On Va Parler Avec Maurice

 Crocodile asks Maurice how he is today. Maurice isn't well. Let's find out why... Here are all the sentences in the song... with the English translation: Comment ça va, aujourd'hui ?        How are you, today? Ça va mal, aujourd'hui!                   I'm not well, today! Qu'est-ce qu'il y a, aujourd'hui?   What's the matter today? Je suis fatigué.                                      I'm tired. J m'ennuie.                                            I'm bored Je suis faché.                                         I'm angry.

 Here's a little song to teach you how to count to ten! Watch out for Maurice's roar... un sou                       one penny deux genoux          two knees trois fleurs              three flowers quatre soeurs        four sisters cinq doigts             five fingers six oies                     six geese sept souris               seven mice huit amis                  eight friends neuf maisons          nine houses dix dragons              ten dragons

 Here's the very first song we learned in French! If you don't remember what the words means, here's a translation: Little Snail carries his little house on his back. As soon as it rains, he's so happy! He sticks out his head!

 Here's a link to the very pretty French Christmas Song that we've been learning in class. If you're unsure about the meaning of the words, here's a translation.  Verse 1 Between the ox and the grey donkey The little son sleeps  A thousand heavenly angels, a thousand seraphs Fly around this God of Love! Verse 2 Between the arms of Mary... Verse 3 Between the roses and the lillies...   

Maurice and Crocodile deliver their classic performance of the traditional French nursery rhyme. Poor Mère Michelle has lost her cat... or so she thinks! Little does she know that the mischievous Père Lustucru has stolen it! Will the old woman and her cat be reunited in the end? Watch the video to find out!

Here is a Days of the Week song that you may already know! Sing along ! Lundi (Monday) Mardi (Tuesday) Mercredi (Wednesday) Jeudi (Thursday) Vendredi (Friday) Samedi (Saturday) Dimanche (Sunday)

Here's the famous French song about the ever-silly King Dagobert who can't even put his pants on right (and the Great Saint Éloi who has to put with him...). The translation of the words is in the video!

Here's a video of that very pretty, classic French nursery rhyme. Au clair de la lune, mon ami Pierrot Prête-moi ta plume pour écrire un mot Ma chandelle est morte - Je n'ai plus de feu Ouvre-moi ta porte pour l'amour de Dieu! By the light of the moon, my friend Pierrot Lend me you quill to so that I can write something My candle has gone out - I've no light Open your door for me, for the love of God!

Monsieur Hardy reads Part Two of Antonin Louchard's story, "Le Grand Patatou" (with English translation). "Les Indiens d'Amérique ont le Grand Manitou. C'est le chef de tout. Toi, tu n'es pas un Indien, mais c'est pas grave, tu as le Grand Patatou." "The American Indians have The Great Spirit. The chief of Everything. You, you're not an Indian, but don't worry, you have the Great Patatou."

Monsieur Hardy reads Part One of Antonin Louchard's story, "Le Grand Patatou" (with English translation). "Les Indiens d'Amérique ont le Grand Manitou. C'est le chef de tout. Toi, tu n'es pas un Indien, mais c'est pas grave, tu as le Grand Patatou." "The American Indians have The Great Spirit. The chief of Everything. You, you're not an Indian, but don't worry, you have the Great Patatou."

This is the delightful story of the reclusive mouse, Jules, who receives a VERY surprising guest. And so begins the story of a most unusual friendship... The story was written and illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton and read by Monsieur Hardy with the (very expert) assistance of Madame Hardy.

Monsieur Hardy reads PartTwo of "Chien Bleu" (Blue Dog) by Nadja. In the second part of the story, Blue Dog has to battle a terrifying Spirit to protect Charlotte. But will he survive the ordeal? And will Charlotte find her parents again?

Monsieur Hardy reads Part One of "Chien Bleu" (Blue Dog) by Nadja. This is a magical story about a little girl who finds the friendship of a mysterious creature, an extraordinary blue dog who risks his life to save her... at her moment of greatest need.

Maurice has recorded a song about numbers... He certainly has plenty of things to count! See if you can sing along with him!

Here's a song all about the colours... it's rather like a song you may know in English!

Here is a song about a little ship that sets sail for the high seas for the very first time! Il était un petit navire Il était un petit navire Qui n’avait ja-ja-jamais navigué Qui n’avait ja-ja-jamais navigué Ohé ! Ohé ! There was once a little ship There was once a little ship That had never sailed! That had never sailed! Ahoy! Ahoy! Ohé ! Ohé ! Matelot Matelot navigue sur les flots Ohé ! Ohé ! Matelot Matelot navigue sur les flots Ahoy! Ahoy! Sailor Sailor sailing on the waves Ahoy! Ahoy! Sailor Sailor sailing on the waves Il partit pour un long voyagee Il partit pour un long voyage Sur la mer Mé-Mé-Méditerranée Sur la mer Mé-Mé-Méditerranée Ohé ! Ohé ! It set off on a long journey It set off on a long journey On the Mediterranean sea On the Mediterranean sea Ahoy! Ahoy! Ohé ! Ohé ! Matelot Matelot navigue sur les flots Ohé ! Ohé ! Matelot Matelot navigue sur les fl

Since we're all spending so much time indoors, here's a sentence that I reckon will come in VERY handy! And it means... CAN I WATCH TV, PLEASE? Do you know how to say it? If not, listen to Maurice pronouncing it in his most grovelling french...

Here's a really short video showing you how to make a delicious french dessert, Mousse au Chocolat! See the description below. C'est facile et rapide ! It's easy and quick! 50g de chocolat noir - 50g of dark chocolate 1/2 sachet de sucre vanillé - half a sachet of vanilla sugar (Alternatively, you can just use regular sugar, about 50g) 2 oeufs entiers - 2 whole eggs Battre les blancs en neige - Beat the egg whites until fluffy ( neige literally means snow ). Battre les jaunes avec le sucre - Beat the yolks with the sugar. Faire fondre le chocolat - Melt the chocolate (Do this gently!) Verser le chocolat dans le mélange jaunes/sucre - Pour the chocolate into the yolk/sugar mixture. Mélanger le tout - Mix it all together. Incorporer les blancs en 3 fois - Incorporate the white in 3 stages. Laisser reposer la mousse 2h minimum au frais - Chill the mousse for 2 hours minimum (in the fridge). Bon appetit!

Maurice posts about what he is doing today... and it's really not a lot... Oh, well, suppose it keeps him happy! And just in case you didn't know... Qu'est-ce que je fais aujourd'hui? means What am I doing today? AND... C'est ça que j'ai fait  aujourd'hui ! means That's what I did today! Other clothes are: un pantalon - trousers un pull - a jumper des chaussures - shoes So how do you think you would say... I am wearing trousers!  I am wearing a jumper! I am wearing shoes!

Here's Marcus Warering of Masterchef showing you how to make one of THE GREAT french dishes, an amazing toasted cheese and ham sandwich called Croque Monsieur. For those of you who don't eat ham, you can use mushrooms or tomatoes instead. There's also an alternative (vegetarian) version called Croque Madame, which uses an egg instead of the ham. If anyone actually manages to make this  sandwich, send me a photo and I'll post it on the blog. Bon appetit!

Salut Tout Le Monde! For all those who'd like to have a go practising the conversation, Maurice and I thought we'd like to give you the WHOLE thing written down! You can go to Maurice's YouTube channel to hear the conversation spoken... A: Salut. B: Salut. A: Comment tu t'appelles? B: Je m'appelle B. Et toi? A: Je m'appelle A. B: Enchanté, A. A: Enchanté, B. B: Alors, comment ça va? A: Ça va bien Merci, et toi? B: Ça va mal! A: Qu'est-ce qu'il y a? B: J'ai faim! A: T’as faim? B: Mais oui! A: Tu veux une carotte? B: Je ne veux pas une carotte! A: Pourquoi? B: Je n'aime pas les carottes. Et toi? A: J'aime les carottes. B: Vraiment? A: Oui. Essaie un petit peu… B: Non merci. A: Vas y! B: D'accord… A: Et maintenant? B: J'adore les carottes! - - - - - - A. Où habites tu? B. J’habite à Paris. Et toi? A. J’habite à Londres. B. Non! A. Si! B. Tu aimes Londres? A. C’est bien! Tu aimes Paris?    B. C’est

Maurice reads the lovely story of L'Enfant et La Baleine (The Child and the Whale) by Benji Davies. C'est l'histoire d'un petit garçon solitaire, d'une jeune baleine échoué sur la plage et de l'amitié qui va transformer leurs vies pour toujours... The story of a lonely little boy, of a whale stranded on the beach and of the friendship that will transform their lives for ever...

I'm looking out the window and it is the most GORGEOUS Spring day. So let's have a sentence that is completely suited to the weather! And it means... IT'S SUNNY! Do you know how to say it? If not, listen to Maurice pronouncing it in his BEST french...

Years 1, 2 and 3 have been singing this song, sometimes very FAST... Sometimes V... E... R... Y...   (very)    S....L... O... W... L... Y Tête (Head), Epaules (Shoulders), Genoux,  (Knees) Pieds (Feet) J'ai des yeux (I've got eyes) Des oreilles (Ears) Une bouche (A mouth) Un nez (A nose) Tête Epaules Genoux Pieds! Here's the video!

This song is all about the months of the year! Janvier (January) Février (February Mars (March) Avril (April) Mai (May) Juin (June) Juillet (July) Août  (August) Septembre (September) Octobre (October) Novembre (November) et.... Décembre (December) C'est les douze mois de l'année! (These are the 12 months of the year.)

In french, the verb être means "to be", as in... Je suis I am Nous sommes We are   Tu es You are Vous êtes You are (plural) Il est He is Ils sont They are  (masculine) Elle est She is Elles sont They are (feminine)  Have a look at these words.... Sol means soil Ciel means sky Bête means beast Belle means beauty Champs means fields Chenes means oak trees Rois means kings Reines means queens Now you can work out what the whole of this song means...

Monsieur Hardy et Madame Hardy read this lovely story by Isabelle Carrier.