la douane
customs
Il faut passer la douane après avoir récupéré vos bagages.
You have to go through customs after picking up your bags.
Vocabulary Section: Travel and Getting Around, Word of the Day
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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.
Vocabulary Section: Business and Industry, Word of the Day
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.
Vocabulary Section: Business and Industry, Word of the Day
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
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.
If you received this video in our e-mail and are having difficulty viewing it, please visit our Web site, www.frenchfanatic.com.
Vocabulary Section: Body and Health, Word of the Day
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.
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.
Vocabulary Section: Weather and Geography, Word of the Day
un frère
a brother
Est-ce que vous avez des frères?
Do you have any brothers?
Vocabulary Section: Family, Word of the Day
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.
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.