Improve your French listening skills with this clip from Inner French. It’s 53 words in 27 seconds. How many can you pick up? Try this at any level to improve your ear for spoken French!
This clip is from the Inner French podcast Episode 001. Listen and fill in what you hear below. Read more and find a translation below. Find the full podcast here.
Press play and take the transcription quiz to practice your French listening comprehension.
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The above audio sample and transcription is from the Inner French podcast episode 001. We do not own the content. Listen to the entire episode here.
Better
What makes something better is truly subjective. What I think makes it better, may make it worse in your opinion.
With this site, with tools we use everyday, with our own language level. What is better really?
What’s opening up for you in this clip? I’m open to any and all feedback, as always. Let me know.
The snippet in English
Find a translation of this snippet here, how much of this did you hear?
Bon, des fois, c’est impossible évidemment. Mais, dans l’idéal, s’il y a un mot que vous ne connaissez pas, cherchez la définition en français. Parce que ça, ça va vous demander un effort et, cet effort, il va permettre à votre cerveau de travailler et de mieux mémoriser, de mieux retenir ce mot-là.
Well, sometimes it’s impossible of course. But, ideally, if there is a word that you don’t know, look up the definition in French. Because that will require an effort on your part, and this effort will allow your brain to work and memorize better, to retain that word better.
The above translation from Deepl. Source
What does “de mieux” mean?
“De mieux” is a French expression that is often used in combination with a verb in the infinitive form. It means “better” or “more” and is usually translated into English as “better” or “more”.
For example, the phrase “Je vais de mieux en mieux” translates to “I am getting better and better”.
The expression “de mieux” is derived from the Old French phrase “de mieulx” which means “better”. It is a contraction of “de” (of) and “mieux” (better). The expression has been in use in French for centuries and is still widely used today.
In French, “de mieux” can be used in a variety of ways, such as:
- Je mange de mieux en mieux (I am eating better and better)
- Je comprends de mieux en mieux (I am understanding more and more)
- Je travaille de mieux en mieux (I am working better and better)
Overall, “de mieux” is a versatile expression that can help you express the idea of improvement or progression. It is important to note that it is usually used in a positive context, as a way of expressing progress or improvement.
Fun fact: The French expression “de mieux en mieux” is also commonly used in the phrase “aller de mieux en mieux” which means “to be improving”.
The expression “de mieux” does not always need “en mieux” after it. “De mieux” can be used alone to express the idea of “more” or “better” when comparing two things or situations.
For example, you could say “Ce vin est de mieux qualité que celui-ci” which means “This wine is of better quality than this one”. In this case, “de mieux” is used alone without “en mieux”.
However, when used to express progress or improvement over time, “de mieux” is usually followed by “en mieux”. For example, “Il se sent de mieux en mieux chaque jour” means “He feels better and better every day”.
So, whether “en mieux” is required or not depends on the context and the meaning you want to convey.
What does “de fois” mean?
“De fois” is a colloquial expression in French that means “sometimes” or “at times”. It is often used in informal speech and writing, particularly in everyday conversations among friends and family.
For example, you could say “De fois, je suis trop fatigué pour sortir le soir” which translates to “Sometimes, I am too tired to go out in the evening.”
While “de fois” is not considered incorrect, it is more common to use the more formal “parfois” or “quelquefois” in written French. However, “de fois” is still widely used in spoken French and is considered part of everyday language.
Interestingly, the expression “de fois” comes from the Old French “de foiz” which means “several times” or “many times”. Over time, the meaning of the expression has evolved to its current usage as “sometimes”.
Overall, “de fois” is a useful and common expression in French that can help you convey the idea of “sometimes” in everyday conversations.
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