All Lessons

In this, our 80th lesson, we talk about a change which will soon apply to all new French car registrations. The distinctive French number plate which tells us which 'département' a car comes from, will take a new form. We'll learn several useful expressions including 'être au courant de', 'entrer en vigueur', 'conduire comme un pied' and 'forcer le passage à quelqu'un'. Allons-y!…

In this lesson we’ll learn how to simply ask if someone would fancy a cup of coffee that we’re about to make. And, while we’re at it, we’ll learn some trivia about a former Phillipine First Lady!…

This month, Italy lost one of her great musicians and personalities in Luciano Pavarotti. In this lesson, let’s talk about what made him a household name and such a popular figure the world over. We'll learn how to say someone has passed away, how to say we miss someone, how to say 'it's sad that…', and more. C'est parti!

Some people love them, others hate them. Still more cannot do without them. But, what if someone asks you if it’s ok to light up a cigarette in your presence ? Let’s listen to a role-play and see how such an exchange might unravel.

It’s an issue none of us likes to talk about but one we occasionally confront in the workplace. So what about the delicate subject of personal hygiene ? How do we discuss it in French ? In this lesson we'll find out. Allons-y!...

It is perhaps the most hated word in the French language. In fact, the noun itself - 'la rentrée' - means simply, “the return” but, for secondary school students it means the end of 'les grandes vacances' and the return to a new school year. In this lesson we’ll hear Amélie and Alex talk about what needs to be organised before the kids go back to the classroom.

In this lesson, Amélie will tell us about 'les Vélib' (vélos libres), an initiative in the French capital which puts bicycles at the disposal of those looking for a practical and healthier option for getting around. We'll learn new expressions including 'ça marche du tonnerre!' and 'prendre un abonnement'. We'll study some verbs, too, including 'assombrir', 'se réjouir de' and 'mettre en place'. Let's get started.

Continuing our theme of the last lesson, this time we look at the promises made by President Sarkozy in relation to the environment during the run-up to the French presidential elections. Let’s examine what he said … and what he promised. We'll hear Jacques' and Laure's views on some of those promises, too…

Though he wasn’t in the final reckoning for the French presidential election, the participation of Nicolas Hulot, a prominent environmentalist, drew the attention of many French voters to the precarious state of our planet. In this lesson, let’s focus on some vocabulary which relates to environmental issues. We’ll start with a role-play between Natacha and Matthieu.

The number of hours worked per week by French employees has been a hot topic in France recently. In this lesson, let’s study some of the vocabulary which will enable us to talk about overtime, in particular. Let's listen to a conversation between Christian and Marie in which Christian chastises Marie for not standing up to her boss and saying enough is enough …