Today, when I was faced with lots of choices while selecting “une morceau de fromage” (a piece of cheese) I used the “akkar bakkar” method… which is “Am stram gram” for French speakers or “Eenie meenie miney moo” for English speakers. 😂 But I don’t use this method for everything. Like for example I didn’t pick my French professor randomly. I chose him because he is competent and patient. In our current sessions we are working on my speaking fluidity and fluency. It will come with practice. And that’s exactly why I am describing my experience using correct tenses in this video in French. Reviewing my tenses was my homework. And it means more than memorising verb conjugations on their own. Because you see in French context is king. So speaking with a mentor and getting their feedback live is extremely helpful. So did you practice your French today?

Bon lundi tout le monde! If you want to say someone or something looks like or seems like a certain way, drop textbook verbs like "sembler". In everyday spoken French, native speakers rely on one versatile shortcut: "avoir l'air". Here is how simple it is to use: 1. Avoir l'air + Adjective (To look / seem [description]) - Tu as l'air fatigué ce matin. ➔ You look tired this morning. - Ça a l'air délicieux ! ➔ That looks delicious! 2. Avoir l'air de + Noun (To look like [a person/thing]) - Il a l'air d'un chef professionnel. ➔ He looks like a professional chef. 3. Avoir l'air de + Verb (To seem to be [doing something]) - Elle a l'air de comprendre. ➔ She seems to understand. Why this matters for your fluency: Using avoir l'air instantly strips away that rigid textbook feel, making your spoken French sound natural and effortless. Your turn! Try writing one sentence in the comments using avoir l'air. I’d love to read it!

Salut tout le monde! Ever pause mid-sentence wondering whether to use à or de after a French verb? It's definitely not always easy to know Instead of memorizing endless rules, focus on the pattern. Notice how these heavy-hitter verbs pair up: - Demander à [someone] de [do something] - Je demande à Marc de m'aider. - (I am asking Marc to help me. À points to the person, de links to the action!) - Essayer de [do something] - J'essaie de comprendre. - (I am trying to understand. Textbook trap: avoid j'essaie à!) - Réussir à [do something] - J'ai réussi à passer mon examen ! - (I succeeded in passing my exam. Unlike essayer, réussir always takes à.) - Décider de [do something] - Elle a décidé de partir en France. - (She decided to leave for France.) Quick Community Challenge! Drop a few sentences in the comments below using some of the four verbs above. And Take the extra challenge and write a sentence using "refuser" or "apprendre". Do you use "à" or "de"? I’ll jump into the comments to give you feedback and check your work. Practice! Practice! Practice! Step in the classes to practice in real time!

Bonjour tout le monde! If you want to sound more natural when talking about what you can or cannot manage to do, there is one key expression you need to master: arriver à + VERB (infinitive). While pouvoir means having the theoretical ability or permission to do something, arriver à is all about successfully managing to pull it off. It is the real-world equivalent of "I manage to" or "I can't seem to." Here is how it works in positive sentences: - J'arrive à comprendre le français quand ils parlent lentement. - (I manage to understand French when they speak slowly.) - Elle arrive toujours à trouver une solution. - (She always manages to find a solution.) Here is how it works in the negative (extremely common in daily life): - Je n'arrive pas à me concentrer aujourd'hui. - (I can't seem to focus today.) - On n'arrive pas à ouvrir cette porte. - (We can't manage to open this door.) Why this matters: We typically use je n'arrive pas à... far more often than je ne peux pas... when referring to personal struggles, lack of success, or frustration with a task. Now it is your turn to practice! Write one sentence in the comments using arriver à (either positive or negative) to share something you managed to do recently, or something you are currently struggling with.