Archive for 'French lessons'

In French we like to use lots of « dictons »… well, especially our Grandmothers.

In the old days, before we could watch the weather forecast on TV to know how to get dressed the next day, people relied on these old wives’ tales to attempt to predict whether it would rain, hail or shine.

Many are still in use these days, such as:

« En mai fait ce qu’il te plait. En avril ne te découvre pas d’un fil »

(In May do what you like. In April, don’t uncover yourself.)

Remember in France springs starts in March. So this is a gentle reminder that early spring can still be chilly and you’d be better off waiting for May to get the summer clothes out. Don’t risk it in April!

« Cris de mouette, signe de tempête »

(Seagul’s screams, sign of a storm)

In this case if you hear Seagulls, be careful a storm is coming!

« Brume dans la vallée, fais ta journée ; brume sur les monts, reste à la maison »

(Mist in the valley, prepare your day ; mist on the mounts, stay home)

This saying obviously means that you should watch where the mist is before you head out.

« Ail mince de peau, hiver court et beau »

(Garlic with thin skin, short and nice winter)

In France garlic is harvested during autumn, so it will give you clues about the upcoming winter.

« Arc-en-ciel du soir, du beau temps espoir »

(Evening rainbow, hope for good weather)

So did you see a rainbow last night? If yes, a nice day is coming your way

 This post was written by the lovely Delphine, our French tutor on the Central Coast of NSW!

Contact VoulezVouloz !!

If you’d like to learn more about our Private or small group French lessons for children, then contact us or call us on 0448 271 392. We have expert French tutors available in SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, CANBERRA and BRISBANE!

Enter our Mother’s Day competition

Don’t forget, Mother’s Day is on the 12^th May this year, and now is your chance to surprise your mum with something special.

VoulezVouloz has partnered with one of Sydney’s best French restaurants Sel et Poivre, to offer this fantastic Mother’s Day prize!

What does mum win?

You and your lovely mum can enjoy a delicious brunch for two (on Mother’s Day itself), at Sel et Poivre, and then follow it with a French lesson for two (on any day you choose in May).

How to enter

To enter the competition just visit our Facebook page and tell us what you love most about your mum.

The winner will be announced on the 9^th of May.

Terms and conditions

• Only one entry per person.
• Entries close at 3pm AEST on the 9^th of May and will be announced at 5pm on the 9^th of May.
• The judge’s decision is final.
• The prize cannot be exchanged for cash.
• Total value: brunch $50, lesson $77.

In English we love our animal idioms. Someone can be ‘blind as a bat’, a ‘snake in the grass’ or as ‘mad as a cow’.

But did you know that the French love their animal expressions too?

When it’s freezing cold we say “Il fait un froid de canard” (=It is a duck’s cold) and if goose bumps appear, we call them  “la chair de poule” (=hen’s flesh).

To say “pigs might fly” we prefer using “quand les poules auront des dents” (=when hens will grow teeth).

We also have « C’est du pipi de chat » (this is cat wee) to talk about a drink with no fflavour or strength.

To refer to someone who is unreasonably stubborn we use the expression “Tête de mule” (=donkey’s head).

When we fail to turn up to a planned catch up or rendez-vous we use the expression « poser un lapin » (= to leave a rabbit).

If we turn up somewhere and nobody’s there, then we’ll use the expression “il n’y a pas un chat” (=there is not one cat).

While we’re trying to extract some information out of someone, then we will “tirer les vers du nez” (=pull the worms out of the nose).

If we’re starving hungry we might say we have a “une faim de loup” (= a wolf’s hunger).

Feeling a little down? Then you must “avoir le cafard” (= to have the cockroach).

If you are starting to feel pins and needles, then you’ll talk about “avoir des fourmis” (=to have ants).

How do you talk about someone with an impressive memory? Simply saying they have a “Mémoire d’elephant » (= an elephant’s memory).

Is your favourite French tutor quizzing you on some French expressions and despite your hard work you can’t remember? If you really don’t know the answer, your tutor might ask if you want to “donner ta langue au chat” (=give your tongue to the cat).

Now it’s your turn to give your fabulous tutor a hard time. If you can’t read their writing because it is oh soooooo small? Tell them they have “une écriture en pattes de mouche » (=a fly’s legs writing).

Last but not least, before you start learning, your French might not be top-notch and you might « parler français comme une vache espagnole » (=to speak French like a Spanish cow)… but don’t worry, this won’t last J especially if you choose a fantastic VoulezVouloz tutor!

This post was written for by our lovely French tutor lovely Delphine who teaches French on the Central Coast of NSW.  Merci Delphine!

Check out the rest of our tutors

Contact VoulezVouloz !!

If you’d like to learn more about our Private or small group French lessons for children, then contact us or call us on 0448 271 392. We have expert French tutors available in SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, CANBERRA and BRISBANE!

Easter is a big celebration in France and it’s not just about chocolate eggs and fluffy chicks!

Many Christians attend church services and the Easter bells (church bells rung during the services) are a well-known tradition.

Easter food in France

Others spend Easter Sunday with their families and eat a festive meal, often a traditional lamb dish either ‘gigot d’agneau’ (leg of lamb) or lamb stew. While yummy onion soup and fresh bread are also popular.

Nous adorons le chocolat!

Of course chocolate Easter eggs are still popular and children are told that hares, rabbits or bells bring the goodies.  And of course we mustn’t forget the chocolate fish or Poisson d’Avril (April Fish). Chocolate fish aren’t actually anything to do with Easter but start appearing in shops around April 1^st in time for April Fools day.

Les jeux de Pâques

Rolling raw eggs down a slope is an old custom in France, legend say that the surviving eggs symbolises the stone being rolled back from Christ’s tomb.

Another game involves tossing uncooked eggs into the air and the first child that drops one must give some lollies to another.

What are Osterlammelle?

Special biscuits known as Osterlammele are popular in the Alsace region of France. These yummy treats are baked in a clay mould in the shape of a lamb sitting on the ground and these are often decorated with ribbons.

Learn some Easter in France vocabulary

Why not use some French expressions this Easter with your family?

Contact VoulezVouloz French tutoring

If you’d like to learn more about our Private or small group French lessons for children, then contact us or call us on 0448 271 392. We have expert French tutors available in SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, CANBERRA and BRISBANE!

Check out our awesome new infographic. Wondering if you should learn French? Well here are some great reasons:

If you’re struggling to read the infographic, try launching it in a new window.

Contact VoulezVouloz French tutoring

If you’d like to learn more about our Private or small group French lessons for children, then contact us or call us on 0448 271 392. We have expert French tutors available in SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, and BRISBANE!