Thursday, November 27, 2008

Mot du Jour: Dinde (Turkey)


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turkey noun
  1. (bird) dinde f;
  1. US (colloquial) (flop) bide m. (familiar) ;
    (bad film) navet m (familiar) .

Saying Thank you in French: Merci

Here are some words that show your expression of gratitude in French.

Simple thank you

Merci Thank you

Merci beaucoup Thank you very much

Merci bien Thanks a lot (sincere or sarcastic)

Merci mille fois Thanks a million

Mille fois merci Thanks a million
Expressing thanks in general

Je te/vous remercie. I thank you.

Je tiens à vous exprimer notre gratitude. I wish to express our gratitude to you.

C'est (vraiment) gentil de ta part. It's (very) kind of you.

Je vous remercie de tout coeur. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Je ne sais pas comment vous remercier. I don't know how to thank you.

Je vous adresse mes plus vifs remerciements. I send you my most sincere thanks.

Nous vous sommes extrêmement reconnaissants. We are very grateful to you.

Avec tous mes remerciements. With thanks.

Remerciez-le de ma part. Thank him for me.

Transmettez mes remerciements à Jean. Pass on my thanks to Jean.

À votre bon coeur ! Thank you kindly!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

French money related terms



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Here are some terms that are related to money that could be very useful:

ATM machine, cash dispenser un guichet automatique de banque (GAB)

deposit un dépôt
checking account un compte-chèques
savings account un compte d'épargne
balance le bilan
bank statement un relevé de compte
exchange rate le taux de change
fees les frais (m)
interest rate le taux d'intérêt
loan un emprunt
receipt un reçu
sum, amount, total le montant
transfer un virement
withdrawal un retrait
yield le rendement

to buy acheter
to cash a check toucher un chèque
to change money (into Euros) changer de l'argent (en Euros)
to count compter
to deposit (into an account) déposer (sur un compte)
to earn gagner
to need avoir besoin de
to pay cash payer en espèces
with a credit card avec une carte de crédit
with traveler's checks avec des chèques de voyage
to save money faire des économies
to sell vendre
to sign signer
to spend dépenser
to transfer virer
to write a check faire un chèque
to withdraw retirer

French Word for The day :Learn- Mot du Jour-: Apprendre

Besides the usual lessons on this blog, I've decided to add a new feature on it: Word for the Day. I believe that if someone would study at least one word a day surely one would learn more. So hre it is our first word of the day is apprendre (ap-prondr) or to learn.

Here is the conjugation for the simple present tense for the verb

Jeapprends
Tuapprends
Il/Elleapprend
Nousapprenons
Vousapprenez
Ils/Ellesapprennent

Here are some uses of it

to learn (how) to do: apprendre à faire;
to learn that: apprendre que.


More to come soon

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Les Magasins et Achats: Shops and Stores

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Learn the different names of stores in French

l'épicerie grocery store
le marché outdoor market
le supermarché supermarket
la boulangerie bakery
la pâtisserie pastry shop
la confiserie candy store
la laiterie dairy
la boucherie butcher shop
la charcuterie pork butcher
la poissonnerie fish store
le kiosque newsstand
le tabac tobacco shop
la droguerie drugstore
la pharmacie pharmacy
la blanchisserie laundromat
le pressing dry cleaner
le magasin de confection clothing store
le grand magasin department store

Monday, November 24, 2008

At the hotel" À l'hôtel

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Here are some helpful words you must know when staying in a hotel.

l'hôtel hotel
le logement accommodations
complet no vacancy
le rez-de-chaussée 1st floor (US), ground floor (BR)
le premier étage 2nd floor (US), 1st floor (BR)
le couloir hallway
la chambre room
la porte door
la fenêtre window
le lit bed
l'oreiller pillow
le canapé sofa
la commode dresser
la lampe lamp
la salle de bain
les toilettes
les W.-C.
bathroom
le lavabo sink
la douche shower
la baignoire, le bain tub
la toilette toilet
la serviette towel
l'employé employee
la femme de chambre maid

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Louer une voiture: Renting a Car

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Learn the essentials when renting a car in France

Je voudrais louer une voiture. I'd like to rent a car.
Je voudrais... I'd like a(n)...
...une voiture avec transmission automatique. ...automatic.
...une voiture économie. ...economy car.
...une voiture compacte. ...compact car.
...une voiture intermédiaire. ...mid-size car.
...une voiture luxe. ...luxury car.
...une voiture décapotable. ...convertible.
...un quatre quatre. ...4 x 4.
...un camion. ...truck.

C'est combien ? How much will it cost?
Dois-je payer par kilomètre ? Do I have to pay by the kilometer?
L'assurance est-elle comprise ? Is insurance included?
Je voudrais payer en espèces.
avec des chèques de voyage.
avec une carte de crédit.
I'd like to pay with cash.
traveler's checks.
a credit card.

Où puis-je prendre la voiture ? Where can I pick up the car?
Quand dois-je la rendre ? When do I have to return it?
Puis-je la rendre à Lyon/Nice ? Can I return it to Lyon/Nice?

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Transportation: Le Transport

Learn the vocabulary for different modes of transportation

l'avion plane
l'aéroport airport (airport vocab)
le métro subway
la gare / station de métro subway station
l'autobus bus
l'arrêt d'autobus, du bus bus stop
la gare d'autobus bus station
le train train
le quai platform
la gare train station


un billet aller-retour round trip ticket
un billet simple one-way ticket
le prix price


la voiture car (driving vocab)
le passeport passport

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Important Places when travelling

Some important places to know when traveling in France


Où se trouve... / Où est... ? Where is...?
la salle de bain bathroom
l'hôtel (m) hotel
le restaurant restaurant
le musée museum
la banque bank
le bureau de change money exchange
l'église (f) church
le cinéma movie theater
le théâtre theater
l'école (f) school
la poste post office
le parc park
l'hôpital (m) hospital
le commissariat police station

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Les Directions: Directions




Learn the common words in giving directions in French

C'est... / Il est... It's...
à gauche left
à droite right
tout droit straight (ahead)
à côté de next to
en avant de in front of
en arrière de in back of
en haut up
en bas down
près (de) near (to)
loin (de) far (from)

le nord north
le sud south
l'est (m) east
l'ouest (m) west

Monday, November 17, 2008

Airport: L'aéroport



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Learn the French Vocabulary when in an airport

English

French

airline

une compagnie aérienne

airplane

un avion

airport

un aéroport

Arrivals

les arrivées

baggage

les bagages

baggage claim

la livraison des bagages

boarding pass

la carte d'embarquement

carry-on luggage

les bagages à main

cart

un chariot

checked luggage

les bagages enregistrés

check-in

l'enregistrement

customs

la douane

Departures

les départs

duty-free

une boutique hors taxes

early

en avance

economy (coach) class
in economy class

la classe touriste
en classe touriste

first class
in first class

la première classe
en première classe

flight

un vol

gate

une porte

immigration

l'immigration

late

en retard

one-way ticket

un billet simple

passport

un passeport

plane ticket

le billet d'avion

round trip ticket

un billet aller-retour

security check

le contrôle de sécurité

shuttle

une navette

stopover

une escale

terminal

une aérogare

visa

un visa

to board

embarquer

to buy a ticket

acheter un billet

to check bags

enregistrer (les bagages)

to declare

déclarer

to land

atterrir

to make a reservation

faire une réservation

to take off

décoller

passenger

un passager

pilot

le pilote

steward

un steward

stewardess

une hôtesse de l'air

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Land Forms in French



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L’archipe :Archipelago
la baie : Bay
le golfe : Gulf

L’isthme : Isthmus
l'île : Island

La montagne : Mountain

La colline : Hill

La vallée : Valley

Le Plateau : Plateau

Le Voyage: Travel

Here are some basic Vocabularies that could be used when traveling in France.


Où se trouve... / Où est... ?

Where is...?

Je voudrais...

I would like...

Combien coûte... ?

How much does ... cost?

Je ne peux pas trouver...

I can't find....

Je suis perdu.

I'm lost.

Pouvez-vous m'aider ?

Can you help me?

Au secours !
Aidez-moi !

Help!



information touristique

tourist information

la douane

customs

le passeport

passport

la carte

map



Attention !

Watch out!

ouvert / fermé

open / closed

interdit

forbidden

défense d'entrer

do not enter

hors service / en panne

out of service



Bon Voyage!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Les Partitifs: Partitive Articles

Les Partitifs are used when constructing sentences with the verbs Manger and Boire. It is used to indicate an unknown quantity, its nearest English equivalent is some or many.

Here are les Partitifs

Du: for Masculine Nouns
De la: For Feminine Nouns
De l': For nouns beginning in vowels or H muet.
Des: Plural Nouns

Why use partitive articles? Well this is used because when we eat or drink we consume only a certain amount of food.

Examples

Je mange du gateau: I eat cake.

Tu bois de la bière: You drink beer.

Il boit de l'eau: He drinks water.

Elle mange des bonbons: She eats candies.


However when used with quantifiers, the partitif is changed into de only

Examples

Je mange beaucopu de gateau : I eat a lot of cake.

Tu bois un verre de bière: You drink a glass of beer.

More lessons soon.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Le Verbe Boire: To Drink

Le Verbe Boire has an irregular conjugation. Here is the conjugation in present tense:

Je bois

Tu bois

Il/Elle boit

Nous buvons

Vous buvez

Ils/ Elles boivent

So when you want to say you are drinking something, you form the sentence by using the personal pronoun + conjugated form of the verb + partitif + the drink you are drinking

Example:

Je bois du thé ( I drink tea)

I'll be posting a more detailed lesson soon.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Les Boissons: Drinks



Of course a meal wouldn't be complete without the drinks so here are the French words for common drinks.

un apéritif (ung aperitif)

cocktail

la bière (la biyer)

beer

le café (lu kafey)

coffee

le chocolat chaud (lu shokola sho)

hot chocolate

le citron pressé (lu sitrong pressey)

lemonade

le digestif (lu dijestif)

after-dinner drink

l'eau (f) (lo)

water

un express (ung express)

espresso

le jus (le joo)

juice

le lait (lu ley)

milk

le thé (lu te)

tea

le vin (lu vang)

wine

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Dishes and Silverware - Les Plats et l'argenterie




We've been learning about the different words related to food. Now we learn the words for the different dishes and cutlery


une assiette (yun assyet)

plate

un bol (yun bol)

bowl

un couteau (ung ko-to)

knife

une cuillère (yun kwi-yer)

spoon

une fourchette (yun foor-shet)

fork

une serviette (yun ser-vyet)

napkin

une soucoupe (yun su-sop)

saucer

une tasse (yun tass)

cup

un verre (ung verr)

glass

un verre à vin (ung ver a vang)

wine glass

une boîte (yun bwat)

can, tin

une bouteille (yun boo-tey)

bottle

un carton (ung kar-tong)

box

un pot (ung po)

jar, cup

My first day at Français 201

I've started my Masters in French last Saturday and indeed I missed being a student. We were around 6-7 only in class (one was absent that day) and of course our professor was really fun and very patient since most of us can't remember a thing or two about French History, since it was a long time ago when we took that subject.

It jumpstarted my French again and at least I could say I haven't lost the touch yet. I could still express myself in French and could still understand what my professor says. Hopefully when I get to teach soon, my French would be better.


Anyway it was a fun experience, seeing former classmates as well as new ones and of course the ver fun professor with all his quotes and his fun way of teaching makes me excited to go to class next Saturday.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

French Meats: La Viande


As you may have noticed the past few entries had been about food so here is another food related vocabulary.

l'agneau (m) lan-yo

lamb

les anchois lez anshwa

anchovies

le bifteck lu beef-tek

steak

la dinde la dind

turkey

les escargots (m) lez eskargo

snails

le jambon lu jambown

ham

le lapin lu lapang

rabbit

le poisson lu pwason

fish

le porc lu porc

pork

le poulet lu puley

chicken

le rosbif lu rosbeef

roast beef

le saucisson lu sosisson

sausage

le veau lu vo

veal

Bon Appetit

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Les Repas Francais: French Meals

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Le Petit Dejeuner: Breakfast


Usually consists of coffee, tea, or chocolate with a slice of bread with jam or cereals.
Le Casse-croûte: Mid-morning Snack

Usually eaten by school children and workers. Consists of Biscuits or Bread with Cheese.

Le Dejeuner: Lunch

Consists of full meals usually with soup, a main course and bread.

Le goûter, le thé: Afternoon Snack

Consists of Cakes, Cookies and Tea.

Le Diner, Le souper (in some Regions in France and In Canada): Dinner

Consists of the usual meals, with bread,soup etc. Usually eaten with the family. Sometimes they drink wine during this time.

Bon Appetit!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

French Numbers 70 -99

The French Numbers are quite different compared to English especially 70 and above.

Here are the numbers for 70-99


70 soixante-dix
71 soixante et onze
72 soixante-douze
73 soixante-treize
74 soixante-quatorze
75 soixante-quinze
76 soixante-seize
77 soixante-dix-sept
78 soixante-dix-huit
79 soixante-dix-neuf

80 quatre-vingts
81 quatre-vingt-un
82 quatre-vingt-deux
83 quatre-vingt-trois
84 quatre-vingt-quatre
85 quatre-vingt-cinq
86 quatre-vingt-six
87 quatre-vingt-sept
88 quatre-vingt-huit
89 quatre-vingt-neuf

90 quatre-vingt-dix
91 quatre-vingt-onze
92 quatre-vingt-douze
93 quatre-vingt-treize
94 quatre-vingt-quatorze
95 quatre-vingt-quinze
96 quatre-vingt-seize
97 quatre-vingt-dix-sept
98 quatre-vingt-dix-huit
99 quatre-vingt-dix-neuf

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Les Couleurs: Colors in French

Learn the French words for colors.


masc sing.

fem sing.

masc plural

fem plural

purple

violet

violette

violets

violettes

blue

bleu

bleue

bleus

bleues

green

vert

verte

verts

vertes

yellow

jaune

jaune

jaunes

jaunes

orange

orange

orange

orange

orange

red

rouge

rouge

rouges

rouges

black

noir

noire

noirs

noires

white

blanc

blanche

blancs

blanches

grey

gris

grise

gris

grises

brown

marron

marron

marron

marron

pink

rose

rose

roses

roses

light blue

bleu clair

bleu clair

bleu clair

bleu clair

dark blue

bleu foncé

bleu foncé

bleu foncé

bleu foncé

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