Coffee Break French

In this week's episode of Coffee Break French David and Christina decide to join Jean-Jacques and Sophie for dinner in the latest instalment of our ‘radio play’. Topics covered include a review of beaucoup de and a very brief introduction to the subjunctive mood. Please note that lesson 34 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 74 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each...

In this episode of Coffee Break French our conversation between David, Christina and Jean-Jacques continues, and they are joined by Jean-Jacques’ wife, Sophie. Topics covered include the use of ça vous dirait de + infinitive to suggest an activity. We also take a look at negatives in the form of ne … pas and ne … jamais . Please note that lesson 33 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 73 of...

In this episode of Coffee Break French we’ll hear the next instalment of the conversation between David, Christina and Jean-Jacques. Please note that lesson 32 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 72 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 less...

One of the main things learners seem to be finding difficult is the idea of making conversation with people. It’s easy enough to order a coffee, or book into a hotel, and saying the words and phrases you’ve learned at the appropriate time is great, but sometimes it’s not enough. What happens when you ask a question and you receive 30 seconds of solid French in return? In the final ten lessons of C...

In this 30th episode of Coffee Break French, Mark and Anna look at one activity which learners traditionally find difficult in a foreign language: using the telephone. Please note that lesson 30 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 70 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break...

This week’s Coffee Break French deals with hiring a car in a French-speaking area. Like our last episode, this lesson focuses on using the language we’ve been working on recently in a practical context. Please note that lesson 29 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 69 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our lis...

It’s time to put the language we’ve been learning into practice and return to some transactional situations, this time equipped with a thorough understanding of how the language works. In this week’s show Mark and Anna discuss travelling by taxi in French, and use the constructions and expressions learned in recent weeks within this context. Please note that lesson 28 of Season 2 was originally kn...

In this week's lesson we’re building on the verbal constructions we’ve been learning over the past few weeks and introducing the phrase après avoir fait quelque chose . This lesson also explains what happens when an être verb is used with this construction. Please note that lesson 27 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 67 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season...

In this lesson we’re covering two constructions which will help to increase your range of expression: venir de faire quelque chose (to have just done something) and avant de faire quelque chose (before doing something). Please note that lesson 26 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 66 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more s...

In this lesson you’ll solve the mystery of qui or que . Please note that lesson 25 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 65 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed...

In this lesson you’ll find out exactly why Prince Philip changes his wig frequently… or at least when the imperfect tense is used in French! Please note that lesson 24 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 64 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break French features a total of...

In this lesson we take a further look at the imperfect tense, this time looking at the formation of -re and -ir verbs. We also consider some verbs with slightly different patterns and the only verb with an irregular stem in the imperfect tense: être . Please note that lesson 23 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 63 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as le...

In this week’s lesson we look at another tense used to talk about the past: the imperfect tense. We learn how to construct it and look at one of the situations in which the imperfect is used. Please note that lesson 22 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 62 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. Thi...

In this week’s lesson we look at two tiny pronouns which can cause some confusion for French learners: y and en . Please note that lesson 21 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 61 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which w...

In this lesson, we check whether Anna has done her homework by taking a look at her diary entry using avoir verbs, être verbs and reflexive verbs. In doing so, we review everything we have covered in Lessons 29-21. Please note that lesson 20 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 60 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple...

This week we look at demonstrative adjectives: different ways of saying "this", "these", "that" and "those". We will also have the chance to practise the perfect tense. Please note that lesson 19 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 59 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Brea...

In this week's lesson, we take our knowledge of the perfect tense a stage further by looking at reflexive verbs. Please note that lesson 18 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 58 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which wi...

In this lesson, we look at the other verbs that take être as their auxiliary verb in the perfect tense and we consider a way to remember them. Please note that lesson 17 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 57 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break French features a total...

In this week’s lesson we look at two verbs which take être as their auxiliary verb in the perfect tense, instead of avoir . Please note that lesson 16 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 56 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all...

In this week's lesson, we take a look at some verbs which have irregular past participles and are therefore irregular in the perfect tense. Please note that lesson 15 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 55 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break French features a total of...

In this week’s lesson we continue looking at the perfect tense, this time using regular -re and -ir verbs. We also think about the different uses of the perfect tense. Please note that lesson 14 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 54 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break...

In this lesson, we introduce the perfect tense of regular -er verbs. Please note that lesson 13 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 53 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just sta...

In this week's lesson, we take a look at the negative form of the immediate future tense. We also look at the different ways to say 'some' in French, also known as the partitive article. Please note that lesson 12 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 52 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This sea...

In this lesson, we learn how to say 'going to do something' in French. This is a useful way of talking about the immediate future. Please note that lesson 11 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 51 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lesson...

In this lesson, Mark puts Anna to the test with an identity quiz. Please note that lesson 10 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 50 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners. This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay s...