excusez-moi!

Ma or Mon for the possesive of excuse?
Dictionary tells me that excuse is feminine.
From what I've learned and logic tells me: ma excuse.
Sounds right to me.

But I haven't the exceptional French ear. Those ears can't bear to hear something so obviously ugly that it defies the grammar rules, rightly.
Mon excuse is right.

How to train my ear to spot the ugly exceptions? Well try spottin' the English from the French and don't get Lauren "bovvered".


excusez-moi excuse me (formal)
ma (fem) mon (mas) my


La photo: "Mon-Kangaroo" and "Ma-Kangaroo" tearing off each other's ears fighting for "excuse". Quelque part en Australie, octobre 2004.

s'habituer

I'm not sure which is easier: letting go of an old habit or acquiring a new one. In the ideal world I would be replacing a bad habit with a good one.

Five days have gone by since I've started my daily French sentence project. The effort, or not (day 3), have so far replaced the effort I usually put into my homework. Luckily, my efforts (no matter how little) have paid off so far. I find myself learning new things, remembering important things and on my way to mastering things I know through constant practice.

The important thing is to have a bit of French everyday. The challenge is fine-tuning that bit of "everyday French" so that it becomes a fun routine that maximizes the results of the efforts put in.

Right now the routine I'm trying to firmly establish is my weekly lesson, my daily sentence and my homework. Yes, in that order. A tall order if I don't want to disappoint my teacher because my homework is last on the list but not least. Here are my daily sentences (share one of yours in the comment box, or provide a link):

jour 2: On ne peux jamais s'habituer à regarder le caca de chien
You/One can never get used to seeing dog poop.

jour 3: --

jour 4: Mon excuse pour hier était le vertige de la page blanche et le manque de temps. Pas de phrase hier, alors deux aujourdh'hui.
My excuse for yesterday was writer's block and lack of time. No sentence yesterday therefore two today

jour 5: Il y a des factures a payer
There are bills to pay

Now, off to shower (number 14 of 77 Ways to Learn Faster, Deeper and Better) and then get that homework done for this week's lesson.


La photo: On the grounds of the Montfort Castle in Tettnang, Germany. Mars 2007.