Category Archives: Vocabulary

‘Actuellement’, instead of ‘actually’,  usually translates as ‘at this moment, now’. It can also mean ‘topical’. In a philosophical sense it can mean ‘actual’. Examples of ‘actuel/actuelle/actuellement’: À l’heure actuelle  : at the present time; à l’époque actuelle  : nowadays, in this day … Continue reading →

“Il y a deux façons de voir la vie, l’une comme si rien n’était un miracle, l’autre comme si tout était miraculeux.” “There are two ways of looking at life, one  is to think that nothing is a miracle, the … Continue reading →

My grandfather is ‘mon grand-père’ and my grandmother is ‘ma grand-mère’ but my granddaughter is ‘ma petite-fille’ and my grandson is ‘mon petit-fils’

Avant, devant : before, in front of/arrière, derrière : backwards, behind I used to confuse these words. Reading one day: ‘elle a jeté ses cheveux en arrière’ I (wrongly) thought: well, derrière is backwards so arrière must be forwards. She threw her … Continue reading →

Sully-Prudhomme: “Les yeux”: verses 2 and 3: Les nuits plus douces que les jours,/Ont enchanté des yeux sans nombre;/Les étoiles brillent toujours,/Et les yeux se sont remplis d’ombre: Nights more balmy than days,/Have delighted countless eyes;/The stars shine on,/And the … Continue reading →

Two words and a phrase I learnt today: Une atèle: a spider monkey/un atoca: a cranberry/une haie d’aubépines: a hawthorn hedge.

Although ‘personne’ means nobody, ‘une personne’ is actually ‘a person’ – don’t blame me! I’m just interpreting the facts. So if somebody is introducing a man they will refer to them, as they would to a woman as well, as ‘cette … Continue reading →

Did you know that ‘une arrière-pensée’ is not an afterthought but an ulterior motive/reservation?

I haven’t forgotten about Sully-Prudhomme (you’ll be relieved to hear) but I love this powerful quotation from Montherlant, without actually agreeing with the sentiment he expresses: ‘Ce sont les mots  qu’ils non pas dits qui font les morts si lourds dans … Continue reading →