Parler comme jamais
French classes for adults · Live online on Zoom with Nathalie
All classes are taught in French.
Accents, English loanwords, new expressions, rules and everyday usage: discover what French reveals about history and society, then exchange ideas and discuss them in French.
Look closely at French to understand it better
Why are some words considered ‘correct’ and others ‘incorrect’? Is there such a thing as a neutral accent? Do young people speak less well than older generations?
Using the podcast Parler comme jamais, hosted by Laélia Véron, and the book co-written with Maria Candea, Nathalie invites you to explore a living, varied and changing language.
Learn to observe, ask questions and develop an argument in a friendly atmosphere. You do not need any previous knowledge of linguistics.
What you will practise
Listen and understand
Work with authentic audio recordings. Discover accents, expressions, levels of formality and ways of speaking from different French-speaking communities.
Discuss and develop your ideas
Build your vocabulary, express an opinion and learn to add nuance. Comparisons with your other languages are welcome.
Your 10-class programme
This programme combines ten selected podcast episodes with the book. Open each class below to discover its topic and learning goals.
1. Languages borrowing from one another
Is French under threat? Explore words borrowed from English, Arabic and other languages.
Learning goals: Express an opinion, explain your point of view and discover how languages influence one another.
2. Is your dictionary right-wing?
Who decides what is correct? Explore the role of dictionaries, institutions and everyday usage.
Learning goals: Compare definitions and distinguish between language norms, actual usage and levels of formality.
3. There is no neutral voice
Why do some accents inspire more trust than others? Question the judgements we make about ways of speaking.
Learning goals: Improve listening comprehension and distinguish a personal impression from a fact.
4. What are insults for?
Explore insults, swear words, humour and taboo language in different contexts.
Learning goals: Understand connotations and choose language that suits the situation and the person you are speaking to.
5. Who does French belong to?
From Quebec to Belgium, Switzerland and different African countries: discover the diversity of French.
Learning goals: Compare French expressions from different places and describe distinctive language features.
6. Do young people speak badly?
Slang, new words and language change: explore differences between generations.
Learning goals: Recognise levels of formality and rephrase an informal message.
7. From ‘ours’ to ‘nounours’: liaison and language
Explore liaison, linking sounds and pronunciation habits.
Learning goals: Improve your listening, identify liaisons and practise speaking more fluently.
8. Inclusive writing: why so much controversy?
Language, gender and society: discover feminine job titles and different approaches to inclusive writing.
Learning goals: Present arguments and express agreement or disagreement with nuance.
9. Translation games
Can everything be translated? Play with idioms, wordplay and cultural references.
Learning goals: Build vocabulary, rephrase ideas and compare different ways of expressing a thought.
10. Can machines speak?
Digital messages, emojis and artificial intelligence: reflect on how we communicate.
Learning goals: Discuss a contemporary issue and reuse the discussion skills developed throughout the programme.
Prepare before each class
Before each class, listen to the full episode and read the related chapter in the book. Note a few words, a question or an idea that catches your attention.
You do not need to understand everything before class: your first impressions and questions will help shape the discussion.
During the 90-minute class
- Share your first impressions.
- Clarify ideas and deepen your understanding.
- Exchange and compare points of view.
- Explore language use and question common assumptions.
- Put your French into practice.
- Review and reuse what you have discovered.
Who is this workshop for?
Learners of French from level B1 who want to understand everyday conversations, the media and social debates more easily while developing their speaking skills.
Curiosity and a willingness to take part matter more than knowledge of linguistics. Ideas are introduced gradually and illustrated with examples.
First 2027 session — booking is open
12 January to 23 March 2027
Tuesdays, from 3:30 pm to 5 pm (Paris time).
10 classes of 1 hour 30 minutes — no class on 23 February.
With Nathalie, live online on Zoom, from level B1.
€225 for the full programme (15 hours at €15 per hour).
A small group of 4 participants maximum.
Book the January session
Your teacher
Nathalie
Specialist in the verbo-tonal method
The verbo-tonal method (MVT) uses techniques that improve how you hear sounds, speech rhythm and syllable patterns to help you develop more accurate pronunciation.
I discovered the verbo-tonal method through a MOOC in 2018. In 2021, I completed training in verbo-tonal corrective and integrative phonetics at the Alliance Française in Padua, Italy. I deepened my practice through two further training courses in 2024 and 2025 with Magali Boureux, José Sobrecases and Michel Billières at the Alliance Française in Padua, both online and in person.
In autumn 2025, I continued this professional development with a teacher-training course in pronunciation support led by Sébastien Palusci and Laure Fesquet (Fonetix).
I look forward to welcoming you to my pronunciation and language discovery programmes, created especially for Planète Français students.
