Boire, meaning to drink in French, is one of the most useful verbs in the language. Whether we’re talking about drinking water or wine, or whether it’s a person or an animal who drinks, you’ll surely want to know your boire conjugation. Boire is an irregular verb, so many of its tenses Keep reading...
Plurals in French: A full guide on how to form le pluriel en français
How do we form plurals in French? Often it’s as simple as adding an -s, just like you do in English. Words with certain endings, however, have different rules for forming their French plurals. So which French plurals end in -x, and which ones remain unchanged? What about pluralizing compound nouns in Keep reading...
Le plus-que-parfait: The French tense that’s more than perfect
Le plus-que-parfait… quite literally, the tense that’s more than perfect! All about actions or situations that took place before another past action, this tense actually goes by two names in English: the pluperfect and the past perfect. Not heard of it before? Le plus-que-parfait is certainly one of the more advanced French Keep reading...
Joie de Vivre vs Métro, Boulot, Dodo: French outlooks on life
The French are known for their laid-back lifestyle, where simple pleasures readily take precedence over mundane obligations. This outlook is summed up well in the French expression joie de vivre, meaning literally joy of living. On the flipside, a high proportion of French people still have a predictable work routine Keep reading...
italki vs LingoCulture: A full review of both online language platforms
If your goal is to learn French quickly but can’t focus your life on total immersion, taking regular one-on-one lessons is probably the best way to get conversational fast. And while in-person instruction may be great, online French classes are often the ideal option thanks to their flexibility and convenience. But Keep reading...
When to use passé composé vs imparfait: A full guide
Every French learner will have to know when and how to use the two most common French past tenses: the passé composé and the imparfait. These aren’t the only French past tenses, but they’re by far the most widely used, and unsurprisingly, the two most widely confused! In this article, we’re Keep reading...
La bise: Our guide to French kissing culture
Are you confused by French greeting kisses? From saying hello using la bise, to full-on tongue kissing, we’ll fill you in on how things work in our French kissing culture! We’ll focus today’s post on the cultural significance and background of la bise, which refers to the little greeting kisses on Keep reading...
I don’t know in French: How to express lack of knowledge in French
Ironically, among the basic French phrases that you need to know is the phrase I don’t know. This statement, along with related statements like I don’t understand or I don’t know French, is essential in communicating a lack of knowledge, or that you need someone to repeat or rephrase what they’ve just said. This Keep reading...
Au Contraire: Understanding this French expression of opposition
The expression au contraire is a widely used phrase in both French and English. In its most basic sense, the French au contraire meaning in English is on the contrary. It’s generally used to express a contradiction or to counter a statement that someone else has made. Today we’ll take a close look at this Keep reading...
How to say Good Night in French: Bonne Nuit and more
As the day winds down, knowing how to articulate a heartfelt good night in French can add a touch of elegance and warmth to your evening farewells. Just like in English, we have a variety of expressions for saying good night in French, each with its own nuances and level of formality. Keep reading...