Language and culture

Learn French — Tips and Culture

Fascinating facts about the French language, French culture and language learning. A new insight for every topic we cover.

Beginner

Rooms in the house

Traditional French houses often have wooden shutters on the windows called 'les volets'. They keep rooms cool in summer ...

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Beginner

Furniture & home objects

The word 'bureau', meaning a desk or office, comes directly from French and is used in English too. Words like 'armoire'...

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Beginner

Kitchen items & utensils

Many cooking words used by professional chefs around the world are French. Words like 'sauté', 'julienne' and 'flambe' a...

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Beginner

Garden & plants

The formal French garden style features neat geometric shapes and symmetrical layouts. The most famous example is the ga...

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Beginner

Tools & DIY

The French word for a do-it-yourself project is 'le bricolage', and someone who does DIY is called 'un bricoleur'. The E...

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Beginner

Fruits

France grows a wide variety of fruit. The Périgord region is known for its strawberries, Provence for its melons, and th...

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Beginner

Vegetables

Fresh vegetables are central to French cooking. French outdoor markets, known as 'les marchés', sell local produce sever...

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Beginner

Bread & bakery

There are around 33,000 boulangeries in France. French law requires a real boulangerie to bake its bread on the premises...

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Beginner

Herbs & spices

Herbes de Provence is a well-known blend of dried herbs from the south of France, typically including thyme, rosemary an...

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Beginner

Drinks

France is one of the world's best-known wine-producing countries. The Champagne region in northern France gives its name...

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Beginner

Desserts & sweets

The macaron is one of France's most famous sweet treats. The colourful French version with a cream filling became popula...

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Beginner

Cooking verbs

French cooking has influenced kitchens around the world. Many of the words used by professional chefs every day are Fren...

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