !

I give you a piece of advice: do not jump from rooster to donkey!

16. Sauter comme un cabri.

“Jump like a kid”. That means to jump quickly.

Nous étions tellement contents d’être en vacances que nous sautions comme des cabris.

We were so happy to be on vacation that we jumped like kids.

17. Être fait comme un rat.

To be made like a rat. That means to be trapped.

Les voleurs essayaient de s’échapper mais toutes les issues s’étaient refermées, ils ne pouvaient pas sortir, ils étaient faits comme des rats.

The thieves tried to escape but all the exits were closed, they couldn't get out, they were made like rats.

18. Un travail de fourmi.

“Painstaking work”. That’s the equivalent of this expression in English.  “Fourmi” in French is “ant”. This expression means a meticulous, delicate and generally long work.

Lorsque ma grand-mère brodait ses propres draps, c’ était un véritable travail de fourmi.

When my grandmother embroidered her own sheets, it was painstaking work.

19. Avoir une faim de loup.

“Could eat a horse”. It is the equivalent of this expression in English. That means to be very hungry and even to starve. “Loup” in French is "wolf".

Les ouvriers n’ont pas mangé depuis ce matin, ils ont une faim de loup.

The workers haven't eaten since this morning, they could eat a .

20. Être bavard comme une pie.

“Being talkative as a magpie” means to chat a lot.

Taisez-vous, on dirait des pies bavardes !

Shut up, they sound like talkative magpies!

What are expressions you know in French? Tell me this as a comment.

Do you prefer to watch the video instead?

https://youtu.be/dbhHdQbxkqA

Want more expressions? Email me 

celinesimoney@gmail.com and type "expressions with animals" and I will send you a pdf with other expressions that I haven't mentioned yet in this article.

8 things that you should not do in France

Have you ever had this feeling when you travelled somewhere and you were confused? For example, you did or you said a thing that nobody appreciated. Whereas in your country it is definitely natural? In this video, I will tell you 8 things that you shouldn't do if you want to be peaceful in France.

• Do not ask the wage to someone that you talk to French

French people don't appreciate being asked how much they earn. It's indiscreet and you'll be perceived as curious.

• Open and serve yourself in the fridge to someone else

Most French people don't like their visitors opening and serving themselves in the fridge or in the cupboards without being told to do it. They think that's disrespectful.

Ok if there is someone who spends several days; that's ok they are allowed to grab food in the fridge.

• Do not write in red and green

These colours call for correction, the message being illegible to read, it requires more concentration to read it. Some people think that's impolite.

• Do not say “tu” to people that you don’t know, above all those who work in the institutions like (administration, police, school…) and elderly people. 

That's definitely disrespectful. You must use “vous”.

• Swim and fish in unauthorised places

When you want to fish or to swim, you can’t practise wherever you want. Some ponds, parts of the lake are forbidden because that can be dangerous for having a bath. About fishing this could cause an imbalance in the living environment of species living in the water.

• Do not make noise at a party or for other reasons from 22:00

Between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m, if you make noise; this will be considered night noise. It is the same for major work done in a dwelling or outside.

• Do not criticise French culture and food

The French are quite chauvinistic when it comes to food and culture. If you say that French cuisine is bad as well as their culture and their tradition, you risk offending more than one person and making enemies.

• Do not leave without saying thank you and goodbye to the cashier In England, when you say thank you at the cashier that implies you say goodbye. I may seem silly to say this but in France, saying "merci" and "au revoir" (or "à bientôt") are two things to say when you say goodbye to the person who served you at the checkout.

Did you do something, out of ignorance, that was not done in France?

Adjectives: After this article, this problem will be solved!

To describe the characteristics or a state of a person or thing, we need to use adjectives. We will tell you all the aspects of the adjective. 

• How to agree an adjective
• Where to place it 
• Irregular adjectives….. Ah yes, without these, that wouldn’t be French! 

Adjectives

1 - Agreement

Adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they describe.

Example: les grands volets verts grincent. The big green shutters squeak.

This sentence contains a common noun in the plural, so the adjectives "big" and "green" take an "s" because these 2 adjectives describe the shutters. 
Other examples: Ils achètent cette petite maison. They bought this little house.
Cette maison est petite. This house is small.

Here, we add "e" to "petit" because "maison" is a feminine noun and it refers to "maison". 
Adjectives ending by “e”, is the same in the feminine
Un pantalon rouge (red trousers)
Une robe rouge (a red dress)

2 - The place of the adjectives

It can be difficult to place adjectives correctly and how confusing it can be to find that some are in front of the noun and some are after it.

What are the types of adjectives placed after a noun?

• Long adjectives

Examples:

 Une vie confortable. A comfortable life.

Un homme généreux. A generous man.

• colours 

  
  
  

Examples:

Un papillon bleu. A blue butterfly.

Des fleurs violettes. Purple flowers.

• Nationalities

  Examples:

Un plat italien.

       An Italian dish.

La boxe française.
French boxing.

• Present participles as adjectives

Examples:

Le personnel navigant. flight crew.

Un travail fatigant. A tiring work.

Did you notice that we write “fatigant” without u after the g when it comes to the adjective and “fatiguant” with gu when it comes to the present participle.

• Past participles as adjectives

Examples:

Une limonade glacée. An iced limonade.

Du café moulu. Grind coffee.

Short adjectives are placed before or after the noun. 

Examples:

Une vieille voiture. An old car. 

Une histoire courte. A short story.

However, the same adjective changes its meaning depending on the place it occupies before or behind the noun.

Examples:

Une grande femme. A great woman.

Une femme grande. A tall woman.

Here, “grand” doesn’t have the same meaning before and after the noun.

Irregular adjectives

All adjectives take “e” for feminine and “s” for plural.

But some adjectives agree differently:

Adjectives ending by:

• ial/iaux - al/aux (case: plural) un message vocal → des messages vocaux

• if /ve (case: feminine) Un homme actif  → une femme active

• eux/se  (case: feminine) Un garçon heureux → une fille heureuse

• el/le (case: feminine) Un secteur industriel  → une filière industrielle

• ien/ne (case: feminine) Mon professeur est italien → ma professeure est italienne

• on/ne (case: feminine) Ce gâteau est bon → cette confiture est bonne.

Other adjective that the form changes radically:

Vieux / vieille (old)

You wish to watch the video about adjectives?

https://youtu.be/SEYUrvkhlFQ