The audio sample and transcription is from RFI’s Revue de Presse Hebdomaires Français 20 Apr 2025 Episode. We do not own this content, nor do we pretend to.
The above audio sample and transcription is from RFI’s Revue de Presse Hebdomaires Français 20 Apr 2025 Episode. We do not own this content, nor do we pretend to. The above is for educational purposes only. Find the full text and audio here or on Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts.
n’a aucun secret pour vous
Please share your thoughts below. What’s opening up? Was this challenging? What was a new word for you? Comment below.
The snippet in English
Find a translation of this snippet here, how much of this did you hear?
Quel est le profil recherché ? « Vous êtes un homme avec des cheveux blancs. Vous parlez toutes les langues avec un fort accent difficile à identifier. Marcher très lentement n’a aucun secret pour vous. Vous êtes passé maître dans l’art d’apparaître sur un balcon en levant le bras » … Ou encore : « lorsqu’on vous parle vous hochez la tête avec les yeux mi-clos et un demi sourire indéchiffrable ». C’est irrévérencieux, mais plutôt drôle…
What profile are you looking for? “You’re a man with white hair. You speak all languages with a strong accent that’s hard to identify. Walking very slowly holds no secrets for you. You’ve mastered the art of appearing on a balcony by raising your arm” … Or: “When someone speaks to you, you nod with half-closed eyes and an indecipherable half-smile”. It’s irreverent, but rather funny…
Translated with Deepl.
What does “n’a aucun secret pour vous” mean?
N’a aucun secret pour vous means has no secrets for you—in other words, you know it inside and out or you fully understand it.
Cet outil n’a aucun secret pour vous.
(This tool has no secrets for you.)
La cuisine française n’a aucun secret pour elle.
(French cooking holds no secrets for her.)
It’s a common, polite way to say someone is very skilled, experienced, or deeply familiar with something. Often used in writing or speech to highlight expertise in a slightly elevated, sometimes admiring tone.
What does “passé maître” mean?
Passé maître means has become a master or has mastered something. It’s a formal or literary expression used to describe someone who has reached a high level of skill in a specific area.
Il est passé maître dans l’art de la négociation.
(He has mastered the art of negotiation.)
Elle est passée maître en stratégie politique.
(She has become a master of political strategy.)
Grammatically, passé maître agrees in gender and number:
- passée maître (feminine)
- passés maîtres (masculine plural)
It comes from the world of crafts and guilds, where one would passer maître to be officially recognized as a master of a trade, and now it’s used more broadly—often with a tone of respect or subtle irony
What does “d’apparaître” mean?
D’apparaître means to appear and is the infinitive form of the verb apparaître, preceded by the preposition de.
It typically appears after certain verbs or expressions that require de + infinitive, especially in formal or written French.
Examples:
Il semble avoir peur d’apparaître faible.
(He seems afraid to appear weak.)
Elle évite d’apparaître en public depuis le scandale.
(She avoids appearing in public since the scandal.)
Le risque d’apparaître comme trop agressif est réel.
(The risk of appearing too aggressive is real.)
Culturally, apparaître is a bit more formal or abstract than se montrer or être vu, and it’s often used in contexts involving public perception, visibility, or emergence—physically or metaphorically.
What does “indéchiffrable” mean?
Indéchiffrable means illegible, unreadable, or impossible to decipher. It can refer to writing, expressions, messages, or even behavior that cannot be understood or interpreted.
Son écriture est complètement indéchiffrable.
(His handwriting is completely unreadable.)
Elle gardait un visage indéchiffrable.
*(She kept an unreadable expression.)
Ce message codé est indéchiffrable sans la clé.
*(This coded message is undecipherable without the key.)
Culturally, indéchiffrable can describe anything obscure, opaque, or resistant to interpretation, whether literal (a code, text) or figurative (someone’s thoughts, a strategy, a painting). It often implies a mix of complexity, mystery, and frustration.
What does “irrévérencieux” mean?
Irrévérencieux means irreverent—showing a lack of respect for authority, traditions, or sacred things, often in a bold, humorous, or provocative way.
C’est un humoriste irrévérencieux, qui se moque de tout.
(He’s an irreverent comedian who makes fun of everything.)
Son ton irrévérencieux a choqué certains membres du jury.
(His irreverent tone shocked some members of the panel.)
It’s often used to describe comedy, art, writing, or speech that challenges norms or pokes fun at serious subjects. Culturally, being irrévérencieux in French can be seen as brilliant and bold—or disrespectful and offensive, depending on the context and audience.
What does “drôle” mean?
Drôle means funny, amusing, or odd, depending on context.
1. Funny / amusing (most common)
Ce film est vraiment drôle.
(This movie is really funny.)
Il a raconté une histoire drôle.
(He told a funny story.)
2. Strange / odd / curious (when used before a noun)
Un drôle de type est venu me parler.
(A strange guy came up to talk to me.)
C’est un drôle de hasard.
(It’s a strange coincidence.)
So:
- drôle after the noun = funny
- drôle de + noun = weird, peculiar, odd
Culturally, drôle is super common in both everyday and literary French, and its position in the sentence totally changes the meaning, which makes it especially rich (and tricky) for learners.
Improving your French Listening Comprehension with Podcasts
On this site, fast spoken French is finally accessible to all levels. The tool break podcasts into short clips each set to transcription fill-in-the-blank practice. My favorite practice in class is always dictées. While they can seem overwhelming at first, the confidence boost and skills payoff for doing the work pays off. They’re perfect for anyone at any level, from advanced students to those just starting.
We use podcasts and our practice exercises to make it possible for anyone, anywhere to immerse in French with fun and ease. Join us and enjoy French, one short clip at a time. Let’s learn together!
Make the most of the site:
- Daily Podcast Listening: Start your day with a French podcast from our collection. Choose episodes that align with your interests to keep it engaging.
- Active Listening Practice: As you listen, try to pick out key phrases and vocabulary. Use our daily quizzes to test your understanding and reinforce learning.
- Repeat and Shadow: Listen to the same podcast segment multiple times. Try to mimic the pronunciation and intonation to improve your spoken French.
- Note-taking: Jot down new words or phrases you encounter. Review these notes regularly to enhance vocabulary retention.
- Reflect and Respond: After each episode, summarize the main points in French, either in writing or aloud. This helps in consolidating your learning and improving your expressive skills.
- Read More:
- True Beginner or A1 Learners: discover tips learning with podcasts at an introductory level.
- Discover all the podcast clips on FrenchIRL organized by level.
- Top Tips: Here’s how I make the most of my own site.
I created the French In Real Life project because I wanted to understand more than just my teacher and youtubers who cater to learners. I wanted to understand the French I hear in France. I hope you can benefit as much as I have. Become a supporting member for access to all clips.
What did you love about this?
Comment below with your feedback about learning with the news! 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.
The audio sample and transcription is from RFI’s Revue de Presse Hebdomaires Français 20 Apr 2025 Episode. We do not own this content, nor do we pretend to. The above audio sample and transcription is from RFI’s Revue de Presse Hebdomaires Français 20 Apr 2025 Episode. We do not own this content, nor do we…
Take the quiz, join the conversation.
Did you find this one challenging or easy? Did you hear something diffferent? What surprised you? What levels did you complete? Comment below and share what’s opening up for you with this quiz.
