Category: Learn French

TAKE five minutes out of your day for a quick crossword challenge that will help boost your French vocabulary on travel and airlines.

Beverley Dinerstein has created another crossword for you to enjoy with the clues offered up in English, and the answers in French.

You can download a two page .pdf file offering up the quiz itself on page one, and the answers on page two.

Plus if you have a little more time on your hands then explore many more online French language crosswords created by Beverley.

A HANDY little feature has been launched within Google Mail labs that allows you to translate messages into English and a number of other languages.

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HERE is another handy online French language guide that will help improve your vocabulary and polish up your grammar.

French Spanish Online offers free language help in both languages, with the French page organised by categories such as greetings, in the home or computer vocabulary.

And a smart addition is that Pascal d’Hervé, the creator of the site, has voiced the pronunciation of words and phrases so that you can listen to them as you read along.

HERE is a handy website that will help you conjugate verbs, write out numbers in French, understand basic grammar rules and maybe answer with some of those language puzzles you face.

Le Conjugueur website is produced in partnership with Le Figaro and was mentioned on the La Vie en France Yahoo! group.

The main part of the site lets you get up to speed on your verbs, but there are handy tools offering tips on the full spelling of numbers and the chance to check the spelling of French words.

There is also a verb conjugation software package that you can trial for 30 days that offers detailed results.

LA Semaine de la Langue Française is an annual event and this year runs from March 16 to 23.

The week is seen as a way to promote the French language, with local associations such as libraries and schools organising special events to emphasise the importance of languages.

A key part of the festival is the announcement of ten words that, this year, relate to the environment, science, imagination and culture; ailleurs, capteur, clair de Terre, clic, compatible, désirer, génome, pérenne, transformer and vision.

The Semaine de la Langue Française website provides background information on each word, but also lets you search for events close to home.

HOW many times have you gone completely blank when searching for a word in French?

There are many words that can trip up someone learning French as they look or sound like English words and there is also the temptation; if in doubt say it with a French accent.

I have friends who have committed howlers when it comes to getting things wrong and I will admit I too have made errors, so I now keep a little book featuring some of the words that are known as ‘faux amis’.

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WHILST it has been possible for people to add subtitles to their video clips on YouTube, the service has now been made much easier for them to be properly synchronised.

As PaidContent reports video producers can now add subtitles to their clips in a variety of languages, including French.

For example, a clip from the BBC’s Top Gear programme has been enabled with French subtitles, and a number of others, letting you watch Richard Hammond gassing on while the translation runs below.

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I AM a big fan of watching and listening to the news to help improve your understanding of French.

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WHEN my daughter was planning to relocate to France we discussed the best way to prepare her children, then three and five, for the move.

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A LENDING library has been opened in the small town of Dun le Palestel, in the north of la Creuse, by the local Entente Cordiale group.

The library will be open on Thursday, and from a little later this year Saturday as well, offering people the chance to pick up a book or two, as well as share language skills with others.

A small annual fee applies which will enable people to borrow up to six books and two videos for a month.