Copycat Cafe is temporarily unavailable
Your place is safe. Reconnecting…
Writer on French language and life in France
Alysa Salzberg is an American writer and cookie enthusiast who has lived in Paris, France for over a decade. She's the author of Hearts at Dawn, a Historical Novel Society Editors' Choice book that retells Beauty and the Beast during the 1870 Siege of Paris. She brings a unique perspective to French language and culture from her years living in France.
Chien is the most common way to say “dog” in French. But how do you say “doggy”, “puppy”, or even “big dog” in French? Let’s take a walk through all things “dog” in Fr…
The conditional is one of the most important French tenses and one you have probably already used without realizing. A common example of French phrase using the condit…
Voir la vie en rose (To see life in rose/pink) is the French equivalent to the expression “to see life through rose-colored glasses” in English. That is, seeing the wo…
Have you ever heard of the Pareto principle? It states that 80% of results come from 20% of efforts put into them. Applied to language learning, this rule means that p…
CEFR levels are a system of identifying language proficiency. Language learners are categorized as one of three groups: A (Basic User), B (Independent User), and C (Pr…
Au clair de la lune is a popular French children’s song that’s been around since the 18th century, or possibly even longer. Its title in English is usually translated…
Chat is “cat” in French. But what about “kitty”, “kitten”, “pussy cat”, and other feline monikers? Let’s look at the many ways to say “cat” in French - including one t…
Bien sûr means “of course” or “naturally” in French. It’s a very common expression that you’ll encounter in many different situations. Do you want to speak French like…
The world is changing, and inclusive or gender neutral language is becoming increasingly common. At least, that’s the case for English. But what about French? You may…
Mais means “but” in French - but it can also have other meanings. Notably, it’s often used for emphasis – usually to show disbelief or annoyance. It’s also a common fi…
