French Quotes About Life: 2

Japanese listening practice for beginners - Youtube videos

“キッズボンボン for Children” channel

All of the videos on this list have Japanese subtitles. It is mostly in ひらがな and the words are separated. This and the fact that these videos are aimed for children, makes them great for beginners.

PEACH BOY - MOMOTARO (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

KINTARO (Japanese) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

USHIWAKAMARU (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

SHINING PRINCESS (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

THE TONGUELESS SPARROW (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

THE DANCING KETTLE (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

THE STORY OF THE MONKEY AND THE CRAB (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

CLACK CLACK MOUNTAIN (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

OLD MAN WITH THE LUMP (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

OLD MAN FLOWER (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

THE YOUNG MONK IKKYU (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

THE GRATEFUL CRANE (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

URASHIMA TARO (JAPANESE) / うらしまたろう - 浦島太郎（日本語版）Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

THE SNOW WOMAN (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

THE ROLLING RICE BALL (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy

INCH BOY (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

THE CHILD GODS (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

THE STORY OF THE ZODIAC (JAPANESE) Japanese classical stories | fairy tale

All of these videos have an English version on this channel. Search for them or click on this playlist. You can use both versions to study what’s being said.

SNOW WHITE (JAPANESE) fairytale | Folktales | bedtime stories

THUMBLINA (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

PETER PAN (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

A DOG OF FLANDERS (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

PINOCCHIO (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

PUSS IN BOOTS (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

ALADDIN AND THE MAGIC LAMP (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

THE WOLF AND THE SEVEN LITTLE GOATS (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

CINDERELLA (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

THE LITTLE MATCH SELLER | Folktales | bedtime stories

HE MERMAID PRINCESS | Folktales | bedtime stories

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD | Folktales | bedtime stories

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

THE ADVENTURE OF TOM SAWYER (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime

THE WIZARD OF OZ (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

THE UGLY DUCKLING (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

ALICE IN WONDERLAND (JAPANESE) | Folktales | bedtime stories

All of these videos have an English version on this channel. Search for them or click on this playlist. You can use both versions to study what’s being said.

The reality about spoken french

We don’t use the negation ne. We say Je sais pas (I don’t know) or On a pas à le faire (we don’t have to do it),

Speaking of which, we prefer using on rather than the pompous nous : On est arrivé-es (we’ve arrived), On y va? (shall we go)

Speaking of which, our questions are often affirmative sentences ending with a question mark (i.e. : a high-pitched tone) : Tu viens? (are you coming), T’en veux un-e? (do you want one).

Speaking of which, we chew words. When followed by words starting with a consonant, personal pronouns can lose their final letter : J’te l’dis! rather than Je te le dis (I’m telling you).

Speaking of which, we’re lazy : Je can be Che (chais pas), Il can be Y (r’garde, y’a un chat!) and grunt : many euh (uh), ah, bah (hum), ben (well), hein (tf?) and rhooo/rhaaa (ffs). We often start sentences with but : Mais tu saoules! (you’re annoying) to express displeasure.

Speaking of which, on top of dropping négations, we drop pronouns : You’re being a pain in my ass should be Tu me fais chier but can be Tu fais chier - maybe to make it universal or dramatic.

Speaking of which, we thrive on sarcasm and irony. To someone who’s babbling, we’ll answer It makes my leg look good.

Speaking of which, we repeat (personal) pronouns at the beginning or end of sentences. We’re likely to ask Qu’est-ce qu’il en dit, lui? and answer Moi, je veux bien (tonic pronouns, careful!).

Speaking of which, we like to use the conditional mode to indicate a wish or hypothesis : lots of Si j’avais su, j’aurais dit oui (had i known, i’d have said yes), J’aimerais bien pouvoir- (I wish I could-), etc.

Speaking of which, we add useless words : Bien (j’irais bien), Petit (un petit peu), Très (très vrai), Trop (je ne sais pas trop), ça (C’est quoi, ça?)…

Speaking of which, let’s stop before you all get disgusted and unfollow me. Remember this is spoken, private french and doesn’t apply to formal situations!

Quelques mots similaires #8

Le monsieur = gentleman

La madame = madam, lady

La mademoiselle = miss

Les mesdemoiselles = ladies

Les messieurs = gentlemen

Les mesdames = ladies

Aspirated H- nouns

I have mentioned before that h- nouns, depending on if they come from the (most likely) Germanic or the Latin language, will be treated differently: a Frankish noun will not have a liaison (Un haricot, Les-/-haricots) but a Latin noun will have one (Un-(h)iver, Les-z-hommes). Think of them as the aspirated H- and the mute H-.

A few things to note:

Most of H- nouns are mute as French is a romance language, direct heir of Latin - the roman empire is known for philosophy, thinking, culture, politics. The Franks however led simpler lives and spent most of their time outside; when they invaded us, they left their mark in the vocabulary, especially in practical things: trees, foods, animals, weapons...

If you're unsure, try to think of the translation of a noun in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, or even Latin: if they're siblings, your noun is romance. Homme: hombre, uomo, etc.

If you don't know those languages, here's another test: try doing L' + noun and see if it could get mixed up with another word. Ex: La hache > L'hache > Lâche. This is especially true if the following vowel is -a- as it would be harder to pronounce.

If the word is borrowed to English (a Germanic heir), the H- is aspirated (Hamburger, Hockey, Hippie).

If an aspirated H- noun doesn't come from the Germanic language ("Vieux francique"), it might come from Old Norse (Houle), Arabic (Hasard), Latin (Harpe), or an onomatopeia (ex: An owl is Un hibou, which might just be a version of Hoo hoo, just like the Egyptians called cats "Mau").

A few common aspirated H- nouns:

Hache, f - ax

Haie, f - hedge, fence

Haine, f - hatred

Hâle, f - slight tan

Hameau, m - hamlet

Hanche, f - hip

Handicap, m - disability

Harcèlement, m - harassment

Haricot, m - bean

Harnais, m - harness

Hasard, m - chance, coincidence

Hâte, f - haste

Haut, m - top (Le haut du mur)

Hauteur, f - height (of objects)

Hérisson, m - hedgehog

Héros, m - hero

Heurtoir, m - door knocker

Hiérarchie, f - hierarchy

Hochement, m - nodding

Homard, m - lobster

Hongrie, f - Hungary

Honte, f - shame

Hors d'oeuvre, m - appetizer

Houle, f - swell (sea)

Hoquet, m - hiccups

Hors-la-loi - outlaw

Huis clos, m - closed session

Huitième - eighth

Hurlement, m - scream

how to study with a mental illness!!!! aka a guide to simultaneously caring for yourself and your academics

(disclaimer: this is from purely personal experience and is not a substitute for seeking professional help. these are just personal tips as i was formally diagnosed with depression and anxiety in the third year of college, but had been showing symptoms even in high school. different methods help for different people, but i really hope some of these things can help a struggling student out, because one of the reasons i went on studyblr in the first place was that i felt really lost and anxious.)

1. done is better than none. sometimes an assignment you have to turn in would be objectively easy to complete, but it takes longer to do so because you’re afraid that the final product won’t be as good as you want it to be, or as good as a professor expects it to be. it’s hard to remove those expectations, but it is a little easier when you remember that getting some points (no matter how many they are) are better than getting a deduction for late submissions or not turning in the project at all. many people – including myself – suffer from perfectionism in university, but it is overall more important to complete something to the best of your own ability, and learn from the feedback on the project later on. more importantly, often, you’re doing better than you think you’re doing, so surprise yourself. you can do it. just start.  2.  keep careful track of your deadlines.  much of my undergrad anxiety came from the fact that i knew something was due, but couldn’t keep track of it, or didn’t want to confront it. it’s better to confront it because you have more time to do it slowly and thoroughly. as soon as you hear about an impending exam or paper deadline, keep track of it. personally, i use google calendar. from there, you can make smaller plans and break down your goals to make it more doable! 3. don’t be afraid to ask for help.  there used to be a huge stigma against mental illness, but thankfully, many educational institutions are much kinder and more considerate about it. if you really can’t meet a deadline or come to class, let your professor know. most professors are kind, reasonable people who genuinely care about you and your well-being. even one of my scariest professors granted extensions to a girl who was genuinely struggling with serious depression, and the college of law i’m in takes mental health very seriously to the point that they instruct faculty how to deal with such cases.  if you’re not able to talk to a professor, try to ask help from a classmate or a friend who can share notes or fill you in on how they accomplished a certain assignment. many people will be happy to help. you are not a burden, love. 4. be kinder to yourself.  mental illness is like any illness. it often keeps us from doing as well as we’d like to be because it’s a genuine and serious health problem. sometimes it helps to keep this in mind when we flub a report in class (as i did several tens of times in undergrad), get a bad score, say something ridiculous during recitation, or mess up a paper. it’s okay to do your best while you heal. you know you’re trying your best, and slow growth is still growth. 5. on that note, care for your other needs.  one of my happiest and most fulfilled semesters (even though it was my busiest) was when i had time to see a psychiatrist, run, pack lunches and fruit to school to eat healthy, and have a reasonable-ish sleep schedule. this was during my thesis semester. while i had to take an incomplete, and finish my thesis the next sem, because i was attending to my own needs, i felt like a living, breathing, learning, happy person. and i finished my thesis the next semester. it’s better to look after your own physical health and needs before your academics. 6. sometimes, it’s better to do nothing and rest. you deserve it.  part of the reason i’d been doing horribly in law school was that i didn’t sleep and it was making me mildly unbalanced and incredibly suicidal; not to mention the fact that i wasn’t really retaining any information or performing well. rest days are just as important as days when you study because rest IS productivity.  7. take your meds. see your psych or therapist if you have one. avail yourself of mental health services on campus if there are any. these genuinely saved my life at a time that i thought i was beyond saving. please go seek help if you can.  BONUS: MY STUDY SETUP ON A TERRIBLE MENTAL HEALTH DAY (like today) - i try to clear the space and clean up as much as possible. it makes me feel like i have things under control, and have my work things where i can see them. - i eat something healthy, like fruit, and get a lot of water. i keep a water jug on my desk because it clears my thoughts and helps me replenish the fluids lost from crying (1/2jk). it also really keeps up my strength for the study process. - i turn on a calming playlist, like a jazz or lofi or ghibli playlist. in another window, i turn on a rain sound video on a softer volume, and it helps center me. - it helps when you have a soft or calming scent to calm you down. i use a lavender room spray, and it makes me feel cozy and productive, but in undergrad, i used this tea-tree lavender mix and it smelled like sunny afternoons and guitar coffeshop playlists. it really is nice. - there are breathing exercises and gifs all over the internet. they help calm you down when things seem Too Much.  i really hope this helps, guys. don’t hesitate to message me if you’ve been having a hard time with school or life or anything. please, please care for yourselves. you can do it.  – sam

tips for college classes that nobody tells you

1. don’t load your hardest classes in one semester. find out which classes within your major are rumored to be tough and divide them out throughout your time in college.

2. don’t show up to class earlier than 10 mins early. the class before yours will likely still be in there finishing up, and you’ll either walk in in the middle of a lecture or have to stand outside for a long time. just get there 5-10 mins early and you’ll be fine!

3. create a group chat for all of your classes. find a few friends from class and make a group chat! this can be either on imessage, groupme, or whatever is most popular to use at your school. this can be your go-to place to ask questions about assignments, due dates, etc. before asking the professor!

4. as for class participation, quality>quantity. in most college classes (with the exception of huge lectures) participation accounts for a chunk of your grade, and some professors take that grade very seriously. however, this doesn’t mean you should raise your hand and talk whenever you find the opportunity- your professor (and your classmates, for that matter) will appreciate you much more if your comments and questions are less frequent and have more to add to the class. 

5. the readings listed under a date in a class are due for that class, they are not homework for the next class. this is one of the biggest issues college freshman have at the beginning of their first semester. unless the professor specifically says otherwise, if the syllabus is set up to list each class individually with the readings underneath/beside the class, they are due for that class, not the next one.

6. make yourself known to your professor! this is especially important for a large lecture, where they won’t get to know you otherwise. stop by their office hours or go up to them after class and introduce yourself- making a connection with your professor can open more doors than you may know!

7. rate my professor is not always accurate. professors can get better or worse, and different people have different experiences. though it’s a great tool and you can still use it to see what people think, if you’re stuck with a professor that is ranked low, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a bad time in that class.

8. sometimes it’s okay to just skim your readings. you’ll find out soon enough if your professor basically goes over exactly what the reading says every class. if so, you only need to skim it over and take light notes. don’t spend hours closely reading a textbook that your professor is just going to go over word for word the next day (unless it helps you- if so, do it!)

9. the guy in class that answers every question isn’t smarter than you. that’s it.

10. if you come from a lower income area or a worse school district than your peers, you may be playing the “catch up game” for a while. it’s okay! i personally go to a college where most students here come from wealthy families across the world and were sent to the best high schools possible. if you, like me, come from a mediocre public school, you may feel like you’re a beat behind your peers when it comes to background knowledge. don’t give up. work hard, you’ll catch up with them soon. (also- they aren’t smarter than you just because they had better opportunities than you did growing up. at the end of the day, you ended up at the same college)

i was struggling with the agreement of prepositions, so i made these reference sheets with the help of my french teacher! Let me know if there’s anything I need to correct, grammatically or visually!

mourir  to die déceder  to pass away déceder de cause naturelle, mourir sa belle mort  to die a natural death s’éteindre  to pass away (usually of old age) trouver la mort  to die (by an accident) passer l’arme à gauche  to kick the bucket (lit. to pass the weapon to the left) casser sa pipe  to die (lit. to break your pipe) la mort  death le décès  death (more polite) le mort, le défunt  the dead person le corps, le cadavre  the corpse, the body le cercueil  the casket, the coffin la bière  the coffin (more polite) le porteur de cercueil  pallbearer le deuil  mourning être en deuil  to mourn, to be in mourning faire le deuil de qqn, faire son deuil  to grieve for something or someonee déplorer la perte de  to mourn the loss of  pleurer la morte de qqn to mourn the death of someone le cortège funèbre  a funeral procession le corbillard  hearse les funerailles  funeral l’organisation des funérailles  funeral arrangements l’enterrement  burial la chapelle funéraire, la maison funéraire  funeral home les obsèques, le service funèbre  funeral service la crémation  cremation le bûcher funéraire  funeral pyre le cimitière  cemetery le lieu de sépulture  burial site la pierre tombale  tombstone la tombe, le tombeau  tomb, grave le caveau  plot l’épitaphe (f.)  epitaph

AP LITERATURE & COMPOSITION RESOURCE PAGE!

Here are a whole bunch of sources to help you pass not only your AP Literature class but your AP Literature Exam as well! Includes: review books, tips & strategies, book analyses, lit. terms glossary, essay help, & more! :) Click Here! 

my favourite soundscapes for sleeping & studying

i finally managed to get my favourite asmr/ambience/soundscape videos into a neat list. i use these while i study, and they also help me get to sleep. since i cannot do anything without some sort of background noise on, they are a lifesaver for me; they’re also great for daydreaming purposes. if you have any that you like, please share! 

Victorian London

Baker Street 221B

Hogwarts Express

Library

Victorian Office

Cottage Kitchen

Library Room with Fireplace

Potion Shop

Hobbit Hole

Autumn Village

Shell Cottage

Seaside Art Room

Italian Cafe

French Cafe

Autumn Coffee Shop with Jazz

Enchanted Forest (with music)

Forest (without music)

Spaceship Library

Pirate Ship