Articles about French
690+ articles on French language topics!
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ça fait un bail
ça fait un bail is a common informal French phrase. It means “it’s been a long time.” It is used to speak about a long gap since an event, or since you last saw someone. core meaning The phrase marks…
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sur & sous
Sur and sous are common French prepositions. They often translate as on and under. Start with place, then learn a few key extended uses. Sur Alternatives to sur Sous Alternatives to sous Sur vs sous side by side Summary
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ce que vs ce qui
One of the most persistent stumbling blocks in French grammar is the distinction between ce qui and ce que. Even advanced learners hesitate here—not because the concept is complicated, but because it’s structural rather than intuitive. 1. The core rule…
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to be supposed to
The English “to be supposed to” has several meanings. It can express duty, expectation, plan, or belief. French does not use one single form for all of these. The choice depends on the sense in context. obligation or duty When…
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de + noun vs adjective ending in -al
French often offers two ways to link a noun to another idea. One uses de plus a noun. The other uses a single adjective, often from Latin. The two forms overlap, but they do not feel the same. The de…
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futur proche dans le passé
The futur proche dans le passé is a common French verb form used to speak about something that was about to happen at a past moment. It is built with the imperfect of aller plus an infinitive. In English, it…
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ils vs elles
French uses the masculine plural as the default when a group includes at least one male. This applies to pronouns, adjectives, and past participles. the basic rule If a group has both males and females, the pronoun is ils, even…
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dissatisfaction
The English noun dissatisfaction can be translated into French in several ways, depending on context. The most common translations are insatisfaction, mécontentement, and déception. Each carries a slightly different feel, but all relate to a sense of unhappiness or displeasure….
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relever & un relevé
The French verb relever is versatile. Its core idea is to lift, raise, or pick up. From this base meaning, it can describe physical actions, recovering from a fall, correcting or improving something, noticing, responding to a challenge, or adding…
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fille & famille VS ville & mille
French words ending in -ille have two possible pronunciations: Understanding why both exist helps make the pattern easier to remember. 1) The usual pronunciation: [ij] In most words, -ille is pronounced [ij]: This is the regular modern outcome in French….
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futur simple vs “will”
The French futur simple and the english will future both point to later events. But english uses will far more. French often avoids its own future tense, using the present tense instead. This happens when the future is already clear…
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Faire la tête vs Faire la mauvaise tête
Both faire la tête and faire la mauvaise tête are informal French expressions used to describe visible displeasure. They are related but not interchangeable. The difference lies in intensity, attitude, and intent. faire la tête meaning Faire la tête means…
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faire la mauvaise tête
The French phrase faire la mauvaise tête means to show your anger or bad mood by refusing to speak, cooperate, or be pleasant. It is about sulking. It is about being stubborn in your unhappiness. It is something children do….
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