Learn the superstitions about Friday the 13th and four-leafed clovers
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Eric: Friday the 13th and Four-Leafed Clovers. I'm Eric and I'm joined by Yasmine. |
| Yasmine: Hi, I'm Yasmine. |
| THE TWO SUPERSTITIONS |
| Eric: In this lesson, we will talk about two common superstitions in France. The first superstition is about bad luck. What’s it called in French? |
| Yasmine: vendredi 13 |
| Eric: Which literally means "Friday the 13th." Yasmine, can you repeat the French phrase again? |
| Yasmine: [slow] vendredi 13 [normal] vendredi 13 |
| Eric: We also have this superstition in US. |
| Yasmine: Yes, I think it’s a common superstition in Christian countries. |
| Eric: Friday the 13th is unlucky because according to the Bible, 13 people were present at the Last Supper, including Judas who betrayed Jesus. |
| Yasmine: Furthermore, Jesus died on a Friday. |
| Eric: However, nowadays in France, some companies, like the lottery, advertise Friday the 13th as a lucky day. |
| Yasmine: So it’s good luck or bad, depending on who you ask. |
| Eric: The second superstition is about good luck. What’s it called in French? |
| Yasmine: trèfle à 4 feuilles |
| Eric: Which literally means "four-leafed clover." Let’s hear it in French again. |
| Yasmine: [slow] trèfle à 4 feuilles [normal] trèfle à 4 feuilles |
| Eric: I remember as a kid, I would look for four-leafed clovers all over my neighborhood. |
| Yasmine: Me too! In France, it's believed that four-leafed clovers bring luck. |
| Eric: Each leaf of the clover represents something different – faith, hope, love. |
| Yasmine: A fourth leaf represents luck. |
| Eric: This superstition may have began because four-leafed clovers are very rare and finding one is a really happy coincidence. |
| Yasmine: That’s true. I only ever found one. |
Outro |
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| Eric: There you have it - two French superstitions! Are they similar to any of your country’s superstitions? Let us know in the comments! |
| Yasmine: À bientôt! |
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