French Word of the Day

a stick (of bread)

Une ficelle est comme une baguette, mais plus maigre.
A ficelle is like a baguette (traditional French loaf), but thinner.

VOICI UNE FICELLE
See what a ficelle looks like on Wikipedia. Literally, ficelle means string.

TODAY
Our word is one of the many breads of France — les pains de France. Bread plays such an important role in French cuisine and indeed the life of the French that it’s essential to learn to ask for the loaf you want.

QUIZ LINK
Test yourself on today’s word and others like it here.

an armchair, seat

Ne restez pas dans votre fauteuil aujourd’hui!
Don’t stay in your seat today!

TODAY
Our word is among the many pieces of furniture, les meubles.

QUIZ LINK
Test yourself on today’s word and others like it here.

to go for a walk

Je me suis promené à travers la ville.
I took a walk through the city.

NOTE
As you can see, se promener is a reflexive verb. In a way, it is as if to say you are walking yourself. You also can use promener as a non-reflexive verb to express the act of walking something else — your dog, for instance. You could say: Je promène le chien. (I’m walking the dog.)

ALSO
To express the action of walking when there is no object, use the verb marcher (to walk). For example: Il a marché toute la journée. (He walked all day.)

TODAY
Our word is inspired by activities we can do à pied (on foot).

QUIZ LINK
Test yourself on today’s word and others like it with this quiz.

a cold

J’ai le rhume.
I have a cold.

TODAY
Our vocabulary topic is the common cold.

QUIZ LINK
Test yourself on today’s word and others like it here.

a sandcastle

Les enfants bâtissent des châteaux de sable à la plage.
Children build sandcastles at the beach.

GRAMMAIRE
Nouns like chateau that end in -eau form their plurals by adding an x.

TODAY
Our word is inspired by the seaside.

QUIZ LINK
Test yourself on today’s word and more like it here.