C’est quoi ton émission préférée ? 📺
What is your favorite TV show?
Hello la communauté francophone! 🌍 Ne vous découragez pas si vous ne comprenez pas tout. Même la tour Eiffel n'a pas été construite en un jour!
Today we’re talking TV. I’ve heard people say that we’ve lived through a bit of a golden age of TV. Which would be great.. if I could finally choose something to watch!
But it’s a great topic to connect with others about, most foreigners watch the same TV shows that you and I do! So let’s dive in.
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Dialogue Audio 🎧
Slower Audio 🐢
Dialogue du Jour
Noé : Salut Marine, c'est quoi ton émission préférée ?
Marine : Salut Noé, j'adore "The Crown" sur Netflix. Et toi, qu'est-ce que tu aimes regarder ?
Noé : Haha, "The Crown" ? Vraiment ? Moi, je préfère "Les Marseillais" ✪. Rien de tel qu'une émission de télé-réalité pour se détendre après une journée de travail.
Marine : "Les Marseillais" ?! Noé, tu me surprends là ! Comment tu peux supporter toutes ces disputes ?
Noé : C'est juste pour rire, Marine ! Je ne prends pas ça au sérieux. Et au moins, je n'ai pas à attendre une semaine entière pour un nouvel épisode comme avec "The Crown".
Marine : Oh, tu as raison là-dessus ✪. J'aimerais que Netflix publie tous les épisodes en une fois. Et au moins, je n'ai pas à subir les pubs ✪ comme dans ton émission.
Noé : Haha, tu m'as eu là ✪. Bon, je vais essayer "The Crown" ce soir, mais seulement si tu regardes un épisode des "Marseillais".
Marine : Marché conclu ✪, Noé. On se prendra des nouvelles demain pour voir qui a tenu le coup ✪!
♡ 𝕃𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕠𝕨 👇
✪ Notes
une émission = a (tv) programme / show
"Les Marseillais" = A (now iconic) trashy French reality tv show. You know the deal; tanned, horny young people allergic to clothes having endless social drama. I’m sure there are now versions in every country. It shows up in French pop culture, so a helpful thing to know of! Here’s a news segment about it → in French for more advanced learners📺 (US readers might be blocked from watching?)
Top comments from that video 😂
💬“Enfin une bonne nouvelle .. les gens vont ils redevenir intelligents et sensés ?”
At last some good news ... will people become intelligent and sensible again?💬’Enfin l'arrêt de cette catastrophe merci pour nos enfants et nos adolescents enfin le clap de fin.”
At last, the end of this disaster. Thank you for our children and teenagers. Finally the end has come.Nb. Youtube comments are one of the best ways I know to get helpful social commentary on other cultures, to get ‘the pulse’ of what real native people think about a politician, event etc.
là-dessus ✨ = sur ceci, sur ce sujet = about that, on that. A tricky word to nail down. It’s a shorthand way to reference a whole subject or situation, and sounds very native and colloquial. Look out for it! You’ll get a feel for it through exposure. “Je voudrais dire un mot là-dessus” (I want to say something about that)
je n'ai pas à subir les pubs - subir = to suffer / be subjected to. les pubs✨ = adverts/commercials. la pub = advertising, coup de pub = publicity stunt
tu m'as eu là ✨= you got me there. a helpful phrase to throw into conversation when you’re stumped or someone proves you wrong.. can be a bit awkward, throw this one out and the awkwardness turns into a moment of French competence!
Marché conclu ✨= It’s a deal!
pour voir qui a tenu le coup = tenir le coup = ne pas se laisser abattre = lit. ‘take the hit’, endure, hold out, weather the storm. In this context “to see who survived”, it’s funny and lighthearted.
*✨ = especially ‘Frenchie’ words/phrases you should try and use more
Writing Prompt ✍️
Favourite TV show I’ve seen recently would be Succession. It’s everything I want from a TV show really, gripping narrative that was complex and knotty so I’d be thinking about it in the shower for several days after! And it stayed good through all the seasons, which is rare these days! Obviously not to mention that it feels very relevant to how wealth, power, media, family dynamics work in real life. Great show.
Alors, c’est quoi ton émission préférée ?
All answers are welcome. One word.. or one sentence.
Write me your answer in the comments. I can’t wait to read them! 👇🏼
Translation
N: Hi M, what's your favourite show?
M: Hi N, I love "The Crown" on Netflix. What do you like to watch?
N: Haha, The Crown? Really? I prefer 'Les Marseillais'. There's nothing like a reality show to relax after a day's work.
M: "Les Marseillais"?! N, you surprise me! How can you put up with all these arguments?
N: It's just a bit of fun, M! I don't take it seriously. And at least I don't have to wait a whole week for a new episode like with "The Crown".
M: Oh, you're right about that. I wish Netflix would release all the episodes at once. And at least I don't have to suffer through the ads like on your show.
N: Haha, you got me there. Well, I'm going to try "The Crown" tonight, but only if you watch an episode of "Les Marseillais".
M: It's a deal, N. We'll check in tomorrow to see who's made it!
Exercise 1- Fill in the blank 💪
Quickly test your comprehension, accelerate your learning. 🚀
Je regarde toujours __ de cuisine le samedi soir.
I always watch the cooking show on Saturday night.