Québec French, week by week Week 2 in Québec French
Play 6 min , the long video Québec French, week 2: magasiner, tanné, courriel, tiguidou and jaser, captions on
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Week 2, published Oct 25, 2026, 6 min Québec French, week 2: magasiner, tanné, courriel, tiguidou and jaser
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Our second week of Québec French in one video: « magasiner » (to go shopping), « j’suis tanné » (I’m fed up), « courriel » (email), « tiguidou » (perfect, all good) and « jaser » (to chat). Then a quick quiz.
Printable cheat sheet
Every Sunday, the week in Québec French The week’s expressions and a two-minute quiz, by email every Sunday. Plus a free printable sheet of every expression we’ve taught so far, right away.
Transcript
Transcript × Every line of the video, as spoken. The narration is in English.
Julie « On va magasiner samedi? » Jacob « Tiguidou! » Narrator Magasiner, tanné, courriel, tiguidou, jaser… Your second week of Québec French, all in one video. Julie « On va magasiner samedi? » Narrator In France, you’d mostly hear « faire du shopping » . In Québec: « magasiner » . Narrator « Magasiner » means to go shopping. It comes from « magasin » : a store.Narrator Québec’s language office even prefers it to the English borrowing. Jacob « Je magasine un nouveau téléphone. » Narrator Here, it means shopping around: comparing prices before you buy. Narrator It’s an old word: first written in 1864, and everyday Québec French since the early 1900s. Julie « J’ai magasiné toute la journée! » Narrator « Magasiner » is standard in Québec: fine at work, fine with friends.Jacob « J’suis tanné d’attendre l’autobus! » Narrator Tanned, or fed up? You’ve got three seconds. Narrator A learner hears: tanned, like a suntan. In October? Narrator And it’s not crazy: « tanné » can mean tanned, like leather, or skin browned by the sun. Narrator But at a bus stop, in the cold, he’s fed up. In Québec, « être tanné » means you’re out of patience. Narrator « Tanné de » plus a verb: fed up with doing it.Julie « Moi aussi, j’suis tannée! » Narrator Julie says « tannée » , with an extra e. Same sound. Narrator The verb works too: « Tu me tannes! » You’re bugging me. Narrator And for a real suntan? Say « bronzé » . Julie « Il pleut depuis trois jours. J’suis tannée! » Narrator « Tanné » for fed up is familier: friends and family.Narrator 1994. A new word shows up in Québec: « courriel » . Narrator Do you know what it means? Narrator Email! « Courrier électronique » , electronic mail, squeezed into one word. Narrator Here’s its life in four dates. Narrator 1994: first written in Québec. Narrator 1997: Québec’s language office adds it to its Internet vocabulary. Narrator 1998: it becomes official in Québec. Narrator And on June 20, 2003, France recommends it too. Narrator Who invented it? Nobody knows for sure. But it’s considered Québec-made. Julie « Je t’envoie un courriel. » Narrator « Je t’envoie un courriel » : I’ll send you an email. And « email » or « mail » ? The OQLF advises against them.Julie « J’réserve pour sept heures? » Jacob « Tiguidou! » Narrator Tiguidou? Quick quiz. Does it mean… Narrator A: a small bird. Narrator B: perfect, all good. Narrator C: a children’s song. Narrator Pick one. Narrator B! « Tiguidou » means perfect, all good. « Tout est tiguidou » : everything’s fine. Narrator Say it « tiguidou » : the u after g stays silent. Narrator Where does it come from? It shows up in writing in 1969, and an older form, « ziguidou » , in 1939. Narrator Its origin? A word made from a sound. It just sounds happy. Narrator « Tiguidou » is familier: friends and family.Julie « On a jasé toute la soirée! » Narrator Jaser? Did they chatter like birds all night? Kind of. Narrator In a French dictionary, « jaser » is first what a magpie does: « La pie jase » . It chatters. Narrator It can also mean to gossip: « Ça fait jaser » , that gets people talking. Narrator But in Québec, « jaser » is simply to chat, and enjoy it. Jacob « Viens jaser avec nous! » Narrator « Jaser avec quelqu’un » : to chat with someone.Narrator Add the ending « ette » and you get « une jasette » : a friendly chat. That one’s from 1866. Julie « Tu viens faire un brin de jasette? » Narrator And someone who « a de la jasette » ? A real chatterbox. Narrator Where does it come from? The early 1500s, probably from a sound: a Norman word meaning to chirp. Narrator « Jaser » for chatting is familier: friends and family.Narrator Quick quiz! Seven phrases from this week. Answer before the ring runs out. Narrator « On va magasiner » ?Narrator We’re going shopping. Jacob « J’suis tanné d’attendre l’autobus! » Narrator Tanned? No: fed up. Fed up with waiting for the bus. Narrator « Tu me tannes! » Narrator You’re bugging me. Narrator And how do you say email in Québec? Narrator « Un courriel » . Courrier électronique, in one word.Jacob « Tiguidou! » Narrator Perfect, all good. Julie « On a jasé toute la soirée! » Narrator We chatted all evening. And enjoyed it. Narrator And « une jasette » ? Narrator A friendly chat. Narrator Magasiner and courriel are standard. Tanné, tiguidou and jaser are familier. Narrator Which one do you use the most? Narrator You heard it. Now you know it.