FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

My son Max is back with his weekly column "Letter from a Young (very young!) Frenchman". The English version follows the story, don't miss it!

confondre (kohN-fohNdr) verb
1. to mix up, to confuse
2. to astound, stagger
3. to confound
4. to join, to meet

and...
se confondre (verb):
1. to merge, to meet; to become confused

Expressions:
confondre un menteur = to show up a liar
se confondre en excuses = to apologize profusely

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Citation du Jour:

L'amour est un fleuve où les eaux de deux rivières se mêlent sans se confondre.

Love is a river where the waters of two streams mingle without merging.
--Jacques de Bourbon Busset

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Letter from a Young Frenchman
(9-year-old Max reports)

Il y a à peu près une semaine, en revenant du centre aéré, j'ai fait une blague à ma petite soeur. Je suis rentré dans la voiture et je lui ai dit:

"Madame, vous n'êtes pas dans la bonne voiture." Puis, elle m'a dit:
"Je suis dans la bonne voiture, pourquoi?" Puis, j'ai dit:

"Vous confondez la famille Espinasse avec la famille Epinard!"

* * * * *

About one week ago, on the way home from the recreational center, I played a joke on my little sister. I got into the car and I said:

"Madame, you are not in the right car." Then she said:
"I am in the right car, why?" Then I said,
"You have confused the Espinasse family with the Spinach family!"

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Note from Max's mom: My husband was also teased as a child about his family name. "Espinasse" was an easy target for "épinard" (spinach). Sans blague (no kidding) he went on to marry an American girl named "Ingham" (who was sometimes called "IngHam and Eggs").