French Word of the Day

digital

Aujourd’hui, c’est facile de télécharger la musique numérique.
Today, it’s easy to download digital music.

to think, ponder, consider

C’est important de réfléchir un peu avant de prendre une décision difficile.
It’s important to reflect a bit before making a difficult decision.

Réfléchir is a regular -ir verb.
To learn how to conjugate verbs like réfléchir, click here.

Learn about more types of verbs in our NEW Quick Verb Guide.

to succeed, to pass (a test or exam)

Georges a réussi à son examen d’anglais. Il réussit à tout ce qu’il essaie de faire.
Georges passed his English exam.  He succeeds at everything he tries to do.

Réussir is a regular -ir verb.
To learn how to conjugate verbs like réussir, click here.

Learn about more types of verbs in our NEW Quick Verb Guide.

a newspaper column

Il lit le rubrique sportive chaque samedi.
He reads the sports column each Saturday.

a cockroach

N’ayez pas peur! C’est juste un cafard.
Don’t be afraid! It’s just a cockroach.

Also:
avoir le cafard: to be depressed or to have the blues

to do, to make

Madeleine fait la vaisselle avant d’aller au cinéma.
Madeleine does the dishes before going to the movies.

Faire is one of the essential French verbs, used constantly in both literal and idiomatic expressions.

For a complete conjugation of faire, please see our NEW Quick Verb Guide.

sour

Les bonbons de citron ont un goût aigre.
The lemon candy has a sour taste.

Also, note that aigre-doux means sweet and sour.

TIP: An easy way to remember this word lies in remembering the part it plays in the word vinaigre, the French word for vinegar. If you break down vinaigre (vin + aigre), you’ll see that it is quite literally sour wine.

a movement, move or gesture

Il a parlé en faisant beaucoup de gestes de la main.
He spoke while making a lot of gestures with his hands.

Ne fais pas un geste!
Don’t make a move!

Labor Day

La fête du Travail est un jour pour célébrer des travailleurs.
Labor Day is a day to celebrate workers.

While celebrated on the first Monday of September in North America, Labor Day is celebrated on May 1 in France. To read more about Labor Day in French, please see this Wikipedia article.