Tired of stuffy old grammar exercises in text books? Come along with Lionel and learn something about the use of gender in French. This one’s fun, we promise — and no boring rules to memorize!

Lionel shows us that sometimes there are better things to do than stay all day in an office building to pay rent for an apartment we can’t even spend time in. (And yes, the word “travail” really is related to the word “torture.”) Remember, the revolution starts with you!

According to Lionel, we hear far too much about Charlie Hebdo and not enough about Le Canard Enchaîné, which is about to celebrate its centenary in 2016. This quality satirical newspaper is in a similar vein to Charlie Hebdo. Both papers even shared the same cartoonist, Cabu, who sadly did not survive the January attack on Charlie Hebdo. Le Canard Enchaîné was no stranger to extremist threats either.

Lionel L introduces a new social phenomenon called "Nuit Debout" ("Up All Night" or "Rise Up Night"). It's a protest movement born from a general discontent regarding politics, labor laws, and other issues. At 6 p.m. every day, people take to the streets of Paris to discuss ideas and air their grievances. The movement is gathering momentum in other cities and countries as well.

In part two of "Nuit Debout" (Up All Night), Lionel explains how protesters gather every night at Place de la République in Paris to think of alternative politics for a better world. The "Nuit Debout" movement has its own coded language and even its own calendar!

Lionel concludes his series on Nuit Debout. The protest movement, expressing discontent with politics in general, is spreading. Lawyers have joined the fight, and the attitudes of the media and politicians toward the movement are slowly shifting.

Lionel discusses the French government's recent decision to invoke Article 49-3 of the Constitution in order to push through a controversial labor bill without a parliamentary vote. He also gives a brief description of the differences between the two houses of the French Parliament, the Senate and the National Assembly.

Every summer, the city of Paris organizes activities to entertain Parisians who don't go on holiday. On the banks of the Seine, you'll be able to play chess or checkers and feel like you're on vacation. There are also plenty of activities for children.

Lionel shares his opinions on French President François Hollande's first term and on the upcoming presidential elections in 2017. He predicts a "new triangle" of presidential candidates: Hollande, Marine Le Pen, and Nicolas Sarkozy.

Lionel shows us some ephemeral art in Paris, including an anamorphic installation on the Louvre Pyramid and a large steel sculpture with a cardboard "cave" inside. Check them out before they're gone!

Lionel tells us about the Seine's recent flooding, caused by severe weather conditions in Paris and surrounding areas. A statue of a French soldier below the Pont de l'Alma acts as an indicator of the river's water level.

Lionel takes us to a repurposing festival. It's the second edition of this festival in the Marais neighborhood, offering a great opportunity to recycle, repurpose, and reuse everyday objects that would otherwise be discarded. It's also a great way of taking care of our planet.

Lionel is in the Place des Vosges in Paris on a chilly June day. The square is busier than previous years due to a recent flood along the Seine. Parisians like to go out in the fresh air, bring a picnic, a bottle of wine, or simply work on their laptop in the many parks scattered around the city.

Lionel gives us the latest updates on France's Nuit Debout protest movement. Though the movement is no longer centered around Paris's Place de la République, it's still gaining traction online.

While the Rio Olympic Games were taking place, the Paris Mayor's Office installed a beach volleyball court complete with real sand in front of the city hall building. Parisians relished the opportunity to practice a sport that is not readily available in the heart of the city.

Every year, a portion of Paris turns into a miniature beach where people of all ages can play games and bask in the sun.

During the summer, a portion of Paris reinvents itself as "Paris-Plage" [Paris Beach]. The capital turns into a vacation spot by providing water access and outdoor activities near the Seine and other waterways like the Canal de l'Ourcq.

The Paris mayor's office set up an outdoor exhibition at the Bastille recounting events that took place on the site of the famous prison. Most people know that the Bastille was stormed during the French Revolution of 1789, but not many people are aware of other important events that took place before and after the Revolution.

The Canard Enchaîné (Chained Duck) recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary. The independent satirical newspaper, known for its shocking headlines, survived many controversies and even censorship. It still has an avid fanbase today.

Meet Jacques Guillaume, electric razor repairman extraordinaire. He's been fixing razors since 1962 in his tiny Paris workshop, and quite successfully at that. He's had many famous customers over the years, from interim president Alain Poher to actor Eddie Constantine.

Lionel discusses the French Academy's latest spelling reform, which includes such modifications as removing the i in oignon (onion) and the circumflex in coût (cost). There's been a fair amount of backlash against the reform, though the changes are only recommended, not mandatory.

A very unpopular labor law caused Parisians to protest near the Bastille before it was passed in 2015. President François Hollande invoked Article 49-3 of the Constitution to force this law through. The protests continued after the law was successfully enacted in 2016. For more information, you can visit the Nuit Debout and Convergence des Luttes websites.

When the weather is nice, Parisians meet up on the riverbanks every weekend to dance, talk, and spend time with friends. For those who love dancing, there are free salsa, hip-hop, and Afro-Cuban dance lessons. It's a party!

Lionel takes us to the friendly Butte aux Cailles neighborhood in Paris. Its village-like atmosphere is a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the capital. The Butte aux Cailles was formerly part of the small town of Gentilly before being attached to the city of Paris.

Lionel goes to the Louvre Pyramid, which was commissioned by former President François Mitterrand and designed by the architect I.M. Pei. Located in the Cour Napoléon (Napoleon Courtyard), the pyramid is one of the most famous selfie sites in the world.

Lionel talks about life under quarantine in France. All group activities are forbidden, and you can only go outside to walk your dog, go to the pharmacy, or shop for basic necessities.

Lionel talks about how the French people are doing after a month of confinement. He misses his hairdresser...

In this video, from the beginning of May 2020, Lionel talks about the various deconfinement measures taking place in France. The country has been gradually reopening throughout the month of May.

In May 2020, France entered its deconfinement phase. While the French people are no longer expected to obtain written permission for leaving their homes, they still have to exercise caution and wear masks in most public places.

Lionel describes the latest measures taken by the French government regarding the COVID pandemic. A curfew has been enforced in major cities in an effort to contain the virus.

Lionel tells us about the second lockdown this year in France. It's slightly different from the first one in that schools are now open.

Lionel tells us about the end of the second lockdown in France, which took place in mid-December. This, along with predictions of a third wave of the virus, has made French people agree on one thing: all this is very confusing!

Lionel talks about a very handy little word, le truc, that can be used for just about everything. And no, it doesn't mean "truck"!

Lionel gives a few pointers on telling time in French, including when to use the twelve-hour clock versus the twenty-four-hour clock.

Lionel shares a few tips on how to pronounce the u sound in French, which tends to be difficult for English-speaking learners. After watching the video, and with some practice, you'll be able to say words like tu (you) and mur (wall) with confidence.

Lionel shares a few tips on how to pronounce the French nasal sound on, which is a homophone, with multiple spellings.

Lionel gives a brief overview of the nasal in sound, which can be spelled a lot of different ways, including in, un, en, ain, ein, and even hein, the French equivalent of "huh?"

Lionel shares a few tips on how to pronounce the an sound in French, which can either be spelled an or en, as in en chantant (singing, while singing) or enchanté (nice to meet you).

Lionel gives us some tips about liaisons, a very important component of French pronunciation. He also talks about le h aspiré (aspirated h) and the debatable pronunciation of les haricots (the beans).

Lionel talks about the 2020 Euro Cup, which actually took place in 2021 due to the COVID pandemic. He explains what happened to the French, the Spanish, and the Danish teams, among others.

Do you know what la teuf and zarbi mean? These are two examples of verlan, one of the most common forms of French slang. Some verlan words have become so popular that they've been added to the dictionary.

Lionel goes over some of the many slang words for "money" in French, including la moula, les bifs, and les waris. He also explains why you shouldn't try to pay with larger bills in a store.

Lionel will explain the difference between "matin" and "matinée", which both mean morning in English, and "soir" and "soirée" which both mean evening. You can read more about this distinction in our lesson Morning and Evening.

In this video, Lionel will explain how the French presidential elections work and who the 2022 candidates are.