Synopsis
Learn French by Podcast is an exciting series of French lessons for everybody. Work with high-quality audio podcasts in your own time and at your own pace. Want to clarify some details? Something you couldn't quite understand? Then download comprehensive with transcripts, details grammatical explanations, cultural points of interest, and more.
Episodes
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54: At the dentist's [Part II]
30/03/2007 Duration: 09minIn our last lesson, a trip to the dentist resulted in a filling. The dentist and patient had a brief chat at the end of the appointment. Let's see how their conversation ended up. We'll study the expressions 'to finish [doing]', 'to be in agony' and 'to find it difficult [to do]'. We'll also discuss using the Imperfect Tense to describe physical states in the past. Allons-y!
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53: At The Dentist's [Part I]
29/03/2007 Duration: 15minIn our last lesson, we saw how to make an dental appointment. This time, we’re in the dentist’s chair… The drill, fillings, injections, cavities – we’ll meet them all in this first part of a two-part lesson.
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52: "I'd like to make an appointment to see the dentist..."
25/03/2007 Duration: 12minWe'll see how to make an appointment to see the dentist in this lesson. We'll meet a variety of useful expressions, including 'prendre rendezvous avec quelqu'un', 'ressentir (une douleur)' and 'le plus rapidement possible'. To see what all these mean - and how to use them - let's get started!
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51: "I'd like to reserve a table for four, please..."
17/03/2007 Duration: 12minOur task is a simple but common one in this lesson - that is, to make a restaurant reservation. We'll learn to recognise some common questions which are likely to be put to us by the receptionist and we'll revise how to spell some words, including one or two surnames.
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50: "I'd like to hire a pair of ski-boots, please..."
09/03/2007 Duration: 12minA ski-wear shop is the setting for this, our 50th Learn French by Podcast lesson. We'll see how to make effective use of the verbs 'aimer', 'suivre', 'passer' and 'essayer' and we'll also learn revise the object pronouns 'le', 'la' and 'les'.
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49: "There's a problem in my hotel room..."
28/02/2007 Duration: 08minA hotel guest makes contact with the front desk in relation to a problem in his room. We'll discover how to say 'I can't get it to work'. We'll also practice using several verbs, including 'se mettre en marche', 'appuyer' and 'arriver à'. We meet a noun, too, which can either refer to a technical fault - or a flaw in one's character.
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48: "I'd like to book a room for this evening, please..."
26/02/2007 Duration: 12minWe'll learn how to carry out a common task in this lesson - to book a hotel room. We'll see how to ask the receptionist how we should pay, if we can have our luggage taken up to our room, if we can be called early for breakfast, and more.
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47: The elections are approaching!
23/02/2007 Duration: 10minWith the presidential elections in France just around the corner, it’s time to learn some vocabulary related to politics and voting, in general. That will be the topic of this lesson. We'll learn how to say 'I'm exhausted!' and 'They really get my back up!' We'll also meet several useful verbs. Allons-y!
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46: "What did you do for your winter vacation?"
17/02/2007 Duration: 08minIn lessons 21 and 22 we spoke about a vacation we’d had. This time, in lesson 46, we’ll hear about a winter vacation and, with the World Ski Championships taking place at the moment, it's an opportune time to learn a few key terms related to skiing. We'll also see how to use the verbs 'adorer', 'partir' and 's'inscrire (à)'.
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45: "Hello, and welcome to La Maternelle des Marguerites!"
09/02/2007 Duration: 12minIn this lesson, lesson 45, a father brings his son to playschool for the first time. Let's hear the conversation between Mr. Jones and the playschool teacher. We'll meet the expressions ‘Je vais faire en sorte que’ and ‘jusqu'à ce que’, both of which require that the verb which follows be in the subjunctive form.
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44: "I had a narrow escape this morning!..."
30/01/2007 Duration: 11minThe French tendency to drive fast will form the basis of our lesson this time - our conversation will deal with a near miss on the road. We'll learn how to say 'I had a narrow escape', we'll meet the expression 'il m'a mis hors de moi' and we'll see how to use the verbs 'doubler' and 'faillir'. Let's get started.
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43: "Damn! I've broken it..."
25/01/2007 Duration: 06minAn incident in a shop where a customer drops and breaks something is the subject of this lesson. The reaction of the shop assistant will bring up the topic of the subjunctive and one particular situation in which this form of the verb is required.
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42: "I'm starving! When can we sit at the table?!"
23/01/2007 Duration: 05minOur food is almost prepared. But we want to ask when exactly it will be ready and when we should sit at the table. Let's see how to do that in this lesson. We'll also meet the expressions 'Je meurs de faim!' and 'passer à table'.
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41: "I didn't know Paul was religious, did you?"
18/01/2007 Duration: 09minWe'll be talking about someone who is quite religious in this lesson. We'll meet the adjectives 'croyant' and 'pratiquant' to describe such a person, we'll see how to use 'ne... jamais', we'll use the verb 'se souvenir de', and we'll practice other interesting expressions, too. Let's get started...
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40: "How am I going to explain it to him?"
10/01/2007 Duration: 06minRelationship problems are the topic of this lesson! We'll learn how to ask someone what's wrong, we'll meet the reflexive verb "se séparer" and we'll ask ourselves the question, "How am I going to explain it to him?" We'll also distinguish between "ne... pas" and "ne... plus".
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39: "I can't find my keys!"
30/12/2006 Duration: 06minWe'll deal with a common scenario in this lesson: we've lost our keys. We'll learn how to say we can't find them and where to look for them. We'll also meet the expression 'jeter un coup d'oeil'. Let's get started.
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38: "My meeting has been cancelled!"
26/12/2006 Duration: 07min'annuler', 'reporter' and 'modifier' are three verbs we'll meet in this lesson, as well as the expression 'C'est (vraiment) pas de chance!' In this lesson, lesson 38, we'll be examining the vocabulary we would need in order to cancel or postpone a meeting.
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37: "Could you lend me some money?"
19/12/2006 Duration: 06minWe sometimes find ourselves in a position where we need to borrow money from someone. In this lesson - lesson 37 - let's find out how to do just that. We'll meet the verbs 'prêter', 'rembourser' and 'embêter', as well as other useful expressions. Let's get started.
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36: "I'd like to buy phone credit, please..."
17/12/2006 Duration: 06minSome people choose to pay their mobile phone bills by monthly standing order. Many others, however, simply choose a pay-as-you-go option, buying credit whenever necessary. In this lesson, let's see what vocabulary we'll need in order to purchase that phone credit.
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35: "Have you met Léa recently? She's put on weight!"
07/12/2006 Duration: 06minPutting on weight is a topic we'd sometimes prefer not to think about but that's the topic of conversation in this lesson, lesson 35. We'll meet the verbs "grossir" (to put on weight) and "voir" (to see) in the Past, as well as the expression "être à deux doigts de faire quelque chose" (to be on the verge of doing something). Allons-y!