French reading practice with side-by-side translation
Reading comprehension: See the links at the bottom for lessons related to the phrases in italics.
| Marianne | Marianne |
| Personnification de la République française, Marianne fait partie du logo et du sceau officiels, et ses statues et bustes se trouvent dans les mairies, les tribunaux et les places dans les six coins de l’Hexagone. Elle figure également sur les timbres et les défunts francs. |
Translation
Personification of the French Republic, Marianne is part of the official logo and seal, and her statues and busts are found in town calls, law courts, and plazas in the six corners of the Hexagon. She’s also found on stamps and the now-defunct francs. [collapse]
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| La coiffure et le visage de Marianne sont aussi variés que ses emplacements. Portant traditionnellement un bonnet phrygien, certains considèrent ce symbole de liberté trop révolutionnaire, et préfèrent mettre en vedette son caractère sage en la coiffant plutôt en diadème ou en couronne. Son visage évolue aussi ; de nos jours il est parfois celui d’une célébrité française. |
Translation
Marianne’s headgear and face are as varied as her placements. Traditionally wearing a Phrygian cap, some consider this symbol of liberty too revolutionary, and prefer to highlight her wise nature by having her wear a tiara or crown instead. Her face evolves too; nowadays, it’s often that of a French celebrity. [collapse]
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| Statue of Marianne, Place Carnot Photo by Yves Tennevin, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 |
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| Bust of Marianne Photo by Patrick Janicek, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 |
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| Official logo of France, featuring Marianne |
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| Marianne on stamps |
Reading comprehension
Vocabulary
Grammar
- de la République, dans les mairies – prepositions
- du logo – contraction
- du logo et du seau officiels – adjective agreement
- ses statues et bustes, son caractère, de nos jours – possessive adjectives
- se trouvent – pronominal verb
- Elle figure également – adverb
- variés – past participle
- Portant, en la coiffant – present participles
- certains considèrent – indefinite pronoun
- ce symbole – demonstrative adjective
- en la coiffant – direct object
- celui d’une célébrité française – demonstrative pronoun
Related features
- 7 names for France
- French symbols and motifs
- Synonyms for French
- Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité
- Bastille Day (reading comprehension)
- Marianne, symbole de la République française (listening comprehension)
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