Have fun learning French!
Happy Vacation!
Have a great two weeks off! If you are inspired to continue “French is Fun” at home, check out some of the links on this page or elsewhere on the internet (check out this resources page for a starting point!).
Bonnes Vacances…On se voit en deux semaines!
Have a great vacation…We’ll see each other in two weeks!
Your French teacher, Mme. Amanda lived in Paris, the “City of Lights”, for a whole semester (4/5 months) in college, and I feel I just barely started to discover the beautiful, historic city!
Let’s learn about Paris!
Fun Fact: Did you know the Romans called Paris “Lutèce” originally? It was later named “Parisii” for the fisherman that lived there. There is a lot of rich history in Paris.
Here are some links to learn more about these popular attractions in Paris:
Whether or not you actually ever have the pleasure of visiting Paris, the city of lights, everyone can enjoy learning about this culturally-rich filled city!
Interesting links:
-Listen to the song “Champs Elysees” by Joe Dassin
–Interactive panoramic tour of Paris and its monuments
-official website of Paris
Étudiants en France – A Student’s Life in France
Read about a teenage boy in France: Dimitri and his daily life in France
(Focus on the questions given to you on your handout)
If you’d like to learn more about what school and life are like for students in France, read these links:
1) Carli (a Californian) shares what her life is like as a student studying in France
2) Look at a day in the life of a student in France (Christophe and Celine)
3) A Kid’s Life in France *Note- Site created by a student. It is Saturday, not Sunday morning students go to school.
4) Life of a French High School Student
5) video “Life in France”
La France et Ses Voisins
(France and its Neighbors)
Voila, La France et Les Voisins!
Pourquoi Parle Français? – Why Speak French?
Parce que Français est amusant, n’est-ce pas?! French is Fun. Right now we are having fun learning French; some basic words from the language, as well as information about France, other French-speaking countries, and other cultures.
You will have your own reasons you may choose to learn French in the future. Here are some you may not have thought of:
7 Reasons To Learn the French Language
Why are you interested in speaking French? What other languages would you like to learn?
La Mode – C’est Chic!
Fashion, or “la mode”, in French, is important to many people across the world. Even if you do not personally care about name brands or what’s in style “chic”, you still have to wear clothes! We will be learning more about French fashion, but first I wanted to share some trends I saw at some clothing stores recently (2014!)
If you look hard enough, you may also find shirts or other clothing with either French words on them, like “bonjour” or “je t’aime”, written on them. It’s been and continues to be a trend to have something to do with France or its capital, Paris.
Here’s a good one for Valentine’s Day:
Did you see the opening ceremony for the 2014 Sochi Olympics? Did you notice that on our American broadcast we heard the English, Russian (as would be expected), and…en français (in French)?!
That’s because French, along with English, is one of the official languages of the Olympics. It is also one of the most common languages used in Europe.
Wikipedia explains how they announce the participants in the Olympic “Parade of Nations”: “Announcers announce each country’s name in English and French, as they both are the official languages of the Olympics, and the dominant language of the area of the host city, if neither English nor French are the dominant languages.”
Take a look: France’s Olympics website
In the news: France’s Martin Fourcade Wins Gold (biathlon)
Keep an eye out for more French Olympians and medal wins!
Joyeuse Saint Valentin! Valentine’s Day is celebrated in France, similarly to in America, with the giving of cards, gifts, chocolates, and flowers. Paris, the capital of France, has several nicknames, one of which is: “The City of Love.”
Interesting facts: The first Valentine’s Day card is said to have been written by the young French Duke of Orleans to his wife from his imprisonment in the Tower of London, in 1415! (You can see it here)
French today – Different fun links!
Nicknames
Mon amour – my love
Mon ange – my angel
Mon trésor – my treasure
Mon coeur – my heart
Mon petit chou – my little cabbage*
Mon lapin – my rabbit
Ma cherie (for girls/women) – my dear
Mon cheri (for guys/men) – my dear
La Famille – the Family
Voila- French family vocabulary
Game to practice extended family
La Famille en France
Introduction
Here is some of the French we are learning in the first and second week of “French is Fun”:
Bonjour / Salut – Hello / Hi
Je m’appelle … – My name is…
Comment tu t’appelles? – What is your name?
Au revoir / Salut – Goodbye / Bye
More information/activities to explore: