There aren't too many women in the world named Geraldine, but it's my name (although “Geri” is how I am known) and also the name of another French online teacher, Géraldine Lepère. I would like to introduce you to her work.
She is a 27 year old expert in French language and lifestyle and her videos are fresh and fun and full of information you won't normally find in books.
Géraldine has a delightful teaching called Comme une Française in which she reaches out to expat women in France (as well as the rest of us) with helpful little lessons on choosing the right French words and expressions. In many cases she saves you from making embarrassing mistakes as the following link will demonstrate but also deals with everyday issues like “tu” or “vous” and how to order a café like a French person would. She has a wide selection of videos and also offers courses. Do check out her offerings which will make you smile as she draws you in with her vibrant personality and helpful information. The following link is one of my favorites, but it does deal with “risqué” subjects so be careful if sharing with students. CLICK HERE to watch the video. It will spare you many “uh oh” moments! Enjoy.
HAPPY NEW YEARS!
Jevous Souhaite Une Annee 2017 Pleine De Joie! For those who don't speak French, it says “I wish you a 2017 full of joy”. But on the right side there are lots of other wishes: full of success, of delicious things, of love, of friendship, of laughter, of health, of hugs and many more. So adding them all up is my wish for all who read this blog. Please don't lose out on the amazing sale of my video course—30% is a huge discount and it is over the last day of this year. Give yourself the gift of a better French accent. Click on the image below and SIGN UP TODAY!
Bonne Année.
Enjoy the Beauty of Christmas in France
With this lovely article on Christmas in France from France Today, I would like to share the love and warmth of this beautiful season with all of you. This time of year has so much significance to so many on so many levels. The Solstice which brings a promise of the light to come; the Christmas tree and the greens that we bring into the house to have the aliveness of the plants with us in the darkest time of the year; the lights, the gifts, the joy of children, the familiar music, all raise the vibration of mankind and remind us of a higher way of goodness and beauty. May that love be with us all and guide our thoughts and actions in the coming year and beyond. *Meilleurs voeux.
(*I know a lot of folks have trouble pronouncing this expression which means “best wishes”. I taught how to say it in the first of the series “Hard Words in French” which you can find on my You Tube channel. HERE
CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
#ChristmasinFrance
Yves St-Laurent in Seattle
One of my favorite bloggers about France is French Girl in Seattle. She always features delightful articles accompanied by exceptional photos. The one I am sharing here is about the Yves St-Laurent exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum. French Girl gives an excellent overview of St-Laurent's life and work with exciting photos and even a trailer for the movie about the iconic fashion designer who gave us so many of the “looks” we have worn and admired over the years.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
And be sure to check out French Girl in Seattle you'll be glad you did
French jokes for Halloween
Although the French have in more recent times embraced some of the Halloween tradition, it's true that this day is usually thought of as particularly a phenomenon of the British Isles and North America. Of course the 31st of October and the 1st of November have religious significance as Hallowed Eve before All Saints Day, but when we say Halloween we are usually thinking of pumpkins, costumes, trick or treating and spooky things. I got a lot of laughs from these Halloween jokes in French and hope you do, too.
The Good Life France
Photo credit: Gai Reid
If you are like me, you never tire of seeing beautiful photos of France and reading about French culture, charming villages to visit, cuisine, markets, and all the other delightful aspects of the country we love—and that is the most visited country in the world. For a feast of enticing images, articles and information on France, I want to highly recommend one of my favorite web addresses. The website is hosted by Janine Marsh, a lovely British woman who has settled in France. She also publishes a delightful online magazine and sends out a weekly newsletter—all absolutely FREE! Janine is a professional travel writer and has a heart full of love—not only for France but for her large collection of cats, dogs, chickens, ducks, geese and any critter who finds its way to her door. The link below will take you to the website where you will find a very nice article that she wrote about me and my work. The whole operation of The Good Life France has Janine's warm and friendly touch to it. I am really glad I found her, and you will be, too.
The Good Life France.com
20 Images qui montrent à quel point les smartphones nous contrôlent
My apologies to those readers who don't read French, but I think you can get the idea from most of these amusing takes on our cell phone use. I think the one about “how nice for the whole family to be together” while they are all consulting their devices is particularly sad. Don't forget to breathe the fresh air, listen to the birdsongs and connect with other people and animals. There's a Real world out there to enjoy and love.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW
Quiz on French table etiquette.
This is a fun little quiz to check ourselves on what we know—or don't know—about the French table. Even though I have spent a lot of time in France, I still missed some to my surprise! The art of eating is so important to the French who give a place of honor to meals. Having a meal with friends or the family is an important rite to the French. This little quiz will help us all fit in just a little better.
CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE QUIZ!
Hard Words in French #15
#15 the French “r”. Many people think this uniquely French sound is hard to make and sounds harsh, but in reality it is very soft and quite easy to learn.
10 Funniest French Onomatopoeia - Written Sound
This informative article shared from French Today is especially appropriate for the PronouncingFrench website since we specialize in sounds. This fun blog gives the sounds that the French language uses to imitate real sounds, or onomatopoeia (maybe you remember that term from poetry units in your English classes.) So whereas in English we say “shhhh” for “be quiet”, the French say “chut”. The last entry also offers a charming video of a mother and her baby to illustrate the word for “cooing”.
"HARD WORDS IN FRENCH" #14
Hard Words #14
This is a word you see in airports and train stations, welcoming visitors, so it's a good idea to know how to say it. It does feature a French vowel that we don't have in English and that many find challenging to say. I give a hint about how French speakers form this sound which is also the sound you have in “soeur” or “oeuf”.