Tracy, who is a student of French teacher, Martine, discovered quite a few idioms and decided to make up some dialogues to illustrate them. Here they are:
Arrête de raconter des salades:
(Dialogue entre un père avec son fils adolescent)
Père - Philippe les policiers ont été ici hier pour pour parler avec toi...Pourquoi?
Philippe - Ah! J'ai fait quelque chose tres héroïque comme Batman , contre un terroriste international.
Père - Ca suffit, arrête de raconter des salades, et dis-moi la vérité.
A la St Glinglin:
Un été en Angleterre quand il fait beau, c'est ravissant, mais quand on en verra un encore c'est à la St Glinglin.
Quand les poules auront des dents:
(Dialogue entre deux étudiants de, l’Alliance Francaise après une conférence)
- Quand est-ce que tu penses que nous pourrons parler couramment en français?
- Quand les poules auront des dents!
Ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard:
(Diologue entre deux filles apres une visite a une exposition de mode)
- J'adore les costumes créés par Chanel, qu'en penses tu?
- Oui oui comme toi je crois qu'elle est exceptionnelle, les autres cependant , ils ne cassent pas trois pattes à un canard.
Je me mélange les pinceaux:
(Dialogue entre deux femmes apres leur cours de danse)
- Il me semble qu’après beaucoup de pratique je pourrai danser le Tango.
- Très bien, pour moi, je pense que ce sera impossible. Je me mélange les pinceaux et je ne sais plus où j'en suis.
Avoir d'autres chats à fouetter:
(Dialogue entre deux secrétaires au travail)
- Est ce que tu sais que le directeur et son secrétaire particulier étaient devenus amants?
- Bah! Je n'ai pas le temps pour le bavardage, j'ai d'autres chats à fouetter car il me faut finir ce rapport qui est devant moi.
Le client est roi:
(Dialogue entre deux fleuristes)
- C'est incroyable , cette commande pour mélanger des dahlias avec nos roses incarnates....
- Oui, je suis d'accord avec toi, mais rappelle-toi toujours que le client est roi!
Alliance Française de Bristol has just had some popular French cookery workshops with French teacher, Isabelle; a very successful French wine tasting evening with ex French teacher and now specialist on French wines, Lionel.
More events coming up soon, watch this space or join our French classes! For more info...
Sunday, 24 February 2013
Saturday, 16 February 2013
Did you know Alliance Française de Bristol is running a wine tasting workshop?
The workshop, this time, is on les vins du Languedoc Roussillon and will be presented by Lionel, specialist on French wines and ex- French teacher. Here are the wines which will be tasted next Thursday:
- Vin de Table « Bu N’Daw » 2010 Domaine la Grange de Quatre Sous
- Coteaux-du-Languedoc « Ares blanc » 2010 Domaine Le Conte des Floris
- IGP Pays d’Oc « Ex-Arena » 2010 Domaine de Cébène
- Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes rouge 2007 Clos du Rouge Gorge
These workshops are very popular and this one got booked up very quickly so Alliance Française de Bristol is offering the same workshop on April 18th. For more info...
As drink and food go together, I can't resist a few words on horse meat ( la viande de cheval), I must say quite a few of our students have eaten some when in France. It was eaten quite a lot when I was a child and young adult, we used to buy it from the horse meat butcher ( la boucherie chevaline) on a Monday ( le lundi) as the other butchers were shut. It is very lean ( tendre) and tasty ( goûteux). I heard on France Inter that there are only ten boucheries chevalines left in Paris and one is in le treizième arrondissement, Place Jeanne d'Arc. If you are in Paris, go and have a look!
This morning Europe 1 mentioned a song on beef meat which is very funny: it is a parody of La valse à mille temps by Jacques Brel. Jean Poiret ( famous actor in La cage aux folles, one of his numerous films) wrote La vache à mille francs. It takes you on a long itinerary through France before you can buy the meat. Now the meat goes all over Europe, Jean Poiret must have been a bit of a visionary!
Here is the link on Youtube, have fun...
You can find out much more about France by joining us on one of our French courses. For more info...
- Vin de Table « Bu N’Daw » 2010 Domaine la Grange de Quatre Sous
- Coteaux-du-Languedoc « Ares blanc » 2010 Domaine Le Conte des Floris
- IGP Pays d’Oc « Ex-Arena » 2010 Domaine de Cébène
- Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes rouge 2007 Clos du Rouge Gorge
These workshops are very popular and this one got booked up very quickly so Alliance Française de Bristol is offering the same workshop on April 18th. For more info...
As drink and food go together, I can't resist a few words on horse meat ( la viande de cheval), I must say quite a few of our students have eaten some when in France. It was eaten quite a lot when I was a child and young adult, we used to buy it from the horse meat butcher ( la boucherie chevaline) on a Monday ( le lundi) as the other butchers were shut. It is very lean ( tendre) and tasty ( goûteux). I heard on France Inter that there are only ten boucheries chevalines left in Paris and one is in le treizième arrondissement, Place Jeanne d'Arc. If you are in Paris, go and have a look!
This morning Europe 1 mentioned a song on beef meat which is very funny: it is a parody of La valse à mille temps by Jacques Brel. Jean Poiret ( famous actor in La cage aux folles, one of his numerous films) wrote La vache à mille francs. It takes you on a long itinerary through France before you can buy the meat. Now the meat goes all over Europe, Jean Poiret must have been a bit of a visionary!
Here is the link on Youtube, have fun...
You can find out much more about France by joining us on one of our French courses. For more info...
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Did you know you could have fun learning the imperative in French?
Students in Audrey's French tuition group have done just that!
Que disent les légendes sur la photo? What is the text saying on the photo?
Faites les courses le samedi! Restez au lit le dimanche! Go shopping on Saturdays! Stay in bed on Sundays!
Cherchez la nouvelle religion à l'église de Primark!!! Si vous voulez une nouvelle expérience quand vous allez faire les courses. Look for the new religion at the church of Primark!!! If you want a new experience when going shopping.
Do you know your imperative forms?
Mange tout ce qui est dans ton assiette! ( Eat all that's on your plate!)
Finis tes devoirs avant d'aller sur Facebook! ( Finish your homework before going on Facebook!)
Mets ton manteau, il fait froid! ( Put on your coat, it's cold!)
Sois sage avec le babysitter! ( Be good with the babysitter!)
N'aie pas peur du chien, il n'est pas méchant! ( Don't be afraid of the dog, he is not nasty!)
Sache qu'apprendre le français est très utile! ( Take it from me, learning French is very useful!)
There is always something to learn at Alliance Française de Bristol et Bath. For more info...
Faites les courses le samedi! Restez au lit le dimanche! Go shopping on Saturdays! Stay in bed on Sundays!
Cherchez la nouvelle religion à l'église de Primark!!! Si vous voulez une nouvelle expérience quand vous allez faire les courses. Look for the new religion at the church of Primark!!! If you want a new experience when going shopping.
Do you know your imperative forms?
Mange tout ce qui est dans ton assiette! ( Eat all that's on your plate!)
Finis tes devoirs avant d'aller sur Facebook! ( Finish your homework before going on Facebook!)
Mets ton manteau, il fait froid! ( Put on your coat, it's cold!)
Sois sage avec le babysitter! ( Be good with the babysitter!)
N'aie pas peur du chien, il n'est pas méchant! ( Don't be afraid of the dog, he is not nasty!)
Sache qu'apprendre le français est très utile! ( Take it from me, learning French is very useful!)
There is always something to learn at Alliance Française de Bristol et Bath. For more info...
Sunday, 3 February 2013
Did you know that the next cineclub in Bath is next Friday?
Alliance Française de Bath is showing: Bled Number One by Rabah Amar-Zaïmeche who also plays, Kamel the main character ( le personnage principal).
As soon as Kamel comes out of prison, he is sent back to his country of origin, Algeria.Through the eyes of Kamel, the spectators discover the Algeria of today with its hopes, its worries, its nationalism and intolerance, all its contradictions.
Kamel is happy to be back in the land of his parents and grand parents but also unhappy. Towards the end of the film, he says: " Je ne peux pas rester là, je vais craquer, péter les plombs."
Craquer: to break down
Péter les plombs: to freak out.
Anyone interested in the French language and curious about Algeria is welcome to come and see the film next Friday at 7.30pm. For more info...
There is another event not to miss: The show of sketches and games put on by Alliance Française de Bristol next Tuesday at 8.30pm at the Hen & Chicken, Bedminster in Bristol.
You will have the pleasure of witnessing the trial ( le procès) of Gérard Depardieu and vote: will you allow him to keep his French passport or no? Peut-il garder son passeport français ou non?
Come and join the fun! For more info...
As soon as Kamel comes out of prison, he is sent back to his country of origin, Algeria.Through the eyes of Kamel, the spectators discover the Algeria of today with its hopes, its worries, its nationalism and intolerance, all its contradictions.
Kamel is happy to be back in the land of his parents and grand parents but also unhappy. Towards the end of the film, he says: " Je ne peux pas rester là, je vais craquer, péter les plombs."
Craquer: to break down
Péter les plombs: to freak out.
Anyone interested in the French language and curious about Algeria is welcome to come and see the film next Friday at 7.30pm. For more info...
There is another event not to miss: The show of sketches and games put on by Alliance Française de Bristol next Tuesday at 8.30pm at the Hen & Chicken, Bedminster in Bristol.
You will have the pleasure of witnessing the trial ( le procès) of Gérard Depardieu and vote: will you allow him to keep his French passport or no? Peut-il garder son passeport français ou non?
Come and join the fun! For more info...
Sunday, 27 January 2013
Busy next couple of weeks for Alliance Française de Bristol:
Our French cookery workshop is starting next Tuesday with our excellent chef and French teacher, Isabelle.
The students will soon find out what they are going to cook in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. As well as learning to cook French dishes, they will be speaking French and learning the vocabulary related to French recipes such as:
faire cuire: to cook
faire bouillir: to boil
faire revenir: to fry
faire mijoter: to simmer
faire blanchir: to blanch
faire blondir: to lightly brown
arroser: to baste
allonger une sauce: to add to a sauce
écumer: to skim
arroser: to baste
assaisonner : to season
émincer: to cut thinly
épaissir: to thicken
égoutter: to drain
mettre au four: to put in the oven
allumer: to switch on
éteindre: to switch off
mettre ou dresser la table: to lay the table
débarrasser la table: to take the dishes away
faire la vaisselle: to do the washing up
remplir le lave vaisselle: to fill the dishwasher
The course is full but you can see what the last group of students prepared in the video below:
You can still join other activities with Alliance Française de Bristol, for instance come and enjoy the fun at our show of games and sketches at The Hen & Chicken on 5th February at 8.30pm. Our French teacher, Audrey, has been doing some French drama with a group of students who have prepared some amusing sketches. For more info...
The students will soon find out what they are going to cook in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. As well as learning to cook French dishes, they will be speaking French and learning the vocabulary related to French recipes such as:
faire cuire: to cook
faire bouillir: to boil
faire revenir: to fry
faire mijoter: to simmer
faire blanchir: to blanch
faire blondir: to lightly brown
arroser: to baste
allonger une sauce: to add to a sauce
écumer: to skim
arroser: to baste
assaisonner : to season
émincer: to cut thinly
épaissir: to thicken
égoutter: to drain
mettre au four: to put in the oven
allumer: to switch on
éteindre: to switch off
mettre ou dresser la table: to lay the table
débarrasser la table: to take the dishes away
faire la vaisselle: to do the washing up
remplir le lave vaisselle: to fill the dishwasher
The course is full but you can see what the last group of students prepared in the video below:
You can still join other activities with Alliance Française de Bristol, for instance come and enjoy the fun at our show of games and sketches at The Hen & Chicken on 5th February at 8.30pm. Our French teacher, Audrey, has been doing some French drama with a group of students who have prepared some amusing sketches. For more info...
Sunday, 20 January 2013
See if you can guess!!
Suzanne, student in Jocelyne's Thursday morning French class, has written a riddle ( une devinette ). It is always so clever to make up a riddle, never mind in French!!! Will you guess??? Vous allez deviner??
Si c'était un signe
De ponctuation
Ce serait un point
D’interrogation.
Si vous voulez
Exprimer l’incertitude,
Il faudrait que vous vous serviez
De celui-ci dans vos études.
On aurait pu le voir
Si on avait cherché,
Parce que beaucoup de fois
Dans tout ce poème il parait
Je me sentirais bien
Si vous saviez,
La chose caché, qui n’est pas rien,
Dont cette devinette a parlé
Si nous avions voulu comprendre
Cette catégorie grammaticale,
Nous aurions dû faire tout pour apprendre
Les trucs du conditionnel!
Suzanne
You can come and learn tenses, vocabulary, how to write poems or learn to cook in French with Alliance Française de Bristol et Bath. For more info...
Si c'était un signe
De ponctuation
Ce serait un point
D’interrogation.
Si vous voulez
Exprimer l’incertitude,
Il faudrait que vous vous serviez
De celui-ci dans vos études.
On aurait pu le voir
Si on avait cherché,
Parce que beaucoup de fois
Dans tout ce poème il parait
Je me sentirais bien
Si vous saviez,
La chose caché, qui n’est pas rien,
Dont cette devinette a parlé
Si nous avions voulu comprendre
Cette catégorie grammaticale,
Nous aurions dû faire tout pour apprendre
Les trucs du conditionnel!
Suzanne
You can come and learn tenses, vocabulary, how to write poems or learn to cook in French with Alliance Française de Bristol et Bath. For more info...
Sunday, 13 January 2013
Christmas ( Noël) is not far away and some students still write about it:
A student in one of Jocelyne's French classes has written the poem below:
C'est temps de Noël, quand tout le monde est occupé,
Quoi porter, quoi manger, quoi acheter?
Certaines personnes commencent les preparations à l'avance,
Parce qu'elles aiment faire de Noël un moment d'excellence.
D'autres attendent jusqu'à la dernière heure,
Puis, le 25 Décembre, ils ont peur!
Mais quand la famille et les amis se rencontrent,
Tout le monde est content, y compris les enfants.
Lauren
Lauren did a short intensive French course with Alliance Française de Bristol last June and join one of the regular French tuition groups in October: Well done Lauren!
We're looking into the New Year now and more French cookery classes are starting at the end of the month, if you are interested, please get in touch as soon as possible. For more info...
C'est temps de Noël, quand tout le monde est occupé,
Quoi porter, quoi manger, quoi acheter?
Certaines personnes commencent les preparations à l'avance,
Parce qu'elles aiment faire de Noël un moment d'excellence.
D'autres attendent jusqu'à la dernière heure,
Puis, le 25 Décembre, ils ont peur!
Mais quand la famille et les amis se rencontrent,
Tout le monde est content, y compris les enfants.
Lauren
Lauren did a short intensive French course with Alliance Française de Bristol last June and join one of the regular French tuition groups in October: Well done Lauren!
We're looking into the New Year now and more French cookery classes are starting at the end of the month, if you are interested, please get in touch as soon as possible. For more info...
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