Improve your French listening skills no matter your level with this clip from Inner French podcast. It’s 39 words in 18 seconds, choose your level and hear the clip with the transcription to match.
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.
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The snippet in English
Find a translation of this snippet here, how much of this did you hear?
Alors, je vous l’ai dit, contrairement au professeur Krashen, moi je pense qu’il faut aussi utiliser la langue pour s’exprimer parce que, quand vous utilisez une langue pour vous exprimer, quand vous essayez de communiquer, ça permet trois choses.
So, I told you, unlike Professor Krashen, I think you also have to use language to express yourself because when you use a language to express yourself, when you try to communicate, it allows three things.
The above translation from Deepl. Source
What does “contrairement” mean?
“Contrairement” is a French adverb that means “contrary to,” “in contrast to,” or “unlike.” It is used to indicate a comparison or a contrast between two or more things, ideas, or situations.
Here are some examples of how “contrairement” is used in context:
- Contrairement à ce que je pensais, il n’est pas venu. (Contrary to what I thought, he didn’t come.)
- Contrairement à hier, il fait beau aujourd’hui. (Unlike yesterday, it’s nice today.)
- Contrairement à ses parents, elle est très sportive. (In contrast to her parents, she’s very athletic.)
It comes from the French verb “contredire,” which means “to contradict” or “to disagree.”
It is often used in academic or formal writing to introduce a counterargument or to challenge a commonly accepted idea.
It can be combined with other words to create new adverbs, such as “contrairement à l’habitude” (contrary to usual practice) or “contrairement aux apparences” (contrary to appearances).
Overall, “contrairement” is a useful word to know if you want to express a contrast or a contradiction in French.
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