Experience Language

Online Language Intercambio

2010-06-29T04:49:00.000-07:00

Learning a foreign language is not always easy, but it can certainly be a fun experience. Whether you are self-learning or learning in a classroom environment, you need to practice and ideally practice with a native speaker. Easier said that done, you may reply. Well, we have some good news for you....

You may have already heard of the Intercambio or language Tandem concept. This is when for example an English speaking student who is learning French meets with a French speaking student learning English. They get together and converse part of the time in English and part of the time in French. Great concept, but how do you set it up?

Voila! We have recently come across LingoMatch.com, an online platform to find your tandem partner. LingoMatch is designed specifically for language swaps. Users create Ads (free) and publish them on the site (eg. English speaker learning French and lives in East London). Other users can then browse the site and get in touch by email. The site recommends that people meet with a number of language learners and not just one.

Happy language swapping!

Travel Tips

2010-06-09T04:24:00.000-07:00

We invite you to visit our Travel Tips page on the Experience Language website. You will find practical information on:

Travel by plane/train
Unaccompanied Minors
Travel Insurance
European Health Insurance
Visa Applications
Placement Tests and Parental Forms
What to Pack
Mobiles Abroad

Get in touch if you need any further advice:)

Travel Tips

Free French Ebooks and Films

2010-05-28T02:08:00.000-07:00

The Institut Français in London has recently launched a French online library named 'Culturethèque'. 'Culturethèque' offers a large number of French ebooks, films, audios which you can access from home.

Whether you are interested in reading French classics or contemporary novels, travel guides or cookery books, you will find something on Culturethèque.

All you need to do is register on the site and browse the catalogues. Access to the entire site is free until September 2010. From September there will be charge of £20 a year.

Note that for legal reasons, international users may not be able to access the whole content of the site.

Culturethèque

Top Five French Summer Destinations

2010-05-07T07:19:00.000-07:00

Below are the five most popular 'Experience Language' French destinations so far for the summer 2010:

1) Biarritz - Biarritz remains a very popular summer destinations for most age groups, particularly the 15 to 25. Courses in Biarritz include French and Surf, French and Golf and French Standard / Intensive Courses.

2) Gréoux les Bains in Provence - Our partner school in Greoux offers original junior immersion courses for 12 to 14 and 15 to 18. Courses include French and Sailing, French Adventure, French and Horse Riding.

3) Aix en Provence - The school in Aix en Provence is an adult only school. Courses in Aix include the French Standard/Intensive Courses, French and Cooking, French and Paint, French and Horse Riding, French and Provence.

4) Moustiers - The school in Moustiers in Provence is also an adult only school, located in an old renovated Monastery. The school offers a Full Immersion Course, you speak french from the moment you wake up till you go to bed!

5) Montpellier - The school in Montpellier offers junior and adult courses. The school offers a junior summer camp as well as Intensive Courses and a great French and Cooking Course.

Brand New Online Booking System

2010-05-07T06:22:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to introduce the Experience Language brand new booking system. ('Mieux vaut tard que jamais')! Alors, what's new?

1) You can now book your course(s) online
2) You can pay the deposit/balance using our secure system (payments are processed by Sage Pay).
3) You can check the status of your booking

For those who prefer the good old method, booking forms are still available for download on the site.

Download booking form

Summer Courses - Availability

2010-05-07T05:31:00.000-07:00

Are you thinking of enrolling yourself or perhaps your child on a language course this summer? Vite, vite, vite! June, July and August are the busiest months of the year for language courses abroad.

We are regularly updating the website to show you which dates are available and which dates are fully booked. Yet bookings are coming in so fast, a course may show availabilities in the morning and be fully booked by lunchtime. Please do check with us first if you are interested in a specific date. Passez nous un petit coup de fil au +44(0)121 430 7660.

Survey: What do you love about France and the French?

2010-03-18T14:04:00.001-07:00

Experience Language Survey

What do you most enjoy in France?

* Les Français (French people)
* La bonne bouffe (French food)
* Le vin (wine)
* Le paysage (countryside)
* Les chateaux (castles)
* L'art de vie (lifestyle)
* Other:

What is your favorite destination in France?

If you have any anecdotes about a past visit to France, we would love to hear about them

Please take a couple of minutes to fill out our survey here:
What do you love about France and the French?

Language Courses in Nice - 15% Off Tuition Fee

2010-03-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

The school in Nice is offering a 15% discount on tuition fees for all courses starting before the end of May 2010 (except the trimester course)

The Standard Course (20 lessons per week) reduced to 229.50 Euros for one week instead of 270 Euros.

The Intensive Course (26 lessons per week) reduced to 289 Euros for one week instead of 340 Euros.

The Combined Course (20 group lessons & 10 private lessons per week) reduced to 654.50 Euros for one week instead of 770 Euros.

Young Minds Love to Learn

2010-03-17T04:58:00.000-07:00

Lucky Children!

Learning a new language as an adult can be quite a challenge. For young children, however, learning a new language is a bit like learning to walk. While adults have to go through grammar drills and memorize vocabulary, children just need to be exposed to the new language.

Experts talk of a 'window of opportunity' from birth to the age of 10. During this critical period, children's brain is said to be more receptive to learning multiple languages. Once the window begins to close, the effort to master a new language becomes greater. Hence the opportunity for children to learn a foreign language at primary school is important.

Benefits of learning a new language at a young age:

* Children learn more easily and more naturally.
* Children mimic what they hear so they have a better pronunciation/accent.
* Children learn to appreciate different cultures from a young age.

How can we expose young children to a new language?:

DVDs: Children love watching the same DVDs over and over again. Many of the Disney movies can be watched in a different language.

Nursery Rhymes: Music is a great way to help children learn words and phrases in the new language. You can purchase a CD with nursery rhymes in the foreign language or even with bilingual songs.

Language lessons: Some nurseries offer French or Spanish lessons.

Family programmes: Why not try our French family programme in Cannes for children from the age of 3.

French Froggies?

2010-03-12T07:06:00.000-08:00

Many people assume that the English kindly nicknamed the French 'frogs' or 'froggies' because of the French's love for frog legs. Yet it seems that other theories exist as to why the French are called 'frogs'. (By the way, not every French person enjoys frog legs!)

Theory 1: Around the 18th Century, Paris was surrounded by swamps. The French nobility in Versailles apparently started to call Parisians frogs because of their swampy surroundings.

Theory 2: During the Second World War, the French became known as frogs because of their ability to hide so well when camouflaged.

Theory 3 (our favorite): French people often say 'quoi' instead of 'pardon' (ie. 'what' instead of 'pardon me'?). 'Quoi' sounds very much like 'Coa' the croaking of the frog. :)

Pour finir, a little French joke:

Pourquoi les anglais n'aiment-ils pas les grenouilles?
Car elles font le thé tard. (un tétard = a tadpole)

A little Pronunciation Exercise

2010-02-10T05:54:00.000-08:00

Au travail! Below are five French tongue twisters to practice your pronunciation with.

Remember 's' is usually pronounced like the English 's' in 'set'. However, when an 's' is in the middle of a word and between two vowels, it is pronounced 'z' like in 'désert', 'poison', 'maison', etc. Bonne chance!

1) Un chasseur sachant chasser sait chasser sans son chien de chasse.
A hunter knowing how to hunt can hunt without a hunting dog

2) Je suis ce que je suis et si je suis ce que je suis, qu'est-ce que je suis?
I am who I am and if I am who I am, who am I?

3) Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches? Archi-sèches!
Are the socks of the archduchesse dry? Super dry!

4) Ces six saucissons-ci sont si secs qu'on ne sait si s'en sont.
These six sausages are so dry that we don't know if they are sausages

5) Poisson sans boisson, c'est poison!
Fish without drink, is poison

Mais Pourquoi On Dit Ça?

2010-02-10T04:55:00.000-08:00

Do you ever say something in your own language and wonder where it comes from? Here are a few French phrases that are frequently used but have no clear origins:

1) Un petit chouia - comes from the arab language 'chouya' and it means 'a little'.

eg: 'Tu veux du gateau?' 'Oui, mais juste un petit chouia, s'il te plait.'

2) A pétaouchnok - invented in the 1940ies to imitate the name of a russian town far far away. It simply means 'far away' or 'in the middle of nowhere'

eg: 'Il habite à Pétaouchnok.'

3) A la Saint Glinglin - Glinglin is a fictional French saint but the exact origin is unknown. It means 'some day in the indefinite future or never'

eg: 'Je ferai un marathon à la Saint Glinglin.' (hmm, jamais!)

New Look for Experience Language

2010-02-10T04:30:00.001-08:00

We are happy to announce the new Experience Language website is now live! Un nouveau design et une navigation plus facile!

Alors quoi de neuf?

Sections:

Our language courses are now streamed into four sections: 'Social and Fun', 'Professional', 'Junior and Family' and 'Student and Gap Year'.

Search Box:

Thanks to our new 'Search Language Courses' box, you can now search for courses by coursetype (eg. French and Ski) or by location (eg. Amboise, France).

Breadcrumb Trail:

A great tool to navigate between pages. If you are not sure what it is, it looks like this:

Learn French >> Social and Fun >> French for 50+ >> Montreux

We hope these added features will help you browse through the site more easily. If you get a chance, we would value any feedback you may have regarding the new website and/or programmes.

Original Family Holiday Abroad

2010-02-10T04:09:00.001-08:00

On parle tous français en vacances! Are you looking for an original family holiday abroad? How about learning French as a family.

Family programmes are becoming more and more popular. It is a great opportunity for the whole family to experience learning a language and being immersed in the culture together.

Lessons take place in the mornings. Mum and/or dad have their lessons with the other adults, and children have their lessons with other children. Afternoons are free time and depending on the location, students can take sailing or tennis lessons.

We offer family programmes in the following locations:

Cannes from 3 years old.
Paris from 6 years old.
Montpellier from 11 years old.
Antibes from 12 years old.
Biarritz from 14 years old.

Learn French in Nice during the Carnival

2010-01-20T02:37:00.000-08:00

The 'Carnaval de Nice' is on its way! This year, the 'Nice Carnival' will be from 12th to 28th February. Giant, colourful parades will take place day and night, with entertainment provided by over 1,000 musicians and dancers from across the world.

The theme of the Carnival this year is "the Blue Planet".

Check out the programme for the Carnival on www.nicecarnaval.com

Learn French in Nice

Our partner school in Nice is located about 10 minutes walking distance from the Place Massena where most of the entertainment will take place.

The school in Nice offers the standard course, the intensive course and the combined course.

The school is offering a 15% discount on course fees on all courses taken before the end of May 2010.

Bon Carnaval and Happy Learning!

'Mon chou' et 'Ma puce'!

2010-01-07T01:52:00.000-08:00

What do a cabbage and a flea have in common? Well, believe it or not, both of these words are commonly used by the French as terms of affection for children: 'Viens ici, ma puce', 'C'est l'heure de manger, mon chou'!

Other terms of affection are (ne vous moquez pas, s'il vous plait!): ma choupinette, mon coeur, mon trésor, mon roudoudou, mon chaton, mon lapin and many more.

As for the children they like to call their parents 'maman et papa' as well as 'mamounette et papounet'.

The 'Galette des Rois'

2010-01-07T01:43:00.000-08:00

If you visit friends in France in January, it is very likely that they will bring out a 'galette des rois' (cake of the kings). The 'galette des rois', at its origin, was a cake eaten on the day of the Epiphany to commemorate Twelfth Night when the Three Kings visited baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Over the years, it has become so popular that it is now eaten on any days throughout January.

What makes this galette so popular? Eh bien, the 'galette des rois' contains a 'fève' (a lucky charm). The person who finds the 'fève' in their slice of galette becomes the King or Queen and gets to wear a crown. The Queen or King must then buy the next galette and the game continues.

You can buy 'galettes des rois' at the boulangerie or any supermarkets in France throughout January.

La "galette des rois".

La France - Top Country to Retire!

2010-01-06T03:11:00.000-08:00

L'herbe est-elle donc toujours plus verte ailleurs?

According to a US magazine, France is the country with the best quality of life in the world. The magazine, International Living, produces every year a quality of life index. This year they ranked 194 countries using the nine following categories: Cost of Living, Culture and Leisure, Economy, Environment, Freedom, Health, Infrastructure, Safety and Risk, and Climate. France scored high marks across the board.

Interesting are the comments made by French people on Le Monde's blog. Some totally disagree with the results and in fact say they are ridiculous. However quite a few who happened to have lived in other countries admit that France is not so bad after all. Is it a case that the grass always appear greener on the other side?

Le Monde's Blog - article and the comments.

Learn French in the Alps and Spend the Weekend Skiing!

2010-01-06T03:03:00.000-08:00

This winter, why not enrol on a French and Skiing course in Chambery or Annecy? It is a great course combining French lessons during the week and two full day ski trips over the weekend.

You can enrol on the French and Skiing course on any Monday from early January to early April and for a duration of two weeks or longer.

French and Skiing courses.

Teenage Easter Camp in Gréoux - 100 EUROS OFF!

2010-01-06T02:09:00.000-08:00

Easter Camp in Gréoux / French Immersion in Gréoux

Book before the end of Feb 2010 and get a 100 Euros discount on the Easter Camp in Gréoux for 15 to 18 and the Immersion Course for 12 to 14 years old. Two options: horse riding or skiing trip and sledge hike with sledge dogs!

The camps take place from 6th to 16th April 2010.

Easter courses in Greoux.

Great Offer for Early Bookers in Hyères and Antibes!

2009-11-19T02:32:00.001-08:00

The junior schools in Antibes and Hyères are offering a 50 Euros discount per week on the summer camp in Antibes and the French and Sailing camp in Hyères for bookings made by 2nd April 2010.

The summer camp in Antibes is for students aged 14 to 17, it takes place from 28th June to 4th September 2010.

The French and Sailing camp in Hyères is for students aged 9 to 17, it takes place from 28th June to 21st August 2010.

By booking early you will also benefit from cheaper air fares!

Sunny Language Courses for the Winter

2009-11-16T07:05:00.001-08:00

Courses we recommend over the winter months:

Christmas Courses in Spain: A lovely course taking place during the Christmas week in Barcelona, Madrid, Marbella, Tenerife, Vejer and Salamanca. The course consists of Spanish lessons and activities around the Christmas theme. This is a one or two week course.

French and Ski in Annecy and Chambery: A great course combining a French course taught Monday to Friday in the mornings and two full day sky trips over the weekend.

A Level Revision Courses: A good way to revise for your exam and give you the confidence you need to perform to the best of your abilities. We offer this course during the February Half Term and at Easter.

"I had a great time in Bordeaux which is a lovely city. I felt I gained experience of the French way of life and increased my confidence in all aspects of the French language. I was made to feel very welcome by my host family." Fiona on the A Level Revision Course in Bordeaux.

Ca marche? Non, ça court!

2009-11-16T07:01:00.000-08:00

You probably know the verb marcher meaning to walk. Did you know that marcher can also be used colloquially to say that something work or doesn't work.

Comment ça marche? How does it work?
Pourquoi ça marche pas? Why doesn't it work?
Ah voila, ça remarche. Ah it is working again.

Fonctionner would be a better way of saying that something works.

If you hear someone use marcher instead of fonctionner, you can tease them and say: Ca court? (ie, is it running?)

Travel on a Budget

2009-11-16T06:57:00.000-08:00

Learning a language in the country where that language is spoken is the best way to learn. Unfortunately it is not cheap. But as everything in life, there are ways of doing it all on a tighter budget. Here are a few recommendations:

1) Time of travel: it is always cheaper to travel outside the peak seasons. Flights tend to be more expensive around school holidays. Some schools charge higher course fees in the summer months.

2) Your chosen destination: choose a destination which you can reach cheaply. Many low cost airlines provide cheap flights to major cities in Europe. It is usually best to book early to get the cheapest fair.

3) Some schools offer cheaper prices than others. It often depends on the location and the size of the school. Ask us for advice.

4) It is of course cheaper to enrol on a standard course than it is on a course combined with an activity or an immersion course.

5) Budget accommodation: some schools offer budget accommodation, many of them require you to share with another student.

Note that prices Experience Language charge are those advertised by the schools. Experience Language does not charge any fees.

Stay in Touch the Cheaper Way

2009-11-16T06:41:00.000-08:00

How would we cope without our mobiles phones? Whether for texting or calling they have become a very useful little gadget.

But when abroad ....

Mobile roaming fees are frightening. It is thus worth doing a bit of research before your trip or your child's trip to see what is the best way for you to stay in touch. Note that most language schools have internet access so it is easy to check emails. Most host families have a landline which you or your child can use for incoming calls (within reason).

For those of you who do not need to call or text much, then the best way is probably to use your mobile as a pager. As you can get free texts when abroad you can ask your friends and family to text you if they need to contact you urgently and you can then call them using voip or a "cheap" phone card.

For those of you who may need to call a lot or who travel abroad on many occasions, an international sim card may be more appropriate.

For more information and advice on mobile roaming, read this article from www.moneysavingexpert.com:

Cheap Roaming Calls

Special Offers - Juniors and Adults

2009-10-19T07:02:00.000-07:00

Juniors - Easter Camp in Gréoux / French Immersion in Gréoux

Book before the end of Feb 2010 and get a 100 Euros discount on the Easter Camp in Gréoux for 15 to 18 and the Immersion Course for 12 to 14 years old. Optional skiing trip and sledge hike with sledge dogs!

Click here for more information on Easter courses in Greoux.

Adults - French Courses in Lyon and Montreux

Special Winter Discount on French courses in Lyon and Montreux between Nov 1st 2009 and Jan 30th 2010! 10% discount on course and accommodation fees.

Click here for more information on courses in Lyon.

Click here for more information on courses in Montreux.

Les Jeunes Francais Nuls en Anglais

2009-08-26T05:17:00.000-07:00

The newspaper "Le Monde" published an article on 25th August with the title: "Les étudiants français toujours aussi nuls en anglais".

The article ridicules the idea of the previous minister of education, Xavier Darcos, that all French teenagers should be bilingual by the time they leave school.

To gain access to British or American universities, foreign students need to sit the TOEFFL exam. The 2008 results place the French in the 69th place out of 109 countries in the world and in the 25th place out of 43 European states. Considering the test is taken by students who are considering studying in Britain or the US, so students with a keen interest in the language, these results are very disappointing.

Read here the "Le Monde" article.

French Adult Conversation Classes in Birmingham

2009-08-25T01:53:00.000-07:00

Voulez-vous parler français ce soir?

Adult Conversation Classes starting 17 September 2009 at Kitchen Garden Cafe in Kings Heath (B14) in Birmingham.

* French Conversation Classes Elementary Level A1/A2:
Thursdays 6.45pm to 7.45pm.

* French Conversation Classes Intermediate Level B1/B2:
Thursdays 8pm to 9pm.

Group Size: 8 max.
Price: £45 for a 5 week session.

For information or to book, please call Hélène at Experience Language on 0121 430 7660 or contact us through the website.

Hot August in France

2009-08-24T07:20:00.001-07:00

If you are one of the lucky ones to be or have been in France this month, you will have most likely experienced some lovely warm weather:

"Oh la la, il fait lourd!" - It's heavy/humid.
"Il fait un soleil de plomb" - The sun is scorching hot.
"C'est la canicule" - It's a heat wave.
"J'ai besoin d'un peu de fraicheur" - I need a bit of coolness.

The situation in the UK was slightly different:

"Il pleut à verse" - It's raining cats and dogs.
"Il pleut/tombe des cordes" - It's raining heavily.
"Ca s'éclaircit, vite sortons le barbecue!" - It's brightening up, let's get the BBQ out.

Brand New Courses for 2010

2009-08-24T07:10:00.000-07:00

The school in Aix is launching a French and Hike course in 2010. It will be a two week course on fixed dates combining French lessons in the mornings with hiking in the afternoons as well as on the weekend. All you need is a good pair of shoes!

Further details about the French and Hike course including dates and prices.

The school in Paris is launching a Telephone French course. This course is ideal for students who are just back from a language course in France or for students who just do not have time to go to France on a course. All you have to do is agree a time with the school. Lessons can be done using a landline or skype.

Further details about the Telephone course including dates and prices.

Special 12 Week Package in Bordeaux

2009-08-18T01:19:00.000-07:00

The school in Bordeaux is offering a special 12 week package for courses taken from:

28th September to 18th December 2009 or

4th January to 26th March 2010.

20 Lessons for 12 weeks: 1650 Euros (instead of the usual 1995 Euros!)

20 lessons for 12 weeks + family accommodation incl half board: 3800 Euros (instead of 4485 Euros!)

20 lessons for 12 weeks + studio (28m2): 3965 Euros (instead of 4900 Euros!)

More information on the course.

Come Dine in France - It's got cheaper!

2009-07-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

Since 1st July, TVA (french equivalent of VAT) rates at restaurants and cafés in France have been reduced from 19.6% to 5.5%. Establishments do not have to lower their prices as a result of the VAT drop but it is expected that more than 80% will.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy hopes that restaurants will drop their prices so that they will increase their business and will then be able to hire more employees and modernise their facilities.
liberation.fr - La TVA baisse, l’addition suit-elle?.

Geek in Le Petit Larousse 2010

2009-07-07T06:59:00.000-07:00

"Geek" has made it in the Petit Larousse 2010. Le Petit Larousse is a French language reference book which includes about 150 000 definitions. The first ever Petit Larousse was published in 1905.

The latest edition published last month, Le Petit Larousse 2010 includes 150 new words:

many words coming from the IT world:

geek, adresse IP, réseau social, hameçonnage (phishing) and blacklister

about 50 famous people:

Barack Obama, Audrey Tatou (Amelie), George Clooney amongst many.

and many expressions:

surbooké, véloroute, au taquet, lowcost and more.

liberation.fr - more on the new entries in Le Petit Larousse 2010

Fun French Game

2009-07-07T06:35:00.000-07:00

If you ever want to practice your conversational French and at the same time have a good laugh, why not try the "ni oui, ni non" game. The rules are pretty easy.

You play the game in groups of two. One person asks questions to the other one and tries to get him/her to say "oui" or "non". Once he/she has successfully got the other one to say "oui" or "non" then they swap.

Tips:
Instead of saying "oui", you could answer: "c'est cela", "effectivement", "je crois", "c'est possible", etc.
Instead of saying "non", you could answer: "je ne pense pas", "absolument pas", "pas trop", etc.

Amusez-vous bien.

10% Off Courses in Chambery

2009-06-17T01:48:00.000-07:00

The school in Chambery is offering a 10% discount on all courses from 29th June to 28th August.

Courses in Chambery

Junior Camp Biarritz - Special Offer

2009-06-10T03:58:00.000-07:00

The junior school in Biarritz is offering a special discount on the summer camp as well as the French and Surfing course taking place between 27th July and 17th August 2009.

Original Price: 1415 Euros for two weeks.
Discounted Price: 1250 Euros for two weeks.

Price includes lessons, activities and full board accommodation.

Check out the two courses on our website

'Jouer à' or 'Jouer de'

2009-05-19T06:51:00.000-07:00

If you take or have taken French lessons you will have most likely done the topic of 'your hobbies' and been confused with the verb 'jouer'. When is it 'jouer à' and when is it 'jouer de'? Well the rule is actually quite simple for once. If followed by an instrument, it is 'jouer de', if followed by a sport, it is 'jouer à'.

Examples:

Je joue au foot, au basket, au tennis, à la marelle.

Je joue du piano, de la guitare, du violoncelle.

(Mais je fais du sport, je fais de la gymnastique).

Practice Your French Listening

2009-05-19T05:48:00.000-07:00

As we all know, practice is really the key to learning and mastering a new language. Over the years thanks to the internet it is becoming increasingly easier to listen to French radios, French news, French songs, French movies, etc. If you have an ipod, you can even download podcasts onto your ipod and listen to them in the car, in the bath, when making dinner, etc.

Here are a few free podcasts which may be of interest:

Journal en Francais Facile: It is not that "facile" but the journalists do speak a little bit slower than they usually do.

France Info Junior: Every week children asks questions regarding a specific topic. Listening to the children ask questions is interesting as they tend to repeat what they hear as opposed to speaking a grammatically correct French. For instance they may say : "qui s on" for "qu'ils ont"

And more: Various other podcasts about current affairs, movies, gardening, etc.

Here are a few podcasts for a fee:

Daily French Podcast: this site offers podcasts of different levels as well as transcripts and exercises.

Learn by French Podcast: this site offers French lessons through podcasts.

La Bise - Une Vraie Enigme Française

2009-05-19T04:59:00.001-07:00

When visiting France, especially when staying with a French family, you will most likely discover the "bise" tradition.

La "bise" is a kiss on the cheek. Traditionally when you meet a friend or a relative you kiss each other on the cheeks.

A qui fait-on la bise? (Who should you exchange kisses with?)

You would usually "faire la bise" with friends, acquaintances and relatives. You do not exchange kisses with your boss or teacher unless you also know them as friends!

Men do not usually exchange kisses with other men, they prefer to shake hands (much more manly!).

Combien de bises? (How many kisses should you exchange?)

It may be two, three or four depending on where you are in France. Check out the link below for a map showing the number of kisses in the different regions:

http://combiendebises.free.fr/

The map is pretty good but don't rely on it too much as there are no rules. Just let the other person lead you and remember that even French people get it wrong.

Et on commence par quelle joue? (Which cheek do you start with?)

Well once again no rules. Some people say that you start with the right cheek in the north of France and with the left cheek in the south but this is not always the case so again best not to rely on it.

Offres Speciales June 2009

2009-05-19T04:55:00.000-07:00

Juniors in Antibes and Hyères

35 Euros discount per week on the summer camp in Antibes and the French and Sailing camp in Hyères for bookings made by June 15th 2009. This offer is available for stays from June 28th to August 22d 2009.

http://www.experiencelanguage.co.uk/french/frenchandsailinginhyeres.html
http://www.experiencelanguage.co.uk/french/frenchsummercampsinantibes.html

Adults in Bordeaux and Biarritz (16+)

Up to 20% discount on the standard course for courses taking place between 31st August and 18th December 2009 in Bordeaux and between 31st August and 30th October in Biarritz: 20% off on 4 and 8 week courses and 10% off on 12 week courses.

http://www.experiencelanguage.co.uk/french/standardcourseinbiarritz.html
http://www.experiencelanguage.co.uk/french/standardcourseinbordeaux.html

Brand New Course in Biarritz

2009-02-18T06:04:00.000-08:00

The language school in Biarritz is offering a brand new course: French and Thalassotherapy. This lovely course combines French lessons in the mornings with treatments in the afternoons. The choice of treatments includes group pool treatments (underwater jets, relaxation lagoon) and individual hydrotherapy (multi-jet baths, shower jets, back hydro-massage, hydrojets, pressotherapy, affusion, seawater showers, seaweed wrap).

What a great combination: work your brain in the morning and embrace the powers of seawater in the afternoon.

French and Thalassotherapy

Join Experience Language on Facebook!

2009-02-18T06:01:00.001-08:00

We have just set up an Experience Language group on Facebook. We hope you will join us for interesting discussions about language learning as well as to meet other people with a similar interest in languages.

History remains in the French and English Languages

2009-02-18T05:58:00.001-08:00

It is interesting how centuries of not getting on so well has remained in both French and English languages. For example, there is "to take French leave" , in French "filer à l'anglaise" (to leave the English way). The English used to call syphilis the "French disease", whilst the French called it "la maladie anglaise" (English disease). A condom is referred to, in French as "la capote anglaise" (English hood) and in English as "French letter".

Et cela continue! The French enjoy making fun of English cuisine: "des légumes cuits à l'anglaise" for overboiled vegetables. The English must think that the French are not fond of bathing: "a French shower" (ça c'est un peu cruel).

Happily not all french and english adjectives have bad meanings: "french kiss", "french door", "french bread", "les anglaises" (ringlets), "crème anglaise" (egg custard), etc.

How colloquial is your French?

2009-01-09T07:12:00.000-08:00

Learning French in France is definitely the best way to learn. Yet you do have to watch out for the colloquial French you sometimes pick up outside lessons. In French (as in all languages I assume) there are three main registers of language (registres de langue):

1) Le registre courant: used on an everyday basis when talking to people at work, or at school, etc.
Ex. : « J'habite dans cette vieille maison »

2) Le registre familier: used with friends, family, people you know well.
Ex. : « J' crèche dans c'te baraque pourrie... »

3) Le registre soutenu: mainly used in written work or by very educated people.
Ex. : « Je réside dans cette vétuste demeure »

(examples taken from http://www.lettres.org)

Langage familier -----> Langage courant

un pote -----> un copain
une bagnole ----> une voiture
un bouquin ----> un livre
crevé ----> fatigué
la trouille ----> la peur
un mec ----> un homme
une baraque ----> une maison
des godasses ----> des chaussures
louper ----> rater

Offres Speciales 2009

2009-01-09T06:21:00.000-08:00

Special Offers in Aix en Provence and Bordeaux!

Aix en Provence:

20% discount on the standard and intensive courses taken between Jan 5th and Feb 28th 2009 and not exceeding four weeks.

Bordeaux:

10% discount on any group courses taken between Jan 5th and Feb 28th 2009.

December Proverbs

2007-12-06T03:28:00.003-08:00

Many French people believe that there is a link between the weather at Christmas and the weather at Easter. They also believe that a cold and snowy Christmas is good news. Check out the proverbs below:

Noël au balcon, Pâques au tison.
Christmas on the balcony, Easter by the himney

Blanc Noël, vertes Pâques ou vert Noël, blanches Pâques.
White Christmas, Green Easter or vice versa.

Décembre trop beau, été dans l'eau.
If December is too nice, the summer will be wet.

Noël neigeux, été merveilleux.
Snowy Christmas, wonderful summer

French Resources for Children

2007-12-06T03:28:00.001-08:00

By 2010, all primary schools in the UK will have to offer a foreign language to pupils aged 7+. In the meantime, if you are a parent and would like to increase your child's exposure to French, here are a few ideas:

The BBC website offers interactive and printable resources for children learning French.

The momes website also has very good resources, especially French nursery rhymes.

We also strongly recommend the family programme in St Raphael for parents with children aged 5+.

Sunday Controversy

2007-12-06T03:27:00.000-08:00

Did you know that in the last couple of years, a couple of large furniture shops have been fined for illegally opening some of their shops on Sundays?

French President Nicolas Sarkosy would like to put a law in place in early 2008 permitting shops to open on Sundays.

What do the French think? Well, according to a recent survey, only 51% of French people are in favour of supermarkets and shops opening on Sundays. Les autres? They believe that Sunday should be a family day and not a day spent grocery shopping or working in a shop.

Tout n'est pas gagné. Bonne chance Sarko!

Click here to read what Sarkosy suggests.

The France Show - It's Free

2007-12-06T03:26:00.000-08:00

Adieu Vive la France and bienvenue the France Show. The France Show is the new name for the annual exhibition in London celebrating everything about France. The 2008 show will have five main themed areas: language and culture, travel and tourism, property, lifestyle and last but not least food and wine.

The show will take place at London Olympia on 18th to 20th January 2008. For free tickets, simply pre-register on the France Show website before 31st December 2007. Tickets after 31st December will be sold for £8.

If you can come to the show, make sure you drop by and see us at Stand G11 in the language section.

¿Hablas español?

2007-11-19T06:33:00.000-08:00

Hola!, ¿Como estas? Would you like to improve your Spanish or even start learning Spanish from scratch?

¡No hay problema! We are delighted to let you know that we are now offering Spanish language courses in Spain. We offer traditional courses such as the Standard and Intensive course as well as more innovative courses such as Spanish and Flamenco, Spanish and Kite Surfing and Christmas in Spain.

Experience Spanish in Spain the fun way

Special Offers - Lyon, Montreux and Bordeaux

2007-11-19T06:31:00.000-08:00

The language schools in Lyon and Montreux are offering a 10% discount on any adult course taken between 4th November 2007 and 26th January 2008.

French Courses in Lyon

and
French Courses in Montreux

The language school in Bordeaux is offering couples taking a group course together between 7th January and 28th March 2008 a 50% discount on the course price for the second place.

French Courses in Bordeaux

How Fashionable are the French?

2007-11-19T06:25:00.000-08:00

Fashion houses and hat creators in France are preparing for the celebration of St Catherine and the Catherinettes on the 25th of this month. The Catherinettes are girls aged 25 or older who are still unmarried by St Catherine's day on 25th November.

Traditionally, on this day, the Catherinettes used to wear a yellow and green hat and would pray for a husband. The hats were of an interesting design and were supposed to show their personality.

Nowadays, Catherinettes from Parisian fashion schools still meet on 25th November in the second arrondissement of Paris and show off their hats. The tradition may gradually be disappearing, but friends and relatives still enjoy teasing young women approaching 25!

More info on the Catherinette tradition

and

See some "chapeaux" of interesting design

Expressions with "Chapeau"

Chapeau! - Congratulations!
Tirer son chapeau - To bow to someone
Porter le chapeau - To take the blame
Démarrer sur les chapeaux de roues - To start up very quickly
Faire un coup de chapeau - To do a hat trick

Learn French with Daily Podcasts

2007-10-02T05:01:00.000-07:00

DailyFrenchPod is offering all Experience Language newsletter subscriber a 10% discounts on any subscription to DailyFrenchPod. Podcasts are available for beginners, intermediate and advanced level.

DailyFrenchPod

Contact Hélène at Experience Language for further details.

2008 Dates and Prices now Available

2007-10-02T03:48:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce that the 2008 dates and prices are now available on our website.

New Courses:

Super Intensive Course
French and Modern Art
French for Medicine
French for Fashion Design
French for Teachers
Gap Year Programmes

New Destinations:

Paris (Junior and Family Course)
Strasbourg
Tours

Note that early bookings are recommended for junior Easter and summer bookings.

Languages Mean Business

2007-10-02T03:30:00.000-07:00

Mr Leonard Orban, Commissioner responsible for multilingualism, recently hosted a conference on Business, Languages and Intercultural Skills in Brussels to discuss the issues of languages as a competitive strength for Europe. According to a study conducted in 2006 by CILT, the UK National Centre for Languages, 11% of 2000 exporting European SME’s have already lost business through lack of language skills.

In 2006, Mr Orban told MEPs: "At first sight, one single language might appear easier to manage [... but] multilingualism can also give any industry a competitive advantage if it helps them to tap local markets and create new products which also cater for multilingualism."

Mr Orban believes that employees should master three languages: their mother tongue and two other languages (English should be one).

Conference on Business, Languages and Intercultural Skills

Study: Effects on the European Economy of Shortages of Foreign Language Skills in Enterprise

September - Wine Month in Bordeaux

2007-07-30T03:20:00.000-07:00

Bordeaux - September is a special month for wine producers in Bordeaux as the grape picking starts across the world famous vineyards. The school in Bordeaux is offering exciting and original activities throughout September.

To check them out, visit:
http://www.experiencelanguage.co.uk/french/winemonth.jsp

September - Surf Month in Biarritz

2007-07-30T03:11:00.000-07:00

Biarritz - It was in 1957 that, Peter Viertel, an American film producer introduced surfing in Europe. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth of surfing in Europe, the school is offering a fantastic programme of activities throughout September.

To see the whole programme, visit: http://www.experiencelanguage.co.uk/french/surfmonth.jsp

Stop for a Nap in Lyon

2007-07-13T04:02:00.003-07:00

If you commute to work everyday, you may find this idea very interesting. A new company based in Lyon is offering people the possibility to have a sleep after lunch in a very zen atmosphere. Rooms have been designed with the aim of helping people to relax and sleep for 30 minutes. At the end of their sleep, people are offered a cup of tea and a sandwich or a soup. If they want, they can stay for an extra half an hour and have a luminotherapy treatment.

More information about this new service

Courses in Lyon

First Name or Monsieur?

2007-07-13T04:02:00.001-07:00

On a language holiday in France, should you call your French host family by their first name or should you call them Monsieur or Madame?

Whilst it is common in the UK to use first names for almost everyone, it is not in France. In fact, it can be seen as rude to address someone using their first name if they haven't invited you to do so. Notre conseil: always use Monsieur or Madame when you are not sure.

The Green Streets of Paris

2007-07-13T04:01:00.000-07:00

The Green Streets of Paris

Velib', le vélo en liberté ! From 15th July 2007, Parisians and tourists will be able to hop on a bike at one location in Paris and drop it off at another. Mais comment ça marche? Well, it's easy and cheap. All you need is a pass, you can get a one day pass for 1 Eur, a 7 day pass for 5 Eur and a one year pass for 29 Eur. Your pass entitles you to free 30 minutes journeys. For longer journeys, you will be charged a little extra, eg. 1 Eur for an extra 30 minutes.

By the end of the year, Paris will have a total of 1451 Velib' parking stations and 20 600 bikes.

More information on velib' and safety cycling tips

Courses in Paris

Bank Holidays and Language Schools

2007-07-13T03:59:00.000-07:00

When I was younger and lived in France, I used to love the month of May: great weather and lots of bank holidays, ie. days off. Quelle paresseuse!

Unfortunately bank holidays are not so great when it comes to language courses. Why pay for five days of lessons when you only get four days? Well, while most language schools do not refund nor reschedule missed lessons (except for private lessons), it is worth knowing that some do. Eh oui!

Aix en Provence - Missed lessons are rescheduled to another day in the week.
Montpellier - Missed lessons are usually rescheduled to another day in the week.
Paris - Missed lessons are refunded.

Here is a list of 2007 French Bank Holidays.

NB: While the 28th May is no longer an official Bank Holiday in France, most language schools will be closed on that day

Tips for Learning French

2007-05-07T06:50:00.000-07:00

Immerse yourself in the language

As we all know, the best way to learn a language is to spend time in the country where the language is spoken and be fully immersed. Wherever you are, whether in France or in your home country, try and listen to the French radio, watch French movies, read French newspapers, talk to French natives speakers, etc. The more you can immerse yourself in the language, the quicker your progress will be.

Be patient with yourself

Learning a language can be frustrating as progress is usually slow and happens in steps. You may at times feel that you are making good progress, and at other times you may feel that you are not getting anywhere. Be patient as this is part of the process. When it gets a little too much, make sure you step back a little, review all that you have learnt and practice it before you move on.

Don't worry about making mistakes

We all make mistakes in our own language so it is normal that we may make mistakes in a foreign language. The great thing about mistakes is that we usually learn from them pretty quickly. In fact, the bigger and the more embarassing our mistakes are, the quicker we learn (:$).

Think about how you learn best

We all have different learning styles and it is important that we are aware of our individual needs. A visual learner may benefit from reading books and newspapers in French, while an auditory learner may improve more by listening to French tapes or radio. A kinesthetic learner, however may prefer role playing or listening to French tapes while going for a walk. Think carefully about how you learn best!

A little every day

Make learning French part of your daily routine. Listen to the French radio over breakfast or during the day, read in French on your way to work or during your lunch break. Talk to yourself in French on your way home or in the bath or whenever you have a moment alone. Why not get a French penpal, who you can talk to or email in French during the week? Write a diary in French, reviews of films, etc! Be creative!

Read

Reading in French is a very good way to increase your range of vocabulary. We recommend the Easy Readers books (or similar books) which are simplified versions of classics, detective stories or modern social drama. If you are a beginner or near beginner, start with books graded A; if you already have a good level in French, you may wish to try a C or D grade. The higher the grades, the more varied the vocabulary is. Click here for a list of Easy Reader books. You can order the books on Amazon or purchase them from most bookshops.

Enjoy it!

Learning a language should be fun and exciting! Why not make a holiday of it and join other French lovers on a language course in France.

A Circumflex for an ‘s’

2007-05-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

Take the French word ‘forêt’, drop the circumflex accent and add an ‘s’, what do you get? Forest. Ok, let’s now do the same with ‘hôpital’ and we get hospital. Is this a coincidence?

Pas vraiment. In the 18th Century, the ‘s’ in some French words was dropped and replaced by a circumflex accent. As many French words entered the English language in the 11th Century, the words had not yet dropped their 's', hence forest and forêt. Below are a few more examples:

Isle – île.
ospital – hôpital.
ostel – hôtel.
castel – château.
coste – côte.
conqueste – conquête.

1st May – 'La Fête du Muguet'

2007-05-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

In May, mostly on the 1st, French people offer their loved ones a ‘brin de muguet’ (lily of the valley) for good luck. If you ever spend the 1st May in France, you will notice people selling posies of lily of the valley at every street corner.

In the old times, a ball called ‘Le bal du Muguet’ would be organised for young people on 1st May. Girls would dress all in white and attach a ‘brin de muguet’ on their dress (for good luck). Boys and girls would spend a merry evening dancing and drinking ‘Maitrank’. Supposedly, dipping your lips in this wine on the 1st May would bring you happiness for the rest of the year. Isn’t that sweet?

The "Galette des Rois"

2007-01-02T13:33:00.000-08:00

If you visit friends in France in January, it is very likely that you will eat a "galette des rois". The "galette des roi", at its origin, was a cake eaten on the day of Epiphany. Over the years, it has become so popular that it is now eaten on any days throughout January. What makes this galette so popular? Eh bien, the "galette des rois" contains a "fève" (a charm). The person who finds the "fève" in their slice of galette becomes the King or Queen and gets to wear a crown. The Queen or King must then buy the next galette and the game continues. Click here for more information on the "galette des rois" tradition.

Why 'Soixante-dix'?

2006-10-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

Why do the French use 'soixante-dix' and not 'septante' like the Belgians and the Swiss? Well, in the Middle Ages, people counted in twenties: 30 was 'vint et dis', 40 was 'deux vins', 60 was 'trois vins', etc. This system is called 'vicésimal' (vigesimal) and it was used by the Celts and the Normands. Towards the end of the Middle Ages, 'trente', 'quarante', 'cinquante', 'soixante' became more popular, but it stopped there. The French Académie adopted 'soixante-dix', 'quatre-vingts' and 'quatre-vingt-dix' in the 17th Century. Nobody really knows why these were preferred to 'septante','octante' and 'nonante'.

At least it makes learning French numbers interesting and challenging for all!

Click here for the explanation from the 'Académie Française'

Click here for more information on the vigesimal system.

The 'Pot de Chambre'

2005-09-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

How do you fancy your friends waking you up in the early hours of the morning on your first night as a married couple and asking you to drink some horrible concoction? While the 'pot de chambre' is a very old French tradition, many newlyweds are still at the mercy of it.

Mais quelle est l'origine de cette tradition étrange?

In old times, newlyweds would leave their wedding reception and retire to their secret location. The following day, early in the morning, some of the wedding guests would start searching for the newlyweds to bring them the 'pot de chambre'. The guests were split into two groups, one group helping the newlyweds to escape, the other group on a mission to find them. While the newlyweds had to be hidden well, the tradition was that they were always found. When found, they had to get out of bed and drink the contents of the 'pot de chambre'. The bride started, then her husband and then all the guests. The 'pot de chambre' was of great importance: it was to give strength to the newlyweds after their first night as a married couple.

Today the recipe for the 'pot de chambre' varies greatly from one region to the next. It usually includes chocolate, biscuits, cheese, banana, spices, various alcohols, and most of the time toilet paper! Hmm, bon appétit!

Click here for more information on the ‘pot de chambre’.

Family Names: "un vrai casse-tête!"

2005-01-05T01:40:00.000-08:00

Since January 1st 2005, a child born from a married couple in France does not have to automatically take the name of his father. Children can be given the name of their father, the name of their mother or both names in the order preferred. As this could make matters difficult for future generation, it has been decided that a person cannot have more than two names. Fantastique, but a little tricky!

Question piège: Knowing that a person with a composed name can only give his child one of his two names, how many possible names will a couple who both have a composed name be able to give their children?

Click here for more information on family names

Answer: 16