Coffee Break French

Nine years ago today we published the first episode of Coffee Break Spanish. Since then we’ve gone on to publish courses in 27 languages, and we’ve delivered over 160 million language lessons to learners around the world. Some of the team have spent this weekend in London at the Language Show where we’ve been meeting thousands of language lovers, among them many members of the Coffee Break learning community. To celebrate our 9th birthday we’ve put together a special show featuring interviews with some of our listeners which we’ve recorded here at the Language Show. Listen to the episode If you’d like to tell us your story and potentially be featured in a future episode of one of our courses, click here.

Coming up in this lesson: In the final episode of the series we join Matthieu who is replying to Gabrielle’s email – for the last time! As ever Mark and Pierre-Benoît are on hand to discuss the episode and it’s finally time to tackle the tricky issue of c’est vs il est amont many other language points.  If you’re interested in finding out more about what happens next in the Coffee Break French series, please click here. Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

Coming up in this lesson: In the penultimate episode of the series we join Pierre-Benoît and Mark as they discuss Gabrielle’s email to Matthieu. The text gives us the opportunity to look at the complicated pronouns lequel, laquelle, lesquels and lesquelles, negative infinitives, the expression faire des folies and lots more. Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

Coming up in this lesson: In this latest episode of Coffee Break French, Pierre-Benoît and Mark discuss Sylvie’s most recent email to her mother Monique. The text gives us the opportunity to talk about a number of interesting grammar points and idiomatic expressions including further examples of the gerund, s’apercevoir de quelque chose, insister pour and the expression brûler les étapes. Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

Coming up in this lesson: It’s time for another episode of Coffee Break French, and in this episode Mark and Pierre-Benoît discuss the latest email from Monique to her daughter Sylvie. A number of interesting examples of French appear in this episode, including the expressions de mon temps, en faire lourd and further examples of the imperfect tense. Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

Coming up in this lesson: In this latest episode of Coffee Break French, Mark and Pierre-Benoît discuss Matthieu’s latest email reply to Gabrielle. As usual there are a number of interesting language points to be discussed including further examples of the subjunctive with triggers we have seen before, and a brand new situation when the subjunctive is used after a superlative. Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

Coming up in this lesson: In this latest episode of Coffee Break French, Mark and Pierre-Benoît discuss the latest email from Gabrielle to Matthieu and look in particular at a number of interesting language points contained in the lesson. Expressions in this episode include the expressions ce n’est pas ton fort, prendre peur and rendre des comptes à quelqu’un. Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

Coming up in this lesson: Mark and Pierre-Benoît are back with another episode of our advanced French course. In this episode we’re focusing on the latest email from Sylvie in which she updates her mother on her date with Matthieu. As usual the episode is rich in interesting grammar points and idiomatic expressions and our two hosts are on hand to discuss the language used and to help listeners understand the content. Expressions in this episode include il devait y avoir, être désolé de + infinitive and the placement of adjectives in phrases such as il a de grands yeux bleus vraiment magnifiques. Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

Coming up in this lesson: It’s time for another episode in our series for advanced French learners. In this lesson we read the latest email from Monique to her daughter Sylvie. Monique is desperate to hear how Sylvie got on on her date with Matthieu, and as usual Pierre-Benoît and Mark are on hand to discuss the language points contained in the text. In this episode, expressions featured include tourner en rond, la curiosité est un vilain défaut, and lots more.  Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

Coming up in this lesson: It’s time for another episode in our series for advanced French learners. In this lesson Mark and Pierre-Benoît are discussing the latest email from Matthieu to Gabrielle. There are many interesting expressions and useful grammar points covered including agreement of preceding direct objects, rien que de + infinitive, en avoir l’eau à la bouche, and much more.  Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

Coming up in this lesson: Join Mark and Pierre-Benoît for another lesson of our advanced French course. In this episode they’re discussing Gabrielle’s revelations in her most recent email to Matthieu. As usual there are plenty of interesting grammar points and idiomatic expressions to study including the expressions prendre ses clics et ses clacs and aller en éclaireur.  Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

Coming up in this lesson: It’s time for another episode of Coffee Break French and this week Mark and Pierre-Benoît are discussing the latest email from Sylvie to her mother, Monique. There are lots of interesting language points to talk about including the expressions être pot de colle, faire poireauter quelqu’un and the wonderful word dorénavant.  Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

Coming up in this lesson: Join Mark and Pierre-Benoît for another episode of Coffee Break French in which they discuss Monique’s latest email to her daughter Sylvie following Sylvie’s visit to Epinal. As usual the text is rich in complex grammatical points and interesting vocabulary and idiomatic expressions including piquer du nez, faire un tabac and how to use the subjunctive with jusqu’à ce que. Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

Coming up in this lesson: Mark and Pierre-Benoît are back with another episode of Coffee Break French, this time working through Matthieu’s latest email to Gabrielle. As usual the email is rich in complex grammatical structures and idiomatic expressions, and through further examples and clear explanations, our two hosts will help you understand everything. Points covered in this episode include using the subjunctive after avoir peur que and craindre que, and lots more. In the opening section, Mark also mentions his new year’s resolutions to learn Swedish and to record a song each day of the year and publish it on his personal blog. Listen to the lesson Accessing the Premium Version The premium version of Coffee Break French Season 4 provides additional materials which will help you move forward more effectively with your French studies. The premium version includes the following elements: * Language Study audio show: in this bonus audio recording we provide a full analysis of the language used in each lesson. Presented in French and English, Pierre-Benoît and Mark will help you to get to grips with all the language covered in the main lesson, and provide further examples of the idiomatic expressions and grammar concepts covered; * Transcripts and notes: since so much French is used in this season’s recordings, we’ve decided to include a full transcript of both the main audio lesson and the Language Study lesson. We’ve included vocabulary and language notes to help you master the language more effectively. The members’ version can be accessed through our membership system. You can purchase the course using the links below. Please note that the lessons are published on a regular basis and you will have access to the materials as soon as they are published. Think of this as a “Season Pass”. * Season 4 Complete, lessons 400-440 (£89.00 GBP inc VAT / approx £109 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4A, lessons 401-420 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) * Season 4B, lessons 421-440 (£57.00 GBP inc VAT / approx $67 USD ex VAT for non EU customers) Subscribe links Subscribe in iTunes | RSS Feed | Purchase members’ audio and transcripts

As we approach the end of 2014, Mark has recorded a special news podcast to look back at the past 12 months and to look forward to some of the exciting new content coming in 2015. Looking back 2014 has been an exciting year for us here at Radio Lingua. We’ve released 84 episodes across our range of courses including Coffee Break French Season 4, our new Coffee Break Spanish Espresso and Coffee Break German which has just finished its first season. We’ve also introduced our new gameshow, the Coffee Break French and Coffee Break Spanish Two Minute Challenges. In 2014 we have delivered over 16 million free language lessons to our learners around the world, bringing the total number of free language lessons delivered since we started back in 2006 to over 155 million! We hope you’ve enjoyed learning one of the 26 languages we offer! High Five French Family Edition This year we’ve also introduced our French course for younger learners, High Five French, featuring presenters Emma and Mathilde. High Five French has been popular in schools throughout the UK and we’ve just released the Family Edition of High Five French, so if you have children or grandchildren who would like to learn French with this fantastic video resource, you can find out more here. Early in the New Year we’ll be offering some free High Five French audio lessons – there’s more information in the news podcast, and you can learn more about High Five French here. If you’re interested in using High Five French in a school, please visit our Schools page. Coffee Break Spanish Season 4 We’ve also announced our fourth season of Coffee Break Spanish. From January 2015 you can join presenters Mark and Carmen as they follow a serialised story featuring a range of characters from around the Spanish-speaking world. This show has been specially created to help advanced learners of Spanish build their confidence in tricky grammatical constructions and increase their range of idiomatic expressions. Find out more  about Season 4 here. Coffee Break Italian We’re also introducing a new series for Italian learners. In January 2015 we’ll be launching Coffee Break Italian. The forty lessons of this first season will introduce learners to the language and you’ll start to develop confidence in using the language in a variety of situations. Mark takes on the role of teacher for Coffee Break Italian and is joined by learner Katie and native speaker Francesca. There’s more information about Coffee Break Italian here. Mark’s learning Swedish As we move into a new year it’s the perfect time to start learning a new language or to commit to improving your existing language skills. Mark is making his own New Year’s Resolution to learn Swedish and will be keeping a blog of his experiences. You can follow his adventures here. Our Sale is still on Finally, don’t forget that our End Of Year Sale is still on and you can save 15% on all our courses with coupon code WINTER2014. This includes the option to preorder Coffee Break Spanish Season 4 and Coffee Break Italian. You can check out the terms and conditions here.