Hello and welcome to English with Languissimo®, the podcast in English that will help you reach your goals so that you can lead a better life and career.
My name is Vanessa. I’m the founder and CEO of Languissimo®.
Today, I will talk about Labour Day.
- Labour Day occurs on the first Monday in September in Canada. In France, it is celebrated on May 1st, and we give each other a bouquet of lily of the valley.
- Before it became a statutory holiday in 1894, trade unions used to rally and demonstrate on that day to campaign for workers’ rights. Nowadays, it is no longer the case. It’s a day off where families enjoy spending time together and relax.
- Labour Day usually marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall where kids and teens go back to school. Besides, it is today that students go back to school in France.”
Some Study Points
- Please note that days and months are capitalized in English (unlike French).
- “A statutory holiday” means “un jour férié.”
- “To demonstrate” in that context means “manifester.”
- Please note the apostrophe in “workers’ rights”. It is the symbol of the possession for nouns in the plural.
- Please note that “to enjoy” (aimer, apprécier) is followed by a verb + ing whereas in French, it is followed by the infinitive: “les familles aiment passer du temps ensemble.”
- “A day off” means “un jour de congé.”
Some Practice Questions
- Is it Labour Day for you today?
- What do you usually do on Labour Day?
- Have kids/teens gone back to school where you live?
Ta da! That’s it for today! I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Subscribe to English with Languissimo®, practice, take care and happy Labour Day! Big hugs 😊