French Vocabulary to Use While Traveling

It is no secret that we are huge fans of traveling! Yes, we are a little biased, but most of our students feel the same. Thus, we thought it would be helpful to put together some French vocabulary that comes in very handy while traveling. Check out all of the tools below (including audio pronunciations) and a quiz at the end. We hope you can utilize the helpful tips on your next trip abroad. Bonne Voyager!

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Preparing For The Trip

Yes, traveling is inspiring. You might imagine sipping a warm coffee amidst the cobblestone streets of Paris and just the mere thought brings a smile to our faces. But, in order to make this journey a pleasant reality, the key is in the preparation. This means packing and planning accordingly, thinking ahead and strategizing. So, we shall focus on the verb Préparer or To Prepare. To keep things simple, I have included the conjugations for this verb in the present tense only. Take a look at the chart below and try saying the words aloud.

To make sure you are pronouncing the words correctly, I have included an audio guide below. This recording is from Jean-Philippe, one of our native French instructors at JP Linguistics. Take a listen and try to saying the conjugations aloud with Jean-Philippe.

Now that we are familiar with the conjugations of Préparer, let's try building a sentence. In order to do this, we need some more vocabulary which I have included in the images below. Take a peek at some of the terms such as Le Passport, Des Gants, and Un Pull and try saying the words aloud.

Now we can build a few sentences using the Je or 'I' form using the conjugations above. Instead of using the other forms (Tu, Il/Elle, etc), we'll just keep it simple with the Je form throughout this article. The format for building the sentence looks like this:

SUBJECT + VERB + (PREPOSITION) + NOUN

Here are a few sample sentences. Try reading these and saying them aloud. Below is an audio guide to help. It repeats each sentence twice.

1. Je prépare le sac (I prepare the bag)

2. Je prépare mon passport (I prepare my passport)

3. Je prépare mon appareil photo (I prepare my camera)

4. Je prépare mon portable pour le voyage (I prepare my cell phone for the trip)

5. Je prépare des lunettes pour mon voyage (I prepare glasses for my trip)

Your turn! Try making a few sentences using the new vocabulary above.

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It's Time to Go

Now that you have packed your bags and are ready for your trip, it's time to go. Thus, we shall focus on the verb Aller or To Go. This is a very common and useful verb to know in French. However, it is an irregular verb, so the conjugations might look strange compared to other French verbs. Take a look at the conjugations and try saying them aloud. Then try memorizing them. To help you, I have included an audio guide just below the verb chart.

The next step is for us to look at a few nouns we can imagine ourselves going to. This will help us to build a few sentences to practice. Take a look below and see if you recognize these places. Then, try saying their names aloud.

Now it's time for us to build some sentences to practice. Again, we will use the Je or 'I' form only in the present tense, using the sentence structure below. To help guide you, listen the audio recording below which includes each sentence repeated twice:

SUBJECT + VERB + (PREPOSITION) + NOUN

1. Je vais à la gare (I go to the train station)

2. Je vais aux toilettes (I go to the toilet)

3. Je vais à la sécurité de l'aéroport (I go to the airport security check)

4. Je vais au kiosque (I go to the newspaper stand)

*notice the à la /au/aux in each sentence. It's important to always include the articles before the noun.

Now it's your turn! Try making a few sentences using the vocabulary above.

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You Made It

Now that the you have come to your destination, you can sit back and relax. This is the time when you can enjoy arriving to the location you have dreamed of for so long. So, we shall focus on the verb Arriver or To Arrive. Take a look at the conjugation chart below and trying saying it aloud using the audio recording just beneath it as a guide.

Now we can use a few more vocabulary nouns to help us build some practice sentences. Take a look at the images below and try saying their names aloud.

Wonderful! Now, let's build a few sentences in the Je form, present tense. We can use the following sentence structure as a guide along with the audio recording for pronunciation recognition:

SUBJECT + VERB + (PREPOSITION) + NOUN

1. J' arrive à mon hotel (I arrive at my hotel)

2. J' arrive à la boulangerie (I arrive at the bakery)

3. J' arrive au café (I arrive at the cafe)

4. J' arrive chez* mes parents (I arrive at my parent's house)

* Notice the preposition chez to indicate people's house.

Now it's your turn! Try forming a few new sentences by using the vocabulary above.

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We hope you enjoyed reading French Vocabulary To Use While Traveling. More importantly, we hope you can use some of these new vocabulary tips on your next trip to France! Please feel free to share this with your friends and family and include some of your favorite French travel phrases in the comments below. If you are looking for Private French Lessons or French Group Classes taught by native instructors, please visit JP Linguistics for more information! 

Now, let's test the knowledge you have just learned with a little quiz. How many of these sentences can you translate correctly? Try your best not to scroll up. Once you click the 'Traduire' button below, the correct answers will be revealed. Ready, set, go!

The French Travel Quiz

3 French Menswear Brands You Should Know

While there are many fabulous menswear collections in the spotlight right now, there are 3 brands - French brands to be more precise - that we thought might spark your interest. As trends come and go, these 3 brands maintain their focus on staying true to the traditions of France while consciously producing their collections locally and environmentally-friendly.  We hope you enjoy!

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HOMECORE

Founded by Alexandre Guarnera in 1992, HOMECORE is a brand that quite literally represents the core of what home feels like to every individual.

"What we call HOME is more than a place, it's something you have in you, a kind of energy which is inside of all of us - CORES is the center of it - you can see it as you feel. My view is that HOMECORE is the energy that makes us what we are at the very moment when we decide by ourselves what we stand for." -Alexandre Guarnera (from 'Brand Focus' Q&A on selectism.com)

The brand started as one of the first Hip Hop clothing brands in France, but has since matured to offer casual after-work wear for men. A big focus for the brand is on reducing overconsumption. Their garments are carefully designed in France to be reworn season after season and they utilizing local fabrics and accessories wherever possible. Check out a few images from their lookbook below and see their new arrivals at www.homecore.com.

(All images credits: www.homecore.com)

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L’EGOÏSTE

Hailing from Biarritz, France this menswear brand focuses on enjoying the ocean while dressing in heritage style - blended with a French eclectic flair.  As shown in the images below the vests, for example, feature asymmetrical pockets sewn in different colors and fabrics. Little oddities used on classic items such as vests and tailored blazers really bring this brand its French flair. This also brings them to the forefront of fashion for mature men who want to look great while enjoying quality outdoor living. Check out the images below from their online lookbook and see updates to their collection via their website, www.legoiste.fr.

(All images credits: www.legoiste.fr)

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LE SLIP FRANÇAIS

Proudly, this brand produces 100% in France - including all aspects from design, patters, fabric, and manufacturing. The owner, Guillaume Gibault, had a dream to manufacture quality underwear in France and, since 2011, the company has expanded the collection to including shirts, socks, accessories and even a women's department. The quality is top notch and even better is the spirit behind the brand, which is quite hilarious. Ever wondered what makes a quality slip? Check out this funny VIDEO they made to explain it. See some samples of their garments below and check out their website for their latest product updates - www.leslipfrancais.fr.

(All images credits: www.leslipfrancais.fr)

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We hope you enjoyed 3 French Menswear Brands You Should Know. If you are looking to learn more French language and culture, make sure to sign up for our new Online Classes at JP Linguistics! Don't forget to tell your friends to sign up for our newsletter to receive fun French stories delivered directly to their inboxes - they can sign up HERE. Merci et à bientôt!

3 Reasons Why Stromae Matters to French Culture!

It is likely that you have never heard of Stromae before, but the Belgium-born pop icon is quickly breaking ground in the U.S. in ways that no other French singer has before. Since his number one hit in 2009, Alors on Danse, he's gained a huge following in Europe and, more recently, in North America. Since reaching number one, he's collaborated with producers like Kanye West (who remixed Alors on Danse) and toured music festivals like Coachella and SXSW. It's no easy task crossing the ocean in the music industry, but he is one musician that is bringing pride to French culture and we are here to tell you why. We hope you enjoy 3 Reasons Why Stromae Matters to French Culture!

1. He Promotes the Joie De Vivre

While many pop singers in modern culture are looking for ways to stand out, Stromae is reaching within. Just take a look at his interpretation of the song L’amour Est un Oiseau Rebelle from the famous opera Carmen. This video critique on social media is his clever way of creating a musical protest towards the over consumption of online living. Instead of sitting on Instagram all day, he would prefer that we focus on more real-life experiences. For example, maybe having a delightful meal with friends, a simple glass of wine with a lover, or strutting a perfectly tailored outfit amidst a busy city street. All of these things, living and experiencing life, is of most importance to French culture. It's the Joie De Vivre!

2. He's A Sophisticated Artist

Of the primary interests in French culture, Art would be among the top. Whether discussing Art or critiquing it, the French pride themselves on having a strong sense of sophistication. While some forms of Art are more celebrated than others, when focusing on the music genre, hiphop (which Stromae has a strong background in), the French are typically not satisfied with the flood of music videos focused on bling-bling and male dominated themes that objectify women. Stromae eventually took a stand to 'backseat' his hiphop career after no longer being able to get behind the message of what the genre promotes. When asked in an interview by Ebony Magazine, "Why did you abandon your hiphop career?," he responded:

It’s an important school for me, hiphop music, and still today. But I had this problem, the meaning problem of hiphop music. In the music that we know in Europe is mostly this kind of bling-bling hiphop, with naked women and limousines and stuff. And even if I was a big fan of the rhythm, the groove, I had a problem with the meaning. So all the time, I was criticizing this style. So my manager said to me, “OK, why are you all the time criticizing the music and talking about only the music? If you are not happy actually, just change.” [laughter]

And he was so true. So I was like, “OK, maybe.” It’s a good inspiration for me, the groove and stuff, but maybe I have to talk about something, real life actually. And he told me like, “Why you don’t try just to explain something about the real life?” And I was like, no, it’s gonna sound cliché. Talk about love, it’s always the same kind of… And actually, I discovered it’s not the way. (Source: ebony.com 'Stroma Invades America' interview)

Take a look at his music videos Quand C'est or Papaoutai below and you will immediately get the sense of how this artist is making a huge statement while maintaining integrity, authenticity, and poise. His sense of sophistication (while staying current and relevant to pop music) is what's making a huge impact on the French culture.

3. He's A Cultural Ambassador For French Speaking Countries

Rarely in the U.S. do we find a celebrity pop star singing in French. In fact, I can't think of any besides Lady Gaga who randomly throws a French (or German) word here-or-there into her lyrics. More than just being a popular music icon, Stromae is maintaining authenticity through his writing and performing music en Française - even as he breaks into new markets like the U.S. He is getting tons of attention for this and, while I may be slightly biased here, this use of French language is what is making him a super star. Even though writing music and performing it in French is natural for him, Stromae's stardom is raising awareness about French language and culture to Americans. The themes within his records are relative to his cultural influences and his lyrics portray a 'European mentality.' For many Americans who have yet to visit Europe, this presence is only creating more awareness about French speaking cultures and helping Americans to embrace them.

Now that you know a little bit more about Stromae, check out his music online via YouTube, iTunes, and more and continue to take notice of his career growth in the United States. One great way to learn French is to listen to French music, so we suggest adding a few of his tracks to your playlist. Are you already a fan of Stromae and have a favorite song? Don't forget to share it in the comments section below! Interested in more French language and culture? Sign up for one of our Group Classes or Private Lesson to advance your French skills. Bonne journée!

A Unique Spin on French Fashion for Dog Owners

With New York being one of the fashion capitals of the world, I thought I would shed some light, quite literally, on a France-based textile company that is putting a very Unique Spin on French Fashion for Dog Owners. As strange as this may sound, the company collects old dog fur and weaves it into yarn so that dog owners can knit their own sweaters using it. We must admit, our heads turned after finding news of this company, but it wasn't until we saw images from French photographer, Erwan Fichou, that the concept made slightly more sense. For all you fashionistas out there, this is one fashion trend you don't see everyday! Keep scrolling to see a collection of images called DogWool by Erwan Fichou. Whouff! Whouff!

For more information about 'Dogwool,' the French company making these yarns, visit their website. Would you ever wear your dog's fur? Post your response down below and share this with your friends. Looking to learn French? Visit JP Linguistics for the latest Group Classes, Private Lessons, and Cultural Events.