Synopsis
Learn French in coffee-break lessons from the Radio Lingua Network. In each lesson we'll focus on the language you need to know and before long you'll be making yourself understood with native French speakers. Season 1 lessons are for absolute beginners, and the courses increase in difficulty as the seasons progress.
Episodes
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CBF 3:30 | Idiomatic expressions and grammar review
15/10/2011 Duration: 13minIt’s time for another lesson of Coffee Break French and this week we join Alf in his final text. He has been writing a diary over eight weeks while he has been renovating his new house in the south of France and attending daily French lessons with Veronica and Katie, the two other protagonists of our series. In this week’s text he tells us about the party he organised for his classmates. Please note that lesson 30 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 330 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language a
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CBF 3:29 | Idiomatic expressions and grammar review
15/09/2011 Duration: 17minIn this latest lesson of Coffee Break French we’ll be joining Veronica and listening to her final text. She has been learning French in Nice along with Katie and Alf and in this final text she updates us on what she has been doing and tells us of some important decisions she has taken. Please note that lesson 29 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 329 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minut
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CBF 3:28 | Idiomatic expressions and grammar review
31/08/2011 Duration: 17minThis week's lesson offers an analysis of the second part of Katie’s latest text. As usual, we’ll be covering a range of expressions and grammar points. The free version of this lesson includes the recording of Katie’s text along with explanations of the language she uses to help you understand the text. Please note that lesson 28 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 328 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Reme
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CBF 3:27 | Focus on the subjunctive and useful idiomatic phrases
21/08/2011 Duration: 15minIn this week's episode we're looking at the first part of Katie’s latest text in which she updates us on what’s she’s been getting up to in Nice. In this episode we’ll be looking at a variety of grammatical topics including the relative pronouns ce que and ce qui, and we’ll also consider some examples of the future perfect tense. The second part of Katie’s text will be analysed in the next lesson. Please note that lesson 27 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 327 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post
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CBF 3:26 | Focus on the subjunctive and idiomatic expressions
10/07/2011 Duration: 13minWe return to Alf’s story this week on Coffee Break French and his wife, Jennifer, has finally arrived in France. Alf has been preparing for her arrival, both with the house renovations and he’s even learned to cook! As usual there are plenty of useful expressions and interesting grammar points in this week’s lesson. In addition, following many requests from our members, the extended version of this week’s lesson features an introduction to a new tense, the Past Historic, which is a narrative tense used in literary texts. Please note that lesson 26 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 326 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium ve
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CBF 3:25 | Focus on the conditional and idiomatic expressions
02/07/2011 Duration: 14minThis week on Coffee Break French Veronica is feeling a bit down in the dumps: elle a le bourdon ce soir! She has been doing some thinking about her future and the fact that she is accro au travail – addicted to her work. This episode provides lots of examples of interesting grammar and vocabulary in use, and you’ll learn about question formation, reported speech and lots more! Please note that lesson 25 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 325 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities,
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CBF 324 Free Bonus: Extended version
18/06/2011 Duration: 32minThis week we’re offering a special treat for our free subscribers: the extended version of our lessons is normally only available to subscribers, but this week we’re giving this extended version away free to our non-members to let you know what you’re missing! The extended version features the same basic content as the free lesson, but there are over 15 minutes of extra explanations, examples and tests to help you understand more of the language covered.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your c
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CBF 3:24 | Idiomatic expressions and focus on tenses
18/06/2011 Duration: 15minIn this week’s lesson we’ll continue with Alf’s text from last week. There are some fantastic examples of preceding direct objects in this week’s show, and you’ll have the opportunity to practise ne … rien and ne … que. Please note that lesson 24 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 324 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your confidence in the language. Access
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CBF 3:23 | Adjectives and idiomatic expressions
10/06/2011 Duration: 14minToday's episode is the first of two lessons which focus on Alf’s latest text which has lots of interesting language points to discuss. Alf has been attending cookery lessons in Nice and he reports back on this in this week’s episode. Language points include lots more preceding direct object examples and the intriguing use of que l’on instead of qu’on! Please note that lesson 23 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 323 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review
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CBF 3:22 | Focus on the subjunctive and idiomatic expressions
01/06/2011 Duration: 18minIn this week's episode of Coffee Break French we hear about Veronica’s exciting weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix. We’ll be hearing about the party she attended at the house of one of her clients. We will be hearing more examples of the subjunctive along with a couple of interesting preceding direct objects! Please note that lesson 22 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 322 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French.
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CBF 3:21 | The subjunctive and idiomatic expressions
23/05/2011 Duration: 16minIn this week's lesson we’ll be hearing from Alf, one of our three students learning French in Nice. Alf will be telling us about a chance meeting he had with his neighbour and his new interest in the game of pétanque, French boules. Please note that lesson 21 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 321 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your confidence in the lan
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CBF 3:20 | Review of lessons 1-19
25/04/2011 Duration: 19minThis week we’re testing you on what you’ve learned in the first twenty episodes of season 3. We’re providing you with a series of sentences in English to translate into French, and you’ll be encouraged to think of the grammatical constructions and vocabulary which have been covered in the texts of Veronica, Alf and Katie. You’ll have 20 seconds to work out each translation and then Mark will talk through the translation and talk about the language contained in the example. Please note that lesson 20 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 320 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break
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CBF 3:19 | Idiomatic expressions and the subjunctive
17/04/2011 Duration: 20minWe rejoin Veronica this week in our series of episodes coming from our featured learners in the south of France. “Veronica” has been getting to know one of her clients and, as we’ll be finding out this week, she has been invited to a party at this client’s house. In terms of the language covered in this episode, you’ll hear further examples of the subjunctive, and we’ll also be discussing the concept of transitive and intransitive verbs. Please note that lesson 19 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 319 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffe
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CBF 3:18 | The perfect and imperfect tenses
09/04/2011 Duration: 18minWe knew you’d be desperate to find out how Katie got on at the Cannes Film Festival with Jérôme, so we’re sticking with Katie’s diary entries this week. In this episode you’ll hear a full account of her evening in Cannes with Jérôme and his parents, and you’ll also hear how things have developed between Katie and Jérôme… In terms of the language covered in this episode, we’ll be taking a look at further examples of direct and indirect object pronouns, more examples of the subjunctive, and lots more. Please note that lesson 18 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 318 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break
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CBF 3:17 | Focus on the subjunctive and idiomatic expressions
28/03/2011 Duration: 17minWe’re returning to Katie’s texts this week and we’ll be hearing her exciting news about her forthcoming visit to the Cannes Film Festival, thanks to Jérôme’s mother. In this episode we’ll be covering more examples of vouloir que with the subjunctive, and we’ll also hear an example of préférer que which follows a similar pattern. There’s even a conditional perfect thrown in too! Please note that lesson 17 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 317 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities,
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CBF 3:16 | Looking at triggers for the subjunctive
06/03/2011 Duration: 17minThis week we’re consolidating what we’ve learned so far about the subjunctive in French. We’ll categorise the examples we’ve heard so far in the texts of Alf, Katie and Veronica, and Mark will walk you through some further examples including pour que, pourvu que, bien que, and many more. We’ll learn about situations when you use the subjunctive which relate to demands and wishes, and we’ll also cover situations involving opinions and emotions. This episode will help you to get to grips with the French subjunctive and lay the groundwork for further examples in future texts. Please note that lesson 16 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 316 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and
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CBF 3:15 | Focus on past tenses
26/02/2011 Duration: 17minThis week's lesson focuses on Alf’s diary entry for this week in which he talks a little more about his former career as a teacher. He also shares with us a decision that he has taken which he will return to in future lessons. Please note that lesson 15 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 315 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your confidence in the language.
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CBF 3:14 | Focus on the perfect, imperfect and pluperfect tenses
15/02/2011 Duration: 17minIt's time to return to Veronica’s diary entries in today's lesson. We’ll be hearing about her recent visit to Italy, and she’ll also be telling us a bit more about her work. Please note that lesson 14 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 314 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your confidence in the language. Access the Coffee Break French Facebook page here.If
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CBF 3:13 | Focus on tenses and idiomatic expressions
12/02/2011 Duration: 20minIn this lesson we rejoin Katie and hear her latest news. She’s working in the café and this week discovers that she has in fact met M. Gérard’s son before! Katie will also be talking about what she would like to do in the future in terms of work. Please note that lesson 13 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 313 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your confide
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CBF 3:12 | Focus on daily routine
25/01/2011 Duration: 17minWe’re with Veronica this week and she’ll be telling us about her daily routine and a little more about her work. We’ll also hear about her plans for checking out a property in Menton and a trip to Italy. Please note that lesson 12 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 312 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your confidence in the language. Access the Coffee Brea