Let's Speak French! with Dr. Natalie Amgott

If you've ever heard La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, you may have thought:
"Wait...did they really just sing that?"
In this episode, we're breaking down the history, vocabulary, and meaning behind one of France's most recognizable national symbols.
You'll learn:
Why French people don't say "Happy Bastille Day!"
How La Marseillaise got its name
The story behind France's national anthem
Why French songs sometimes pronounce silent e's
Vos prochaines étapes (Your next steps)
1️⃣ Episode transcript + English translations

Complete lyrics to La Marseillaise
3️⃣ Sing along to the lyrics video
4️⃣ Join my free weekly French email lessons

Are you telling people that you can or that you stink? One small sound can make all the difference!
In this episode, you'll discover minimal pairs—French words that differ by just one sound but have completely different meanings. You'll practice five of the most common sound pairs that English speakers struggle with, learn why your brain has trouble hearing these differences, and start training your ear to become a more confident French speaker.
Tes prochaines étapes: Your next steps
1. Practice the minimal pairs with the French Minimal Pairs Flashcards.
2. Listen to the episode a second time and repeat each minimal pair out loud.
3. Choose one of today's minimal pairs and use both words in your own French sentences this week.

Did you learn that "plutôt" means "rather?" OUI et NON.
Plutôt is one French verb that gets used all the time in conversation, but it doesn't only mean "rather." In today's lesson, you'll learn the five conversational contexts where you'd want to use plutôt, including how to use it as a strategy to elegantly correct yourself when you make a mistake speaking French. To get the most out of this lesson:
1. Write one sentence for each of the five uses of plutôt. Check out the uses and English translations to get you started.
2. Track your intermediate French with a customized playlist and tracker with the complementary Intermediate French Kit.

If you learned something new today, please leave a review or share with a friend! It helps this podcast to reach more intermediate French adult learners like you.

Did you know French in Canada extends beyond Québec? And that each variety brings a different history and different linguistic structures to the table?
Today, you'll learn all about Chiac and Acadian French from Janelle Poirier! To get the most out of this episode, listen once through and slow down the speed on your podcast player if needed. Then, follow these steps:
1. Check out the transcript to listen again and pick up any vocabulary you may have missed the first time.
2. Check out Janelle's social accounts on Instagram and TikTok.
3. Explore Acadian French and Chiac through Janelle's recommendations:
Literature: Antonine Maillet & France Daigle
Music: 1755 & Hay Babies
4. Share this episode with your friends learning French so that they learn more about the understudied Acadian French and Chiac!

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Do you just repeat the same words in every French conversation? Although common words like "bon" and "très" get used all the time in French, it's helpful to know alternative so that you sound more like yourself and can express your personality in French!

Today, you'll learn alternatives to five overly used words by French learners: bon, très, chose, avoir, and dire.
To get the most out of today's lesson:
1. Listen once through to the lesson.
2. Check your understanding and the English translations in the transcript.
3. Download your Filler Word Guide to help you sound more natural in your next French conversations.

Merci d'être là, mon ami.e! To make sure you never miss an episode of Let's Speak French!, tap the "Follow" or "Subscribe" button wherever you're listening.