Last week, we wrote about the importance of learning French noun gender and presented multiple categories of words that tend to be either masculine or feminine. This week, we want to give you 3 more important clues to use to assess whether a French noun is masculine or feminine
The French – Parisians, in particular – have a reputation for being rude. But the behavior that foreigners perceive as rudeness is often the result of cultural misunderstandings. To avoid any such misunderstandings, learn the following 7 French phrases before visiting Paris. With these phrases at the ready, we think you’ll see that Parisians are much more friendly than they’re reputed to be!
We are excited to share the French language success story of one of our students, James. James, who hails from Australia, arrived in Paris in 2014, unable to handle basic transactions in French or hold a conversation. But thanks to FAYLI that has changed…
Last week, we discussed expanding your French vocabulary with “vrais amis” (true cognates): French and English words that are identical or nearly identical in both spelling and meaning. This week, we’re going to focus on “faux amis” (false cognates): words that look identical in both French and English, but have entirely different meanings. What are …
Speak Better French: Learn Your Faux Amis (False Cognates) Read More »
We are delighted to share the success story of one of our former students, Liam Connell. Liam, a retired trader living in Chicago, took private French lessons in Paris twice a week with French As You Like It at the beginning of 2013. It thrills us that he found his lessons so enjoyable and …
Success Story! Former Student Liam Connell Shares His Tale Read More »
Can you spot the vrai amis?? Like many French language schools in Paris, our teachers often hear students fretting about the difficulty and complexity of French language. And we won’t deny it: learning French can be tough. The good news is that if you’re an English speaker, you do get a bit of a …
Improve Your French Vocabulary with Vrais Amis (True Cognates) Read More »
In these frigid January days, those of us in Paris are scurrying from place to place under slate-grey skies, scowling as the freezing air seems to slice through every layer of our clothes. On days like these, nothing is more tempting than finding a nice quiet spot to hunker down with a good book and …
Oh that pesky foreign accent! As many expats and visitors in Paris know, it’s disheartening to speak your very best French to a French native and only to receive a look of confusion – or pain – in return. We want to say two things about this. First, having an accent is natural. Unless you …
How to Improve Your French Accent: 6 Practical Tips Read More »
You may dream of learning French in Paris – but the reality is that you’re learning French in your car as you drive to work, or at home with an online course or books. No worries! The key to learning French, whether in Paris or at home, is by exposing yourself to and practicing the …
You thought the French food fest was over now that Christmas and New Year’s Eve was behind us? Think again. With the arrival of January comes a national obsession with the galette des rois – the “king cake.” If you’re in France, you’ve probably noticed this scrumptious-looking cake, usually topped with a golden paper crown, …
“Errer est humain, flâner est parisien.” To err is human, to stroll is Parisian. – Victor Hugo These words were true in the 19th-century and they’re true today. Nothing is more quintessentially Parisian than spending a lazy hour or two strolling through Paris’s streets, gardens, or along the banks of the Seine with no aim …
The Covered Passages of Paris: A Christmas Stroll Read More »
‘Tis the season…to hear Christmas carols all day long. Even here in Paris, where playing carols in stores wasn’t a thing until recently, we now stumble through December dreaming of a Bing Crosby White Christmas. With the strains of all these Anglophone carols in the air, you might think that there isn’t such a thing …
Learn French by Singing French Christmas Carols! Read More »
Paris is a haven for bon vivants. Although there are numerous supermarkets, chain shops and fast food restaurants, markets in Paris are still very much alive, kicking and full of fresh fruit & veg. While in Paris, whether on holiday or staying for longer, we suggest making like the locals and heading over to your …
Getting a haircut in a language you’re not completely comfortable speaking can be a challenging and (maybe a little more for women who often have more hair to lose) terrifying experience. At the same time cutting your own hair or trying to stretch cuts to last long enough until your next visit home isn’t very …
For American, the fourth Thursday in November can be a hard day to be in France. Besides the occasional co-workers or waiter who asks–Wut iz zis Zanksgiving, the day will be just the same any other Thursday in November. But don’t despair! There are an estimated 50,000 Americans living in France. If you got to …
At French As You Like It, we are lucky enough to work with all sorts of interesting individuals with all different levels of French. From the professional singer who wants to perfect her accent to the traveling spouse who has just moved to France, we love the challenge of creating French lessons for everyone. Whether …
The largest mosque in France and the third largest in Europe, the Grand Mosque de Paris is located in the 5th arrondissement just around the corner from Le Jardin des Plantes. The beautiful pink marble mosque was built between 1922 and 1926 to honor the soldiers from the French colonies who had helped France during …
A French Lesson over Tea at the Grand Mosque of Paris Read More »
Tucked away in the Paris 3rd is one of the coolest and most underrated museums in Paris, Le musée des Arts et Métiers. The museum was founded in 1794 as a repository for the preservation of scientific instruments and inventions and is now home to over 80,000 instruments and machines that date back to …
Learn French from Robots! A Lesson at Le musée des Arts et Métiers Read More »
Everyone knows that a French apartment isn’t complete without geranium gushing from the windows boxes. Your French tutor has held your hand as you’ve bought new appliances for and hung pictures in your dream French apartment. Let us now take a stroll through the Marché aux Fleurs to purchase some houseplants and the great thing …
Buying Plants (& Chickens) in French at the Marché aux Fleurs Read More »
Click to listen to the French lesson on the Hôtel de Ville. Location: 29 Rue de Rivoli, 75004 Paris, France Transportation: metros lines 1 and 11 at Hôtel de Ville Hours: Open 8:30am to 5pm Mon, Tues, Wed, and Fri; 8am to 7:30pm Thurs; 8:30 to 5pm Sat and closed Sun (reservations required one week …
French Lesson at Hôtel de Ville in the Paris 4th Read More »
