Improve your ear for French with this clip from the Inner French podcast. It’s 39 words in 20 seconds, how many can you hear?
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.
Sometimes
Sometimes you’re challenged, sometimes you’re not. Have you heard of the flow state? What about the flow curve – that sweet spot between being properly challenged and knowing enough to push through. That’s when learning happens. Or so I’ve heard.
These clips are definitely on the slower side. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to be learning, remember when it feels less challenging to pick up your level. Doing 30% blank? Switch to 70%. 70%? Switch to 100% blank. Use the quiz to help make the audio more challenging.
Sometimes it’s good to have a little easy patch – not to say these clips are easy, but they’re different from those ads we heard recently. What are you finding with these quizzes?
What do you think of this podcast choice? 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?
Comment est-ce qu’on apprend ces langues étrangères ? Généralement, il y a un professeur, et ce professeur essaye de transmettre, d’expliquer, comment fonctionne la langue. Des fois, ça fonctionne, et des fois, ça ne marche pas très bien, malheureusement.
How do we learn these foreign languages? Generally, there is a teacher, and this teacher tries to transmit, to explain, how the language works. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t work very well, unfortunately.
The above translation from Deepl. Source
What does “des fois” mean?
“Des fois” is a French phrase that means “sometimes” or “at times.” It is a colloquial and informal way of expressing that something happens occasionally or irregularly.
Examples:
- “Des fois, je me sens un peu stressé” means “Sometimes, I feel a little stressed.”
- “Des fois, il fait beau et des fois il pleut” means “Sometimes it’s nice weather, and sometimes it rains.”
“Des fois” can be used in different ways, depending on the context and the sentence it is used in. It is often used in informal, conversational French to express that something happens occasionally, or at times, but not always.
Examples of how to use “des fois” in a sentence:
- “Des fois, je vais à la gym.” – “Sometimes, I go to the gym.”
- “Des fois, j’oublie mes clés.” – “Sometimes, I forget my keys.”
- “Des fois, on se voit le week-end.” – “Sometimes, we see each other on the weekend.”
In French, “des fois” is often used instead of “parfois” which is a more formal and written way of expressing “sometimes”. “Des fois” is more commonly used in spoken French.
What does “malheureusement” mean?
“Malheureusement” is a French adverb that means “unfortunately” or “sadly.” It is used to express regret or disappointment about a situation, and often precedes a statement of a fact or situation that one wishes were different.
Examples:
- “Malheureusement, je ne peux pas venir à votre fête” means “Unfortunately, I can’t come to your party.”
- “Malheureusement, il va pleuvoir demain” means “Unfortunately, it’s going to rain tomorrow.”
“Malheureusement” can be used in different ways, depending on the context and the sentence it is used in. It is often used to express regret or disappointment about a situation or event, and can also be used to express sympathy or condolences for someone else.
Examples of how to use “malheureusement” in a sentence:
- “Malheureusement, je suis en retard.” – “Unfortunately, I am late.”
- “Malheureusement, je ne parle pas français très bien.” – “Unfortunately, I don’t speak French very well.”
- “Malheureusement, il est tombé malade.” – “Unfortunately, he fell ill.”
“Malheureusement” is a common and versatile adverb in French and is widely used in both formal and informal contexts.
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