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About me


 I am Hélène Billiet, the founder of Lyon City Blog, a blog in English for the lovers and residents of Lyon and its region.

As a native of Lyon, I would like to share my experience and my knowledge of this beautiful region with English-speaking people.

I write blogs in English about local topics to help the expats and the tourists enjoy our beautiful region.
I am also a tourist advisor and I organize personalized stays in Lyon region
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Conjugate "jouer", verb of the first group in French

La Javanaise by Gainsbourg

Rating: 5/5 (1 rating)



Days of the Week in French

Learn how to say days of the week in French

Rating: 4/5 (1 rating)



North Americans Students Learn French in France

High quality and affordable services to learn French

Rating: 3/5 (2 ratings)

 
 
 
 
 
 

“Parlez-vous français?” My French Class is a French service company for North American students wishing to learn French in France. Created by French citizens, they have a perfect knowledge of their local market. Their team is composed of an international staff speaking French and English. They propose an all inclusive package to you and a strong on-site service support.
 
My French Class is dedicated to high quality and affordable services. You are already paying so much for your university fees, so stop spending all your savings in expensive programs to learn French. Living an experience abroad is priceless, but it doesn’t have to come with a big price tag. My French Class is the right choice at the right cost.
 
Their mission is to facilitate your integration into French culture, life and language through their network of partner universities all over France. Year-round intensive French courses are focused on dramatically improving written and oral comprehension and expression, vocabulary, writing, grammar and pronunciation.  Taught by native French citizens, the coursework is specifically designed for foreigners to learn the language and implement it their day-to-day life in France.
 
My French Class provides a complete package that begins on your first day with an airport pick up and includes housing accommodations, a city tour, a French cell phone, visa assistance, practical guide and more! With support from the beginning to the end of your stay in France, you can just relax and enjoy your experience: My French Class takes care of the rest!
 
So now, what better place to learn French than France? Don't wait any longer and apply now at www.my-french-class.com
 


Learn French in France and Give Your Career a Makeover

Learn French Language

Rating: 2.5/5 (2 ratings)

Author: Mr. Ray

There are several strong reasons why most learned people in this world are eager to learn multiple languages. French language tops in the list as the most popular second language. Besides the native speakers of French, other people who are learning French have a particular purpose behind learning the language. 

→ plus Suite de l'article ...


How to Improve French Vocabulary with Collocations

Use the combinations of words

Rating: 2.5/5 (2 ratings)

How to improve French  vocabulary may be quite easy if you use the collocations, i.e. the combinations of words that often go together.
Example: cooking and eating la cuisine et manger
Noun + adjective: la cuisine française (French cuisine)
Noun + noun: les étapes de la cuisine  (step by step cooking)
Noun + verb : la cuisine se démocratise (cooking food has become common)
Verb + noun : elle fait la cuisine (she’s cooking)
Verb + adverb : il cuisine brillamment (he’s a talented chef)/ nous mangeons vite (we eat quickly)
Adjective + adverb : à moitié mangé (half eaten)
To improve your vocabulary, try the combinations with other words, then check in a dictionary to be certain you have the proper expressions.
See also: How to learn French vocabulary very quicky
 


French Learning: listening comprehension

The French pension system

Rating: 2.9/5 (10 ratings)

This audio file about the French pension system is for the intermediate learners of French.

1.Listen to the document

2. Write down the keywords

3. Listen to the questions and answer




 

En France, on compte 16 millions de retraités, soit près d’un quart de la population. Les pensions versées représentent plus de 14 % du PIB. Elles assurent un montant moyen de pension de 1 400 € mensuels.
En raison de la forte croissance du nombre de retraités (+ 280 000 par an depuis 2006), les régimes de retraite connaissent des déficits importants si bien que cela va aller en s’aggravant dans les années à venir.
Ainsi une  réforme est nécessaire pour rétablir l’équilibre financier de notre système de retraite et garantir sa pérennité. Apparu en 1945, le système « par répartition » couvre l’ensemble des travailleurs: les cotisations des actifs sont aussitôt utilisées pour payer les pensions de ceux qui prennent leur retraite.
Aujourd’hui, le système est en danger car il ne finance plus que 9 retraites sur 10. Malgré les mesures prises par le gouvernement depuis 2007 afin de maintenir les seniors en activité, c’est l’ensemble des retraites qui se trouve menacé.
1.       Quel est le sujet de ce document ?
1.       L’âge de départ à la retraite ?
2.       La réforme des retraites
3.       Le système des retraites
2.       Combien de retraites en France ?
7 millions
16 millions
17 millions
 
3.       Combien gagne en moyenne un retraité?
1300/ 1500/1400
4.       Vrai ou faux?

 
1.Le nombre des retraités augmente
2.Le système des retraites s’améliore
 
5.       Complètez par la suite logique
Une réforme est nécessaire afin de trouver un équilibre financier/ de retrouver un équilibre financier
Une réforme est nécessaire pour maintenir nos retraites/ pour garantir le changement du système
 
6. Quelle définition est la bonne?
 
1. 
a. Le système par répartition apparu en 1945 garantit le financement des retraites par ceux qui ne travaillent plus
b. Le système par répartition apparu en 1945 garantit le financement des retraites par ceux qui travaillent encore.
c. Le système par répartition apparu en 1945 garantit le financement des retraites par ceux qui sont à la retraite
 
2. 
a. Aujourd’hui le sytème par répartition ne garantit plus toutes les retraites
b. Aujourd’hui le sytème par répartition ne garantit plus les retraites
c. Aujourd’hui le sytème par répartition garantit toutes les retraites
7.       Depuis quand les + de 50 ans peuvent-ils continuer à exercer leur emploi ?
 Answers
3-16 millions- 1400 -1-retrouver-pour maintenir nos retraites-b-a-2007
 


The Alliance française of Lyon

Learn French Language in Lyon

Rating: 3.3/5 (12 ratings)

Located in the very heart of , the Alliance française of is an international school of French language and culture that offers high-quality teaching of French language as a foreign language in a unique place.

The Alliance française of welcomes every year over 2,000 international students who are offered many housing facilities depending on their requirements and financial resources. People under age 28 are considered as students when they register for the intensive general French courses of the Alliance française for over a 3-month period. In France the students benefit from the social assistance: they can register into the French Health System, have a part-time job, get the help of the social workers of the CROUS…

The students learn oral and written French language after taking an oral and written test to assess their level of French. The Alliance française of also provides a wide range of courses adapted to the needs of the students: general French courses, complementary courses focusing on phonetics, grammar or communication skills, thematically oriented courses, exams and tests trainings in the official Proficiency center of the Alliance française of ,  professional French courses in business, medicine and law but also private lessons.

What is more, many cultural activities are organized in order to help the students learn the French language in context since , the capital of the French cuisine, is also the second largest international city of France.

At the Alliance française of the students benefit from high quality language teaching in a very comfortable and modern school where they can improve their language skills in high-tech classrooms equipped  with the air-conditioning.

The Alliance française of
11, rue Pierre Bourdan
69003
Tél. : 33 (0)4 78 95 24 72
http://www.aflyon.org



The Institut Lyonnais Offers French Courses

French Courses in Lyon

Rating: 2.8/5 (10 ratings)

The Institut lyonnais is a public high school that offers French courses for foreign students and professionals in the center of

The students can attend short or long sessions of general French  courses, university programs and evening courses for all languages. They can prepare all the different certificates and examinations in French as a second language as well as business and professional diplomas in French since the Institut Lyonnais is an official examination center.


What is more, the Institut Lyonnais provides courses and internship for the students who want to have a 1-month to 6-month training period in a French company while they are studying French at the high school. Cooking and pastry training periods and French language are also offered for all the students who are food lovers.

The Institut Lyonnais helps the students with the French administration services and the accommodation. As is the second largest French city, the Institut Lyonnais organizes cultural events and trips to help the students integrate the French culture and way of life.

The Institut Lyonnais
9, avenue Leclerc, 69007
Phone +33 (0)4 78 69 25 04 • Fax +33 (0)4 78 69 14 30
http://www.institut-lyonnais.com


The French Cuisine to Learn French Language

Learn French in Lyon, the capital of the French cuisine

Rating: 2.5/5 (10 ratings)

More and more language schools (écoles de langues) in France offer French courses as a foreign language by organizing cultural activities so that the students can use basic French in context. True, you do not need to attend a concert to use some basic useful expressions when you buy your croissant at the baker’s.
However, you should be aware that both languages cannot be translated word by word all the time. Very often, you have to find the equivalent  which means you should understand the visions that are necessarily different in French and in English.
For example, the present perfect in French does not exist. You may say “I have been serving the clients for 2 hours” in English but the French use their simple present “ je sers les clients depuis 2 heures”. The only expression that shows the progression between the past and the present is “depuis 2 heures.” In other words, the French and the English do not have the same vision of time.
Another striking example in cooking vocabulary is the use of the passive voice in English and the active voice with the reflexive verb in French. The English cannot imagine some braised lamb served with vegetables in the active voice:
 
The braised lamb is served with vegetables
L’agneau braisé se sert avec des légumes  
Studying the French cuisine to understand the French language better and how it works can be a very clever way of practicing a new language, especially in , the capital of the French cuisine.


How to Give your Opinion in French?

React to the debating issues in French

Rating: 2.5/5 (13 ratings)

 
When you give your opinion, you can use many expressions in French.
What is always very important is to have clear-cut paragraphs: one argument for each paragraph with one or more examples to convince your reader.
See this extract about somebod’ys opinion about the Stereotypes against the French and read the course about Basic French.
You can also listen to the audio file .
A mon avis les stéréotypes sur les Français sont souvent une caricature et un cliché de la culture française. Je pense que beaucoup de gens ont des préjugés contre les Français parce qu’ils ne les connaissent pas. Il faut en effet vivre dans le pays en question pour mieux comprendre leurs différences.
Je crois aussi que l’image du Français comme une personne très raffinée est un peu simpliste. Tous les Français ne mangent pas des produits achetés chez le traiteur. La plupart font leurs courses en grandes surfaces. Les Françaises n’ont pas toutes un flacon du parfum Chanel dans leur salle de bains.
Il me semble que nous ne devrions pas utiliser des clichés pour décrire les Français et donner une image tronquée de ce peuple.


French Translation of the Ghost Writer

The Ghost Writer by John Harwood

Rating: 3.1/5 (15 ratings)

The Ghost Writer by John Harwood is a brilliant ghost story (histoire de fantôme) that is homage to the Victorian tradition of the ghost story.
 
Gerard Freeman’s life is going to change as he discovered the secret manuscript of his great grandmother, Viola Hartley, a ghost story writer in the 1890s.
From that moment, his quest to reveal all the mysteries of his family background leads him to the haunted house (maison hantée) of his tormented aunt Ann in London. 

Why should his reading of the ghost stories interfere with his own life and put him in a terrifying danger?

Harwood is a talented writer who constructs his story with mysteries and nightmares.


Here is the French translation of the first chapter of The Ghost Writer (l'écrivain fantôme):

C’était dans la chambre de ma mère, une après-midi chaude de janvier, que je vis la photographie pour la première fois. Elle dormait, d‘après moi, dans la véranda à l'autre bout de la maison. Je me faufilai à l’intérieur de la pièce par l’entrebâillement de la porte: j’éprouvai alors une sensation de plaisir à transgresser ce lieu, je respirai les senteurs des parfums, des poudres, des rouges à lèvres et des autres odeurs d‘adultes, des boules de naphtaline contre les poissons d'argent et de l’insecticide contre les moustiques que nos moustiquaires n’arrivaient jamais vraiment à repousser. Les rideaux étaient tirés, le store à moitié baissé. On ne voyait rien par la fenêtre mis à part le mur de briques nu de la maison d’à côté occupée par la vieille Mrs Noonan.

When you translate an English book, you should always consider the context. As the scene takes place in Australia, we do not translate Mrs Noonan.



How to Write a Motivation Letter in French

See the commentaries

Rating: 3.4/5 (11 ratings)

How to write a motivation letter in French? 
Your letter of motivation should be clear and unique so that you are sure to answer your future employer's expectations?

Give clear, simple but precise information about you
Write in clear-cut paragraphs with arguments: each paragraph shoud add new information

1. say what you are doing at the moment
2. give the reason why you apply for the job
3. talk about your experience with examples
4. describe your skills and your qualities for the job
5. show that you know the company where you would like to work
6. add your curriculum vitae

Binat
14 rue Aristide Briand, 78005
Tel : 02 98 82 75 85[h1] 
 
Objet[h2]  : poste de rédactrice bilingue à partir du 3 avril 2010
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cécile Binat
P.S. [h10] : ci-joint mon curriculum vitae


If you need to write a motivation letter in French, see our Translating, writing and proof-reading services available on City Blog.

 [h1]First and last name
Address
Telephone number
 [h2]The reason why of your letter
 [h3]Dear Sir or Madam
 [h4]You work as a head writer for a local paper until 31 March and you would like to be part of an international company to use your language skills
 [h5]You are seeking a company that has a partnership with a legal translation services agency since you have a lot of experience in this field.
 [h6]Your past experience: you worked as an English-French translator in a lawyers’ agency in region, in an insurance company in Lilles, and then in India in medical practice where the clients were mostly English-speaking expatriates.
 [h7]As an experienced writer and translator, you are able to take initiatives and work in teams. You are also fond of being responsible for international projects. You are ready to work outside.
 [h8]You would like to meet them to show how motivated and enthusiastic you are.
 [h9]Yours faithfully
 [h10]P.S. for post-scriptum



 



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