Learning French: A Rendezvous with French-Speaking Cultures

Overview

Course No. 2840

Explore the intersection of the French language and culture to gain advanced understanding and practical skills for communication. Professor Ann Williams takes you on a step-by-step journey through daily life, arts, heritage, and regional customs in French-speaking countries.

Video Lesson List

1. Welcome to the French-Speaking World

Start with an overview of the French language and its global presence, and learn basic phrases and pronunciation.

46 min

2. Ici, on parle français: French Is Spoken Here

Discover essential phrases for politeness, numbers, articles, and the alphabet, and understand the connection between language and culture.

50 min

3. French around the World

Learn about the weather, seasons, and geography, and how these elements are expressed in French.

49 min

4. Vacations and Leisure Activities

Examine the language of vacations and leisure, including common verbs and expressions for preferences and activities.

47 min

5. Buying Groceries

Focus on vocabulary for shopping and groceries, and learn about different verb forms and their uses.

43 min

6. Where to Eat

Learn phrases for dining out and understand the cultural context of mealtime in French-speaking countries.

46 min

7. The Life of the Traveler

Prepare for travel with language skills for hotel interactions and delve into verb moods like the conditional.

45 min

8. Public Transportation

Master the language of getting around and explore verb tenses and moods in practical scenarios.

46 min

9. Travel and Technology

Understand how technology impacts privacy and travel, and learn tricky translations and verb forms.

44 min

10. Souvenirs de voyage

Review past lectures and learn about dressing with style and using the subjunctive mood.

45 min

11. Les Vêtements: How and Why to Dress

Tour the vocabulary of clothing and home architecture, and learn about regional differences.

43 min

12. The Home and Private Spaces

Build vocabulary for home and private spaces, and learn about tricky translations and verb tenses.

45 min

13. Je fais des progrès en français!

Review your progress and learn how to navigate and ask for directions in a new city.

39 min

14. La Musique, le théâtre et la danse

Explore the vocabulary of music, theater, and dance, focusing on cognates and verb tenses.

43 min

15. La Littérature et le cinéma

Delve into literature and cinema, and continue studying verb tenses and storytelling techniques.

43 min

16. L’Art et les artistes

Investigate the visual arts and learn about the past tense, specifically the passé composé and l’imparfait.

45 min

17. Le Patrimoine: Museums

Use museum vocabulary to explore French cultural heritage and refine your storytelling skills.

47 min

18. Le Patrimoine: Customs

Learn about French myths, traditions, and the language of describing degrees.

44 min

19. Le Patrimoine: Places to Visit

Tour historical sites and learn comparative adjectives to describe regional uniqueness.

42 min

20. Le Tourisme et les régions

Examine regional differences in French-speaking countries and their cultural significance.

42 min

21. Les Fêtes et les festivals

Learn about festivals and the conditional tense, and explore the cultural significance of celebrations.

45 min

22. Underlying Cultural Values

Understand the values of hospitality, liberty, and fraternity, and how they shape French culture.

43 min

23. Aventures: Conversation

Engage in the art of French conversation and cultural immersion.

38 min

24. Aventures: Telling a Story

Master storytelling with the pluperfect tense and enhance your narrative skills.

43 min

25. Aventures: Reading Cultures

Learn to “read” cultures through observation and key language skills.

38 min

26. Your Future with French

Conclude with a look at the future tense and advice for continuing your French language journey.

42 min