Coffee Break French

It’s time for a new episode of Coffee Break French and this week we’re joining Monique who is replying to Sylvie’s latest email. Mark and Pierre-Benoît discuss a number of tricky grammar points and interesting areas of vocabulary, providing lots of examples along the way. Please note that lesson 13 of Season 4 was originally known as lesson 413 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lesson...

In this week's episode of Coffee Break French, Matthieu recounts his version of events on the platform of the RER. As usual there are lots of interesting expressions and tricky grammar points, and Mark and Pierre-Benoît will be discussing the language used in the text to help you understand and improve your French. Through examples and explanations, Mark and Pierre-Benoît will help you to understa...

We’re back with a new episode of Coffee Break French and this time we’re joining Gabrielle who is writing to her friend Matthieu. Mark and Pierre-Benoît discuss the language used in the text including the word dont , the phrase profiter de quelque chose pour faire autre chose and the past historic tense. Through examples and explanations, Mark and Pierre-Benoît will help you to understand the Fren...

We turn again to Sylvie in this episode and listen to her email in which she responds to her mother’s email. As usual Mark and Pierre-Benoît are on hand to discuss the language contained in the email. After presenting Sylvie’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses the four language points he has chosen from the text. Through examples...

It’s time once again to turn to Monique and listen to her email to her daughter Sylvie. As usual Mark and Pierre-Benoît are on hand to discuss the language contained in the email. After presenting Monique’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses the four language points he has chosen from the text. Through examples and explanations, M...

In this episode it’s Matthieu’s turn to write his email in reply to Gabrielle’s last message. Pierre-Benoît and Mark discuss four expressions contained in the text including tenir le coup and ce n’est pas donné . After presenting Matthieu’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses the four language points he has chosen from the text. Th...

In this episode of Coffee Break French we join Gabrielle as she writes her regular email to Matthieu. Pierre-Benoît and Mark discuss four expressions contained in the text including se balader and envier quelqu’un . After presenting Sylvie’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses the four language points he has chosen from the text. T...

In this episode we join Sylvie as she replies to Monique’s email from the last episode. Pierre-Benoît and Mark discuss four expressions contained in the text including ne pas en croire ses yeux and qu’est-ce que tu as fait de beau ? After presenting Sylvie’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses the four language points he has chosen...

We turn our attention once more to Monique, Sylvie’s mother, whose email to her daughter provides a further opportunity for learners to familiarise themselves with a whole range of idiomatic phrases and interesting grammar points. The lesson is presented by Mark and Pierre-Benoît in a mix of French and English. After presenting Monique’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of...

In this episode we meet Matthieu, Gabrielle’s friend. He starts this email by apologising to Gabrielle for his behaviour. Find out more about what has been going on by listening to the episode! The lesson is presented by Mark and Pierre-Benoît in a mix of French and English. After presenting Matthieu’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît dis...

In this lesson of our series we meet Gabrielle and listen to her email to her friend Matthieu. The lesson is presented by Mark and Pierre-Benoît in a mix of French and English. After presenting Gabrielle’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the text, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses four interesting language points brought up in the text. Through examples and explanations,...

In this lesson our new series, we’ll be listening to Sylvie’s reply to Monique’s email from last week. The lesson is presented by Mark and Pierre-Benoît in a mix of French and English. After presenting Sylvie’s email, Mark gives a summary of the main narrative points of the email, and then Pierre-Benoît discusses four interesting language points brought up in the text. Through examples and explana...

In this first episode of our new series, we’ll be listening to Monique’s first email to her daughter Sylvie. As we heard in the season preview, Sylvie has recently moved to Paris and, like any mother, Monique is worrying about her daughter, but is equally excited for her as she begins this new adventure. The lesson is presented by Mark and Pierre-Benoît in a mix of French and English. After presen...

Welcome to this brand new season of Coffee Break French, and in this opening introductory episode, Mark and Pierre-Benoît talk about what you can expect in this season. They introduce two of the featured characters in the series, Sylvie and Matthieu, both of whom have recently moved to Paris for work. Like all lessons in season 4, this introductory episode is presented in a combination of French a...

Join Mark and Pierre-Benoît in this first introduction to Season 4. The new season begins on 21st October 2013 with a short introductory episode in which you’ll meet two of the characters of our story, and lesson one will be published on 28th October 2013. Full details of the premium version of the course will be announced with the introductory episode. Here’s a special bonus for all Coffee Break...

This is the final lesson of this season and we’re looking at the irregular verb aller meaning “to go”. Aller is a very common verb and in addition to being used in its normal sense, it is also used as part of the simple future tense, as in “I am going to visit my aunt” and other such sentences. There’s also something you need to take on board with aller when conjugating it in the perfect tense. Al...

In this lesson we’re looking at the irregular verb devoir meaning “must” or “to have to”, or in some situations “to owe”. Devoir is another irregular verb so we need to learn each part of the verb as it does not follow the regular patterns. This season of Coffee Break French Verb Fix features a total of 10 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podc...

In this lesson we’re looking at the irregular verb vouloir meaning “to want”. Vouloir is another irregular verb so we need to learn each part of the verb as it does not follow the regular patterns. This season of Coffee Break French Verb Fix features a total of 10 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to...

In this lesson we’re looking at the irregular verb pouvoir meaning “to be able”. Pouvoir is another irregular verb so we need to learn each part of the verb as it does not follow the regular patterns. This season of Coffee Break French Verb Fix features a total of 10 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like...

In this lesson we’re looking at the irregular verb faire meaning “to do” or “to make”. Faire is another irregular verb so we need to learn each part of the verb as it does not follow the regular patterns. This season of Coffee Break French Verb Fix features a total of 10 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d...

In this lesson we’re looking at the irregular verb être meaning “to be”. Like avoir, être is also irregular so we need to learn each part of the verb as it does not follow the regular patterns. This season of Coffee Break French Verb Fix features a total of 10 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to ben...

In this lesson we’re looking at the irregular verb avoir meaning “to have”. Avoir is the first irregular verb we’ve discussed here on the Verb Fix. This means that this verb follows slightly different patterns than the regular verbs we’ve covered so far. This season of Coffee Break French Verb Fix features a total of 10 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscrib...

In this lesson we’re looking at the verb vendre meaning “to sell”. Vendre is an example of a regular -re verb. This means that with this lesson not only will you learn to conjugate vendre in the present, perfect, imperfect and future tenses, you’ll also learn to conjugate all other regular -re verbs! This season of Coffee Break French Verb Fix features a total of 10 lessons, all of which will be i...

In this lesson we’re looking at the verb finir meaning “to finish” or “to end”. Finir is an example of a regular -ir verb. This means that with this lesson not only will you learn to conjugate finir in the present, perfect, imperfect and future tenses, you’ll also learn to conjugate hundreds of other regular -ir verbs! This season of Coffee Break French Verb Fix features a total of 10 lessons, all...

In this lesson we’re looking at the verb parler meaning “to speak” or “to talk”. Parler is an example of a regular -er verb. This means that with this lesson not only will you learn to conjugate parler in the present, perfect, imperfect and future tenses, you’ll also learn to conjugate hundreds, if not thousands of other regular -er verbs! This season of Coffee Break French Verb Fix features a tot...