Lawless French News https://www.lawlessfrench.com/ Lawless French News Mon, 20 Jul 2026 14:09:08 +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/products/magnetic-poetry/ Magnetic Poetry https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/423334418/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Magnetic-Poetry/ https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/423334418/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Magnetic-Poetry/#respond Mon, 20 Jul 2026 14:00:21 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=15191 French magnetic poetryMagnetic poetry is a fun little tool you can use to learn and practice French. 500 magnets with words and parts of words help you to express yourself in a unique and creative way.

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French magnetic poetry
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Magnetic poetry is a fun little tool you can use to learn and practice French. 500 magnets with words and parts of words help you to express yourself in a unique and creative way.

Each magnet features a word or part of a word, meaning individual or groups of letters for agreement, plurals, and verb endings. For example, to write Ils chantent you need four magnets:

IL – S – CHANTE – NT

In addition to writing poetry, you can use the magnets to practice sentence formation, word order, verb conjugations, and more. The set includes a mini dictionary to help you understand any words you don’t know.

I like to display my poetic prowess on my side-by-side refrigerator. I have the individual magnets laid out more or less alphabetically on one door, making it easy to find the word I need and leaving the other door free for my poetic meanderings. You can also write poetry on any other metal surface, such as a desk, locker, or filing cabinet.

Buy Magnetic Poetry:  Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk
 

Magnetic poetry for kids

There are also magnetic poetry sets especially for kids. I haven’t tried them, but from their descriptions and photos, they look pretty good.

Kids French Kit – Double-sided magnet flashcards with French on one side and English on the other.
Buy it: Amazon.com

Magnetic French Words – Chunky double-sided magnet flashcards and a dry-wipe board and pen.
Buy it: Amazon.com

Fridgemagic First French Words – Chunky wipe-clean French magnets.
Buy it: Amazon.co.uk
 

Note: If you click one of these links and make a purchase, I may earn a commission: Ad and Affiliate Disclosure

 Related lessons and features

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]]> https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/423334418/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Magnetic-Poetry/feed/ 0 https://lawlessfrench.substack.com/p/bises#asenha_ep Les bises à fond https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/960944849/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Les-bises-%c3%a0-fond Sun, 19 Jul 2026 14:05:24 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=61316 Getting friendly with the French (and many other Europeans) means getting comfortable with les bises. 💋 These not-quite-cheek-not-quite-air kisses are an essential part of French culture, so being prepared to give and receive them is vital. Today's issue of Lawless French à fond takes an in-depth look at les bises: what they are, when and how to do them, and more.

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]]> https://www.lawlessfrench.com/expressions/avoir-un-cheveu-sur-la-langue/ Avoir un cheveu sur la langue https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/601208778/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Avoir-un-cheveu-sur-la-langue/ Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=23080 Avoir un cheveu sur la langue

Learn how to use the French idiom avoir un cheveu sur la langue to describe a certain type of pronunciation.

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Informal French Expression

Meaning to lisp, to have a lisp
Literally to have a hair on the tongue
Register informal
Pronunciation French sound files [ah vwar oo(n) sheuh veuh sur lah la(n)g]
IPA   [a vwa ʁœ̃ ʃə və suʁ la lãg]

Usage notes: The French expression avoir un cheveu sur la langue means to lisp, to have a lisp, to speak with a lisp, the idea being that the hair is interfering with the tongue and causing the lisp.

 Though informal, this expression is not offensive.

Par exemple…

C’est un peu difficile de comprendre Huguette au téléphone, parce qu’elle a un cheveu sur la langue.   It’s kind of hard to understand Huguette on the phone, because she lisps.
Je ne parle pas bien l’espagnol parce que je le trouve impossible de parler comme si j’ai un cheveu sur la langue.   I can’t speak Spanish well because I find it impossible to speak with a lisp.

Variations

  • avoir un fil sur la langue
  • avoir un cheveu

Synonyms

 Related lessons

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Elle a un cheveu sur la langue

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]]> https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/my-languages/french/tests/overview/13258449#asenha_ep Imparfait vs Passé composé Quiz https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/960565607/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Imparfait-vs-Pass%c3%a9-compos%c3%a9-Quiz Thu, 16 Jul 2026 14:00:18 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=61303 Belgium independence

Test yourself on passé composé vs imparfait with this fill-in-the-blanks exercise:

   La fête nationale en Belgique

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://progress.lawlessfrench.com/learn/speaking/what-is-fluency#asenha_ep What Is Fluency? https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/960494948/0/lawlessfrenchnews~What-Is-Fluency Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:00:10 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=11015 What is fluency?There’s no secret recipe for fluency; indeed, it’s difficult to even find consensus on what "fluency" actually means. Is it the ability to have a conversation, or language proficiency equivalent to that of a native speaker?

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]]> https://www.lawlessfrench.com/expressions/bonne-fete/ Bonne fête ! https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/100283100/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Bonne-f%c3%aate/ Tue, 14 Jul 2026 14:00:26 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=6379 Bonne fête !

Spread holiday cheer and good wishes with the French expression bonne fête.

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]]> Celebratory French Expression
Bonne fête !
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Meaning Happy (holiday)! Happy (name) day! Happy birthday!
Literally Good holiday!
Register normal
Pronunciation French sound files [buhn feht]
IPA   [bɔn fɛt]

Usage notes: Bonne fête traditionally means "happy (name) day," in reference to Saint’s days, also known as Feast days. For example, Saint Laura’s feast day is 19 October, so on that day someone might say bonne fête to me.

Bonne fête is also used as a generic holiday wish, such as for Bastille Day or another holiday like Mother’s Day, Assumption, etc.

French holiday expressions

 In Canada and Louisiana, bonne fête typically means "happy birthday."

Synonyms (in North America)

Related features

Useful verb conjugations

Gifts for French lovers

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Bonne fête

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]]> https://www.lawlessfrench.com/travel-and-culture/holidays/bastille-day-links/ Bastille Day https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/165385480/0/lawlessfrenchnews~Bastille-Day/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:00:27 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=12873 Bastille DayYou probably know that 14 July is Bastille Day, but do you know what it's called in French? (Hint, it's not "jour de Bastille.") Do you know the history behind Bastille Day, or how it's celebrated in France? This page has links to everything you could possibly want to know.

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]]> The Ultimate Resource
Bastille Day
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You probably know that 14 July is Bastille Day, but do you know what it’s called in French? (Hint: it’s not "jour de Bastille.") Do you know the history behind Bastille Day, or how this national holiday is observed in France? This page has links to everything you could possibly want to know about the celebration of Bastille Day.

Bastille Day

Brief introduction to Bastille Day and the French Revolution (reading comprehension)

Bastille Day Quiz

Think you know what France’s national holidays is all about? Let’s find out!

La prise de la Bastille

Sound file with transcript and translation about the storming of the Bastille (listening/reading)

Le Quatorze Juillet

If you think Les Misérables is about Bastille Day or the French Revolution, think again! (listening/reading)

La Bastille de Grenoble

No relation to the Parisian prison (reading comprehension)

Bastille: the holiday, the prison, the word

7 things you might not know about Bastille
 

Notes, Further Reading, and Resources

There is no French equivalent to "Happy Bastille Day" – all you can say is, generically, Bonne fête ! And of course, there’s also Vive la France ! (but try not to overuse it).

Bastille Day is one of the symbols of France (others are Marianne, the flag, the Marseillaise …)

Bastille Day is one of 11 official French holidays, known as jours fériés.

Celebrate with a bleu-blanc-rouge fruit salad or some French recipes like crêpes and chocolate mousse.

Did you know that there are 7 names for France?

Bastille Day à fond – in case you still need more.

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Bastille Day

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]]> https://www.lawlessfrench.com/expressions/pedaler-dans-la-choucroute/ Pédaler dans la choucroute https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/599898138/0/lawlessfrenchnews~P%c3%a9daler-dans-la-choucroute/ Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:00:11 +0000 https://www.lawlessfrench.com/?p=22745 Pédaler dans la choucroute

You might be spinning your wheels if you don't read this lesson about the French idiom pédaler dans la choucroute.

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Familiar French Expression

Meaning To be spinning one’s wheels, be getting nowhere fast
Literally To pedal in the sauerkraut
Register familiar
Pronunciation French sound files [pay dah lay da(n) lah shoo kroot]
IPA   [pe da le dã la ʃu kʁut]

Usage notes: Pédaler dans la choucroute is one of my favorite French expressions because it offers a fantastic visual image of someone working like crazy but getting exactly nowhere.

Par exemple…

J’ai l’impression de pédaler dans la choucroute depuis deux heures.   I feel like I’ve been spinning my wheels for two hours.
Ce n’est pas la peine de continuer à chercher – tu pédales dans la choucroute.   Don’t bother continuing to search – you’re getting nowhere fast.

Pédaler dans la choucroute is also a completely bizarre expression – why on Earth would someone ride a bike in a bowl of sauerkraut? Interestingly, this idiom dates back to the early days of the Tour de France. When cyclists got too tired to continue, they’d climb into the broom wagon, which at the time was covered in ads for sauerkraut. So they’d be mocked for "pedaling in sauerkraut" on their way to the finish line.

Eventually, the meaning left the world of cycling and evolved into saying that someone is making an effort but not getting anywhere.

Tasty variations

  • pédaler dans la cancoillotte – “to pedal in the Cancoillotte" (a type of runny cheese)
  • pédaler dans le couscous – "to pedal in the couscous"
  • pédaler dans la purée – "to pedal in the mashed potatoes"
  • pédaler dans la semoule – "to pedal in the semolina"
  • pédaler dans le yaourt – "to pedal in the yogurt"

Somewhat synonymous

  • avoir beau + infinitive
  • s’égarer
  • s’enliser
  • faire quelque chose en vain
  • patauger
  • pédaler à vide
  • se perdre
  • perdre le fil de ses gestes
  • perdre le fil de ses paroles
  • perdre le fil de ses pensées
  • perdre ses moyens
  • vasouiller

 Related lessons

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Elle pédale dans la choucroute

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