Free French listening practice, this clip is 69 words in 34 seconds. It’s from the Inner French podcast. Listen and take our free transcription quiz, how many words can you pick up?
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.
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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.
You want to
Now this is interesting. I always wondered about “envie de”. It didn’t seem like it was “envious for”, and here I can see the translation as closer to “want to”. There’s a clothing brand for maternity wear in France called envie de fraise. I kept thinking, there’s no way that’s envious of strawberries, or jealous strawberries. This seems to make a heck of a lot more sense. I love the learning a language that happens in the real world.
I’m interested by the last line in this clip – the only way to utilize a language? The only way is to express wants and needs, is that what he means? Or is it that speaking by requirement is the only way to actually pick up a language? Hm…
For me it’s definitely the latter. With the right environment, being forced to speak out of requirement, leads to speedy acquisition. Now whether that acquisition is correct or not comes down to listening, in my opinion. Open your ears to how things are said, how words are used, and open up to any nuances in the speech. The more you listen, the better you’ll improve. It’s why listening practice is so important.
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?
Pourquoi vous commencez à utiliser cette langue ? Eh bien, parce que vous voulez parler à vos parents. Vous avez faim, vous avez froid, vous avez envie de dormir, donc il faut essayer de vous exprimer, de faire passer un message à vos parents. Ça, c’est la façon naturelle d’apprendre une langue pour le professeur Stephen Krashen. Et, pour lui, c’est la seule façon efficace de pouvoir utiliser une langue.
Why do you start using this language? Well, because you want to talk to your parents. You’re hungry, you’re cold, you want to sleep, so you want to try to express yourself, to get a message to your parents. That’s the natural way to learn a language for Professor Stephen Krashen. And, for him, it’s the only effective way to use a language.
The above translation from Deepl. Source
What does “avoir envie de” mean?
“Avoir envie de” is a French expression that means “to feel like” or “to want.” It is used to express a desire or a wish for something. The word “envie” comes from the Latin “invidia,” meaning “desire” or “envy.”
In terms of false friends, “envie” in French can sometimes be confused with the English word “envy,” but the two words have different meanings.
Here are some examples of “avoir envie de” in use:
- J’ai envie de manger une pizza. (I feel like eating a pizza.)
- Elle a envie d’aller au cinéma. (She wants to go to the movies.)
- Nous avons envie de voyager. (We feel like traveling.)
To avoid misusing “avoir envie de,” it’s important to remember that it expresses a desire or a wish for something, not a need. For example, you wouldn’t use “avoir envie de” to express hunger or thirst, but rather to express a desire for a specific type of food or drink. Additionally, “avoir envie de” is typically used in informal or conversational situations, rather than in formal writing.
What does “faire passer un message” mean?
“Faire passer un message” is a common French expression that means “to convey a message” or “to get a message across.” It can be used in various contexts, such as in personal or professional communication, public speaking, or advertising. For example:
- Je dois faire passer un message important à mon collègue. (I need to convey an important message to my colleague.)
- Le politicien a réussi à faire passer son message auprès des électeurs. (The politician managed to get his message across to the voters.)
- Cette publicité doit faire passer le message que notre produit est écologique. (This advertisement needs to convey the message that our product is environmentally friendly.)
Overall, “faire passer un message” is a useful and versatile expression that can come in handy in various situations.
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