Lawless French News https://www.lawlessfrench.com/ Lawless French News Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:00:28 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/wp-content/uploads/logo-2lines.png Lawless French News https://www.lawlessfrench.com/ https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/verb-conjugations-translating-imperatives-infinitives-participles/ Translating Infinitives, Imperatives, and Participles https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958787897/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Translating-Infinitives-Imperatives-and-Participles/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958787897/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Translating-Infinitives-Imperatives-and-Participles/#respond Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:00:18 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=21673 Translating French infinitives, imperatives, and participlesLearn how to translate French infinitives, imperatives, and participles into English.

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]]> Traduire les impératifs, infinitifs et participes
Translating impersonal French verb conjugations
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French and English have a number of important differences in verb tenses and moods, which can make translating the various conjugations from one language to the other a bit tricky, as explained in the intro to this lesson: French verb conjugation translations.

Please be sure to keep all of that in mind as you look at the verb donner (to give) conjugated into the impersonal and imperative forms. I can’t list every possible translation, but this should give you a pretty good idea of how all the French and English verb conjugations fit together. For a more in-depth look, click the name of any French verb form for the detailed lesson.

Imperative

(tu) donne   give
(nous) donnons   let’s give
(vous donnez   give

Past imperative

(tu) aie donné   have given
(nous) ayons donné   let’s have given
(vous ayez donné   have given

Infinitive

The French infinitive donner may be equivalent to

  • to give (English infinitive)
  • give (base form)
  • giving (gerund)

Past infinitive

This French verb form is particularly difficult to attach to a specific English translation; avoir donné is literally "to have given," but is more likely to be translated by giving, having given, about giving ….

Present participle

donnant   giving

Past participle

donné   given, gave

Perfect participle

ayant donné   having given

More about translating French verb conjugations

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Translating French infinitives and participles

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]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958787897/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Translating-Infinitives-Imperatives-and-Participles/feed/ 0 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/reading/avf/ Accueil des villes françaises (AVF) https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/519049600/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Accueil-des-villes-fran%c3%a7aises-AVF/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/519049600/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Accueil-des-villes-fran%c3%a7aises-AVF/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:00:53 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=3328 AVF

L'Accueil des villes françaises est une association dont le personnel se compose de bénévoles. Le but est d'aider les nouveaux arrivants dans une ville à s'y intégrer.

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]]> French reading practice with side-by-side translation

 Reading comprehension: See the links at the bottom for lessons related to the phrases in italics.

Accueil des villes françaises Accueil des villes françaises

Pendant presque tout notre séjour à Hyères, mon mari a donné des cours d’anglais dans une association qui s’appelle l’AVF. L’Accueil des villes françaises est une association non gouvernementale et à but non lucratif dont le personnel se compose de bénévoles. Le but des 350 filiales d’AVF dispersées à travers la France est d’aider les nouveaux arrivants dans une ville à s’y intégrer.
Translation

During almost our entire stay in Hyères, my husband gave English classes at an association: AVF. Accueil des villes françaises (literally, "French cities’ welcome") is a non-governmental, non-profit association whose staff is made up of volunteers. The purpose of the 350 branches scattered throughout France is to help new arrivals to a town get settled.

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Bien qu’affiliées, les associations ne suivent pas toutes le même programme, donc les offres de chacune varient. À Hyères, il y a une trentaine d’ateliers proposés : des langues, des jeux et de l’artisanat. Lors de notre dernière année, mon mari avait animé 4 des 5 niveaux de cours d’anglais, et notre départ a secoué l’organisation. Il a passé des mois à essayer de trouver ses remplaçants, avec peu de succès. En fin de compte, l’AVF a dû annuler plusieurs niveaux – c’était vraiment dommage.
Translation

Though affiliated, the local associations don’t all follow the same program, so each one’s offerings vary. In Hyères, there are about about 30 workshops: languages, games, and arts and crafts. During our last year, my husband led 4 of the 5 levels of English classes, and our departure shook up the organization. He spent months trying to find replacements, with little success. In the end, AVF had to cancel several levels – it was a real shame.

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S’il n’a pas reçu de salaire, mon mari a été récompensé de plusieurs manières pour son travail à l’AVF. D’abord, il adore enseigner (et il est très doué), donc il éprouve une vraie satisfaction en voyant les progrès de ses étudiants, et en recevant leurs remerciements sincères. Deuxièmement, nous nous sommes fait des dizaines d’amis parmi ses étudiants, dont une dizaine nous ont invités à dîner chez eux (une invitation qu’on prétend être très rare parmi les Français).
Translation

Though he wasn’t paid, my husband was rewarded for his work with AVF in several ways. First of all, he loves teaching (and is extremely good at it), so he gets a real sense of satisfaction in seeing his students’ progress, and in receiving their heartfelt thanks. Second, we made dozens of friends among his students, about 10 of whom invited us to eat in their homes (an invitation which people claim is extremely rare from the French).

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Et troisièmement, à la fin de l’année, les étudiants dans chaque classe se sont cotisés pour lui acheter des cadeaux de remerciement. Cette année, ils ont été particulièrement généreux, lui offrant des tas de cadeaux (des livres, des DVD, du vin, des cartes-cadeaux), aussi bien qu’un poème et même un sketch taquinant gentiment mon mari pour son style très animé d’enseignement.
Translation

And third, at the end of the year, the students in each class contribute toward thank you gifts. That year, they were particularly generous, giving him gifts (books, DVDs, wine, gift certificates) as well as a poem and even a sketch gently teasing my husband for his very animated teaching style.

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Présentation des associations françaises Introduction to French associations

 AVFReading comprehension

Expressions

Vocabulary

Grammar

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French association

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]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/519049600/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Accueil-des-villes-fran%c3%a7aises-AVF/feed/ 2 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/expressions/comme-il-faut/ Comme il faut https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/600995266/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Comme-il-faut/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:00:40 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=691 Comme il faut

If you want to learn how to use the French expression comme il faut properly, click to read this lesson.

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]]> Proper French Expression
Comme il faut
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Meaning properly, correctly, respectably
Literally as it must
Register normal
Pronunciation French sound files [kuh meel foh]
IPA   [kɔ mil fo]

Usage notes: When etiquette counts, you can request respectability with the French expression comme il faut. The impersonal verb falloir means "to be necessary," so comme il faut means “as (it) is necessary” or, more idiomatically, “correctly, respectably.”

Par exemple…

Conduis-toi comme il faut.   Behave, Be on your best behavior.
Personne ne s’habille plus comme il faut.   No one dresses respectably any more.
C’est chez eux que les enfants apprennent à se comporter comme il faut.   Kids learn to behave (properly) at home.
Je n’ai jamais appris à écrire comme il faut.   I never learned to write correctly.

Synonyms

  • bien
  • convenablement
  • correctement

Comme il faut can be used as an adjectival phrase.

Par exemple…

des écoliers très comme il faut   very well-behaved students

Synonyms

  • bien éduqué
  • sage

Comme il faut can also mean “as it should” or “like it’s supposed to”:

Par exemple…

Toutes les machines fonctionnent comme il faut.   All of the machines are working normally.

Synonyms

  • comme prévu
  • normalement

 En anglais

Comme il faut is used in English with a somewhat pretentious nuance that doesn’t necessarily exist in French.

It’s not comme il faut for guests to wear white to a wedding.

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Comme il faut

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]]> https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/my-languages/french/tests/overview/3957672#new_tab Être Quiz – Perdu en ville https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/958421765/0/lawlessfrenchnews~%c3%8atre-Quiz-Perdu-en-ville Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:00:10 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=56537 Map

Test yourself on être conjugations with this fill-in-the-blanks exercise:

   Perdu en ville

Note: You must be logged into your Progress with Lawless French account to take this test. If you don't have one, sign up - it's free!

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]]> https://www.lawlessfrench.com/learn-french/relearning-french/ Relearning French https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/260320626/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Relearning-French/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 14:00:41 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=14236 Relearning FrenchIs your French as rusty as an old can? Did you live in France years ago or study it in high school—and promptly forget everything upon leaving? The fact is that language ability fades with lack of practice. If you used to know French but haven't spoken it in years or decades, the bad news is that it probably won't come rushing back all at once. But the good news is that you can relearn it much more quickly than if you were starting out without that previous knowledge.

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Réapprentissage du français

Is your French as rusty as an old can? Did you live in France years ago or study it in high school—and promptly forget everything upon leaving? The fact is that language ability fades with lack of practice. If you used to know French but haven’t spoken it in years or decades, the bad news is that it probably won’t come rushing back all at once. But the good news is that you can relearn it much more quickly than if you were starting out without that previous knowledge. Here’s how.

Step 1: Assess and Plan

The first step is to figure out where you are right now. You might think that you don’t remember anything, but a written or spoken assessment will almost certainly find that you do.

Online French assessment

Progress with Lawless French offers a comprehensive grammar test (53 questions) that will spot-check your French from levels A1 to C1, starting with basic grammar and working progressively up to advanced. If you don’t know an answer, skip it, and if you get to a section where all the questions are impossible, just scroll to the end and submit. After you confirm your email address, you’ll receive your score as well as a personalized study plan so that you know exactly what to work on to consolidate what you already know, fill in gaps, and learn new material.

Spoken French assessment

Knowing grammar is essential, of course, but can you actually communicate? Find out by finding a French tutor to whom you can explain your situation and find out how they can help. For example, you might tell them that you used to speak French and want to pick it back up for a trip to France next year. The instructor will likely suggest a guided conversation to determine what you know and don’t know, and then explain how s/he can work with you to meet your goals.

Offline Alternative

Put yourself to the test with my book French Workbook for Dummies, filled with lessons and practice exercises.
 

Step 2: Study French on Your Own

In addition to following your PwLF study plan and working with an instructor, it’s essential to study and practice on your own. Watch TV, listen to music, and find more ideas at daily French practice. In particular, check out my listening comprehension exercises and reading comprehension exercises.

Or try this fun program:

  • Frantastique uses comics and videos to tell the story of a pair of aliens who bring Victor Hugo back to life and help him navigate this strange new world.

Step 3: Practice with Other People

Be sure to practice speaking French. If there’s any way that you can take a trip to France or another French-speaking country, do it! You’ll be surrounded with opportunities to practice and get a real sense of where you’re still lacking. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll find it inspiring and invigorating to be using your French in real-life situations rather than artificial ones.

Step 4: Reassess and Regroup

Every month or so, you should reassess your French. PwLF does this for you automatically, tracking your level and continuing to offer new material when you’re ready for it. Your private tutor can also help you analyze how far you’ve come. Once you’ve determined where you’re still having trouble, go back to step 2, rinse, and repeat!

How Long Will It Take?

It’s impossible to say – it depends on how much you remember, how much time you put into study and practice, and how much new material you want to learn. Bon courage !

 French Learning and Practice

Travel Links

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Relearning French

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]]> https://www.lawlessfrench.com/listening/comment-utiliser-les-toilettes/ Comment utiliser les toilettes https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/95804724/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Comment-utiliser-les-toilettes/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 14:00:54 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=7199 Toilettes en France

Découvrez les divers types de toilettes françaises, leurs particularités, leur coût et tous leurs petits secrets.

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Écouter ~ Listen

French listening comprehension Listening comprehension: See the links at the bottom for lessons related to the phrases in italics.

Comment utiliser les toilettes en France How to use the toilet in France
L’utilisation des toilettes peut sembler l’une des tâches les plus simples qui soient, mais si vous n’avez pas l’habitude des installations françaises, elles peuvent vous paraître intimidantes. Découvrez les divers types de toilettes françaises, leurs particularités, leur coût et tous leurs petits secrets.
Translation

Using the toilet can seem like one of the simplest tasks there is, but if you’re not used to French installations, they can seem intimidating. Discover the various types of French toilets, their distinctive characteristics, their cost, and all of their little secrets.

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1. Trouver des toilettes. Cela n’est pas toujours aisé, car les toilettes publiques ne sont pas aussi présentes qu’elles le sont chez nous. Les centres commerciaux et les installations de plein air ont généralement des toilettes publiques, tout comme les parcs urbains, qui disposent plutôt de cabines mobiles individuelles payantes.
Translation

1. Find toilets. This isn’t always easy, as public toilets aren’t as widely available as they are at home. Shopping centers and outdoor facilities usually have public toilets, as do city parks, which tend to have individual movable cabins with a paid entry.

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2. Si vous êtes pressé, vous pouvez toujours vous rabattre sur un café. Il vaut mieux prendre une consommation avant d’utiliser les toilettes, sauf si une foule dense vous protège des regards indiscrets. Recherchez l’inscription « toilettes », « lieu d’aisance » ou « WC » sur la porte.
Translation

2. If you’re in a hurry, you can always make do with a café. It’s better to have a drink before using the restroom, unless a dense crowd shelters you from nosy glances. Look for the sign toilettes, lieu d’aisance, or WC on the door.

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3. Faire sa petite affaire. En ce domaine, tout le monde se débrouille fort bien, sauf si vous êtes en présence de toilettes à la « turque », comme dans certaines gares françaises. Ces toilettes, fort inusitées pour un Nord-Américain, sont constituées d’une plaque métallique ou de porcelaine blanche au sol avec deux empreintes de pieds et percées d’un trou au milieu. Impossible donc de s’asseoir et de prendre ses aises, il faut s’accroupir pour se soulager. Confondues souvent avec des douches, ces toilettes sont les plus déconcertantes.
Translation

3. Do your business. In this matter, everyone manages very well, unless you’re in the presence of "Turkish" toilets, such as in some French train stations. These toilets, very unfamiliar for North-Americans, consist of a metallic or white porcelain slab on the ground with two footprints and pierced with a hole in the middle. So it’s impossible to sit down and be at ease; you have to squat to relieve yourself. Often mistaken for showers, these toilets are the most disconcerting.

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4. Tirer la chasse d’eau. Facile, non ? Je ne peux me rappeler à combien d’occasions j’ai donné des conseils à ce sujet à des touristes perplexes. Le mécanisme de chasse d’eau des toilettes françaises est rarement derrière vous.
Translation

4. Flush. Easy, no? I can’t count how many times I’ve given perplexed tourists advice about this. The flush mechanism for French toilets is rarely behind you.

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Partie 2 » Part 2 »
French text and sound file courtesy of Think French audiomagazine. This is part 1 of an article in the janvier 2014 issue. Translation by LKL

  Listening comprehension

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Using French toilets

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]]> https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/nimporte/ N’importe https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/521341390/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Nimporte/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 14:00:52 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=17433 French expressions with n'importeN'importe literally means "no matter" or "(it) doesn't matter." This indefinite expression can precede an interrogative adjective, adverb, or pronoun when talking about something indefinite or non-specific.

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Expression indéfinie

N’importe, the contraction of the French negative particle ne and the third person singular conjugation of importer (to matter), literally means "no matter" or "(it) doesn’t matter." This indefinite expression can precede an interrogative adjective, adverb, or pronoun when talking about something indefinite or non-specific.

N’importe + interrogative adjective = any

N’importe quel followed by a noun refers to an unspecified item.

Par example…

Vous pouvez prendre n’importe quel siège.   You can take any seat.
N’importe quelle boutique va le vendre.   Any shop will sell it.

N’importe + interrogative adverb = any ___, ___ever

N’importe followed by comment, où, or quand indicates that the how, where, or when, respectively, is indefinite.

Par example…

n’importe comment   (in) any way, however
Il ne faut pas le faire n’importe comment.   You mustn’t (can’t) do it just any old way.
     
n’importe où   anywhere, wherever
Je peux dormir n’importe où.   I can sleep anywhere.
     
n’importe quand   any time, whenever
Vous pouvez partir n’importe quand.   You can leave at any time.

N’importe + interrogative pronoun = any ___

N’importe followed by qui, quoi, or lequel can be an indefinite subject, direct or indirect object, or object of a preposition.

Par example…

n’importe qui   anyone
N’importe qui aurait pu le faire.   Anyone could have done it.
Je ne suis pas n’importe qui !   I’m not just anybody!
     
n’importe quoi   anything
Il ne faut pas manger n’importe quoi.   You shouldn’t eat just anything.
Je peux écrire sur n’importe quoi.   I can write about anything.
     
n’importe lequel   any one, any of them
Prends n’importe lequel.   Take any one.
N’importe lequel fera l’affaire.   Any of them will work.

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French expressions with n'importe

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]]> https://www.lawlessfrench.com/expressions/faire-dune-pierre-deux-coups/ Faire d’une pierre deux coups https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/600761266/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Faire-dune-pierre-deux-coups/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:34 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=4301 Faire d'une pierre deux coups

Learn how to be more efficient with the French proverb faire d'une pierre deux coups.

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French Proverb

Meaning to kill two birds with one stone
Literally to strike twice with one stone, to do two jobs with one stone
Register normal
Pronunciation French sound files [fehr dun pyehr deu koo]
IPA   [fɛʁ dyn pjɛʁ dø ku]

Usage notes: Faire d’une pierre deux coups always makes me think of skipping stones, but of course a good stone will skip more than just twice. In any case, the stone in this French proverb and its English equivalent isn’t just bouncing across water; it’s performing two tasks that would normally take two separate "stones" to accomplish. It’s about efficiency and getting things done.

Par exemple…

Tu dois aller à la banque ? Moi aussi – viens avec moi et on peut faire d’une pierre deux coups.   You need to go to the bank? Me too – come with me and we can kill two birds with one stone.
Fais d’une pierre deux coups : si tu ranges ta chambre, tu trouveras ta raquette de tennis.   Kill two birds with one stone: if you clean your room, you’ll find your tennis racket.

Synonymous expression

  • faire coup double
    In hunting, faire coup double means "to do a right and left"

Related expressions

  • un fusil à deux coups – double-barreled rifle
  • faire un coup (informal) – to pull off an illegal job

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Faire d'une pierre deux coups

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