French Word of the Day

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Friday, August 31, 2012

la douane

customs

Il faut passer la douane après avoir récupéré vos bagages.
You have to go through customs after picking up your bags.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

congé de maladie

n.m., sick leave

Elle était en congé de maladie pendant une semaine.
She was on sick leave for a week.

TODAY
Our word is inspired by the workplace and working.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

le patron, la patronne

the boss

Jean et sa patronne Mireille s’entendent très bien.
Jean and his boss Mireille get along very well.

TODAY
Our word is inspired by the workplace and working.

Monday, August 27, 2012

faire le pont

Actual meaning: to make it a long weekend
Literal meaning: to make the bridge

La fête tombe un mardi, mais je crois que nous ferons le pont.
The holiday falls on a Tuesday, but I think we’ll make it a long weekend.

ABOUT THIS EXPRESSION
The phrase faire le pont refers to the common practice in France of making a bridge between the weekend and a holiday that falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, in effect creating a four-day weekend.

Vocabulary Section: Idiom Expressions, Word of the Day
Sunday, August 26, 2012

une toux

a cough

Question: Avez-vous une toux? Une toux sèche?
Do you have a cough? A dry cough?

Réponse: Non, c’est grasse.
Non, it’s loose.

TODAY
Our vocabulary word is one of many words you might need to discuss the symptoms of the common cold.

VIDÉO
Enjoy this French publicité for cough-relief medicine.

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Vocabulary Section: Body and Health, Word of the Day
Friday, August 24, 2012

une sécheresse

a drought

Les fermiers doivent toujours s’inquiéter d’une sécheresse.
Farmers always have to worry about a drought.

THIS WEEK
The arrival of summer is a time of delicious vegetables. This week, we’ll cover French vocabulary about the summer harvest, la récolte d’été.

FOR OUR VOILÀ! MEMBERS
Review last week’s words by taking our weekly quiz.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

les dégâts

n.m.pl., the damage(s)

La tempête a fait des dégâts sérieux à la côte.
The storm caused serious damage on the coast.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

un frère

a brother

Est-ce que vous avez des frères?
Do you have any brothers?

Vocabulary Section: Family, Word of the Day
Tuesday, August 21, 2012

brûlé(e)

burned, scorched

La terre était brûlée sous les rayons de soleil.
The land was scorched under the sun’s rays.

TODAY
Our word is inspired by the summer heat wave, la vague de chaleur.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

le métrage

the footage, the film

Le cinéaste a tourné le métrage à Paris.
The filmmaker shot the footage in Paris.

ALSO
un court métrage = a short film
un long métrage = a feature-length film

ANOTHER MEANING
Le métrage also means length (of fabric, cloth, etc.).
De quel métrage avez-vous besoin?
What length do you need?

TODAY
Our word is inspired by movies and filmmaking.

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