Let's Speak French! with Dr. Natalie Amgott

You're spending too much time on the wrong words (l'écureuil). Today we break down the 9 words that are the hardest for my intermediate learners over the last decade of teaching.
You'll walk away being able to use these 9 USEFUL words in everyday conversation, and will no longer avoid words just because the pronunciation is tricky.
Here are your next steps to make it stick!
1️⃣ Check the pronunciation breakdown and English definitions of each of the 9 words here.
2️⃣ Download your 10 Intermediate Tongue Twisters to improve your pronunciation of vowels like U and OU.
3️⃣ Next on your playlist: 4 Sounds to Improve your Intermediate French
Learn something new today? Rate and review the podcast to let me know. It's one of the most helpful things you can do to help podcast creators and to help me with my goal of reaching as many French learners as possible!

In this episode, you’ll learn a simple system to finally understand where adverbs go in French. You'll learn what to do with short (bien, mal, trop) vs long (lentement, facilement) adverbs, what happens in the passé composé, and why words like probablement don’t follow the “normal” rules.
If you’ve ever second-guessed where to put bien, souvent, or probablement… this one’s for you.
Tes prochaines étapes:
1️⃣ Listen once. Then listen again while checking the English translations and the adverb rules with the lesson transcript.
2️⃣ Start actively observing where adverbs go while you listen and read.
3️⃣ Tap "subscribe" so that you never miss a lesson!

You know reflexive verbs like se lever, se réveiller, se laver, se coucher, but using them in the past tense can feel like a different story entirely.
How do we say "I woke up"? Where does pas go in the negative? And why do so many learners freeze when they try to say these phrases out loud?
In this episode, you’ll learn a simple framework for using everyday reflexive verbs naturally in the passé composé, so you can talk about your morning routine, last night, or what happened today with more confidence. We’ll cover affirmative and negative sentences, common speaking mistakes, and natural spoken French.
How to build reflexive verbs in the passé composé with la formule magique
How to say phrases like I woke up, I got dressed, I went to bed
How negation works in spoken French
The easiest way to make these structures automatic
1️⃣ Review reflexive verbs with the transcript and download your free French Past Tense Cheat Sheet.
2️⃣ Practice 3 phrases from today out loud until they feel automatic.
3️⃣ Want more reflexive verbs beyond daily routine? Go back and listen to Episode #36: Douter ou Se Douter? The Reflexive Verbs Most Learners Skip.

Does "drôle" actually mean funny? And what's the difference between "drôle," "rigolo," "marrant," and "amusant"?
In this French lesson, you'll learn 7 ways to talk about "fun" and "funny" things in French, using the appropriate words for France or Québec. You'll learn exactly which expression to use when a person is being weird versus being funny.
Tes prochaines étapes:
1️⃣ Check your understanding by reviewing the transcript for this episode.
2️⃣ Join the weekly French lessons to get free French resources to your inbox every week.
3️⃣ Learn something new? Share this episode with a friend learning French so that they never mix up "drôle" and "amusant" again!

If you’ve ever thought about taking the DELF, you’ve probably wondered: Should I take it? What is it actually like? How do I prepare for B1 or B2?
In this episode, I’m joined by one of my extraordinary students, Pami Banerjee, who recently passed the DELF B2. She shares her experience preparing for the exam, what surprised her on test day, and the strategies that helped her succeed.
We also break down what examiners are really looking for at the B2 level, from using more varied grammar structures to sounding more natural and confident in your speaking.
If the DELF is on your radar, this episode will give you a clear idea of what to expect and how to prepare effectively.
Action steps:
Check the transcript: Review the full transcript to reinforce your comprehension and notice useful vocabulary and structures for the B2 level.

Learn to sound more natural with the French Filler Word Guide.