Every Friday the founder of FrenchCrazy, John Elkhoury, will answer one of your questions related to learning French and living in France. Check out the entire ASK JOHN series!
To submit your question, fill out the contact form at the bottom of this page.
Why “Nous Mangeons” Instead of “Mangons?”
Dear John,Why is it nous mangeons instead of nous mangons?... I thought that we drop the ending and add "-ons" to -ER verbs.Sarah Bonjour Sarah,You are correct that when conjugating an "ER verb," the nous form takes an –ons stem added to the root of the word.So in a...
The Preposition À in French Foods?
Dear John, Why do we use à to describe French foods? ...other examples I can think of include tarte aux fraises, omelette du fromage.. why don't we use avec here? The general rule is that we use the French preposition à to delineate an ingredient in a recipe....
Is Paris Expensive?
Dear John, Is living in Paris expensive? Mai Talât Hey Mai, The thing about your question is that the word "expensive" is relative. What's the context? When I lived in Bourg-en-Bresse I was able to rent a nice little apartment for about 250 euros/month. The same sized...
Popular French Newspapers?
Dear John, I would like to improve my French by reading newspapers. What is your choice for never-ending-francais-beginner? Thank you. Jana. P. S. I'm so happy that I discovered your website, thank you A LOT! Bonjour Jana, Thanks for the kind words. I do know of a few...
Ways to Connect to French Native Speakers?
Dear John, I was wondering if you knew of any way we could connect with people (preferably college students like myself) via Skype of e-mail to learn more from one another. They could perfect their English and we could perfect our French. Thanks in advance! Ah the...
Difference between Amener, Emmener, Apporter & Emporter?
Dear John, Do you know a good way to learn the difference between amener/emmener and apporter/emporter? I'm studying it in class right now and I'm still having a little bit of trouble understanding when to use which. The general rule is that the verbs starting with an...
Best Way to Learn the Tenses in French?
Dear John, What's the best way to learn the tenses? Is there any good method alternate to sitting down with a book and memorizing the uses and verb endings for each? Salut ! There are phone applications you can download, like "Maître de Conjugasion" or similar...
Is it easier to learn French from English or English from French?
Dear John, Is it easier to learn French from English or English from French? In my French class, I always wonder what it is like to learn English if you only knew French. It seems easier, without all of the different conjugations, but then again, how would I know! I...
How do I overcome my embarrassment of trying to speak in a French accent?
Dear John, How do I overcome my embarrassment of trying to speak in a French accent? Whenever I'm reading French aloud in class, I pronounce all the words well, but quickly become embarrassed and switch to a mediocre pronunciation in an attempt to assimilate with my...
Who Is John?
I’m John, the founder of FrenchCrazy.com. I started learning French back in 2004 through a mix of self-study, classroom learning, studying abroad, and frequent trips to France. I’m a fluent French-English bilingual with a university degree in French and another degree in Neuroscience. I also have a minor in linguistics and helped work in a bilingual research development lab.
I understand a lot about French and Francophone culture due to living and working in France on multiple occasions. I have made countless French friends, dated in France, and conversed with many strangers (in French) for hours at a time.
I understand what needs to be done to master French, because I’ve done it myself.
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