The French word “devant” can be used as a preposition, as an adverb, or as a noun. Preposition As a preposition, “devant” means “in front of,” “ahead of” or “before.” Adverb As an adverb, “devant” means “in front,” “at the front,” or “ahead.” Noun As a masculine noun, “le devant” means “the front.”
“Mode” is a French noun that can either be masculine or feminine. Its meaning changes depending on whether it is the masculine version of the noun or the feminine version. In its masculine form, it means “mode” or “way.” In the feminine, it means “fashion.” So you can remember the difference by remembering that women…
French words like “démocratie,” “acrobatie,” “aristocratie,” or “patienter” all contain the letter combination “tie.” How are words like these pronounced in French? What about words like “amnistie” or “dynastie”? The “tie” letter combination in French can either be pronounced as “SEE” or as “TEE.” How do you know which pronunciation to use? The easiest way…
Most French learners are familiar with the word for “where,” which is “où.” But how do you say “somewhere,” “nowhere,” “anywhere,” “everywhere,” “elsewhere,” and similar words?
The French verb “fondre” means “to melt,” along with a host of other meanings. It’s a useful verb to know if you’re heading into summer temperatures. “Fondre” can mean “to melt,” “to melt down,” “to thaw,” “to thaw out,” “to cast,” “to dissolve,” “to melt away,” “to waste away,” “to soften,” or when used reflexively,…
There are a few different ways to say “to think” in French. You can use verbs like “penser,” “songer,” “réfléchir,” “croire,” or “considérer.” penser Penser means “to think.” It is related to the English word “pensive,” someone who is thoughtful or in deep thought. It can be used with “à” to mean “to have in…
The French word for Christmas is “Noël.” It is a masculine noun, but you don’t have to use the article “le” before it, in most situations. “Christmas time” is “la période de Noël.” If you want to say “at Christmas,” it is simply “à Noël.” To wish someone “Merry Christmas,” you say (or write) “Joyeux…
The French verb “devoir” means “to have to” or “must.” An earlier post looked at “devoir” in a general sense. Let’s examine a few specific aspects of “devoir” that are indispensable for reading and talking in French. Past participle The past participle of “devoir” is “dû.” Unlike the past participles of “avoir, savoir, vouloir, pouvoir,…
“Par rapport à” is a French prepositional phrase that is widely used. It means three different things: “compared with/in comparison with/against,” “in relation to,” and “with regard to/towards.” Compared with/against In relation to With regard to/towards
The French phrase “il y a” means “there is” or “there are.” It covers both singular and plural. “il y a” versus “c’est” “Il y a” is often used for situations where you can’t see the thing being talked about. Eg “there is a bike in the garden” (when you’re not in the garden), or…