Learn French with the News. This clip from RFI is 17 seconds long and has 56 words. Can you hear them all? Take our transcription quiz and improve your listening.
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Learn French with the news! This clip is from RFI’s Revue de Presse Française 24 Aug Episode. Listen and fill in what you hear below. Read more and find a translation below. Find the full episode here.
The above audio sample and transcription is from RFI’s Revue de Presse Française 24 Aug Episode. We do not own this content, nor do we pretend to. The above is for educational purposes only. Find the full text and audio here or on Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts.
Are alone in the world
Oof. Some heavy listening to close out August. I liked this clip for a couple of reasons:
First and foremost, we’ve got two speakers, as far as I can tell. Both reading/reciting from a clip of news.
And that brings me to the second part, and why I like this whole program. They recite the news rote, going quickly and without normal inflections. Meaning, you really have to pick up the words that are said. Ignore the medium and really get the message.
The pace is quick, nay, rapidfire and there’s little inflection except to make a point about the paper, it seems, not the message. This makes it a challenge for me.
Fortunately we’re studying a langauge, so there’s no reason to feel alone in the world. And… And…. I definitely did not choose “l’espoir est mort” for this title. Stick with it.
This clip has rapid pace through the last few sentences. I can barely hear the “et” before “l’espoir”. On first listen, I even thought that the clip was cut shorter than the text… It was over so fast.
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The snippet in English
Find a translation of this snippet here, how much of this did you hear?
—En fait, résument Les Dernières Nouvelles d’Alsace, ce matin, les Afghans sont seuls au monde.
—Il n’y a plus dans le pays ni soldats américains pour faire rempart ni plus personne pour les protéger de la barbarie ordinaire. Ce matin, le ciel est silencieux. Les portes de sortie sont toutes condamnées et l’espoir est mort.
– In fact, summarizes Les Latest Nouvelles d’Alsace, “This morning the Afghans are alone in the world.
– There are no longer any American soldiers in the country to defend themselves and no one to protect them from ordinary barbarism. This morning the sky is silent. The exits are all locked and hope is dead.
The above text translated using Google Translate. Translation Link. The content in French is from RFI.
What words did I look up in this snippet?
Find keywords for this snippet below
ce matin
seuls
soldats américains
rempart
barbarie ordinaire – commonplace barbarism
condamnées
l’espoir
Why Listening to RFI and the News Helps You Learn French in Real Life
At French IRL, we believe anyone at any level can start to immerse in real world French, French: In Real Life. Real life conversation and scenarios bring the language to life and connects it with the world around us. There’s no better place to connect to the world than with the news.
This is why our RFI and News category is a powerful tool for anyone learning French: it blends current events, authentic speech, and everyday vocabulary into real, living French. We try to focus on positive news (or at least not dwell on all the dark things in the world). The opinions expressed in these news posts do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editors of this project.
Listening to French news—especially from sources like RFI (Radio France Internationale)—exposes you to native pronunciation, cultural context, and the way people actually speak. You’ll hear idiomatic phrases, formal French, regional accents, and natural sentence structures, all in a format that’s more engaging than a textbook.
Explore other ways to grow your skills on our site:
- Try a daily French quiz for bite-sized practice
- Get full access to our tools with the All Access Pass
- Learn how to make the most of our content in our guide, How I Use French IRL
Whether you’re a beginner looking for context or an advanced learner keeping up with French current affairs, RFI and news-based learning brings vocabulary and comprehension together—just like it’s used in real life.
Improving your French Listening Comprehension with Podcasts
On this site, fast spoken French is finally accessible to all levels. The tool break podcasts into short clips each set to transcription fill-in-the-blank practice. My favorite practice in class is always dictées. While they can seem overwhelming at first, the confidence boost and skills payoff for doing the work pays off. They’re perfect for anyone at any level, from advanced students to those just starting.
We use podcasts and our practice exercises to make it possible for anyone, anywhere to immerse in French with fun and ease. Join us and enjoy French, one short clip at a time. Let’s learn together!
Make the most of the site:
- Daily Podcast Listening: Start your day with a French podcast from our collection. Choose episodes that align with your interests to keep it engaging.
- Active Listening Practice: As you listen, try to pick out key phrases and vocabulary. Use our daily quizzes to test your understanding and reinforce learning.
- Repeat and Shadow: Listen to the same podcast segment multiple times. Try to mimic the pronunciation and intonation to improve your spoken French.
- Note-taking: Jot down new words or phrases you encounter. Review these notes regularly to enhance vocabulary retention.
- Reflect and Respond: After each episode, summarize the main points in French, either in writing or aloud. This helps in consolidating your learning and improving your expressive skills.
- Read More:
- True Beginner or A1 Learners: discover tips learning with podcasts at an introductory level.
- Discover all the podcast clips on FrenchIRL organized by level.
- Top Tips: Here’s how I make the most of my own site.
I created the French In Real Life project because I wanted to understand more than just my teacher and youtubers who cater to learners. I wanted to understand the French I hear in France. I hope you can benefit as much as I have. Become a supporting member for access to all clips.
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Nice site I’m glad I found it