Learn French by Podcast

Coral reefs are facing an existential crisis due to rising ocean temperatures and pollution. Key discussions highlight the phenomenon of coral bleaching and its ecological ramifications. There's a focus on the urgent need for collective action and conservation efforts to protect these vital ecosystems. The impact of El Niño is examined, revealing its role in raising ocean temperatures and worsening coral fragility. Meanwhile, essential French verbs are explored, tying language learning to the fight for coral survival, making it both educational and impactful.

Digital tablets in the classroom were recently described as a 60 billion dollar hoax. Despite these strong words, it seems we’re on an inexorable drive to place a screen in front of every child in the classroom. But to whose benefit ? That’s the subject of our conversation in this lesson.

This lesson is inspired by our having heard about Norway in Michael Moore’s latest satirical documentary. Now, no country is perfect but Norway certainly seems to have a lot going for it. Let’s start with a conversation.

The title of this Advanced lesson may be controversial. After all, it is a fact that tens of thousands of people – some of whom have been lifted out of abject poverty – work in call centres around the world. However, questions one might ask are: what kind of work do call centre workers actually do? What kind of career prospects can workers realistically expect from such work? Béatrix talks of her friend’s experience in one such call centre. Let’s listen.

A listener asked about ‘tu’ and ‘vous’. In English, we simply use the pronoun ‘you’ but, in French, things are more complicated. In this conversation, we talk about when to use ‘tu’ and ‘vous’… and how to ‘make the switch’ between the two when our relationships have evolved over time. Let’s listen.

A listener asked said he had recently been in France and had heard a few slang words used frequently. In this lesson, our dialogue makes use of a variety of slang words, some of which are very common. Let’s listen.

This time, our lesson centres on the social tensions in France, arising from the proposed introduction of new work laws. The main protagonists are, on the one hand, the CGT - a very powerful union - and, on the other, the government which insists that there is no alternative to the new measures it is proposing.

He was the world’s most famous boxer. But, to many, he represented much more than a particular sport. In this lesson, let’s talk about Mohammed Ali.

AirBnB has rocked the hospitality industry. For holiday-makers it has proved a boon but hoteliers are up in arms. On the other hand, hoteliers are up in arms, citing 'wild-west' practices and a lack of regulation, not to mention depleted rental accommodation, as property owners turn to this new rental model instead of committing to longer-term tenants. We discuss the service provided by AirBnB in this lesson.

What exactly does the word ‘education’ mean to you ? Sur le chemin de l’école is a provocative and inspiring documentary from Pascal Plisson. It depicts vividly the insatiable thirst for learning of children in some of the world’s most remote corners. Let’s listen to a dialogue.