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French road signs

What do they mean? Do you drive on French roads or autoroutes? Have you noticed road signs with words that don't really mean much to you? Most road signs are iconic and easily understood in any language, but every now and then the French will throw one at you and the meaning is really not very clear. Many of these road signs are temporary (with a yellow background and setup because of unusual circumstances. (more…)

5 French science fiction writers to read

Except for the connoisseurs, not many people think of science fiction as an important part of French literature. Yet, in the footsteps of Jules Verne, a precursor of modern science fiction, French literature is a den for science fiction. Hundreds of space operas, stories of time travellers and post-apocalyptic worlds hide behind the pens of great French science writers. Here are five highly recommended authors you should try to read. This list is entirely subjective and based on personal preferences: (more…)

5 French books you should read!

Are you looking for French books to read this summer?Either in French or simply from French authors? If you have already read all of classics by Proust, Maupassant and Verne or do not feel ready yet to embark in Hugo’s Les Misérables, Alain Fournier’s Le Grand Meaulnes or Albert Camus’ L’Etranger, here are some non-classic suggestions of lesser-known French books and authors, recent or not. (more…)

Evolution of family names in France

Like many other countries, family names in France have evolved for centuries and still are. It is closely linked to the history of the country and reflects its evolution from Roman times to today. (more…)

French slang in the trenches of World War One.

At the start of the Great War, millions of men were gathered together to fight France's enemies. One of the difficulty for the Army and the officers was that many Frenchmen actually did not speak French properly but spoke their own local dialects. After months spent together in the fields and trenches of World War One, soldiers created their own “ trench slang “ ( “ l'argot des tranchées “ ), mixing words from popular French, Parisian slang, languages of the colonial soldiers and other popular dialects. (more…)

Fun with French Idioms

French language is very rich in idioms. Some are very well known and some do not even make sense to the French themselves. Let's see some idioms as well as their meaning and history. (more…)

How to SMS messages in French

Nowadays, text messages have been implemented in all languages. French is no exception to the rule, and has its own style playing on the pronunciation of letters and words. Here you will find some simple to use French text messages that are used for SMS messages and also on the internet. (more…)

My favorite impossible French words

Hi, or rather Bonjour.I've been living in France for more than 25 years now.Living and working every day with French-speaking people.My sons are both French, the youngest is 14 and the oldest has just turned 18 and is awaiting the results of the famous "Bac" exams. We live in the countryside, in a small farming village with about 120 inhabitants. A very typical village with mainly old houses and barns, no pavements, no stop signs on the road and the street lights are turned off by the mayor before midnight. (more…)