“Coup,” is defined as a knock, a blow or a shock but it’s much more than that. It is the Swiss Army knife of the French language, it’s used everywhere for everything. For example, “du coup,” which literally means “thus” or “as a result” has become “un tic linguistique” that you will often hear at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of sentences as a placeholder and substitute for when we might say “so” or “therefore” or “anyway”. Du coup, you find it everywhere.   Some unavoidable...

Spending time in France can feel like the ultimate test of your French—and of yourself. Many travelers arrive with high hopes of effortless conversations and instant connection, only to feel frustrated when reality doesn’t match the fantasy. The truth is, using French on vacation is less about fluency and more about mindset. If you’re dreaming of putting your French into practice and don’t yet have plans, the Alliance Française San Diego is offering a trip to Corsica this June —an ideal...

French and English are so deeply intertwined that complaints about “Franglais” ignore how much French already lives inside English.