French

Francophonie: countries with the most French speakers apart from France

France is one of the top five most-spoken languages worldwide

Learning French: the many flexible uses of the word 'coup'

The flexible word can be used with many different expressions

‘I was surprised by what my French students think of Britons’

Baked beans, dyed hair, a love of fish skin… You can be the judge of whether some of these surprising stereotypes from university students are valid or not

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Six tongue twisters to test your French

Stretch your tongue and your language skills with these difficult to pronounce virelangues

READER TIPS: How long should it take to learn French?

The US government says it should take 600-750 classroom hours - but do our readers agree?

Tac, euh, bah: French language tics you hear every day

Discover five words that French people use but that have no real meaning

How long should it take to learn French for everyday use?

The US government says it should take 600-750 classroom hours to become proficient in French. Do teachers and learners agree? We find out.

Try swapping syllables in French words to sound like a native

France has a rich history of wordplay, involving exchanging sounds in words and phrases, in literature, journalism and slang

France’s humorous ‘February 29’ newspaper now available in newsstands

La Bougie du Sapeur is only published on leap years. Its last edition (2020) sold 120,000 copies

What would you include if compiling a quiz about France?

Columnist Nick Inman prepares a syllabus to help you become a French quiz whizz

Eight ways to express surprise in French apart from Oh là là

Oh la vache, macarel, mon dieu - learn how to be surprised like a native with these expressions

Speak like a local: seven phrases specific to the north of France

Il drache, bénache, biloute - try the language of the Ch’tis

French language tests harden: what changes and how to know your level

Some people applying for residency cards are affected due to changes voted through in the new immigration law

10 French idioms based on food or cooking

Salads, apples, and onions are all used in common phrases. How many do you know?

Understand the difference between quoique and quoi que in French

French grammar can be frustrating but there are often simple rules to remember and apply to help

Praise for French student who wrestled knife from attacker in Dublin

President Macron contacted the 17 year-old to thank him for his bravery

Which documents require an official translator in France?

In some cases a certified translation of a document is required, which must be undertaken by a traducteur agréé

French pianist who brought out an album aged 109 dies

Colette Maze had been perfecting her skills for over a century

13 shortened words and phrases you will hear in spoken French

The French language loves to shorten words, so here are a few to look out for

Five language ‘faux-amis’ that confused me as a French person in US

Living in the United States led to various perplexing moments including asking for crème fraîche and being shown beauty creams, recalls Théophile Larcher

Grammar points to watch out for in spoken French

French grammar can be stressful for language learners, but in reality it is no big deal

Six French films and series for November to help your language skills

Language acquisition requires translating everyday parts of your life into French

10 French words and phrases that are untranslatable in English

From yaourter to l’esprit d’escalier , here are some words that have no direct English equivalents

Weird French laws that are still technically valid in France

Did you know all these things that you are not supposed to do in France?

12 facts about the French language

From the longest word to its importance in European law, see how many you know

10 of the most difficult French words for English speakers to say

From squirrel to kettle, these are words you might use on an everyday basis

French people are not rude, just direct

Cultural differences have created this stereotype

A1, C2: What is the CEFR language rating in France?

The scale is understood across Europe and even used by some governments

Why French journalists use four words when one would do

If you wondered what phrases such as l'ovalie , La cité phocéenne or ‘ il a vu le jour ’ mean then you are the victim of an interesting if sometimes confusing cultural trait

C'est la sardine qui a bouché le port de Marseille

Marseille - a ship, a very big sardine - and a stereotype

What is the deuxième degré and how can it help your French?

Understanding the ‘second degree’ is key to improving your language skills

Five films or series to help improve your French this month

We take a look at what's new on Netflix in August

Nonplussed by French numbers? C'est comme ça!

Gain insight into the perplexing French compound words for numbers between 70 and 99

Where in France do people admit to drinking too much alcohol?

More than a quarter of respondents in two western regions of France say they exceed recommended drinking guidelines

How to stay in touch with French culture when living in UK or US

There are plenty of links to France all over the world - it is just knowing where to find them

Discount store Action is France’s favourite brand for the first time

The low-price shop beat off competition from Decathlon and Leroy Merlin

Parlez-vous français? Nein danke, say the Germans

In 2021/2022 less than one in seven German students chose to learn French

How can I watch French TV from abroad?

Watching French TV can be a good way to brush up on your language skills while outside the country, but not all channels are accessible

France, a nation of complainers? Yes, but it’s a good thing

We French are known for grumbling (and studies prove it to be true) but, argues Théophile Larcher, this belies the country’s high expectations and resilience

How well off are people in France? New studies try to find out

Studies by the prime minister’s office attempt to answer why and how people’s spending varies and find that people in Paris earn more but are less well-off overall

Why do French people say petit juif for elbow and is it offensive?

We look at the history of this expression which is becoming less common in everyday language

Why use anglicisms when we have perfectly good French words?

Lazy ignorance and a desire to appear cool are impoverishing our language, argues French journalist Théophile Larcher

Don’t let age be an obstacle to pursuing better French

Our brains may be slower but there are surprising advantages to learning a second language later in life, discovers Gillian Harvey

French you don’t learn at school: When jargon goes round the houses

We look at the euphemisms employed by the French transport industry to announce delays and problems

Learning French: Five ways to push through the pain barrier

Setbacks are inevitable, argues Nick Inman. The trick is to learn resilience at the same time

Five French words that we use in English…and vice versa

Ever wondered about the origin of some French words used in English, and if they still mean the same thing? We look at some common terms

‘Avoir le seum’: Our French expression of the week

After British newspaper The Sun was dubbed The Seum by some French football fans, we look at when the phrase may be used

Cordialement, amicalement: the nuances of email sign-offs in French

The Connexion explains which formulas suit different scenarios and how trends are changing

Hein? A little word that helps you sound much more French

We look at its meaning, when to use it and how to pronounce it ‘comme un Français’

Changer un cheval borgne pour un aveugle: French phrase of the week

We look at an expression used to talk about problem-solving and bargaining gone wrong

Why is French tabac sign carrot-shaped?

Did you know? Roll up, roll up, we are about to tell you!

How new arrivals in France can learn language

I am moving to France soon and would like advice on free French language tuition or help towards funding lessons. I believe the state offered this. Is it possible and, if so, how can I start the process?

‘Une volée de bois vert’ and three other French phrases about trees

Trees are in the news due to plans to ‘greenify’ Paris. We explore French expressions related to trees and wood…

‘Nuit blanche’, and other expressions with the word ‘white’ in French

Paris’ famous Nuit Blanche festival takes place this Saturday. We explain the origins of the name and three other French expressions related to the colour white

‘Être la coqueluche’: A French phrase you may hear today

Mayor of Grenoble Eric Piolle is set to appear in court accused of having a ‘whooping cough’ – but not in the literal sense. We look at what this means…

‘Train de sénateur’ and other French expressions you may hear

To celebrate 40 years of the TGV, we explain some French idioms related to trains

‘En avoir ras-le-bol’ - A French expression you may hear today

Le Pen supporters are said to have ‘ras-le-bol’ with her… We look at what this means

Schéma, rétablissement: 30 Covid-related terms you may hear in France

From getting a test to showing your health pass, there are a whole host of words that have entered our vocabulary since the start of the pandemic

French tetraplegic DJ creates Paralympics closing music with eyes only

DJ, rapper and music composer Pone said he ‘couldn’t say no’ when he was invited to create the dance-style mix for the Tokyo closing ceremony

Sécher les cours: A French expression you may hear today

Today marks ‘la rentrée’ in France with over 12 million children returning to school. Here are three school-related French expressions you might hear - but hopefully not!

Faire feu de tout bois: A French expression you may hear today

Health Minister Olivier Véran set out to ‘faire feu de tout bois’ against French anti-vaxers in a press conference yesterday. What does the expression mean?

Tous azimuts: A French expression you may hear today

To find a path out of the Covid health crisis President Emmanuel Macron is – uncharacteristically – consulting ‘tous azimuts’. What does the expression mean?

Mettre un bémol: A French expression you may hear today

The health minister has tried to mettre un bémol on suggestions the fourth wave of Covid-19 is drawing to a close in France. What does the expression mean?

Donner sa langue au chat: A French expression you may hear today

A pet cat has gone missing on a flight from France to the US and the response from flight operators is to ‘donner sa langue au chat’. What does the expression mean?

Franglais ou Frenglish? The history of French resistance to English

For centuries, purists of the French language have tried to root out alien English words and phrases. Michael Delahaye charts some of the milestones – or should that be pierres de kilométrage ?

Improve your French: The many ways to use 'on'

The English translation of ' on ' as 'one' is just the tip of the linguistic iceberg when it comes to this common subject pronoun

Faux-amis: Avoiding language traps in French

Look out for words in English and French that look the same but have very different meanings

Why the English language is more French than French

Words such as age, art, dragon and miracle were all adopted from French into the English language during the renaissance

What is the right way to say 'Mars landing' in French

As the Perseverance Rover descended to the red planet, here on Earth, the French question was whether it should be an atterrissage or an amarsissage

French linguist Alain Rey dies aged 92

Mr Rey loved language and was best-known as one of the original creators of the Le Robert dictionary

How to learn French online: Five YouTube videos to watch

Watching free online videos can be an enjoyable way to improve your French. Here is our selection of YouTube channels to help you master la langue de Molière .

Croissants, cheese, strikes - what makes the French, French?

For nearly 20 years, guidebook writer Nick Inman has tried to answer the question: What makes the French, French? Here, he reveals why he has never quite found a satisfying answer.

Applying for French nationality: What it's like

I am considering applying for French nationality and would like to know what it is like to go through the French naturalisation process

New Chocolat book + interview with author

The fourth novel in Joanne Harris’s Chocolat series has just come out in paperback. The writer spoke to Jane Hanks about her writing, her French/British background and the influence of France and her French family on her work.

500 years of Franco-English ‘most expensive festival’

It is the 500th anniversary to the day of the “most expensive festival in history”, when King François I of France and King Henry VIII of England met near Calais, and organised 18 days of unparalleled luxury.