la réouverture
the reopening
Tous les voyageurs bloqués attendaient la réouverture des aéroports.
All the stranded travelers were waiting for the reopening of the airports.
Vocabulary Section: Travel and Getting Around, Word of the Day
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la plage
the beach
Vocabulary Section: Recreation and Outdoors, Word of the Day
des progrès
n.m.pl., progress
Vous avez fait des progrès!
You made progress!
TODAY
Note how the French use the plural des progrès instead of a singular form of the word as we do in English. It’s just one of several examples of singular and plural differences between the two languages.
Vocabulary Section: Singulars and Plurals, Word of the Day
un tire-bouchon
a corkscrew
Vocabulary Section: Food and Drink, Word of the Day
ne…jamais
never
Il ne va jamais au cinéma le dimanche.
He never goes to the movies on Sundays.
THE GRAMMAR
The ne…jamais construction functions exactly like the ne…pas and ne…plus constructions, with the words surrounding the main verb. Unlike those, jamais can be used as a one-word reply to a question.
TODAY
We’re giving everyone permission to be negative — in French! Today’s example is one of many common negative constructions.
Vocabulary Section: Negatives, Word of the Day
éponger
to mop up (a liquid)
Jean éponge le lait que le bébé a renversé.
Jean mops up the milk that the baby spilled.
TODAY
Our word is inspired by a topic that has been very popular with our readers in the past — le ménage, or housework.
Vocabulary Section: Around the House, Word of the Day
en espèces
in cash
Il faut payer en espèces.
It’s necessary to pay in cash.
Today, our vocabulary word is inspired by money and banking. To see other words on this week’s topic, please visit our site.
Vocabulary Section: Money, Word of the Day
La Grande Ourse
the Big Dipper
La Grande Ourse est l’une des constellations les plus connues.
The Big Dipper is one of the most well-known constellations.
DID YOU KNOW?
In French, the translation of the Big Dipper is literally the Great Bear.
Vocabulary Section: Astronomy and Space, Word of the Day
une fourchette, une cuillère et un couteau
a fork, a spoon and a knife
Assurez-vous qu’il y a une fourchette, une cuillère et un couteau.
Make sure there’s a fork, a spoon and a knife.
Today’s words are among those essential to the dinner table.
Vocabulary Section: Food and Drink, Word of the Day
la semelle
the sole
Les semelles de chaussures sont souvent fabriquées de caoutchouc.
The souls of shoes are often made of rubber.
TODAY
We were inspired by an event held by Handicap International featuring pyramids of shoes piled up to protest the use of mines. Check out this pyramid of shoes in Paris. We couldn’t help but think of all those shoes and how to talk about them.