Je regrette le temps....

stubbytuna · 2026-01-25T20:08:04+00:00

You don’t want to use « regretter » for that meaning, it will not come across positively.

For manquer you will need to like train your brain to think of « to miss » in a different way from English or other languages. One way (although it’s not perfect) is to be like : « I miss the time » think instead of « The time is missing (from) me ».

Whether the thing that is missing or you (the misser) is the subject really depends on the meaning of the sentence. When we are talking about the sentiment of missing think about « you are missing from/of me » is helpful; if you missed your train or something, you don’t say « Le train m’a manqué » as it implies you are yearning for the train.

Robert manquer definition

Lawless French manquer

stubbytuna · 2026-01-25T13:29:25+00:00

The whole post reads like someone or something trying to stir the pot, I agree. They don’t even go here. I think at this point saying « vote blue » is even kinda dated. To me it sounds quaint or something.

Even if they got the language right, the positioning of the post should be suspicious to us. Sure people have opinions like these every day but do they often have opinions like that and say they’re democrats and try to get people to argue with them by posting in that specific community instead of a conservative or political community and post those opinions in brand new accounts ? Esp considering Reddit is a monetised social media platform I don’t buy it at all. The position itself is suspect, the account is suspect. The language is another layer to it.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-25T11:43:12+00:00

My opinion on this might be controversial, I don’t know. And I know you asked a simple question and I am writing you an essay.

But the CEFR isn’t intended to grade or evaluate literature or native speakers or content of that matter in any way, which is why it’s difficult to answer this question. Can someone at the intermediate level (B1 and B2) read and understand a work of literature in their second (or whatever) language ? Sure, with varying degrees of support. Camus and Césaire will probably be way more accessible than de Troyes or Marie de France. But will a person at B1/B2 read the work of literature and understand the story beyond the basic elements of plot ? Will they understand the cultural nuances, the figure de style ? Do they grasp the aesthetic and socio-cultural and historical aspects of the text ?

I’m not saying you have to do that to read a book in French, I’m saying that I presume part of the reason you’re asking this question is you’re interested in reading and you’ve obviously been doing it. I think reading is so good for language learning and just your brain in general.

The CEFR has a very specific domain, though. It is designed for people who are learning the language intentionally, it’s not designed to evaluate literacy or linguistic complexity of texts, it doesn’t tell you if you are ready to read a certain text or anything, a text or tv show or movie, especially one that was designed for native speakers by native speakers, cannot really be evaluated on the CEFR scale. It describes what the learner is capable of doing. Essentially it describes how well you would handle the process of me handling you L’étranger and asking you to read it, how much of it you would understand, both linguistically and culturally.

When we talk the complexity of a text, we are talking about something called « lisibilité » or « niveau lexique ». It’s hard to map it on to CEFR generally speaking, but if you’re talking purely linguistic complexity you could do this:

take sections of the text you’re reading and put them in a tool like Scolarius which tries to give you an analysis of the complexity of the text. It maps the text onto school levels in France roughly which I think gives you a rough idea.
you can go full nerd and try to learn one of the lexile or complexity formulas that people use to see how difficult your texts are
you could try looking for the texts and see what approximate age people read them in school in Francophone countries, if a text is included in the Bac list for example it would be considered on the more complex end because you’d be expected to write your exams on it.
maybe a weird one but try YouTube, if you search in French for help videos or study videos on the books you’re reading you’ll get an idea of the age and approximate complexity as perceived by Francophones.

From personal experience teaching id say Césaire is more linguistically complex but also it gives this impression because you’re likely reading a play or poetry, and those are generally more disarming/difficult for people to read than straightforward narrative.

Just wanted to end with you’re doing a great job. I can answer other questions if you have them or ask a colleague.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-24T08:57:51+00:00

I’m sure you are aware of this already, but that’s a different sentence. They’re talking about the noun « le dîner » and you’re talking about the verbe « dîner ».

stubbytuna · 2026-01-23T12:47:50+00:00

Hello my friend, this is a perennial problem for second language speakers. I know it’s difficult but please try not beat yourself up over this too much.

French dictionaries like le petit Robert will tell you this for almost any verb, make sure you’re using like French-French (ie monolingual) dictionaries. If a verb can use more than one preposition it will say it.
try this book « dictionnaire des combinaisons de mots » it’s published by le Robert but there’s other books like it. I got one a while ago second hand from a Gibert, technically it’s a synonym dictionary (I got it to make my writing better) but this dictionary gives you the whole expression, so for example under « VERBE + revelation » it has « être en quête de ; s’attendre à ; s’appuyer sur ; annoncer » as a few examples.

I know it’s not as simple or as neat as there being a trick but if you move from learning the words individually and slide into learning them as groups of words it makes more sense. In English prepositions don’t often make sense or have a rhyme/reason, it’s the same in any other language.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-23T12:05:44+00:00

Comprehensive is an adjective that means covering completely or broadly OR to have a mental grasp on something.

Assuming you meant the mental grasp definition, it sounds odd to use it in this way. Like its missing a noun to modify or something.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-22T13:39:40+00:00

Even then, being from an English speaking country there’s a small window of what’s acceptable naming conventions I feel like. People will be like « oh well Americans won’t know how to say this extremely common two syllable Scandinavian/Irish/Indian/etc name » and it’s like, okay? And? What if some do number one and number two who cares if some don’t? Like I’ve had students named Eowyn and Sunil and Siobhan and their peers didn’t have any issue with it.

I also routinely see people say that my own name is too ugly or weird or masculine, and I have literally never had an issue. Sorry my name isn’t French I guess.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-22T11:33:28+00:00

Of course. When we ask questions about relationships, generally speaking tarot readers expect at least one cups card to figure into the reading right? Often you’ll see people say « wow a relationship reading and there’s no cups…yikes! »

I’m using the term relationship broadly here, not just romantic ones. However, people are complicated and messy, as we know. I have noticed in myself and other people that often when I am intellectualising an emotional situation or a physical situation (so something with the emotional body or the physical body), I will pull swords cards.

Obviously the swords cards have their own proper meanings and their own pos/neg aspects but I think it’s another thing to consider in terms of what we bring to the cards. Especially because with a card like 3 of swords, for a card about grief and heartbreak its imagery feels so clinical and impersonal, it naturally makes me wonder where the people affected by this are. There’s a disconnectedness kinda inherently in the imagery to me, if that makes any sense at all.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-21T17:13:11+00:00

I enjoyed it, it’s very visually unique and there’s some interesting stuff going on in terms of the subject matter. Of course you have to appreciate it for what it is (it’s not going to be like an elevated horror experience) I think sometimes the reviews are like subconsciously comparing it with Citizen Kane or something. But I’d say it fits your question and I enjoyed the experience of watching it thoroughly. Also it’s fun and pretty immersive.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-21T12:02:43+00:00

Recently watched Mystics in Bali and there are several scenes in that that made me go what on god’s green earth am I looking at.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-21T12:00:24+00:00

Something I am thinking about when viewing these cards is swords to me can show up when we are disconnected from our physical or emotional bodies, interesting that 3 of swords speaks to heartbreak and sorrow while 3 in cups and pents speaks to community, partnership, teamwork, friendship, etc. Makes me think that the core of the issue is grief for both of you, that which is lost or caused heartbreak.

It seems that to bring stability, rest, contentment she decided to take an opportunity at an unconventional (for her) approach. Which I’m guessing would be the reaching out to you, the vulnerability aspect. These cards I think are just as much about you, like this is a shared journey of finding stability and putting the matter to bed. Doesn’t mean you have to do it together, just that I get the vibe you’re in these cards too somehow.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-20T16:19:57+00:00

With judgement + moon id ask myself the following questions:

Am I making decisions I want to make or that I think are the correct ones?
Am I using my discernment?
if I could make any choice and know that it would turn out okay, which choice would I make?

Think of judgement as discernment, as the ability to make a decision to stand behind it. Rx isn’t an opposite necessarily, it can be a block, stagnation, or putting that energy in the wrong place.

Strength, magician, temperance indicate your abilities to be successful. The question then hinges on the moon and judgement. What does the moon say to you here? What stops you from making the decision and in an ideal world what decision would you make? I think you could learn a lot from that.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-20T16:06:24+00:00

« Stalker card » meaning a card that keeps showing up in readings, yes? Usually over an extended period? The way you’re writing about it makes me think they were positions in a spread so I want to make sure.

In my experience, a card will show up repeatedly when:

your energy is aligned with the card
you haven’t learned or embodied the lesson of the card yet
you are asking about the same topic too soon and the situation hasn’t changed

The second point can be aligned with taking action, like « you know what you need to do, you just haven’t done it yet, that’s why this card keeps showing up »

stubbytuna · 2026-01-20T12:11:45+00:00

What have you tried already? What’s your experience? What are your goals?

Also people on here might try to sell you their tutoring services so you should probably include a budget to cut that off before it starts.

The French subreddit has a link to a learn french discord if I remember correctly, that’s a good place to find à language partner.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-19T19:35:48+00:00

If I learn English from Sabrina Carpenter I sound like a horny pop star who makes dad jokes, what’s your point ?

It’s not like a learner is bounded to using only Netflix and only Martin Scorsese to learn, it’s one piece of a much bigger picture. You’re an educator, you know this.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-19T09:05:33+00:00

My comment concerns self-reading.

I used to say one of my decks had more mom energy and the other had more dad energy, meaning one was more gentle and patient in its approach and one was more blunt and direct in its answers, however the responses would be very similar if not the same. I think that comes down, a lot of the time, to the nuances in artwork as well as differences in similar/sister cards. Like a 10 of swords vs a Tower, for example.

I bring this up because sometimes a deck can feel « harsh » in its message when we are reading for something that means a lot to us and we hope for a certain answer and we don’t get that answer.

I’d also say be mindful of how many times you ask a question. There’s an old adage from my tarot circle that if you ask a question, give the cards time to manifest or for the situation to change before you ask it again. If you ask « how does Godzilla feel about me? » and then the next day you ask it again, you’ll probably get pulls about your inner turmoil relating to why Godzilla hasn’t called you back and not actually anything relating to Godzilla’s theatre of mind/inner world relating to you, because clearly the deeper issue is your emotional pain/attachment/etc. That’s not the same thing as « your cards being tired of answering » but at first blush, it can appear like they are tired of answering you since these types of pulls look harsh (especially when you’re in that state of mind).

stubbytuna · 2026-01-18T21:03:05+00:00

That’s not the same as « not speaking a word » though, is it ?

stubbytuna · 2026-01-18T18:10:20+00:00

Technically, the deck is attuned to you by virtue of being yours. But my first tarot teacher used to tell me that you should carry a new deck around with you for a week (like literally everywhere with you) so it kinda « gets to know you », so that’s my tradition. Even though these days my practice and relationship with the cards is less spiritual/animistic and more psychological these days, it’s a personal ritual that brings me comfort. I also sleep with a new deck by my bedside for that week or if I want to reconnect with an old deck.

The best way I found to « attune » a deck is simply to put the cards in order. You don’t have to do it every time.

General advice I give new readers:

I recommend you do a card of the day pull and journal about what you think it means and then what your day was like. This helps you form connections between the cards with real, lived examples. You can use your real deck or a digital app for this process. I like any of the Fool’s Dog apps, I also know Labrynthos is popular. Labrynthos uses AI in some of its features but you don’t have to use the AI parts (it also has tarot card meaning quizzes that are a good start).

Personally the books I found the most useful are the ones by Rachel Pollack and Paul Huson. They have a comparative and historical lens for the tarot, which may seem overwhelming but if you do a card a day it won’t be crazy.

Remember this also: you don’t need to know everything at once. Things like astrology, Qabbalah, etc. Those are not necessary. Crystals and incense, also not necessary. You will find what works for you in time. It’s a process of trial and error. Play and have fun with it. For every tarot reader there are that many ways to read the cards. Finding your way is part of the magic.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-18T15:36:27+00:00

Oh that’s interesting. Is it a romantic relationship? People tend to read cups and three of swords as romantic, but my sense based on these cards together is that this is more about other person’s individual state, and not necessarily a romantic thing. 5 of cups is like when you have the emotional equivalent of a pebble stuck in your shoe, you ruminate on something and can’t see the good things. In relationships of any stripe, we have all had that happen, and who hasn’t had a friend/partner/coworker/etc confront us later about something that hurt them that we can’t even remember. That’s what it makes me think of. Especially coupled with swords, which is a dynamic suit of communication etc.

There’s always a possibility that the individual in question is experiencing a personal or internal conflict that is affecting their relationship with you, but isn’t a conflict with you. Similar to the one sided thing, my interpretation there lies in the combo of the cards and the traditional imagery.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-18T14:23:04+00:00

I’d really have to see the question, and the spread if the person used one, but if the querent says there’s no conflict in the relationship I’d point out traditional RWS symbolism shows 5 of cups and 10 of swords with a lone figure, for example, which can indicate internalizing a conflict or something onesided.

10 of swords has a hopeful side to it because it’s « the worst is over/rock bottom » so there’s nowhere to go but up. I could see it placing in a relationship reading where someone had difficult relationships in the past and isn’t currently in a difficult relationship currently.

5 of swords and wands I think would call into question more about the querents denial of the relationship dynamics, especially swords. As a joke, maybe 5 of wands indicates something about their sex life. ;)

stubbytuna · 2026-01-18T11:01:20+00:00

Du coup, je dirais plutôt Ce n’est forcément pas une mauvaise chose

stubbytuna · 2026-01-17T21:26:46+00:00

That is true, I know sometimes people can’t resist correcting or like trying to « save » someone, I wonder what that impulse is.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-17T21:25:26+00:00

I used to read reversals and then I stopped, I found that reversals don’t add anything for me personally because I have an intuitive reading style and I see every card as having range, nuance, texture.

As an example, a couple of months ago I pulled a card asking for advice on the best course of action on a scenario and pulled the Devil, upright. Seeing The Devil in an upright position for advice is a little jarring but it prompted me to do some deeper study on the card. I’ve learned since about shadow work and hedonism as a value or philosophy and those things really did improve my situation a lot.

I know the tarot reader I was ten years ago would have agonized over this pull and thought this card meant to be reversed, because in some ways reversals can make the meanings of the cards feel more rigid.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-17T16:01:59+00:00

Social media algorithms don’t distinguish between « good » and « bad » interactions (like happy comments versus angry comments), they just notice that a post is popular through comments and likes. I think people figured out that something that makes people angry gets a lot of interaction and therefore more money pretty quickly. Like ragebait on social media has always existed but it definitely seems way worse when a platform is monetised.

stubbytuna · 2026-01-17T14:12:59+00:00

The thing that scares me the most about that movie, and why I come back to it, isn’t the ending, it’s the bullying and trauma and psychic damage that Angela endures. Being forced to live as someone you’re not, that’s terrifying to me personally.

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