Our favourite French words & expressions

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As much fun as learning a language can be, it can also be really frustrating. Throughout my seven years of learning French at school, I must admit I had more than one of those moments where I wanted to hit the roof… although that may have been due to my French teachers.

Although I disliked French lessons and homework at school, I have to confess that I do actually really like the language. Not only because it’s supposedly the language of love and because it sounds lovely, but also because it’s incredibly funny. Don’t believe me? Here are some examples:

Funiculaire

One of the great things about the French language is that words can look very exciting, thus tricking you into thinking they are referring to something exceptional and spectacular.

Funiculaire unfortunately only refers to a cable car, which is not that exciting at all.

quatre-vingt-dix-neuf = ninety nine

To this day I have always struggled with the way the French count. Literally translated quatre-ving-dix-neuf means 4 times 20 + 10 + 9. So if you are bad at maths, don’t even try counting in French!

Oeuf [œf]

Step 1: Take something as simple as an egg, add an incredibly strange spelling and an even funnier pronunciation and you get oeuf.

Boeuf

Step 2: Take the word for egg, add a “b” and trick people into thinking the two things are related.

I’m sparing you the possible embarrassment on your next trip to France by telling you that there is no actual connection between oeuf and boeuf (=beef).

Ennuyeux

Despite its spectacular spelling – which I always got wrong in school  – ennuyex has a rather boring meaning – which is boring. (That’s the actual translation!).

Doigts des pied

Apparently there are no French words for toes but because there are moments in everyone’s life where it’s inevitable you will talk about them (e.g. whilst getting a pedicure or after breaking one of them and explaining to the doctor where it hurts) the French invented this very cute expression that literally translated means “Feet fingers”.

Talkie-Walkie instead of Walkie-Talkie

I tried to find a logical explanation for this. Then I realized: there isn’t one. So I came up with two possible reasons: a) this was originally a typing error which found its way into everyday-French b) it is just the French trying to be different.

Lunettes & Verre

I already stated that there are no French words for toes but that doesn’t mean that there is a shortage of words in the French language. Did you know that the French differentiate between glasses as in eyeglasses (lunettes) and glasses as in glasses of water (verre)? No? Well, now you know.

Parler le francais comme une vache espagnole

I’m not really sure why the French dislike the Spanish but literally translated this sentence means: speaking French like a Spanish cow. It is used when someone hardly speaks any French… or has a Spanish accent?

Test your French by reading this fantastic guide to Toulouse (en français / in English)

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Read what Cactus’ Cecile Sargueux has to say about her home town…and if you get stuck see the English version below.

La Ville Rose de France – ce qui fait de Toulouse une formidable destination d’études

Toulouse, capitale de la région Midi-Pyrénées, est une ville des plus pittoresques du sud de la France, où il fait bon vivre en toutes saisons.

C’est une ville universitaire attractive et historique, mais qui est aussi renommée en technologie de pointe – une des principales attractions est la Cité de L’espace, un parc à thème scientifique et éducatif basé sur l’astronomie.

Culture et Gastronomie

Les 440 000 habitants de Toulouse sont pour la plupart fiers de la culture unique de l’Occitanie, appelée aussi le Pays d’Oc (Occitan: lo País d’Òc). Cette culture commune s’étend sur tout le sud de la France, et tire ses origines de la culture espagnole, italienne et française combinées. L’Occitanie révèle toute sa beauté à travers la population, la langue, les édifices, et évidemment la nourriture!

C’est une ville hautement culturelle avec de nombreux musées exposant par exemple son héritage Cathare. De plus, des expositions d’art, des festivals et des concerts ont lieu toute l’année dans la métropole. Par ailleurs, des marchés sont organisés chaque semaine, offrant un large choix de nourriture typique de la région, tels que pain, saucisses, fruits et légumes frais etc.

Quant à la gastronomie, Toulouse regorge de plats typiques. Il faut mentionner le cassoulet, le confit de canard, les saucisses de Toulouse, les champignons, les produits issus de la fleur de Violette (bonbons, confiture…) etc. Le dessert traditionnel est le Fenêtra, un gâteau à base de pâte d’amandes, d’abricot et de citron. La boisson typique est l’Armagnac, la plus ancienne eau de vie du Sud Ouest.

Architecture et sites historiques

La particularité de la ville est que chaque bâtiment est construit à partir de briques rouges/ roses, dont le teint varie avec le soleil!  De plus, la Ville Rose, comme elle est communément appelée, détient de nombreux monuments répertoriés par l’UNESCO, tels que le Canal du Midi ou l’église St Sernin. La place principale est la place du Capitole où le symbole de l’Occitanie, une croix à douze pointes, est gravé au sol avec un signe astrologique à chacune des pointes.

Population et mode de vie

Il y a plus de 100 000 étudiants à Toulouse, qui représente ainsi la 3ème plus importante ville universitaire de France. Le soir, la ville reste dynamique et chaleureuse, et les bars et rues sont souvent bondés toute la nuit durant, surtout lorsque le climat est doux. La journée, les Toulousains aiment déambuler dans les rues du centre ville, ou bien le long de la Garonne. Ils apprécient aussi le fait de s’asseoir à la terrasse d’un café, ou dans une des nombreuses places de la ville.

Peut-être est-ce dû au climat tempéré de la région, mais l’art de vivre de Toulouse est résolument différent du reste de la France. L’accent chantant va de pair avec la nature joyeuse des Toulousains, qui sont réputés en France pour être des gens amicaux, francs et souvent à sang chaud.

Ceux qui sont nés à Toulouse la considèrent souvent comme leur « ville de cœur », et par conséquent ne voudraient jamais la quitter. Le célèbre chanteur français Claude Nougaro en est un exemple, lui qui fut né à Toulouse, et qui avait l’habitude de chanter pour sa ville bien-aimée…

ENGLISH VERSION

France’s ‘pink city’ – what makes Toulouse a great study destination

Toulouse, the capital of the French region of “Midi-Pyrénées”, is one of the most colourful cities in the south of France, where the weather is nice all year round.

It’s an attractive, historical university town but is actually also well-know for state-of-the-art technology – one of the city’s main attractions is La Cité de L’espace, a technological and educative theme park based on astronautics.

Culture and gastronomy

Toulouse’s 440 000 inhabitants are proud of the unique culture of the “Occitanie” territory, also called the Oc Country (Occitan: lo País d’Òc). The common culture of Occitanie is found throughout the whole of southern France, and is made up of Spanish, Italian and French influences. L’Occitanie reveals all its beauty through the people, the language, the monuments and obviously, the food!

It is a highly cultural city, with lots of museums exhibiting, for instance, the Cathare heritage of Toulouse. And many art exhibitions, festivals and concerts take place throughout the year in the city. In addition, big markets are organised every week, offering a wide range of typical food of the region, including bread, sausages, fresh fruits or vegetables.

When it comes to gastronomy, Toulouse offers lots of delicious specialities. Included amongst these are Cassoulet, confit of duck, Toulouse sausages, mushrooms, and products made from the violet flower (candies, jam…) etc. The typical dessert is the Fenetra, a marzipan, apricot and lemon cake. The typical beverage is Armagnac, the oldest ‘eau de vie’ of the South west.

Architecture and historical sites

The particularity of the town is that every building is built with pink/red bricks, whose shade varies with the sun! Moreover “La Ville Rose”, as it is commonly known, has plenty of monuments which are classified by UNESCO, such as the Canal du Midi or the St Sernin Church. The main square is La Place du Capitole where the symbol of Occitanie, a twelve point cross, is engraved on the floor with a birth sign at each corner.

People and lifestyle

There are more than 100 000 students in Toulouse, which makes it the 3rd largest university town in France. It is a very lively and warm city by night, where bars and streets are often busy all night long, mainly when the weather is mild. During the day the “Toulousains” like to saunter around the town centre streets, or along the beautiful river – La Garonne. They also love sitting at a table outside a café, or in one of the many squares.

Perhaps due to the balmy climate of the region, the way of life in Toulouse is different from all other cities in France. The melodic accent goes hand to hand with the happy nature of the Toulousains, who are well-known in France to be friendly, frank and warm-blooded people.

Those who are native to Toulouse often consider it a town that belongs to their heart, and as a result they would never want to leave. An example is famous French singer Claude Nougaro, who was born in Toulouse and who used to sing for his beloved city…

Cactus Language offer French language courses in the UK, New York, France and Canada!

 

10 great contemporary French films to watch

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The following films, all successful on the international stage, showcase some of France’s best known actors and directors of this era. Included amongst them are Vincent Cassel, Marion Cotillard, Audrey Tatou, Mathieu Amalric and even British actress Kristin Scott-Thomas. All are well worth a watch and will really help your pronunciation, your vocabulary and, of course, your listening skills.

1. La Haine

Released in 1995, this globally acclaimed film depicts the racial tensions and riots that occurred in many Parisien ‘banlieues’ around this time. Shot in black and white, La Haine follows the movements of three young men over a period of twenty-four hours. All three, of different ethnic origins, have grown up in these French suburbs and have experienced the clashes with police first-hand. One of the group, Vinz (payed by Vincent Cassel), comes into possession of a missing police firearm and vows to use it and get the respect he ‘deserves’…

2. Amélie (originally Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain)

Released in 2001, Amélie is a unique, upbeat film that launched the international film career of actress Audrey Tatou and was nominated for five Oscars. Amélie is a fantastical story about a girl of the same name who missed out on a normal childhood due to her father’s mistaken concern that she had a heart defect. As a result, Amélie was starved of any real life social contact and retreated to her own make-believe world with dreams of love and beauty. Later, when Amelie moves to Paris, she decides to help those ill-fated lovers around her and along the way, falls into a love story of her own…

3. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

‘Le Scaphandre et le Papillion’ as it’s called in French was released in 2007 and soon became a global hit. It was based on the amazing book by Jean- Dominique Bauby (former editor-in-chief of Elle magazine), who, out of the blue, fell victim to ‘locked in syndrome’, which brings about almost total paralysis of the body. Despite being unable to speak or move, Jean- Dominique succeeded in painstakingly committing his story to paper using only blinking movements, a specially devised alphabet, and the aid of a companion to transcribe. Despite its theme, the film is very funny in parts, and although a very sad and moving story, it serves as a great reminder for how easy it is to take life for granted.

4. La Vie en Rose

Another film from 2007 is the fantastic ‘La Vie en Rose’, a biography of adored French singer Edith Piaf. It’s renowned French actress Marion Cotillard who plays Piaf in the film, and in fact it was this role for which she won an Oscar – it was the first time the award had been given for a French language role. Gerard Depardieu also stars in the film, which spans the whole of Piaf’s life, from her humble beginnings in the slums of Paris to the international success but personal tragedies that she experienced prior to her death in 1963.

5. Il y a Longtemps Que Je T’aime

‘I’ve loved you so long’ as it translates in English was released in 2008 and won a BAFTA for ‘best film not in the English language’. It was also nominated for scores of other awards, including a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award. In the lead role is fluent French speaker Kristin Scott Thomas, who plays a woman reunited with her sister after a 15-year jail term. The film explores family relationships and social stigmas, but there is more to the story than we are first led to believe…

6. Entre les Murs (The Class)

This Paris-set film was also released in 2008. It is based on an autobiographical novel by François Bégaudeau and is another film that explores life in the Parisien banlieues. This time, the story follows the lives of a class of school children as they approach their final years at school, and the teachers who attempt to educate and inspire in a tough inner city environment that does the opposite.

7. Coco Before Chanel

Another fantastic biopic of a French icon is Coco Before Chanel, a film released in 2009 that tells the life story of world-famous fashion designer Coco Chanel. In the lead role once again is Audrey Tatou, who superbly depicts Coco’s rise from poor, provincial seamstress and performer to the personification of Parisien chic that she became.

8. Un Prophète

‘A prophet’ as it translates in English, is a hard-hitting film about a young Arab man who is sent to a French prison. Although an unwilling subject initially, he soon finds himself tasked by the Corsican mafia who rule the roost, and works his way up the ranks to become prison ’kingpin’. Released in 2009, it received critical acclaim on a global level and was nominated in the following year for best foreign language film at the Oscars.

9. Gainsbourg

Released in 2010, this is the story of French singer/songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. The film spans his eventful life, from his formative years in 1940 occupied Paris to his success as a song-writer in the 1960s and the complicated relationships that came alongside it.

10. Mésrine

Another film starring Vincent Cassel is Mésrine, the story of notorious French gangster of the 60s and 70s, Jacques Mésrine. Infamous for his bravado and numerous prison escapes, he carried out numerous robberies and murders in a criminal career that spanned continents until he was shot dead in 1979 by France’s equally as notorious anti-gang unit. Completed in 2008, the film was made in two parts, and although lengthy is well worth a watch.

Cactus Language offer French courses in the UK, New York, France and Canada!

10 Facts about French

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1. It is the mother tongue of 75 million people worldwide, although many more speak it as a second language.

2. It is the second most commonly taught foreign language, after English.

3. French is an official working language of the UN, the International Red Cross, The European Economic Community, NATO, and the International Olympic Committee, amongst others.

4. French is the official language of France, Luxembourg and Haiti and more than 15 African countries.

5. French is one of the official languages of Belgium, Switzerland and Canada.

6. It is spoken commonly as a second language in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Lebanon, Syria, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

7. In the 17th-19th century French tended to be the main language for international communication, but it has now been overtaken by English in these stakes.

8. The Académie française is France’s official authority on usage, vocabulary and grammar within the French language. It has traditionally been infamous for its somewhat strict regulations on anglicisms entering the language!

9. The letter ‘w’ appears only in foreign words within the French language.

10. French is a Romance language descended from Latin.

Cactus Language offer French courses in the UK, New York, France and Canada!

10 little-known facts about Guadeloupe

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It’s a great place to practise French, particularly during the cold winter months, and although relatively undiscovered by mainstream tourists, has plenty to offer any visitor.

Here are ten facts about Guadeloupe that you may not already know.

1. Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including the butterfly shaped islands of Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and Saint-Martin (the French part of the island of Saint Martin).

2. The Amerindian inhabitants called Guadeloupe “Karukera” which means “Island of Beautiful Waters”.  It is widely regarded as having some of the best dive sites in the world.

3. A narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller, eastern Grande-Terre.

4. Christopher Columbus came across the islands in 1493, and named them after a Spanish monastery, but the Carib indians who lived there resisted Spanish attempts to settle the islands. French colonists arrived in the 17th century though, and it became a French colony in 1635.

5. There were several British occupations of Guadeloupe in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and a short period of Swedish rule, before it was restored to France. It became an official French department in 1946, and since the 1980s is a region of France.

6. The islands have lovely white sand beaches, a rainforest that is brimming with wildlife, and, if that weren’t enough, the highest waterfall in the Caribbean!

7. Basse-Terre has a rough volcanic terrain, whilst Grande-Terre has rolling hills and flat plains. Basse-Terre tends to be cooler and wetter than Grande-Terre, especially on La Soufrière, its highest point.

8. The famous dance of the island is called the biguine, which is still performed in colourful Creole dress.

9. There are regular flights to Guadeloupe from other Caribbean islands, and also from Miami, Montreal and Paris. There are also ferry services from nearby islands such as Martinique and St Lucia.

10.The best time to visit Guadeloupe is from December to May when the weather is warm and dry. The rest of the year is usually hot, humid and wet, especially between July and November.

Find out more about French courses with Cactus.

Top 5 French course destinations this autumn

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1. Montreal

Montreal is a fascinating city with a cosmopolitan feel and a wide range of cultural offerings. Summer in the city can be very hot, and winter extremely cold. For this reason, September-November is an ideal time to go and experience what the city has to offer. As well as the usual sights and attractions, there are also an array of festivals and events to enjoy during the autumn-time, including: the Escales Improbables Festival, POP Montreal (21st-25th September), the OFF Jazz Festival (7th-15th October) and the Festival of New Cinema (12th – 23rd October).

2. Paris

To be honest, Paris is a city that is buzzing with activity all year round. If you visit in autumn though, you will probably find fewer tourists, shorter queues, and less expensive accommodation. It’s also one of the prettiest times to visit, as the trees change colour and the fallen leaves dance at your feet – it’ll really indulge your image of Paris at its romantic best. Festival and event wise, Paris is jam-packed with options throughout September, October and November, but some of the highlights include the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days), held from 17-18th September and introduced to allow visitors a peek behind the doors of the 14,000 buildings that are usually closed to the public and the self-explanatory ‘Fête des Jardins’ (24th-25th September). Visit the Whatsonwhen website for full Paris events listings.

3. Guadeloupe

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If you’re not quite ready to get the winter coat out and contemplate turning the heating back on, why not extend your summer by heading to Guadeloupe this autumn. Guadeloupe is a beautiful country located in the French West Indies, with stunning scenery and average temperatures of more than 24 degrees centigrade all year round. The hurricane season in this part of the world can sometimes extend to mid October, so late October and November are good times to go.

4. Bordeaux

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Anyone heading to Bordeaux this autumn will have a huge range of activities to choose from. This vibrant university city is at the heart of one of France’s most prestigious wine-growing regions, and September and October events include the Fête Du Vin Nouveau, when inhabitants celebrate the new vintage, and the Marathon du Medoc, a sporting event with a twist! Also to be recommended are the Journées du Patrimoine, when Bordeaux opens its wealth of historical sites to the public, the Foire aux Plaisirs Funfair (October-November), a long-standing fair in the city’s Place des Quinconces, and also the Bordeaux Opera Season, with scores of performances by the acclaimed National Opera of Bordeaux.

5. Lyon

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Lyon is often known as the gastronomic capital of France, but the huge range of events being held in the city this autumn shows that its talents don’t stop here. Throughout September and October visitors can attend, amongst other things, the Tupiniers Pottery Fair, the Dance Biennial, Les Musicades music festival, les Salons des Plaisirs Créatifs Art Expo, the Red Carpet Antiques Festival, the International New Generation Film Festival and the Equita Horse Fair, one of Europe’s premier riding events.

Please visit the Cactus Language website for full listings of French courses in France, Martinique and Canada.

Film review: the Diving Bell and the Butterfly

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Based on a novel of the same name (Le Scaphandre et le Papillion in French), The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is the true story of a man who suffers from ‘locked-in syndrome’. This is a rare neurological condition which has no effect on mental capacity but leaves sufferers unable to move a muscle – except for the left eyelid in his case.

Amazingly, the author of the book, and central character in the film, is the man who was victim of this cruel fate. Jean- Dominique Bauby was enjoying a fast-paced and fulfilling existence as editor-in-chief of Elle magazine when a sudden and massive stroke stripped him of his movement, and ultimately his life. In an amazing achievement, he managed to painstakingly commit his story to paper using only blinking movements, a specially devised alphabet, and the aid of a companion to transcribe.

You could be forgiven for thinking that this would not be an uplifting film to watch – certainly not one for when you’re feeling down in the dumps and looking for a little escapism – but in actual fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The film is actually very funny in parts, and although a very sad and moving story, it serves as a great reminder for how easy it is to take life for granted, and how it is possible to triumph in even the greatest of adversity.

Jean-Dominique, or ‘Jean- Do’ as he is referred to throughout the film, is played by Mathieu Amalric, widely considered to be one of the greatest French actors today. The film itself won Best Foreign Language Film and Best Director at the Golden Globes and was nominated for four Oscars – deservedly so, the general consensus seems to suggest.

French course in Brighton: staff review

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Course Coordinator at Cactus Amy King reports back on her 10-week French evening course in Brighton…

Having studied a bit of French at school and then taken lessons alongside my degree course at University, I was eager to continue learning and consolidate my knowledge so as not to let it slip completely from memory. I found a 10-week level 3 French course to be exactly what I needed to help me to revise and refresh my memory.

The teacher, Helene, was very dynamic and had a contagious passion for teaching that couldn’t help but muster enthusiasm from the students, even on evenings when we may be feeling a little weary after a long day.  She encouraged us all to speak a lot during class (jokingly scolding us if she heard too much English!) and gave us a lot of help to perfect our pronunciation.  One of Helene’s strengths as a teacher was that she provided an assortment of learning materials and ensured that there was a lot of variation in what we learnt in class.  Lessons would combine a mixture of speaking, reading and listening exercises, with written work mostly saved for homework.  Helene supplemented the exercises that we worked from in the course book with worksheets that she had created herself and articles that she had found. This, I think, showed her dedication to the class, as when she was reading a French article about Brighton, one of her first thoughts was of her students and copied this article for us all to read.

I was very lucky in that I was in a group with only a small number of students, which made me feel a lot more confident speaking aloud in class.  Having been rather self-conscious at school putting questions forward to the teacher and speaking in front of my peers, I felt very comfortable in this group as all students in the class got along very well.

One of the best parts of the course for me personally was that I was really able to see my development and progression. When recently reading an email that was written in French, I was really pleased to learn that I was able to translate and understand the majority of it.This has really encouraged me to keep learning and to move on to level 4.

Cactus offers a range of evening and part-time language courses all around the UK. Please visit the Language Courses UK website for full listings of languages, locations and to test your level.