Coucou tout le monde, on se retrouve dans la 21ème édition du Mot Entre Nous, on a surpassé les 800 membres et je suis ravie de vous accueillir :) C’est parti pour un peu de français !

Hey everyone, welcome to the 21st edition of Le Mot Entre Nous, we've surpassed 800 members and I'm so delighted to have you here :) Let's get started with a bit of French!

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase/mot du jour: c’est canon [être + canon]

It has nothing to do with weapons, but is heavily used in slang and means several things:

1. to describe someone as hot/attractive

2. to describe something as super cool/attractive/impressive/cool

→ Elle est canon, sa nouvelle meuf ! (his new girlfriend is so hot!)

→ C’est canon, ton projet ! (your project is so cool!)

Lecture #21 ⭐️: tu es incroyable

Combien de fois dans ta journée est-ce que tu te dis dans le miroir « tu es incroyable » ? Cela paraît gênant et bizarre de se parler comme ça, surtout quand tu n'as pas l'habitude de te dire des gentillesses à toi-même. Franchement, tu le mérites. On ne se connaît pas, mais je sais qu'en étant ici, tu veux apprendre le français. Tu prends du temps pour apprendre, certes tu travailles dur, même avec plein d'autres choses à faire – s'occuper d'enfants, tenir un boulot, simplement rester positif ! Néanmoins, tu gardes cette ambition en toi qui te mènera à tes objectifs. On a tous des horaires surchargés, et c'est facile de se dire « c'est vraiment pas grand-chose ce que je fais ». Je t'arrête là. Parce que c'est impressionnant, tout ce que tu fais et ce que tu gères en même temps. Alors oui, tu es incroyable. Dis-le !

Mots clés🌟:

1. le miroir = mirror

2. gênant = awkward / cringe

3. tu n’as pas l’habitude de = you are not used to (the construction is [avoir + l’habitude de] - to be used to doing something)

4. une gentillesse = a kind gesture, word, action. In English “kindness” is abstract, which in French is “la gentillesse”, but “une gentillesse” also refers to something tangible.

5. tu le mérites = you deserve it (du verbe mériter, 2nd person singular, present tense)

6. en étant ici = in being here (étant is the present participle of être)

7. certes = certainly, admittedly → used to concede a point before contradicting it “certes… mais…)

8. même avec = even with

9. néanmoins = nevertheless, however

10. te mènera = (it) - referring here to ambition - will lead you. (du verbe mener, 3rd person singular, future tense)

11. surchargé = overloaded / overwhelmed

12. pas grand-chose = not much

13. tu gères = you deal (with) (du verbe gérer, 2nd person singular, present tense)

Ressource #21 💌: Angèle’s song Dis-le!

In the spirit of saying “dis-le”, give Angèle’s latest song a listen, it’s got some good vocabulary in it and it’s all about being honest and just saying stuff more upfront. Also listen to her album Brol La Suite, in my opinion it’s her best one :)

Learning Tip #21 🇫🇷: switch up your study environments

This is an easy one to forget, especially when you are busy and stuck in a specific routine. Spicing up where you learn French can be hugely beneficial to combat lack of focus and increasing motivation.

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Qu'est-ce que tu aimes faire pendant ton temps libre ? - What do you like to do in your free time?

Est-ce que tu aimes lire ? Quel genre de livres ? - Do you like reading? What genre of books?

Qu'est-ce que tu aimes faire pendant ton temps libre ? - What do you like to do in your free time?

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my 21st publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Subscribe now

Sign up to My Tête-à-Tête events⭐️

Are you in London and want to practice speaking your French in a real-life setting? My Tête-à-Tête hosts meet-ups to give people in the UK the opportunity to speak a foreign language with other learners.

We’ve just hosted our first French coffee walk & talk this weekend, and will be hosting many more meet-ups including:

• walks

• coffee dates

• dinners/wine nights

Sign up to the club on the Cliq app or stay up-to-date on my Instagram. I can’t wait to meet you!

Join the Club

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, slang, phrases, and more French chats to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

Mardi dernier j’ai rencontré le nouveau chiot d’une amie (c’est celui qui est devant sur la photo). Il est très mignon mais aussi un peu taquin !

Last Tuesday I met my friend’s new pup (he is the one in front in the photo). He is very cute but also a little playful/mischievous!

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase/mot du jour: poser (quelque chose) à plat

Literally means “to lay something flat”, i.e. an object. Figuratively speaking it means “to clearly lay out, hash out, or get everything out on the table” in order to analyse and carefully organise subsequent steps - whether that be conflicting ideas, opinions, disagreements, etc.

→ On devrait poser les choses à plat avant de continuer cette discussion.

We should clear the air/clarify misunderstandings before continuing this conversation.

→ Écrire dans mon journal m’aide à poser mes idées à plat.

Writing in my journal helps me to lay out my thoughts clearly.

Lecture #20 ⭐️: t’inquiète, on fait tous des bêtises

Si tu es hyper perfectionniste comme moi, tu vas comprendre la peur de faire des fautes et des bêtises. À tout prix, il faut que tu évites un pas dans la mauvaise direction, afin de ne pas tout foutre en l'air (du moins c'est ce que nous dit notre cerveau). Et si tu foires n'importe quoi, tu culpabilises à fond. Par exemple l'autre jour, je me suis fait presque avoir par une arnaque à l'emploi, du coup je me suis sentie bête et stressée. Comment ai-je pu me faire avoir ?! Après je me suis comportée de manière regrettable sur le moment devant ma mère, tellement j'étais déçue. Une autre bêtise. Alors je voulais simplement te rappeler que dans la vie, sans les erreurs tu n'apprendras jamais et tu ne découvriras jamais de nouvelles choses. Et t'inquiète, on fait tous des bêtises.

Mots clés:

1. hyper = intensifier that means “very” and that is stronger than “très”. Often used in spoken French!

2. tu vas comprendre = you will understand (near future tense, aller + infinitive, 2nd person singular)

3. la bêtise = silliness, silly thing, stupid thing that someone says or does (used a lot with kids). It doesn’t sound as harsh in French as its direct English translation!

4. à tout prix = at all costs, no matter what

5. un pas = a step

6. afin de = in order to

7. foutre en l’air = expression that means “to screw or mess up”

8. tu foires = you mess up, informal French (du verbe foirer, 2nd person singular, present tense)

9. tu culpabilises = you feel bad/guilty (du verbe culpabiliser, 2nd person singular, present tense)

10. à fond = intensifier that means “completely / thoroughly / to the max”. So in the example above, you feel completely and utterly guilty. It’s most commonly used after an action verb.

11. je me suis fait (presque) avoir = I was (almost) tricked / fooled / scammed (se faire avoir = to be fooled, 1st person singular, passé composé)

12. une arnaque à l’emploi = a job scam

13. bête = silly, stupid

14. j’étais déçue = I was disappointed (j’étais = 1st person singular, imperfect tense, used here as it describes an ongoing emotional state in the past / déçue = feminine adjective) → the construction is être + adjective

15. te rappeler = remind you (not a reflexive verb here, because“te” is a direct object pronoun) → tu te rappelles? (do you remember? / “do you remind yourself?”) would be reflexive

16. t’inquiète, on fait tous des bêtises = don’t worry, we all do silly things/mess up

Ressource #20 💌: bonjour anxiété on Instagram

If you’re on Instagram and would appreciate a daily dose of French quotes that tap into coping with life’s anxieties, then this page is for you. How could you use it? If ever one pops up on your feed, simply read it out loud and see what words you recognise and what words look alien.

Maybe you’ll look up the meaning, but you don’t have to. Sometimes, especially when you’re tired, it’s okay to trust your brain to take in the patterns of a new language.

Lien: bonjouranxiete

Learning Tip #20 🇫🇷: the one speaking exercise you need (it takes 15 minutes)

Speaking is one of the hardest parts of learning a new language, and often its practice slips through our fingers. As with any hard habit, make it digestible for your brain. You can do this alone, or speak to your dog. It can take less than 15 minutes.

The exercise:

1. choose one of the speaking prompts below or a topic of your choice. Speak freely for 2-5 minutes, recording yourself (don’t skip this bit!)

2. transcribe the recording and correct it, using an AI tool (Claude is recommended) or a tutor (even better😊).

3. pick 3 key mistakes that have been pointed out to you & re-record yourself correcting them for 2-5 minutes.

4. reward yourself, you’ve practiced speaking French!♥️

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Te considères-tu comme quelqu'un de perfectionniste ?

Dans quels domaines de ta vie ?

Quelle est la plus grande leçon que tu as apprise grâce à une bêtise ou une erreur ?

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my 20th publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Subscribe now

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

Calling all French learners in London…

Practice your French speaking in the real world🇫🇷!

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first coffee Walk & Talk in London. If you live locally I would love for you to join and if you know a friend who may be interested, please share!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment☀️

Speaking French can feel intimidating and scary, but it doesn’t have to be. It’ll be a friendly, supportive, and non-judgemental environment for all levels♥️

Sign up today by clicking the button below for free💌

sign up today

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, slang, phrases, and more French chats to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

check out the Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

Coucou tout le monde, et bienvenue dans une nouvelle newsletter ! Le monde semble tellement lourd ces derniers temps. Cette semaine j’ai commencé à chercher des petits changements à faire pour alléger ce sentiment, comme dire au revoir à mon smartphone…

Hey everyone, and welcome to a new newsletter! The world has been feeling so heavy lately. This week I started looking for small changes to make to lighten that feeling, like saying goodbye to my smartphone…

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase/mot du jour: faire le vide (dans sa tête)

Literally means “to make emptiness”, but is actually used to mean “to clear your head or mind”🧘‍♀️

Je suis allée me promener en forêt pour faire le vide.

I went on a walk in the forest to clear my head.

Lecture #19 ⭐️: une vie sans smartphone en 2026, pourquoi pas

J'ai remarqué récemment une tendance parmi ma génération (je fais partie de la Gen Z), à retrouver la simplicité dans son quotidien avec l'analogique. Maintenant, je commence à percevoir mon smartphone comme une peste. Non seulement à cause de mon temps d'écran honteux, mais aussi parce que là se trouvent les réseaux sociaux et un monde numérique submergeant. Avant je refusais de couper les réseaux tout court, parce que j'avais peur de louper des infos. Mais maintenant j'en ai marre de la désinformation, des opinions infinies, des fausses apparences de perfection, de l'harcèlement… C'est lourd quand même. Sérieusement, je suis à deux doigts de m'acheter un téléphone à clapets !

Mots clés:

1. j’ai remarqué = I noticed (du verbe remarquer, 1st person singular, passé composé)

2. parmi = among

3. non seulement = not only

4. le temps d’écran = screen time

5. honteux = shameful

6. là = functions here as “that’s where”, on its own means “there”

7. se trouvent = are located / found / situated (du verbe se trouver, 3rd person plural, present tense)

8. submergeant = overwhelming

9. tout court = flat out / plain and simple / period.

10. louper = to miss / also means to mess up in other contexts

11. les fausses apparences = fake or false displays / appearances

12. quand même = let’s be honest (no literal translation, but in this context this is the closest I could come up with)

13. je suis à deux doigts de = I am on the verge of / about to / very VERY close to (this phrase uses the structure [être + à deux doigts de + infinitive]

14. un téléphone à clapets = a flip phone

Ressource #19 💌: Audrey - Le Souffle des Mots

If you love books and enjoy the challenge of reading in French, then this account has you covered! Audrey is a French creator who offers everything from book recommendations to vlogs of her building a library.

Lien: Audrey - Le Souffle des Mots

Learning Tip #19 🇫🇷: exercise in French…

You may be thinking… How an earth does this work?! You’re right, it is a bit crazy. But it’s a great way to implement passive learning into your routine. I’m talking about following a French workout on YouTube - it could be cardio, yoga, pilates - and just allowing your brain to absorb a little French.

I’d love to hear if you ended up trying this! Don’t hesitate to comment♥️

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

As-tu déjà essayé de "décrocher" des réseaux sociaux ? Comment ça s'est passé ?

Serais-tu prêt·e à échanger ton smartphone contre un téléphone à clapets pendant une semaine ?

As-tu déjà eu peur de "louper" quelque chose d'important en ne regardant pas les actualités ou les réseaux sociaux ?

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my 19th publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Subscribe now

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

Practice your French speaking in the real world🇫🇷!

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first coffee Walk & Talk in London. If you live locally I would love for you to join and if you know a friend who may be interested, please share!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment☀️

Speaking French can feel intimidating and scary, but it doesn’t have to be. It’ll be a friendly, supportive, and non-judgemental environment for all levels♥️

Sign up today by clicking the button below for free💌

sign up today

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, slang, phrases, and more French chats to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

check out the Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

Cette semaine, j'étais chez mes parents, en train de me réadapter après mon séjour à l'étranger. C'est bizarre, mais chouette d'être de retour, même si pas mal de choses ont changé.

This week I've been at my parents' home and settling back in after my time abroad. It's been weird and nice to be back, but a lot has changed.

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase/mot du jour: pile poil

This means “exactly” or “right on the nose”. Separate both words and they have completely different meanings. Pile means “exactly” and “battery”, while poil means “hair”. It's used to stress that something is perfectly accurate, timed, or fitting — no more, no less.

C’est pile poil ce que je cherchais! —> that’s exactly what I was looking for

Il est arrivé pile poil à l’heure —> he arrived just on time!

Lecture #18 ⭐️: tu n’es pas la même personne qu’hier

Ma thérapeute m’a fait cette réflexion, lorsqu’elle a constaté que je m'en voulais pour mes erreurs passées. Sans cesse je me disais que j'aurais dû faire les choses différemment, dans mes relations personnelles par exemple. Mais en fait, si tu reconnais ça, c'est que tu as grandi et que tu as appris. Si tu ne faisais jamais d'erreurs, tu serais un robot et pas un être humain, et tu n'avancerais pas. Donc si tu es dur·e avec toi-même à propos de tes erreurs passées, prends du recul. Tu n'es pas la même personne qu’hier, et ça, c'est une belle chose.

Mots clés:

1. m’a fait cette réflexion = (she) made this observation/remark to me (se faire une réflexion = to reflect to oneself)

2. lorsqu’ = when (essentially lorsque, but it loses the e as it comes before a vowel “elle”)

3. a constaté = noticed/observed (du verbe constater, 3rd person singular, passé composé)

4. je m’en voulais pour = I blamed myself for (s’en vouloir pour quelque chose - in this example it’s in the imperfect tense)

5. sans cesse = constantly

6. j’aurais dû = I should have (du verbe devoir, 1st person singular, past conditional tense)

7. tu reconnais = you recognise/acknowledge (du verbe reconnaître, 2nd person singular, present tense)

8. c’est que = it’s that, adds emphasis

9. un être humain = a human being

10. tu n’avancerais pas = you wouldn’t move forward (du verbe avancer, 2nd person singular, present conditional)

11. dur·e avec toi-même = harsh on yourself

12. à propos de = regarding

13. prends du recul = take a step back

Ressource #18 💌: Lilibelle on Youtube

Lilibelle is a French girl in her twenties who creates vlogs that you can follow along to. I specifically love her “tout est politique” series, in which she dives into current affairs and hot topics.

Lien: Lilibelle

Learning Tip #18 🇫🇷: read comic books

It only has to take 5-10 minutes, and the best part is that it combines both reading and visual imagery, which are perfect for solidifying new vocabulary. I personally love Le jour où le bus est reparti sans elle by Beka Marko Maëla.

Each speech bubble is easily digestible and the illustrations aid with filling any gaps in understanding⭐️

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Y a-t-il une erreur passée que tu as eu du mal à te pardonner ?

Y a-t-il une leçon importante que tu as apprise grâce à une erreur ?

Penses-tu que la société nous pousse à être trop perfectionnistes ?

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my 18th publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Subscribe now

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

Practice your French speaking in the real world🇫🇷!

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first coffee Walk & Talk in London. If you live locally I would love for you to join and if you know a friend who may be interested, please share!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment.

Speaking French can feel intimidating and scary, but it doesn’t have to be. It’ll be a friendly, supportive, and non-judgemental environment for all levels♥️

Sign up today by clicking the button below for free💌

sign up to French coffee walk & talk

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, slang, phrases, and more French chats to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

Cette semaine, j’ai redéménagé à Londres après avoir habité pendant 5 mois en Allemagne pour apprendre l’allemand, ce qui signifie un nouveau chapitre !

This week I moved back to London after having lived in Germany for 5 months to learn German, which means a new chapter is on its way!

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase/mot du jour: se jeter à l’eau

This means “to take the plunge”, literally “to throw yourself into the water”.

Parfois, il faut prendre le premier pas et se jeter à l’eau.

Lecture #17 ⭐️: le changement

Le changement me fait ressentir beaucoup de sentiments différents à la fois : la peur, l'anticipation, l'angoisse, le bonheur… Je suis sûre que tu comprends toi aussi. Parfois c'est inévitable, dans d'autres situations c'est à nous de nous jeter à l'eau pour vivre quelque chose de nouveau. Forcément il y a du positif et du négatif. Moi, je n'aime pas toujours le changement. Surtout quand ça me surprend tout d’un coup ! Comment cultiver une relation saine avec le changement ? Je n'ai pas la réponse (désolée !). Néanmoins voici ce qui m'a déjà aidé auparavant : ralentir dans mon quotidien, pratiquer la méditation pour rester dans le moment présent, et continuer à faire des petites choses qui me donnent du confort.

Mots clés:

1. ressentir = to feel, except it is used specifically for inner emotions (“sentir” refers to the 5 senses)

2. à la fois = at the same time

3. l’anticipation = anticipation/excitement

4. l’angoisse = anxiety

5. toi aussi = you too (I’ve used it here to add emphasis to the fact that you’ve probably felt the same)

6. c’est à nous = it’s up to us

7. quelque chose de nouveau = something new

8. du positif = positive (stuff). You can’t omit “du” unfortunately like in English.

9. surtout = above all

10. tout d’un coup = all of a sudden

11. saine = healthy (feminine)

12. la réponse = answer

13. auparavant = before

14. rester = to stay

Ressource #17 💌: French en Poésie on Substack

I love Substack because you’ll find so many gems to learn French like this one. This newsletter offers a creative approach to learning the language with poetry and literature.

Lien: French en Poésie

Learning Tip #17 🇫🇷: sing along to a song

I love any form of learning that keeps it light and fun. You can do this one in 3 minutes, great for those days when you are tired and short on time to learn.

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Aimes-tu le changement, ou préfères-tu la routine ? Pourquoi ?

Quel a été le changement le plus difficile que tu as vécu ? Et le plus positif ?

Décris un petit changement dans ta vie cette année (nouveau travail, déménagement, nouvelle habitude…).

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my 16th publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Subscribe now

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

Practice your French speaking in the real world🇫🇷!

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first coffee Walk & Talk in London. If you live locally I would love for you to join and if you know a friend who may be interested, please share!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment.

Speaking French can feel intimidating and scary, but it doesn’t have to be. It’ll be a friendly, supportive, and non-judgemental environment for all levels♥️

Sign up today by clicking the button below for free💌

sign up to French coffee walk & talk

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, slang, phrases, and more French chats to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

Hey everyone! This week we're diving into a bit of a heavy topic, but as usual we'll wrap up on a positive note, and I hope you'll feel a little lighter after reading.

Pendant mon séjour à Munich, en Allemagne, j’ai trouvé ce petit café japonais pour travailler et bien sûr pour étudier les langues (j’apprends l’allemand !). J’ai adoré la déco - les vases jaunes, les fleurs, les couleurs minimalistes…⭐️

During my stay in Munich, Germany, I found this little Japanese café to work from and, of course, to study languages (I'm learning German!). I loved the décor — the yellow vases, the flowers, the minimalist colours…

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase/mot du jour: tout court

This is a very useful phrase that means “plain and simple”, “period”, “just… nothing more”. There is no direct translation into English (the beauty of French!). It adds a tone of finality and simplicity to whatever comes before it.

For example, I was overthinking my hairstyle for a party the other day, and after a lot of fiddling I said -

Je vais me faire une tresse, tout court. I’ll just do a plat/braid, and leave it at that”.

Ce n’est pas une bonne idée, tout court. “It’s just not a good idea, period.”

Lecture #16 ⭐️: le monde est lourd, comment se sentir plus léger

Oh là là. J'imagine que tu entends bien mon soupir. Le monde a toujours souffert du négatif, mais cette semaine cela pèse encore plus. Voilà ce qui arrive quand on passe trop de temps à lire les actualités. Les incendies en Espagne, les guerres, le changement climatique… C'est à la fois effrayant et démotivant, parce qu'on ne peut que s'asseoir et regarder, et faire notre part pour essayer de rendre le monde meilleur. Forcément, c'est important d'être informé et on ne peut pas ignorer la réalité. Encore plus si cela fait partie de ton boulot. Néanmoins, il faut prendre soin de sa santé mentale. Par exemple, ne pas regarder les actualités dès le réveil, se rappeler des faits divers positifs, trouver le bonheur dans le moment présent et partager la gentillesse dans son propre quotidien.

Mots clés:

1. bien = it has several meanings (e.g. good, well, quite, really). Here it is used as an intensifier for “entends” (hear). The translation —> I bet you can really hear my sigh.

2. le soupir = sigh

3. souffert = suffered (past participle of souffrir)

4. cela pèse encore plus = it weighs even more

5. ce qui arrive = what happens

6. l’incendie = fire

7. à la fois = at the same time

8. s’asseoir et regarder = to sit and watch

9. faire notre part = do our bit

10. le boulot = job

11. néanmoins = nevertheless

12. prendre soin = to take care

13. les faits divers = news

14. partager la gentillesse = to share kindness

15. propre = has several meanings (clean, own). Here it means “your own”, i.e. your own daily life.

Ressource #16 💌: Le Média Positif

Reading an occasional news article in French is a great way to elevate your vocabulary, even if you just read one paragraph. In the spirit of reminding ourselves of the good and staying hopeful, here is a great source for les bonnes nouvelles.

Lien: Le Média Positif

Learning Tip #16 🇫🇷: set a 5-min timer and create a vocabulary mindmap of what you know

Maybe you are short on time or can’t face studying French today. It may even feel like you’re going backwards instead of forwards. Completely understandable, we all have those days!

This short exercise is great for busy learners, active recall and reminding yourself of what you already know (you’ll be surprised!). Pick a topic or keep it open, and write down whatever comes to mind. You can even add to it later if you want and make it colourful.

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

À quelle fréquence regardes-tu ou lis-tu les actualités ?

Quelles sont tes stratégies pour garder le moral face à des nouvelles négatives ?

Selon toi, est-ce égoïste de "déconnecter" des actualités de temps en temps ?

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my 16th publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Subscribe now

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

Practice your French speaking in the real world🇫🇷!

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first coffee Walk & Talk in London. If you live locally I would love for you to join and if you know a friend who may be interested, please share!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment.

Speaking French can feel intimidating and scary, but it doesn’t have to be. It’ll be a friendly, supportive, and non-judgemental environment for all levels♥️

Sign up today by clicking the button below for free💌

sign up to French coffee walk & talk

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, slang, phrases, and more French chats to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

my Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

Il n'y a rien de mieux que de prendre 5 minutes pour soi-même, se poser avec un café ou un thé, et d'apprendre un peu de français tranquillement. C'est parti !

There is nothing better than taking 5 minutes for yourself, settling down with a coffee or tea, and learning a little French calmly. Let’s go!

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase/mot du jour: ça craint

It’s used to express “that’s too bad” or when describing a place as “dodgy” or “sketchy”.

Fait attention quand tu passes par là le soir, ça craint. (Be careful when walking there in the evening, it’s dodgy)

Lecture #15 ⭐️: commence aujourd’hui, pas demain

On m'a répété cette expression des milliers de fois. Mais c'est plus facile à dire qu'à faire ! Peu importe si cela concerne un projet, faire du sport, mieux cuisiner ou tes études de français, il nous arrive à tous de dire « je commencerai demain ». Et voilà qu'une autre année passe sans changement. Nous avons tous des rêves et des objectifs, par contre. Alors comment faire pour avancer ? Ce qui n'aide pas, c'est les horaires chargés, le perfectionnisme, les pensées négatives. Le truc qu'on oublie souvent, c'est que les horaires chargés ne partiront pas et la perfection n'existera jamais. Même si tu consacres seulement 5 minutes à ton projet ou que tu fasses du sport pendant 15 minutes, cela compte déjà comme 1% de progrès vers ton futur. Fais-toi une promesse et commence aujourd'hui.

Mots clés:

1. a répété = repeated (du verbe répéter, 3rd person singular, passé composé)

2. des milliers de fois = thousands of times

3. peu importe = no matter, never mind

4. il nous arrive à tous = it happens to all of us

5. passe = to go by (du verbe passer, 3rd person singular, present tense)

6. le rêve = dream

7. l’objectif = goal

8. avancer = move forward

9. les horaires chargés = busy schedules

10. le truc = the thing

11. partiront = will leave/go way (du verbe partir, 3rd person plural, future tense)

12. consacres = dedicate (du verbe consacrer, 2nd person singular, present tense)

13. compte = counts (du verbe compter, 3rd person singular, present tense)

14. commence aujourd’hui = start today

Ressource #15 💌: French mornings with Elisa

Elisa creates amazing videos for French learners to help you improve your pronunciation and spoken language. Her content covers vlogs, deep dives into French sayings and jokes, as well as grammar drills.

Lien: French mornings with Elisa

Learning Tip #15 🇫🇷: break down sentences you hear

I’ve started doing this with German to get to grips with the pattern of the language and word order. When I’m watching a video, I’ll write down one or two sentences that I don’t understand and simply break them down.

This helps as well with learning set expressions (which have no meaning when broken apart), for example « être sur le point de » means “I’m about to”. Breaking down a sentence helps to better identify such phrases and understand the contexts in which they’re used.

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Décris ta routine du matin. Est-ce que tu commences bien ta journée ?

Quel petit changement pourrais-tu faire aujourd’hui, pas demain ?

À ton avis, pourquoi est-ce si difficile de commencer un nouveau projet ?

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my 15th publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Subscribe now

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

Practice your French speaking in the real world🇫🇷!

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first coffee Walk & Talk in London, and if you live locally I would love for you to join!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment.

Speaking French can feel intimidating and scary, but it doesn’t have to be. It’ll be a friendly, supportive, and non-judgemental environment for all levels♥️

Sign up today by clicking the button below for free💌

sign up to French coffee walk & talk

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, slang, phrases, and more French chats to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

my Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

Hello tout le monde☀️ Aujourd’hui on se retrouve dans une nouvelle newsletter ensemble pour apprendre le français! 🇫🇷

Hello, everyone, today we’re back with another newsletter to learn French together!

Je suis tombée sur ce petit chien mignon dans les rues de Londres. Il était posé sur le mur comme un roi!

I came across this cute little dog on the streets of London. He was perched on the wall like a king!

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase/mot du jour: nickel

It has 2 meanings and is often used in spoken French.

1. squeaky clean = ton appartement est nickel! (your apartment is impeccably clean)

2. perfect/great = - ca te va de se retrouver à 15h? (does 3pm suit you to meet?)

   - oui, c’est nickel! (yes, perfect!)

Lecture #14 ⭐️: que veux-tu vraiment?

Cette question m’est venue en tête cette semaine, lorsque je me suis rendue compte combien nous pouvons être influencés par l’autrui. Je parle de cette pression sociale promu en ligne ou dans notre propre entourage, qui amène avec elle de grandes attentes et une comparaison constante avec les autres. Tout ça pour atteindre un sentiment de réussite et de reconnaissance dans la société. Par exemple, avoir la belle maison, le mariage parfait, ta propre entreprise, le voyage à Bali, le brunch du dimanche hebdomadaire. C’est pas évident de s’en détacher. Mais pour qui agis-tu? Toute ces choses qu’on te dit devoir vouloir pour être réussi, les veux-tu vraiment? Je me suis vraiment remise en question à ce sujet récemment. En vrai, la plupart d’entre nous aimerions tout simplement cultiver l’amour, l’amitié, le bonheur, l’épanouissement personnel. Alors, que veux-tu vraiment?

Mots clés:

1. m’est venu(e) en tête = it (the question) sprung to (my) mind. «Venue» has an « e » on the end as it agrees with the subject « cette question », which is a feminine noun.

2. je me suis rendu(e) compte = I realised/noticed (se rendre compte de quelque chose)

3. autrui = others (formal)

4. promu = promoted (du verbe promouvoir, participe passé)

5. l’entourage = refers to someone’s social circle, acquaintances, friends etc. who you spend time with

6. les attentes = expectations

7. hebdomadaire = weekly

8. agis-tu = okay, let’s break this one down. It comes from the verb « agir » which means to act/do/behave. Here it’s in the 2nd person singular, present tense form. It’s reversed (with verb before subject, separated by a hyphen) because it’s a question, however I could have kept it in the original order too (Mais pour qui tu agis?). Both forms are interchangeable, the former is just slightly more formal.

9. devoir vouloir = to have to want

10. je me suis remise en question = I doubted myself

11. la plupart = the majority/most

12. l’épanouissement = self-fulfilment

13. que veux-tu vraiment? = what do you really want?

Ressource #14 💌: bien-dire magazine

Recently I’ve been really valuing reading to learn foreign languages, because I’ve noticed how rewarding it is to pick up new words and recognise patterns in the language (albeit slowly). This magazine is perfect for B1-C1 levels in French wanting to delve more into France’s culture :)

Lien: bien-dire

Learning Tip #14 🇫🇷: record yourself speaking freely + listen back

Yep, this involves listening to a recording of your voice, which I know can feel uncomfortable. But it’s also kinda cool to hear yourself speaking in another language. Not only can you get a bird’s eye view of where your speaking is at, but it’s also a great way to identify mistakes and know where to improve.

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Les réseaux sociaux te mettent-ils parfois la pression ? Pourquoi ?

Est-ce qu'on peut vraiment échapper à la pression sociale ?

C’est quoi le bonheur pour toi?

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my 14th publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Subscribe now

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

Practice your French speaking in the real world🇫🇷!

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first coffee Walk & Talk in London, and if you live locally I would love for you to join!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment.

Speaking French can feel intimidating and scary, but it doesn’t have to be. It’ll be a friendly, supportive, and non-judgemental environment for all levels♥️

Sign up today by clicking the button below for free💌

sign up to coffee walk & talk

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, slang, phrases, and more French chats to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

follow me on Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

Hello à tous les chers membres de My Tête-à-Tête et du Mot Entre Nous. Il n’a fait que pleuvoir cette dernière semaine là où j’habite, même si on est en juillet! J’espère que tu as retrouvé un peu de soleil là où tu lis cette newsletter☀️

Hello to all the wonderful members of My Tête-à-Tête and Le Mot Entre Nous. It’s done nothing but rain this past week where I live, even though it’s July! I hope you’ve managed to enjoy a bit of sunshine wherever you’re reading this newsletter☀️

J’entame bientôt une semaine d’examens, du coup j’essaie vraiment de ralentir le matin pour garder mon stress au minimum.

I'm about to start a week of exams, so I'm really trying to slow down in the mornings to keep my stress levels to a minimum.

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase du jour: archi

An informal word used as an intensifier, like “very”, “ultra”, “super”.

J’ai archi faim aujourd’hui.

Il faisait archi moche hier.

Lecture #13 ⭐️: ma routine du matin très «slow»

Étant donné que j’ai une semaine très chargée devant moi, je fais des efforts pour ralentir le matin afin de ne pas me sentir dépassée. Peu importe que tu travailles à plein temps, que tu fasses des études ou que tu prennes du repos, il est toujours important de bien commencer sa journée. Dès le réveil, j’évite déjà de regarder mon téléphone. Ça m’a pris du temps à maîtriser cette habitude, mais maintenant, j’arrive à me lever directement sans le regarder. À la place, je vais dans la salle de bain pour faire ma toilette. Ensuite, je me prépare une tasse de thé ou de café, que je bois en lisant cinq minutes de mon livre en allemand. Quand je commence à avoir faim, je me prépare à manger. Enfin, avant de m’habiller et de me maquiller, je fais quelques étirements pour réveiller mon corps. Ainsi, ma routine matinale très « slow », est simple et apaisante.

Mots clés:

1. étant donné = given that

2. chargé(e) = busy

3. faire des efforts = to make an effort

4. ralentir = to slow down

5. afin de = so that

6. dépassée = overwhelmed (by stress)

7. peu importe que = no matter whether/it doesn’t matter if

8. fasses = do (du verbe “faire”, 2nd person singular, present subjunctive 👀)

9. le repos = rest

10. dès le réveil = as soon as you wake up

11. maîtriser = to master

12. j’arrive à = I manage to (the verb “arriver” also means “to arrive” in other contexts)

13. À la place = instead

14. faire ma toilette = to do my morning routine/wash

15. les étirements = stretches

16. ainsi = thus, therefore

Ressource #13 💌: Joana Lefebvre on YouTube

Joana Lefebvre is a content creator based in Paris. I only discovered her last week, but I really enjoyed how funny she was, especially in her canicule vlog. Give her a watch if you want more native French comprehensible input!

Lien: Joana Lefebvre

Learning Tip #13 🇫🇷: stay consistent everyday, even if you only manage 5 minutes

This tip has been especially relevant for me this last week. Life has been busy and motivation running lower than usual, which means language learning has also taken a backseat. The problem is that stopping altogether makes it harder to jump back into it, and it feeds an unhealthy expectation for yourself. Sometimes, you’ll just have less time and energy to dedicate to French.

What I’ve been doing is going back to the BASICS. Even when I feel like I’m forgetting more than learning, when I am lacking time and feeling overwhelmed, I schedule a mere 5 minutes to watch or listen to something. It often feels very minute, but it keeps the invisible ball of progress rolling.

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Quelle est la première chose que tu fais le matin ?

Est-ce que tu consultes ton téléphone dès le réveil ?

Quelle est la meilleure habitude que tu aies adoptée ?

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my 13th publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Subscribe now

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first coffee Walk & Talk in London, and if you live locally I would love for you to join!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment.

Speaking French can feel intimidating and scary, but it doesn’t have to be. It’ll be a friendly, supportive, and non-judgemental environment for all levels♥️

Sign up today by clicking the button below for free💌

sign up to coffee walk & talk

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, slang, phrases, and more French chats, to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

follow me on Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

J’espère que vous avez bien aimé ma dernière newsletter!

Here’s a follow-up French-style coffee date, where I answer the speaking prompts from this week’s newsletter. Then it’s your turn to speak!

I want to encourage you to speak French, even if it’s to yourself when no one is looking. If there’s one thing you can do to boost your learning, it’s by speaking.

Really, I’m just dying to speak to someone in French too, so I hope you don’t mind me waffling at you :)

This week’s speaking prompts👄

Est-ce qu’il t’arrive de penser trop à l’avenir ?

Quel est ton moment préféré de la journée ?

De quoi es-tu reconnaissant(e) aujourd’hui ?

Mots-clés🌷

1. en ce moment = currently

2. l’avenir = future

3. je vous/te jure = I swear (to you)

4. ça m’arrive = it happens to me —> ça t’arrive, it happens to you

5. j’ai du mal = I struggle (with something)

6. tourner en boucle = go round and round (in circles)

7. le chemin = way/path

8. prendre une tasse de café/thé = to have a cup of tea (we use the verb prendre)

9. sinon = otherwise

10. des fois = sometimes

11. être reconnaissant(e) de/pour = to be grateful for

12. le carnet = notebook

Subscribe for more French💌

These speaking prompts are featured in my weekly newsletter, where you can build up your language in small doses naturally.

Every Tuesday, I write a small entry in French about my own human thoughts and ideas, as well as sharing further tips, resource ideas, and real-life expressions to help you learn authentic French.

If this sounds like you, subscribe below to join our community of French speakers♥️

Subscribe now

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, phrases, and more bilingual chats, to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

Instagram

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for listening to the French coffee date. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French speakers.

à bientôt, Molly x

Joyeux mercredi tout le monde! Ça me fait plaisir de vous retrouver. J’espère que vous avez survécu à la chaleur épouvantable en Europe. J’aimerais beaucoup savoir comment vous vous êtes débrouillés en français ce dernier mois et quels sont vos objectifs pour le mois de juillet. N’hésitez pas à me laisser un commentaire😊

Happy Wednesday everyone! It’s lovely to see you all again. I hope you survived the unbearable heat in Europe. I’d love to hear how you’ve got on with your French over the last month and what your goals are for July. Please feel free to leave a comment :)

J’ai passé un week-end tranquille et apaisant, tout en essayant de survivre à la canicule! J’ai aussi trouvé un joli parc où je me suis assise seule pour profiter du calme. Très zen!

I had a quiet, relaxing weekend, whilst trying to survive the heatwave! I also found a lovely park where I sat on my own to enjoy the peace and quiet. Very zen!

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase du jour: être/se sentir patraque

To feel under the weather, a bit off.

Je me sentais patraque à cause de cette chaleur🥵.

Lecture #12 ⭐️: apprécier les petits moments dans la vie

C’est un cercle vicieux lorsque tu attends le futur pour trouver le bonheur au lieu de profiter du moment présent. Moi, ça m’arrive fréquemment, et toi? Entre-temps j’oublie de profiter de ce que j’ai aujourd’hui, parce que je suis trop préoccupée par la poursuite de quelque chose de mieux. Autrement dit, je me projète trop dans le futur. Je me dis “quand j’aurai déménagé de chez mes parents” ou “quand j’aurai trouvé ma personne”, ma vie sera comblée. L’ironie, c’est qu’aujourd’hui j’ai la blinde de choses dont je n’aurais pu que rêver il y a 5 ans. En plus, ces grosses choses que l’on poursuit ne nous rendront pas heureux pour autant. Ce qui nous rend réellement heureux, ce sont les petits moments dans notre quotidien.

Mots clés:

1. le cercle vicieux = vicious circle

2. attends = wait (du verbe “attendre”, 2nd person singular, present tense)

3. au lieu de = instead of

4. profiter = to enjoy/make the most of

5. fréquemment = often

6. entre-temps = in the meantime

7. être préoccupé(e) = to be concerned/busy with

8. la poursuite = the chase

9. quelque chose de mieux = something better

10. autrement dit = in other words

11. se projeter dans le futur = look to the future

12. comblé(e) = fulfilled

13. la blinde = a load/a whole lot of (synonym of “plein” which is more formal)

14. rêver = to dream

15. il y a (…) ans = (…) years ago

16. pour autant = even so, for all that (no direct translation in English!)

Ressource #12 💌: nisaustralian on Instagram

Something a little different for you. I love this account created by dog-owner Violette, who showcases all the cool tricks her dog can do. It occurred to me how useful it is to hear the commands and learn short bursts of French vocabulary. It’s also really wholesome and cute!

Lien: nisaustralian

Learning Tip #12 🇫🇷: carry a book & pencil in your bag

As I’m learning German myself, I find it really useful to carry a book with me whilst on the go. Whenever I have a spare minute, instead of reaching for my phone I try to open the book and read a few lines, underlining any unknown words with a pencil.

If you prefer non-digital methods like me, then this is perfect for those moments when you’re on a bus or waiting for a friend. Always having it in my bag also means it’s always there at the ready!

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Est-ce qu’il t’arrive de penser trop à l’avenir ?

Quel est ton moment préféré de la journée ?

De quoi es-tu reconnaissant(e) aujourd’hui ?

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my 12th publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Subscribe now

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first coffee Walk & Talk in London, and if you live locally I would love for you to join!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment.

Speaking French can feel intimidating and scary, but it doesn’t have to be. It’ll be a friendly, supportive, and non-judgemental environment for all levels♥️

Sign up today by clicking the button below for free💌

sign up to coffee walk & talk

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, slang, phrases, and more French chats, to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

follow me on Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

Cette semaine notre communauté d’apprenants en français a atteint 200 membres, et j’en suis très reconnaissante. Si vous avez des commentaires ou des idées sur ce que vous aimeriez voir davantage pour vous aider à apprendre, n’hésitez pas à me contacter :)

This week our community of French learners has reached 200 members, and I’m very grateful for that. If you have any feedback or ideas about what you’d like to see more of to help you learn, please don’t hesitate to get in touch :)

Samedi dernier, j’ai fait une excursion à Lübeck avec une amie. Cette petite ville médiévale était tellement apaisante et charmante, avec ses ruelles pavées sinueuses et ses boutiques indépendantes.

Last Saturday, I went on a day trip to Lübeck with a friend. This little medieval town was so peaceful and charming, with its winding cobbled streets and independent shops.

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase du jour: être casanier ou casanière

To be a homebody.

Je suis casanière car j’aime rester chez moi.

Lecture #11 ⭐️: laisser la vie suivre son cours

Moi qui suis un peu maniaque du contrôle, j’ai du mal à laisser la vie suivre son cours. J’ai toujours été comme ça: obsédée par planifier la vie pour faire en sorte que je ne rate rien et évite les problèmes. Forcément, cela ne marche jamais et me rends beaucoup plus tendue et anxieuse. Impossible de planifier et prédire le futur. Mon père m’a toujours dit: la vie n’est pas linéaire, mais comme une vague qui monte et redescend parce qu’il y aura toujours des imprévus, bons et mauvais. Que ce soit en rapport avec le travail, les relations amoureuses, où notre futur chez nous, il faut parfois laisser les choses se faire et ne pas forcer le cours de la vie. Certes, c’est bien d’avoir un plan flou, mais on ne veut également pas bloquer ce que la vie nous réserve.

Mots clés:

1. maniaque du contrôle = control freak (maniaque de la propreté = neat freak)

2. j’ai du mal à = I struggle to (du verbe avoir, 1st person singular, present tense)

3. suivre son cours = follow its course/path

4. planifier = to plan

5. faire en sorte = to ensure that

6. rate = miss/fail (du verbe rater, 1st person singular, present tense)

7. forcément = inevitably

8. marche = work, can also mean “to walk” in a different context. (du verbe marcher, 3rd person singular, present tense)

9. tendu(e) = uptight

10. prédire = to predict

11. la vague = wave

12. monte et redescend = goes up and down

13. l’/un imprévu = unexpected events/things

14. en rapport avec = related to

15. laisser = to let

16. certes = of course (bien sûr is a synonym)

17. flou = blurry/unclear

18. ce que la vie nous réserve = what life has in store for us

Ressource #11 💌: mayadorable on Youtube

Now, if you want to try something new, have a laugh and hear youthful French full of slang, mayadorable is a great place to start. She’s a French and British YouTuber based in Paris, and mainly churns out entertaining content. Although it’s not the easiest to understand or the most correct French, it’s very reflective of informal speech.

Lien: mayadorable

Learning Tip #11 🇫🇷: shadow work

This is amazing for learning pronunciation as well as the rhythm and patterns of French. Pick any form of audio, on YouTube, Netflix or a podcast, grab your headphones and repeat sentences after the speaker. You could even combine this with a walk outside to make it more stimulating.

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Aimes-tu tout planifier ou préfères-tu être spontané(e) ?

Que signifie « lâcher prise » pour toi ?

As-tu déjà changé complètement de direction dans la vie ?

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my 11th publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Subscribe now

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first coffee Walk & Talk in London, and if you live locally I would love for you to join!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment.

Sign up today by clicking the button below for free💌

Coffee Walk & Talk

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, slang, phrases, and more French chats, to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

Follow Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

J’espère que vous avez bien aimé ma dernière newsletter!

Here’s a follow-up French-style coffee date, where I answer the speaking prompts from this week’s newsletter. Then it’s your turn to speak!

I want to encourage you to speak French, even if it’s to yourself when no one is looking. If there’s one thing you can do to boost your learning, it’s by speaking.

Really, I’m just dying to speak to someone in French too, so I hope you don’t mind me waffling at you :)

This week’s speaking prompts👄

Préfères-tu lire un livre papier ou un livre numérique ? Pourquoi ?

Quand as-tu envoyé ou reçu une lettre pour la dernière fois ?

Qu’est-ce qui te fait sentir vivant(e) dans le monde réel ?

Mots-clés🌷

1. dedans = inside/in it

2. la tranche = slice

3. la canicule = heat wave

4. du coup = so/therefore

5. à l’intérieur = inside

6. franchement = frankly (used often in spoken French!)

7. j’ai jamais eu = je n’ai jamais eu (is the correct form, we often eliminate the “n’” in spoken French) = I’ve never had

8. se poser dans (un café/un parc) = to sit down/ “settle yourself”

9. ça me plaît = I enjoy it

10. j’ai soif = I’m thirsty

11. recevoir (je reçois, j’ai reçu) = to receive/get

12. il y a 3 mois = 3 months ago

13. en cuisinant = while cooking (du verbe cuisiner, gerund)

14. tout simplement = just

15. se balader = to go for a walk

Subscribe for more💌

These speaking prompts are featured in my weekly newsletter, where you can build up your language in small doses naturally.

Every Tuesday, I write a small entry in French about my own human thoughts and ideas, as well as sharing further tips, resource ideas, and real-life expressions to help you learn authentic French.

If this sounds like you, subscribe below to join our community of French speakers♥️

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, phrases, and more bilingual chats, to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

Instagram

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for listening to the French coffee date. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French speakers.

à bientôt, Molly x

Nous voilà déjà à la dixième newsletter. Cela me fait très plaisir que tu sois là chaque semaine, et je suis profondément reconnaissante de ton soutien. Merci beaucoup♥️

Here we are already on the tenth newsletter! I’m really pleased that you’re here every week, and I’m deeply grateful for your support. Thank you very much♥️

Le week-end dernier, je suis allée me balader avec une amie au bord de la rivière. On a vu beaucoup de jolies maisons avec des fleurs aux couleurs vives.

Last weekend I went for a walk with a friend along the riverbank. We saw lots of pretty houses with brightly coloured flowers.

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase du jour: se dégourdir les jambes

To stretch out your legs and give them a new lease of life!

Je suis allée me balader pour me dégourdir les jambes (I went on a walk to stretch out my legs)

Lecture #10 ⭐️: le retour du tangible

Malgré tous les efforts de la révolution numérique, il existe une résistance indéniable à la technologie chez les jeunes. Cela me fait très plaisir, car cela m’inquiète de voir des sociétés entières plongées dans un monde virtuel fait de téléphones, d’IA, de réseaux sociaux, et ainsi de suite. Aujourd’hui, nous recherchons de plus en plus les choses tangibles et physiques. Ce sont des objets que nous pouvons toucher du bout des doigts, tenir dans nos propres mains et partager avec d’autres. Les livres, les disques vinyles, les journaux intimes, les lettres manuscrites et les appareils photo numériques retrouvent leur place dans notre quotidien. Nous avons envie de nous sentir à nouveau humains, de vivre dans le monde réel. C’est pour cela que le tangible fait son retour.

Mots clés:

1. malgré = despite

2. numérique = digital

3. cela me fait très plaisir = that makes me very happy

4. s’inquiéter = to worry/be concerned

5. plongé(e)(s) = in this context, “to be engulfed”. Can also mean “to dive” (plonger).

6. ainsi de suite = and so forth

7. rechercher = to look for/research/deep search

8. du bout des doigts = with the tip of our fingers

9. nos propres mains = our own hands

10. partager avec d’autres = to share with others

11. les appareils photo = cameras

12. retrouvent leur place = are finding their place again

13. avons envie (avoir envie) = to want/desire

14. à nouveau = once again

15. fait son retour = is back

Ressource #10 💌: Bendico books on Substack and Instagram

If you’re based in London and are looking for a chance to practice your French speaking (and other languages👀) with REAL people, then look no further than Bendico, a language school that offers weekly speaking sessions with native speakers at Arthur’s Coffee House in London. Wherever in the world you are, finding like-minded people to speak French with in a chill setting is one of the best ways to see progress.

Lien: Bendico on Substack

Learning Tip #10 🇫🇷: get colourful and creative

Now, I am no artist. But I’ve recently tried using sketches, stickers, and watercolours to spice up my language learning. It’s a slower process, but it’s made it way more fun and inspiring. Perhaps this might help you with your French too!

Why is this so useful?: It taps into your visual memory, which is essential for building on your vocab knowledge. A colourful image on a flashcard will do way more than a word written in black pen. This is because your brain create an association between picture and word, and this will be more memorable and distinctive.

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Préfères-tu lire un livre papier ou un livre numérique ? Pourquoi ?

Quand as-tu envoyé ou reçu une lettre pour la dernière fois ?

Qu’est-ce qui te fait sentir vivant(e) dans le monde réel ?

Want to speak with a real human chill coffee date style? Get in touch with me through the links at the end of the newsletter :)

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my ninth publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first Walk & Talk in London, and if you live locally I would love for you to join!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment.

Sign up today by clicking the button below💌

Coffee Walk & Talk

Want to level up your French even further?

If you’re interested in French tutoring, speaking practice sessions, or our first French walk & talk in London in August, then look no further than my website to book:

The Blog

ou si tu souhaites simplement t’abonner…

Subscribe now

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, phrases, and more bilingual chats, to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

Follow Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

J’espère que vous avez bien aimé ma dernière newsletter!

Here’s a follow-up French-style coffee date, where I answer the speaking prompts from this week’s newsletter. Then it’s your turn to speak!

I want to encourage you to speak French, even if it’s to yourself when no one is looking. If there’s one thing you can do to boost your learning, it’s by speaking.

Really, I’m just dying to speak to someone in French too, so I hope you don’t mind me waffling at you :)

This week’s speaking prompts👄

Pourquoi as-tu commencé à apprendre le français ?

Quel est ton plus beau souvenir lié au français ?

Qu’aimerais-tu pouvoir faire en français dans un an ?

Mots-clés🌷

1. le jus = juice

2. la pensée = thought

3. maintenir = to maintain

4. on va dire = let’s say

5. habiter = to live (somewhere)

6. sans = without

7. pas tant que ça = not that much

8. la faute = mistake

9. vu que = given that

10. le souvenir = memory

11. manquer = to miss (ça me manque —> I miss it)

12. tout ça pour dire = so in a nutshell

Subscribe for more💌

These speaking prompts are featured in my weekly newsletter, where you can build up your language in small doses naturally.

Every Tuesday, I write a small entry in French about my own human thoughts and ideas, as well as sharing further tips, resource ideas, and real-life expressions to help you learn authentic French.

If this sounds like you, subscribe below to join our community of French speakers♥️

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, phrases, and more bilingual chats, to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

Instagram

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for listening to the French coffee date. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French speakers.

à bientôt, Molly x

Cette semaine c’est mon anniversaire (23 ans!). Je vais me faire un gâteau et passer la journée en classe d’allemand et puis le soir avec des amis.

This week it’s my birthday (23 years old!). I’m going to bake myself a cake and spend the day in German class, and then the evening with some friends.

Une amie de Londres m’a visité ce weekend. Elle est anglaise et apprend le français, donc on a beaucoup papoter ensemble ✨in French✨.

A friend from London visited me this weekend. She is English and is learning French, so we chatted a lot together in French.

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase du jour: ça me fait flipper

It freaks me out. —> Parler en français me fait flipper, mais je le fais quand même.

Lecture #9 ⭐️: oui, tu peux apprendre le français

Apprendre une nouvelle langue semble parfois impossible. Moi, j’apprends l’allemand, et il y a des jours où j’ai l’impression de ne jamais faire de véritables progrès. La quantité de mots et de grammaire à apprendre paraît infinie. Mon amie anglaise qui souhaite parler français me dit la même chose. De plus, en Angleterre il n’y a pas beaucoup de motivation pour apprendre et les gens aiment dire qu’ils sont nuls en langues. C’est dommage. Je suis ici pour te rappeler que tu PEUX apprendre le français, mais il faut y aller pas à pas et enlever la pression. Par example, apprendre un nouveau mot ou une nouvelle expression par jour. Regarder une vidéo sur YouTube de cinq minutes. Utiliser ce nouveau mot à l’écrit ou à l’oral dans la vraie vie. Et surtout, rester positif. Tu vas y arriver!

Mots clés:

1. semble = seems (du verbe sembler, 3rd person singular present tense)

2. parfois = sometimes

3. il y a = there are

4. faire de véritables progrès = to make real progress (« progrès » here is plural)

5. paraît = seems (du verbe paraître, 3rd person singular present tense)

6. souhaite = wishes (du verbe souhaiter, 3rd person singular present tense)

7. la même chose = the same thing

8. nul(s) en langues = bad at languages

9. c’est dommage = it’s a shame

10. rappeler = to remind

11. il faut y aller pas à pas = you need to take it step by step

12. enlever = take away/take off

13. à l’écrit ou à l’oral = in writing or orally

14. rester = to stay/remain

Ressource #9 💌: chez justine on Substack

chez Justine’s publication is all about books and reading, I love her articles. While she doesn’t target French learners, I find her content really interesting, easily digestible and reflective of real, casual French. Even if you’re a beginner, reading her short notes can be a simple way of catching some new words and recognising patterns in the language.

Lien: chez justine

Learning Tip #9 🇫🇷: spaced-repetition flashcards system

Gabriel Wyner introduced me to this method in his book, Fluent Forever. It’s the method used by Anki and by memorisation geniuses. This is how I learn vocabulary best.

The method: Make your flashcards. Test yourself. Put the ones you get right in one pile. Put the incorrect ones in another. Every time you get one right, you can move the flashcard up. If you get it wrong, you have to move it down a pile. You can choose to review Pile 1 every day or two, and Pile 2 every 5 days. You can have as many piles as you want. This is the spaced-repetition system.

I use 3 piles for German, each marked by a playing card (I usually have a box that neatly separates each pile).

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Pourquoi as-tu commencé à apprendre le français ?

Quel est ton plus beau souvenir lié au français ?

Qu’aimerais-tu pouvoir faire en français dans un an ?

Want to speak with a real human chill coffee date style? Get in touch with me through the links at the end of the newsletter :)

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my ninth publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first Walk & Talk in London, and if you live locally I would love for you to join!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment.

Sign up today by clicking the button below💌

Coffee Walk & Talk

Want to level up your French even further?

If you’re interested in French tutoring, speaking practice sessions, or our first French walk & talk in London in August, then look no further than my website to book:

The Blog

ou si tu souhaites simplement t’abonner…

Subscribe now

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, phrases, and more bilingual chats, to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

Follow Me on Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

On est en juin ! Mon mois préféré, car il fait beau et il nous reste encore tout l’été devant nous. Chaque premier jour du mois, je me fixe des objectifs. En ce mois de juin, je vais essayer de profiter davantage du silence dans ma vie.

It’s June! My favourite month, because the weather is nice and we still have the whole summer ahead of us. On the first day of every month, I set some goals for myself. This June, I’m going to try to make more time for quiet moments in my life.

Ce dimanche passé j’ai retrouvé une amie dans un café.

Last Sunday I met up with a friend in a coffee shop.

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase du jour: je suis paumé(e)

To feel disorientated, lost, confused.

Actualité du jour: Marilyn Monroe aurait eu 100 ans aujourd’hui et Hollywood célèbre avec des défilés en costume.

Marilyn Monroe would have turned 100 today, and Hollywood is celebrating the anniversary with costume parades.

Lecture #8 ⭐️: la beauté du silence

« Seul le silence est grand, tout le reste n'est que faiblesse » . Une citation célèbre du poème La Mort du loup d'Alfred de Vigny, publié en 1843. C’est vieux quand même. C’est une phrase que mon grand-père me répétait souvent lorsque j’étais petite. Cette semaine, elle m’a fait quelque chose. Depuis quelques temps, j’ai la tête qui bourdonne et je me sens assez submergée. Le bruit de la ville, la pression des études et du travail, les réseaux sociaux… Alors j’ai essayé de prendre du recul et créer davantage de silence dans mon quotidien. J’enlevais mes écouteurs dans le bus ou pendant mes promenades pour écouter ce qui se passait autour de moi. Je laissais mon téléphone dans ma chambre lorsque je cuisinais. Cela m’a fait beaucoup de bien. C’est apaisant le silence.

Mots clés:

1. la faiblesse = weakness

2. citation = quote

3. quand même = anyway, in any case, regardless, still (it’s hard to translate - it is used to reinforce a statement, in this case, that the poem is very old)

4. souvent = often

5. lorsque = when

6. ça m’a fait quelque chose = it made me feel something special, it touched me

7. la tête qui bourdonne = a buzzing/busy mind

8. prendre du recul = to take a step back

9. davantage = more

10. enlevais = took off (du verbe enlever, 1st person imperfect tense)

11. autour = around

12. je laissais = I left (du verbe laisser, 1st person imperfect tense)

13. apaisant = calming

Ressource #8 💌: La papoterie de Laukssss

I love this podcast. It’s perfect for intermediate to advanced learners wanting to listen to casual, everyday French. She speaks clearly and at a good, realistic pace. Episodes are between 10 and 30 minutes long, and are all about reflecting on relatable topics and finding community in feeling less alone.

Lien: la paporerie

Learning Tip #8 🇫🇷: sit in silence and think in French

My learning tip this week seems a little fruitless at the first glance🤔. But how often do you stop for 5 minutes, sit still, and think about what you actually already know in French? The idea is that you activate your knowledge in a moment of stillness, no distractions, comprehensible input, voices, rien!

You might know more than you give yourself credit for, and it’s active thinking which we love!

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Où trouves-tu le plus de calme dans ta vie quotidienne ?

Qu’est-ce qui t’aide à ralentir quand tout va trop vite ?

Préfères-tu vivre dans un endroit animé ou paisible ?

Want to speak with a real human chill coffee date style? Get in touch with me through the links at the end of the newsletter :)

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my eighth publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Sign up to our first Walk & Talk⭐️

This August I am hosting My Tête-à-Tête’s first Walk & Talk in London, and if you live locally I would love for you to join!

Along with a small group of other French learners, we’ll meet for coffee and go for a chat around Regent’s Park, giving us all a chance to practice the language in a chill and friendly environment.

Sign up today by clicking the button below💌

Coffee Walk & Talk

Want to level up your French even further?

If you’re interested in French tutoring, speaking practice sessions, or our first French walk & talk in London in August, then look no further than my website to book:

The Blog

ou si tu souhaites simplement t’abonner…

Subscribe now

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, phrases, and more bilingual chats, to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

Follow Me on Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

J’espère que vous avez bien aimé ma dernière newsletter sur les réseaux sociaux et sur le besoin de se déconnecter.

Here’s a follow-up French-style coffee date, where I answer the speaking prompts from this week’s newsletter, then it’s your turn!

I want to encourage you to speak French, even if it’s to yourself when no one is looking. If there’s one thing you can do to boost your learning, it’s by speaking!

Really, I’m just dying to speak to someone in French too, so I hope you don’t mind me waffling at you :)

This week’s speaking prompts👄

Est-ce que tu regardes ton téléphone dès le réveil ?

Faut-il faire une «détox digitale» de temps en temps ?

Qu’est-ce que tu pourrais faire à la place du scrolling ?

Mots-clés🌷

1. avoir besoin de = to need (something)

2. la pêche = peach

3. je suis crevé(e) = I am exhausted/tired

4. être submergé = to be overwhelmed

5. notamment = in particular, including

6. dès le réveil = as soon as you wake up

7. vérifier = to check

8. de temps en temps = from time to time

9. apporter des bénéfices = to have/bring lots of benefits

10. prendre du recul = to take a step back

11. se passer = happen

12. à la place de = instead of

13. je pourrais = I could (du verbe pouvoir, 1st person singular, conditional tense)

14. se rendre compte = to realise

15. le but = purpose

Subscribe for more💌

These speaking prompts are featured in my weekly newsletter, where you can build up your language in small doses naturally.

Every Tuesday, I write a small entry in French about my own human thoughts and ideas, as well as sharing further tips, resource ideas, and real-life expressions to help you learn authentic French.

If this sounds like you, subscribe below to join our community of French speakers♥️

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for listening to the French coffee date. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French speakers.

à bientôt, Molly x

On est en fin Mai, je n’y crois pas. Enfin le soleil brille! J’espère que vous profitez bien du bon temps, et que vous trouvez aussi 5 minutes dans votre journée pour apprendre le français.

It’s the end of May – I can’t believe it. The sun’s finally shining! I hope you’re making the most of the good weather, and that you can also find five minutes in your day to learn French.

Aujourd’hui, je me suis posée dans un parc pour réfléchir.

Today I sat down in a park to think.

Prends ton café et lançons-nous ☕️📖🌿

Phrase du jour: occupe-toi de tes oignons

Literal translation, mind your own onions. It actually means “mind your own business.”

Actualité du jour: Au festival de Cannes 2026, le réalisateur roumain Cristian Mungiu remporte la Palme d’or pour son film “Fjord”.

At the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, Romanian director Cristian Mungiu won the Palme d’Or for his film “Fjord”.

Lecture #7 ⭐️: Instagram, je ne t’aime plus

Ce sentiment brûle en moi depuis quelques temps. L’envie de couper Instagram, et même de supprimer Tik Tok et d’autres réseaux sociaux. Je me sens submergée par toutes les informations en ligne, par l’algorithme infini, par la multitude d’influenceurs. Tout ce passe tellement vite sur les réseaux. Mon temps d’écran reste élevé, mon anxiété aussi. Et j’ai surtout ce sentiment de ne jamais être assez belle ou d’être assez bien. Le plus frustrant, c’est que je ne me sens plus alignée avec moi-même, comme si je ne sais plus réfléchir par moi-même. Alors ce mois de Juin, je pense que je vais supprimer les réseaux et retrouver le calme de la vie.

Mots clés:

1. brûle = burn (du verbe brûler, 3rd person singular, present tense)

2. depuis quelques temps = for/since some time

3. couper = to cut/delete

4. même = even (in this context)

5. supprimer = to delete

6. les réseaux sociaux = social media

7. je me sens submergé(e) = I feel overwhelmed (du verbe se sentir + submergé, 1st person singular, present tense)

8. tout ce passe = everything happens

9. temps d’écran = screen time

10. reste = stays (du verbe rester, 3rd person singular, present tense)

11. élevé = raised/high

12. assez = enough

13. réfléchir par moi-même = to think for myself

14. retrouver le calme de la vie = to rediscover a sense of calm in life

Ressource #7 💌: French to Impress by My French Atelier on Substack

Anne Thuillie is a Paris-born French coach and founder of My French Atelier. I love what she teaches, because it’s the French you don’t get exposed to as a learner in a classroom. Her Substack offers a slower version of what she offers on Instagram: how to actually sound French, and tweak your language so that you sound effortless, and impress!.

Lien: French to Impress

Learning Tip #7 🇫🇷: go on a language walk

I do this all the time for a new language that I’m learning. A 15-minute language walk. It gets me out of the house and stimulates my brain, especially when the sun is shining.

The aim is to experience the language with as many of your 5 senses as possible. Let yourself notice things - sounds, people, nature, buildings - and try to name what you see and hear in French. For example “je vois des fleurs roses et jaunes”.

Why is this beneficial? Because it gets you creating real memories in your language, making it more likely that you remember words.

Speaking Prompts💡

Speaking and actively thinking in French is one of the hardest aspects of mastering the language, but one of the most beneficial. In my opinion, it’s a non-negotiable in your French learning routine. This is the part where you speak, whether to yourself, your dog, or a friend ♥️

Est-ce que tu regardes ton téléphone dès le réveil ?

Faut-il faire une “détox digitale” de temps en temps ?

Qu’est-ce que tu pourrais faire à la place du scrolling ?

Want to speak with a real human chill coffee date style? Get in touch with me through the links at the end of the newsletter :)

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for reading my sixth publication of Le Mot Entre Nous. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French learners.

à bientôt, Molly x

Want to level up your French even further?

If you’re interested in French tutoring, speaking practice sessions, or our first French walk & talk in London in August, then look no further than my website to book:

The Blog

ou si tu souhaites simplement t’abonner…

Subscribe now

I am also on Instagram!

I am also on Instagram, which I hope to use to bring our French coffee chats to the real world in London and other cities, and help more people learn in an engaging way.

Abonne-toi for learning tips, new vocabulary, phrases, and more bilingual chats, to help you learn French 🇫🇷⭐️☕️🍓

Merci pour ton soutien♥️

Follow Me on Instagram

All you need is your morning coffee, and 5 minutes of your time to read this weekly newsletter. Are you ready to speak French?

J’espère que vous avez bien aimé ma dernière newsletter sur le thème de ✨l’amour✨.

I thought I would send you a surprise French-style coffee date, answering the speaking prompts from my last newsletter.

I want to encourage you to speak French, even if it’s to yourself when no one is looking! If there’s one thing you can do to boost your learning, it’s by speaking.

Really, I’m just dying to speak to someone in French too, so I hope you don’t mind me waffling at you :)

This week’s speaking prompts👄

Comment prends-tu soin de toi quand ça ne va pas ?

C’est quoi ta chanson d’amour préférée et pourquoi?

Pourquoi avons-nous peur de faire des erreurs en amour?

Mots-clés🌷

1. prendre soin de = to take care of

2. c’est-à-dire = that is, in other words

3. rendre + heureux = to make (someone) happy

4. allumer une bougie = to light a candle

5. la chanson = song

6. les paroles = the lyrics

7. les erreurs = mistakes (une erreur)

8. gâcher = to ruin

9. se blesser - to get hurt

10. au final = in the end

Subscribe for more💌

These speaking prompts are featured in my weekly newsletter, where you can build up your language in small doses.

Every Tuesday, I write a small entry in French about my own human thoughts and ideas, as well as further tips, resource ideas, and real-life expressions to help you learn authentic French. If this sounds like you, subscribe below to join our community of French speakers♥️

Subscribe now

À la prochaine 🫶

Et c’est tout pour aujourd’hui!

Thank you for listening to the French coffee date. I can’t wait to discover this new community of French speakers.

à bientôt, Molly x