Theblogofwildfellhall

Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi, Italy (by emacol09)

how to sound more like a french native speaker 🌿

The following points are 5 classic French conversational techniques and mannerisms to help you sound just a bit more truly français:

1. The tactical use of bah

Fairly difficult to translate, the French bah is used rather regularly and can make your speech pattern sound very authentic.

In answer to an obvious question perhaps:

“Tu aimes bien la pizza?” (Do you like pizza?)

“Bah oui, bien sur!” (Well, yes, of course!)

Or something like the following:

“Tu adores le brocoli?” (Do you love broccoli?)

“Bah non! Je déteste!” (No, I hate it!)

Or as a deep, elongated syllable to fill gaps while you think:

“Qu’est-ce que tu fais le weekend?” (What are you doing on the weekend?)

“Baaaaaahh, en fait je ne sais pas encore.” (Well…actually I don’t know yet)

2. Add quoi to the ends of sentences

This one is also not easy to translate, but it would be the French equivalent of “whatever” or “innit.” So, you might imagine that it shouldn’t be used when talking formally, but it’s used often in casual conversation and can perfectly round off a sentence.

“C’est quoi, ça?” (What is that?)

“Euuh, je ne sais pas exactement mais je pense que c’est une sorte de nourriture, quoi.” (Um, I’m not really sure but I think it’s a type of food or whatever.)

3. Using eh, ah and hein like there’s no tomorrow

Whether it’s to fill space while you think or to provoke a response, these elongated vowels are very useful when speaking French. They can be heard very often in conversation.

For example, in English we add “don’t you?”/ “aren’t you?”/ “isn’t it?” to the end of statements to toss the conversational ball back into the other person’s court. The French will simply say “hein?”

“Il fait beau aujourd’hui hein?” (It’s nice weather today isn’t it?)

Try it with raised eyebrows for added French effect.

4. Sufficient use of voilà here, there and everywhere

The slangy English phrases “so, yeah” or “so, there you go” would probably be best translated into French as “voilà.”

When you can’t think of anything else to say at the end of a sentence, you can’t go wrong with a voilà. Sometimes even two. Voilà voilà.

5. Not forgetting the classic French shrug

In response to a question to which you don’t know the answer, respond the French way with an exaggerated shrug, raised eyebrows and add a “baaah, je sais pas, moi!” for good measure.

famous french sayings ✨

On n'apprend pas aux vieux singes à faire des grimaces. (You cannot teach old monkeys to make faces.) Means: “You cannot teach old dogs new tricks.”

Chacun voit midi à sa porte. (Everyone sees noon at his own door.) Means: “To each his own.”

Rien ne sert de courir, il faut partir à point. (There’s no sense in running; you just have to leave on time.) Means: “Slow and steady wins the race.”

On ne change pas une équipe qui gagne. (One does not change a winning team.) Means: “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”

Il n'y a pas de fumée sans feu. (There isn’t smoke without fire.) Means: ” Where there’s smoke there’s fire.“

Vaut mieux prévenir que guérir. (It is better to prevent than to heal.) Means: ”An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.“

Autres temps, autres mœurs. (Other times, other values.) Means: ”Times change.“

Un malheur ne vient jamais seul. (Misfortune never arrives alone). Means: ”When it rains, it pours.“

Vouloir, c'est pouvoir. (To want is to be able.) Means: ”Where there’s a will, there’s a way.“

Il faut réfléchir avant d'agir. (One must reflect before acting.) Means: ”Look before you leap.“

Si jeunesse savait, si vieillesse pouvait. (If youth only knew; if old age only could.) Means: ”Youth is wasted on the young.“

The Austrian National Library, Vienna (by Andreas Huber)

things to do when you’re bored:

filling a notebook with random conversation phrases overheard from strangers

writing 100 poems in one week (inspired by @alwaysbringabookwithyou)

creating moodboards for your friends

learning lyrics in a foreign language

reading challenges of any kind

creating playlists for different moods, seasons, times of the day

turning an unused notebook into an art journal

writing short stories on words from a random dictionary page

learning everything about a certain year or historical period

listing 100 places you want to visit

imagining the best version of yourself and jot down first steps to become them

trying and rating new skincare/beauty products

The Palais Garnier Opera House in Paris. Home of The Phantom of the Opera.

french linking words 🌿

Ainsi – Thus, In This/That Manner

La fée transforma ses jambes en queue de poisson, et ainsi, la princesse devint une sirène. The fairy transformed her legs into a fish tale, and thus, the princess became a mermaid.

C’est Ainsi Que – It’s This Way

Elle a travaillé dur pendant dix ans. C’est ainsi qu’elle a gagné la compétition. She worked hard for 10 years. She won the competition that way.

Alors – Then, So, Hence

Jean Noël ne pouvait pas supporter le bruit dans le club, alors il est sorti. JN couldn’t bear the noise in the club, so he went out.

Alors Que – While, Whereas, When

Alors que Sophie aime le jazz, Marie déteste ça. Whereas Sophie loves jazz, Mary hates it.

Aussitôt Que –As Soon As

Aussitôt que la chatte s’est endormie, les souris se sont montrées.

As soon as the cat fell asleep, the mice showed themselves.

D’autant Plus – All The More

Il partageait sa passion de la danse. Elle l’aimait d’autant plus. He shared her passion for dance. She loved him all the more.

D’autant Plus Que – Even More So Since

Je suis vraiment déçue. D’autant plus que je lui avais dit de venir chez nous. I am really disappointed. Even more so since I told him to come to our house.

Bien Que – Even Though (*Followed By The Subjunctive)

Elle l’a fait, bien qu’elle n’en ait pas eu envie. she did it even though she didn’t feel like it.

Si Bien Que – Hence

Ils parlaient à demi-voix si bien qu’elle ne pouvait pas les entendre. They spoke softly, hence she couldn’t hear them.

Cependant – Nevertheless, Meanwhile, However

Je ne suis pas de son avis. Cependant je le suivrai. I don’t share his opinion. Nevertheless I will follow it.

Dès – Since, From

Dès ce moment, il a refusé de parler d’elle. From that moment, he refused to talk about her.

Dès Que – As Soon As

Je te téléphonerai dès qu’elle arrivera. I’ll call you as soon as she gets here.

En Tant Que – As (A)

En tant qu’ingénieur, elle est très précise. As an Engineer, she is very precise.

Lorsque – When

Ils ont cueilli les cerises lorsqu’elles étaient mûres. They picked the cherries when they were ripe.

Malgré – Despite

Malgré son effort, cela n’a pas suffi. Despite her efforts, it wasn’t enough.

Même Si – Even If

Il ira même si elle n’y va pas. He’ll go even if she doesn’t.

À Moins Que – Unless (*Followed By The Subjunctive)

Vous ne pourrez pas voir la directrice à moins que vous ayez un rendez-vous. You will not be able to see the director unless you have an appointment.

Néanmoins – However, Nevertheless, Nonetheless

Elle avait peu d’argent néanmoins elle lui a tout donné. She had little money, but she gave all to him nonetheless.

Pendant Que – While, As

Marc étudie la chimie pendant qu’il écoute la radio. Marc studies chemistry while he is listening to the radio.

Pour Que – So That (*Followed By The Subjunctive)

Il a couru pour qu’elle ne l’attende pas trop longtemps. He ran so that she wouldn’t wait for him too long.

Pourtant – Although, Still, Nevertheless

La femme a plus de quarante ans, mais c’est pourtant une beauté. The woman is over forty, but she is nevertheless a beauty.

Puisque – Since, Because, As, Seeing That, For That Reason

Puisque sa maman ne voulait pas jouer au Monopoly, le petit garçon est sorti jouer dehors. Since his mother didn’t want to play Monopoly, the boy went to play outside.

Quand Même – Even Though, All The Same, Nevertheless

Ce n’est pas lui qui chantait le mieux, mais il a gagné la compétition quand même. He wasn’t the best singer, but he won the contest all the same.

Quant À – As For

Quant à lui, il préfère ne pas discuter de ce sujet dangereux. As for him, he’d rather not talk about this dangerous topic.

Quoique – Though, Although (*Followed By The Subjunctive)

Quoiqu’elle ne sourie pas beaucoup, en réalité elle est très contente. Although she doesn’t smile much, in fact she is really happy.

Quoi Que – Whatever, No Matter What (*Followed By The Subjunctive)

Quoi qu’il dise, elle ne le croit pas. Whatever he might say, she won’t believe him.

Sinon – Except, If Not, Otherwise, Except That, Unless

Ne sors pas sans manteau, sinon tu vas attrapper froid. Don’t go out without a jacket, otherwise you’ll catch a cold.

Tandis Que – Whereas, While

Il préfère aller à la plage pour les vacances, tandis qu’elle préfère aller à la montagne. He likes to go to the beach for vacations, whereas she prefers the mountains.