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B1  ·  33 words

Festivals and customs in French

What a year is made of, and what happens at each turn of it.

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From these 33 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

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The list for the days a calendar is built around. One word on it crossed into English and each language kept a different half. La fanfare in French is the *band*: the brass players in uniform who march at the front of a procession and play under the trees on a Sunday — a group of people you can point at. English « fanfare » is the *sound*: the short blast of trumpets that announces somebody, and from there the fuss made about anything at all, which is why « without fanfare » means quietly. Neither will do for the other. The English for the players is « a brass band »; the French for the blast is une sonnerie de trompettes or une fanfare de trompettes, where the second word has to be added. So a sentence saying a village has its own fanfare is about thirty people with instruments, not about a noise.

The words

Verb (2)

fêterto celebrateVerbB1
On fête dans le jardin s’il ne pleut pas.We celebrate in the garden if it is not raining.
trinquerto clink glassesVerbB1
On trinque aux cinquante prochaines années.We clink glasses to the next fifty years.

Noun (1)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

les confettisthe confettiNounB1
Les confettis étaient partout.There was confetti everywhere.

Noun (m) (18)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

l’anniversairethe birthday, the anniversaryNoun (m)B1
Demain c’est leur anniversaire de mariage.Tomorrow is their wedding anniversary.
le saint patronthe patron saintNoun (m)B1
Chaque village a son saint patron.Every village has its patron saint.
le défiléthe paradeNoun (m)B1
Le défilé commence à dix heures.The parade starts at ten o’clock.
le marché de Noëlthe Christmas marketNoun (m)B1
Au marché de Noël on vend du vin chaud.They sell mulled wine at the Christmas market.
le feu d’artificethe fireworks displayNoun (m)B1
Le feu d’artifice commence à minuit.The fireworks display starts at midnight.
le quatorze juilletthe French national dayNoun (m)B1
Le quatorze juillet il y a un bal dans chaque village.On the fourteenth of July there is a dance in every village.
le carnavalthe carnivalNoun (m)B1
Au carnaval les enfants sortent déguisés.At carnival the children go out in fancy dress.
le masquethe maskNoun (m)B1
Il a acheté un masque vénitien.He has bought a Venetian mask.
le costume traditionnelthe traditional dressNoun (m)B1
Les femmes portent le costume traditionnel du village.The women wear the traditional dress of the village.
le réveillonthe late-night festive mealNoun (m)B1
Le réveillon du nouvel an est chez les grands-parents.The New Year’s Eve meal is at our grandparents’ house.
le sapin de Noëlthe Christmas treeNoun (m)B1
Le sapin de Noël est déjà décoré.The Christmas tree is already decorated.
le cadeau de Noëlthe Christmas presentNoun (m)B1
J’ai acheté les cadeaux de Noël en retard.I bought the Christmas presents late.
le muguetthe lily of the valleyNoun (m)B1
On offre du muguet le premier mai.People give each other lily of the valley on the first of May.
le toastthe toast (short speech)Noun (m)B1
Le toast est porté par le père de la mariée.The toast is given by the bride’s father.
le mariagethe weddingNoun (m)B1
Le mariage est à la campagne.The wedding is in the countryside.
le témointhe witness at a weddingNoun (m)B1
Son frère est témoin.His brother is a witness.
l’enterrementthe funeralNoun (m)B1
L’enterrement est demain à onze heures.The funeral is tomorrow at eleven.
le deuilthe mourningNoun (m)B1
La famille est en deuil depuis une semaine.The family has been in mourning for a week.

Noun (f) (12)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

la traditionthe traditionNoun (f)B1
La tradition veut qu’on mange du poisson.Tradition has it that people eat fish.
la coutumethe customNoun (f)B1
C’est une coutume de cette région seulement.That is a custom of this region only.
la fête patronalethe patronal festivalNoun (f)B1
La fête patronale dure trois jours.The patronal festival lasts three days.
la processionthe processionNoun (f)B1
La procession passe devant chez nous.The procession passes in front of our house.
la fanfarethe brass bandNoun (f)B1
La fanfare joue sous les arbres.The brass band is playing under the trees.
la foirethe fairNoun (f)B1
La foire s’installe sur la place en octobre.The fair sets up on the square in October.
la veillethe day before, the eveNoun (f)B1
La veille de Noël on mange du poisson.On Christmas Eve we eat fish.
la crèchethe nativity sceneNoun (f)B1
La crèche est installée depuis le premier décembre.The nativity scene has been up since the first of December.
la bûchethe yule log cakeNoun (f)B1
La bûche est au chocolat cette année.The yule log is chocolate this year.
la galette des roisthe Twelfth Night cakeNoun (f)B1
On partage la galette des rois le six janvier.We share the Twelfth Night cake on the sixth of January.
la fèvethe charm hidden in the Twelfth Night cakeNoun (f)B1
Celui qui trouve la fève porte la couronne.Whoever finds the charm wears the crown.
la mariéethe brideNoun (f)B1
La mariée est arrivée en retard.The bride arrived late.

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