Some say that the subjunctive is the most difficult thing to learn in French grammar, but it’s not true. Forming the French subjunctive is the same as forming any other tense. It’s not hard, you just need to learn it.  Knowing when to use the French subjunctive is trickier than learning how to form it. The subjunctive is a mood that is used to express ideas that are subjective or uncertain. The subjunctive is very commonly used in French, but there are ways to avoid it! The present French subjunctive refers to actions in the present or future. Use the subjunctive when the sentence contains ..read more

The French subjunctive is very commonly used both in spoken and in written French. It’s important to know how to form it and put it to good use. Knowing when to use it can be tricky, and it takes a lot of practice. However, there are some simple ways of avoiding the French subjunctive. Use indirect object pronouns with «falloir» This is a particularly simple way of avoiding the French subjunctive when using the expression “il faut que”.  All you have to do is use an indirect object pronoun before “faut”, take off “que”, and add an infinitive. ME – TE – LUI – NOUS – VOUS – LEUR She has to ..read more

“NORMAL” REFLEXIVE VERBS IN THE PASSÉ COMPOSÉ Many French reflexive verbs fall into the “normal” category.  The subject is  both the giver and receiver of the action.  All reflexive verbs use être as a helping verb in the passé composé, and reflexive pronouns come before être. In the following examples, the reflexive pronouns are also direct objects of the verb. When direct object pronouns precede past participles, agreement must be made.   In the case of reflexive verbs and pronouns, we can also view the past participle agreement as being made with the subject of the ..read more

French expressions often carry nuances that are not easily translatable. Here is  a selection of fun French expressions that capture the spirit of perseverance, the essence of “We’re not giving up!”  These phrases not only add a touch of flair to your French, but also provide a unique insight into the French mindset:  On ne lâche rien! Learning these fun French expressions goes beyond learning new vocabulary and ways of saying things.  It offers a glimpse into the cultural determination in the French-speaking world.  Using some of these phrases into your conversations ..read more

WHEN TO USE THE FAIRE CAUSATIVE CONSTRUCTION The faire causative construction in French involves using the verb “faire” in combination with another verb to express the idea of causing someone else to do something.  Scroll down for a list of 15 French faire causative examples. It adds a layer of causation to the action, creating a dynamic and expressive way to communicate. This construction is particularly useful when you want to convey the idea of having something done or making someone do something. The faire causative is commonly used in situations where an action is performed by someo ..read more

LA FÊTE DE LA MUSIQUE Download a free PDF and audio recording of the following text below. When you’re learning French, talking to native speakers often reveals that they usually toss around fancier words than learners do. Even though you might spot tricky verb tenses or complicated sentences in their speech, mimicking them can be difficult. Reading in French to improve fluency is key to grasping those complex sentence structures and grammar rules that may not seem so hard on paper, but trip you up when you’re trying to talk. Starting to read a French novel can be intimidating for beginners i ..read more

UN WEEK-END À LA CAMPAGNE Download a free PDF and audio recording of the following text below. When you’re learning French, talking to native speakers often reveals that they usually toss around fancier words than learners do. Even though you might spot tricky verb tenses or complicated sentences in their speech, mimicking them can be difficult. Reading in French to improve fluency is key to grasping those complex sentence structures and grammar rules that may not seem so hard on paper, but trip you up when you’re trying to talk. Starting to read a French novel can be intimidating for beginne ..read more

Download your free PDF of 35 ways to say you like something in French below. There is always more than one way to say something, and here are 35 ways to say you like something in French. Study the following charts to learn some formal / neutral expressions and their informal / slang equivalents. English Expression Neutral French Expression I liked that J’ai aimé cela (ça)Cela (Ça) m’a plu I enjoyed that J’ai apprécié cela (ça)Cela (Ça) m’a plu That was enjoyable C’était agréable I had a good time J’ai passé un bon moment It was great C’était génial It was fantastic C’était fant ..read more

There are many French avoir expressions that are really easy to use once you know how to conjugate the verb. However, many of these expressions are not translated literally from French to English. For example, the expression avoir faim means to be hungry. The literal translation is to have hunger. In this post we’re going to take a close look at the expression avoir les moyens, and you’ll learn that even though it literally means to have the means, we often simply say afford in English. We’re going to look at a French sentence using this avoir expression, its translation in English, and a few ..read more

Les faux-amis are words from distinct languages that share a striking resemblance in form but carry different meanings. This is why they are called French false friends. By familiarizing yourself with these false cognates, you can prevent future confusion and in some cases possible embarrassment! Download: This blog post is available as a convenient PDF.  Scroll down to get your copy. Actuel Actual Current Actual Réel Actuellement Actually Currently Actually En fait, En réalité Agenda Agenda Study planner Agenda Programme Assister To help To attend To ..read more