une puce
a flea
Les chiens et les chats se grattent quand ils ont des puces.
Dogs and cats scratch themselves when they have fleas.
Vocabulary Section: Animals and Pets, Word of the Day
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un chasse-neige
a snowplow
Les chasse-neige étaient en action toute la nuit pour déblayer la route.
The snowplows were going all night to clear the road.
TODAY
Our word is among the vocabulary of winter weather. Discover more weather words here.
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Test yourself on today’s word and others like it here.
Vocabulary Section: Weather and Geography, Word of the Day
un refoulement d’égouts
a drain (or sewer) backup
La pluie a causé plusieurs refoulements d’égouts.
The rain caused several drain backups.
TODAY
Our word is inspired by thunderstorms and their effects — les orages et leurs effets. Click here to discover more words about weather and geography.
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Vocabulary Section: Weather and Geography, Word of the Day
un flic
a cop (US), a bobby (British)
Les flics ont arrêté les émeutiers.
The cops arrested the rioters.
TODAY
Every language is full of slang, or l’argot. French is no exception. Today, our word is a common example. Words like these are generally more informal, and you’ll want to use them only in familiar settings.
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un feu rouge, un feu vert
a red light, a green light
Vocabulary Section: Travel and Getting Around, Word of the Day
la fièvre printanière
spring fever
Vocabulary Section: Weather and Geography, Word of the Day
là-dehors
outside there
Tu vois toutes les nouvelles fleurs là-dehors?
Do you see all the new flowers outside there?
TODAY
One of the things you might notice when you visit a French-speaking country is that the word là — there — comes up a lot. Inevitably, there seems to be some pointing involved as someone describes to you where something is located. Moreover, là is often combined with other adverbs of place to emphasize the direction of something. Today, we’re looking at one example of this little word with a big place in day-to-day French language.
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Vocabulary Section: Adverbs, Word of the Day
le second rôle, le second rôle féminin
the supporting actor, the supporting actress
Elle a gagné le prix pour le meilleur second rôle féminin.
She won the prize for best supporting actress.
ALSO
le premier rôle = the leading actor
le premier rôle féminin = the leading actress
TODAY
Our word is inspired by the cinema. For more words about films and filmmaking, click here.
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une flaque
a puddle
Les oiseaux chantent et se baignent dans les flaques.
The birds sing and bathe in the puddles.
TODAY
Our word is inspired by the changing seasons. For more words about the seasons, click here.
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Vocabulary Section: Seasons, Word of the Day
claquer
to chatter
Il faisait si froid que ses dents claquaient.
It was so cold that he teeth were chattering.
MORE
The verb claquer can refer to a variety of sounds:
- claquer des mains = to clap
- faire claquer les doigts = to snap one’s fingers
- claquer = to make a loud sound
- claquer une porte = to slam a door
TODAY
Our word is one of the many sounds, or les sons, we make. To learn more words for sounds, click here.
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Test yourself on today’s word and others like it here.