Improve your French listening skills with this clip from the Inner French podcast. It’s 65 words in 28 seconds. Start at any level and try our listening transcription quiz!
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.
(You can use the ⋮ to adjust playback speed)
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.
In our heads
I love this little synopsis from Hugo. Especially the point that NOT everyone has the same “controller” in their head. So everyone’s experience with language is different, everyone’s experience with learning a language and what the important rules are might be different.
That’s really quite interesting to me. When I type it out, it seems common sense, like of course it’s different. But then, we might assume we all know the same rules, or even understand the rules in the exact same way. But there is nuance there. That’s why language is so remarkable, it’s a common medium to communicate, but we all experience it so differently.
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?
Quand on apprend une langue étrangère, quand on parle une langue étrangère, il y a un contrôleur dans notre tête. Ce contrôleur, il essaye de voir si vous respectez bien toutes les règles. Ça veut dire les règles de grammaire, les règles de phonétique. Et, ce qui est intéressant avec ce contrôleur, c’est que tout le monde n’a pas le même contrôleur dans sa tête.
When you learn a foreign language, when you speak a foreign language, there is a controller in your head. This controller, he tries to see if you respect all the rules. That means the rules of grammar, the rules of phonetics. And the interesting thing about this controller is that not everyone has the same controller in their head.
The above translation from Deepl. Source
What does “dans notre tête” mean?
“Dans notre tête” is a French phrase that translates to “in our head” or “in our minds”. It is used to describe thoughts, feelings, or ideas that are internal to a person and not expressed outwardly.
The phrase is made up of the preposition “dans” which means “in” and the possessive pronoun “notre” which means “our”, and the noun “tête” which means “head”.
For example, you can use “dans notre tête” in the following ways:
- Il faut apprendre à exprimer ce qu’on a dans notre tête. (We need to learn how to express what we have in our minds.)
- Parfois, les plus grandes batailles se passent dans notre tête. (Sometimes, the biggest battles happen in our minds.)
- Je ne sais pas comment il a réussi à lire ce qui se passe dans ma tête. (I don’t know how he managed to read what’s going on in my head.)
The phrase “dans notre tête” can be used to describe a variety of things, such as thoughts, emotions, beliefs, memories, or mental images. It’s a useful way to talk about internal experiences and can be used in both casual and formal settings.
What does “ça veut dire” mean?
“Ça veut dire” is a French phrase that translates to “it means” in English. It is a commonly used expression in French language to convey the meaning of something or to explain a concept.
The phrase “ça veut dire” is formed by two elements: “ça” and “veut dire.” “Ça” means “that” or “it,” and “veut dire” means “means” or “signifies.” When combined, the phrase can be translated as “that means” or “it signifies.”
The expression is used in a variety of contexts, including in conversation, in writing, and in formal speeches. It can be used to explain the meaning of a word or phrase, to clarify a point, or to summarize a complex idea.
For example, if someone asks, “Qu’est-ce que ‘malheureux’ veut dire ?” (What does “malheureux” mean?), the response could be, “Ça veut dire triste ou malchanceux” (It means sad or unlucky).
Another example could be in the context of explaining a difficult concept. For instance, if a teacher is explaining a complex mathematical formula to a student, they might say, “Ça veut dire que si on multiplie x par y, on obtient z” (That means that if we multiply x by y, we get z).
The phrase “ça veut dire” has its origin in the French language, but it is commonly used in other languages as well, such as in Quebec French and in Francophone communities around the world. The expression is a part of everyday vocabulary in French and is often used in both formal and informal settings.
What does “ce qui est intéressant” mean?
“Ce qui est intéressant” is a French phrase that translates to “what is interesting” or “the interesting thing” in English. It is a commonly used expression in French language to introduce a topic, concept, or idea that the speaker finds intriguing or noteworthy.
The phrase “ce qui est intéressant” is formed by three elements: “ce,” “qui,” and “est intéressant.” “Ce” means “this” or “that,” “qui” means “which” or “what,” and “est intéressant” means “is interesting.” When combined, the phrase can be translated as “what is interesting” or “the interesting thing.”
The expression is used in a variety of contexts, including in conversation, in writing, and in formal speeches. It can be used to introduce a new topic, to provide insight into a particular subject, or to share an interesting observation.
For example, a speaker might say, “Ce qui est intéressant, c’est que cette espèce de plante ne pousse que dans des conditions très spécifiques” (What is interesting is that this plant species only grows in very specific conditions).
Another example could be in the context of discussing a current event. A journalist might say, “Ce qui est intéressant dans cette histoire, c’est que les répercussions sont très importantes” (The interesting thing about this story is that the repercussions are very significant).
The phrase “ce qui est intéressant” has its origin in the French language, but it is commonly used in other languages as well, such as in Quebec French and in Francophone communities around the world. The expression is a part of everyday vocabulary in French and is often used in both formal and informal settings.
What did you love about this?
Comment below with your feedback! Tells us what you think. Send a note or leave a comment below. We appreciate the feedback. Also, we’re always looking for partners to build this site and grow the content available.
