1.

BASIC PHRASES / LES EXPRESSIONS DE BASE

Bonjour
/bu/
Hello / Good day / Good
morning
Salut
/saly/
Hi / Bye
Merci (beaucoup)
/msi boku/
Thank you (very much)
Bienvenu(e)
/bjvny/
Welcome (also You're
welcome in Quebec)
A plus tard
/a ply ta/
See you later

Je suis dsol(e)
/dezle/
I'm sorry

Comment allez-vous ?
/km tale vu/
How are you? (formal)
a va ?
/sa va/
How are you? (informal)
Comment vous appelezvous ?

Bonsoir
/bswa/
Good evening
Au revoir
/()vwa/
Goodbye
De rien.
/d j/
You're welcome.

Bonne nuit
/bn ni/
Good night (only said when
going to bed)
S'il vous plat / S'il te plat
/sil vu pl/
Please (formal / informal)
Je vous en prie.
/vu z pri/
You're welcome. (formal) / Go
ahead.

Allons-y!
/al zi/
Let's go!

A tout l'heure
/a tu ta l/
See you in a little while

A bientt
/a bjto/
See you soon

A demain
/a dm/
See you tomorrow
Excusez-moi !
/ekskyze mwa/
Excuse me! (getting someone's
attention) / I'm sorry! (more
formal apology)

Pardon !
/pad/
Excuse me! (pushing
through a crowd) /
Sorry! (stepped on
someone's foot)
Je vais bien
/ ve bj/
I'm fine.
a va.
/sa va/
I'm fine. (informal
response to a va ?)
Tu t'appelles comment
?
1

Trs bien / mal / pas mal

/t bj/ /mal/ /pa mal/Very
good / bad / not bad
Oui / non
/wi/ /n/
Yes / no
Je m'appelle...
/ mapl/

/km vu zaple vu/

What's your name? (formal)
Enchant(e)
/te/
Nice to meet you.
Vous tes d'o ? / Vous
venez d'o ?
/vu zt du/ /vu vne du/
Where are you from?
(formal)
O habitez-vous ?
/u abite vu/
Where do you live?
(formal)
Quel ge avez-vous ?
/kl ave vu/
How old are you? (formal)
Parlez-vous
franais ? / Tu
parlesanglais ?
/pale vu frs/ /ty pal
gl/
Do you speak French?
(formal) / Do you speak
English? (informal)
Comprenez-vous? / Tu
comprends?
/kpne vu/ /ty kp/
Do you understand?
(formal / informal)
Pouvez-vous m'aider ? /
Tu peux m'aider ?
/puve vu mede/ /ty p
mede/
Can you help me? (formal /

/ty tapl km/

What's your name?
(informal)
Monsieur, Madame,
Mademoiselle
/msj/ /madam/
/madwazl/
Mister, Misses, Miss
Tu es d'o ? / Tu viens
d'o ?
/ty du/ /ty vj du/
Where are you from?
(informal)
Tu habites o ?
/ty abit u/
Where do you live?
(informal)
Tu as quel ge ?
/ty kl /
How old are you?
(informal)

Je suis de... / Je viens de...

/ si d/ / vj d/
I am from...

Je parle allemand.
/ pal alm//
I speak German.

Je ne parle pas espagnol.

/ n pal pa spal/
I don't speak Spanish.

Je comprends
/ kp/
I understand

Je ne comprends pas
/ n kp pa/
I don't understand

Bien sr.
/bj sy/
Of course.

Comment ?
/km/
What? Pardon?

My name is...

Mesdames et Messieurs
/medam/ /mesj/
Ladies and gentlemen

J'habite ...
/abit a/
I live in...
J'ai ____ ans.
/e __ /
I am ____ years old.

informal)
Tenez / Tiens
/tne/ /tj/
Hey / Here (formal /
informal)

Je sais
/ s/
I know

Je ne sais pas
/n s pa/
I don't know

O est ... / O sont ... ?

/u / /u s/
Where is ... / Where are ... ?

Voici / Voil
/vwasi/ /vwala/
Here is/are... / There it
is.

Il y a ... / Il y avait...
/il i a/ /il i av/
There is / are... / There was /
were...

Comment dit-on ____ en

franais ?
/km di t __ fs/
How do you say ____ in
French?

Qu'est-ce que c'est

que a ?
/ks k s k sa/
What is that?

Qu'est-ce qu'il y a ?
/ks kil i a/
What's the matter?

a ne fait rien.
/sa n f j/
It doesn't matter.

Qu'est-ce qui se
passe ?
/ks ki s pas/
What's happening?

Je n'ai aucune ide.

/ ne okyn ide/
I have no idea.

Je suis fatigu(e) / Je suis

malade.
/ si fatie/ / si
malad/
I'm tired / I'm sick.

J'ai faim / J'ai soif.

/e f/ /e swaf/
I'm hungry / I'm thirsty.

J'ai chaud / J'ai froid.

/e o/ /e fw/
I'm hot / I'm cold.

Je m'ennuie.
/ mni/
I'm bored.

a m'est gal. / Je
m'en fiche.
/sa m teal/ / m
fi/
It's the same to me / I
don't care. (informal)

Ne vous en faites pas. / Ne

t'en fais pas.
/n vu ft pa/ /n t f pa/
Don't worry (formal / informal)

J'ai oubli.
/e ublije/
I forgot.

Je dois y aller.
/ dwa i ale/
I must go.

Flicitations !
/felisitasj/
Congratulations!

Bonne chance !
/bn s/
Good luck!

Taisez-vous ! / Tais-toi
!

Je vous aime / Je t'aime

/ vu zm/ / tm/

Ce n'est pas grave.

/s n pa gav/
It's no problem. / It's
alright.
A vos souhaits ! / A tes
souhaits !
/a vo sw/ /a te sw/
Bless you! (formal /
informal)
C'est vous ! / C'est
toi !

/s ta vu/ /s ta tw/
It's your turn! (formal /
informal)
Tu me manques.
/ty m mk/
I miss you. (informal)

/tze vu/ /t tw/

Shut up! / Be quiet!
(formal / informal)
Quoi de neuf ?
/kw d nf/
What's new?

I love you (formal & plural /

informal)
Pas grand-chose.
/pa g oz/
Not a whole lot.

2. PRONUNCIATION / LA PRONONCIATION
French Vowels

[i]
[y]

Phonetic
spelling
ee
ee rounded

vie, midi, lit, riz

rue, jus, tissu, usine

[e]

ay

bl, nez, cahier, pied

[]

ay rounded

jeu, yeux, queue, bleu

[]

eh

lait, aile, balai, reine

[]
[a]
[]
[u]
[o]

eh rounded
ah
ah longer
oo
oh

[]

aw

[]

uh

sur, uf, fleur, beurre

chat, ami, papa, salade
bas, ne, grce, chteau
loup, cou, caillou, outil
eau, dos, escargot, htel
sol, pomme, cloche,
horloge
fentre, genou, cheval,
cerise

IPA

Sample words

General
spellings
i, y
u
, et, final er
and ez
eu
e, , , ai, ei,
ais
u, eu
a, ,
a,
ou
o,
o
e

[] is disappearing in modern French, being replaced by [a].

Vowels that do not exist in English are marked in blue.
French semi-vowels
IPA
[w]
[]
[j]

Phonetic spelling Sample words

w
fois, oui, Louis
ew-ee
lui, suisse
yuh

oreille, Mireille

General spelling
oi, ou
ui
ill, y

[] is being replaced with [] in modern French

In words beginning with in-, a nasal is only used if the next letter is
a consonant. Otherwise, the in- prefix is pronounceeen before a
vowel.

French Consonants

ex + vowel
ex + consonant
ch (Latin origin)
ch (Greek origin)
ti + vowel (except
)
c + e, i, y; or
c + a, o, u
g + e, i, y
g + a, o, u
th
j
qu, final q
h
vowel + s + vowel
x + vowel
final x

egz
eks
sh
k

examen, exercice
exceptionnel, expression
architecte, archives
orchestre, archologie

see

dmocratie, nation

s
k
zh
g
t
zh
k
silent
z
z
s

cent, ceinture, maon

caillou, car, cube
genou, gingembre
gomme, ganglion
maths, thme, thym
jambe, jus, jeune
que, quoi, grecque
haricot, herbe, hasard
rose, falaise, casino
six ans, beaux arts
six, dix, soixante (these 3
5

only!)

There are a lot of silent letters in French, and you usually do not
pronounce the final consonant, unless that final consonant is C, R,
F or L (except verbs that end in -r).
Liaison: French slurs most words together in a sentence, so if a
word ends in a consonant that is not pronounced and the next word
starts with a vowel or silent h, slur the two together as if it were one
word. S and x are pronounced as z; d as t; and f as v in these
liaisons. Liaison is always made in the following cases:
after a determiner: un ami, des amis
before or after a pronoun: vous avez, je les ai
after a preceding adjective: bon ami, petits enfants
after one syllable prepositions: en avion, dans un livre
after some one-syllable adverbs (trs, plus, bien)
after est
It is optional after pas, trop fort, and the forms of tre, but it is never
made after et.
Silent e: Sometimes the e is dropped in words and phrases,
shortening the syllables and slurring more words.
rapid(e)ment, lent(e)ment, sauv(e)tage /apidm/ /tm/
/sovta/
sous l(e) bureau, chez l(e) docteur /sul byo/ /el dkto/
il y a d(e)... , pas d(e)... , plus d(e)... /yad/ /pad/ / plyd/
je n(e), de n(e) /n/ /dn/
j(e) te, c(e) que /t/ /sk/ (note the change of the pronunciation
of the j as well)
6

Stress & Intonation: Stress on syllables is not as heavily

pronounced as in English and it generally falls on the last syllable of
the word. Intonation usually only rises for yes/no questions, and all
other times, it goes down at the end of the sentence.
2. ALPHABET / L'ALPHABET

/a/

/i/

/s/

/be/

/ka/

/te/

/se/

/l/

/y/

/de/

/m/

/ve/

//

/n/

/dublve/

/f/

/o/

/iks/

//

/pe/

/igrk/

/a/

/ky/

/zd/

/i/

//

4. nouns, articles & demonstratives / les noms, les articles &

les demonstratifs
All nouns in French have a gender, either masculine or feminine.
For the most part, you must memorize the gender, but there are
some endings of words that will help you decide which gender a
noun is. Nouns ending in -age and -ment are usually masculine, as
are nouns ending with a consonant. Nouns ending in -ure, -sion,
-tion, -ence, -ance, -t, and -ette are usually feminine.
Articles and adjectives must agree in number and gender with the
nouns they modify. And articles have to be expressed even though
they aren't always in English; and you may have to repeat the
article in some cases. Demonstratives are like strong definite
articles.

Definite Articles (The)

Masculine Feminine Before Vowel

Plural

le lit
/l li/
the bed

la pomme
/la pm/
the apple

l'oiseau
/lwazo/
the bird

les gants
/le /
the gloves

Indefinite Articles (A, An, Some)

Masculine

Feminine

Plural

un lit
// li/
a bed

une pomme
/ yn pm/
an apple

des gants
/de /
some gloves

Demonstrative Adjectives (This, That, These, Those)

Masc.

Masc, Before Vowel

Fem.

Plural

ce lit
/s li/
this/that bed

cet oiseau
/s twazo/
this/that bird

cette pomme
/st pm/
this/that apple

ces gants
/se /
these/those gloves

If you need to distinguish between this or that and these or those,

you can add -ci to the end of the noun for this and these, and -l to
the end of the noun for that and those. For example, ce lit-ci is this
bed, while ce lit-l is that bed.
5. USEFUL WORDS / LES MOTS UTILES

It's / That's

c'est

There is/are
and
but

voil
et
mais

now

maintenant

especially

surtout

except

sauf

of course

bien sr

There
il y a
/il i a/
is/are
/vwala/ Here is/are voici
/vwasi/
/e/
always toujours
/tuu/
/m/
often
souvent
/suv/
quelquefo
/mtn/ sometimes
/klkfwa/
is
d'habitud
/sytu/ usually
/dabityd/
e
/sof/ also, too
aussi
/osi/
/bj
again
encore
/k/
sy/
/s/

/km
comme
si, km
ci, comme a
sa/
/pa
pas mal
mal/

so so
not bad
book

le livre

/l liv/

pencil

le crayon

pen

le stylo

paper

le papier

dog
cat
money

le chien
le chat
l'argent (m)

late

en retard

/ta/

almost

presque

/psk/

une amie

/y nami/

friend
(fem)
friend
(masc)

/l
un ami
kj/
/l
une
woman
stilo/
femme
/l
un
man
papje/
homme
/l j/
girl
une fille
/l a/
boy
un garon
/la/ job / work le travail

// nami/
/yn fam/
// nm/
/yn fij/
// gas/
/l tavaj/

The expression il y a is reduced to y a in everyday speech. When il

y a is followed by a number, it means ago. Il y a cinq
minutes means five minutes ago. Some common slang words for
money include: le fric, le pze, le pognon, des sous and for
job/work: le boulot.

6. SUBJECT PRONOUNS / LES PRONOMS SUJETS

Subject Pronouns
je

//

nous /nu/

We

tu

/ty/

You
(informal)

vous /vu/

You (formal and

plural)

il /il/
elle /l/
on //

He
She
One

ils
elles

/il/
/l/

They (masc.)
They (fem.)

Il and elle can also mean it when they replace a noun (il replaces
masculine nouns, and elle replaces feminine nouns) instead of a
person's name. Ils and elles can replace plural nouns as well in
the same way. Notice there are two ways to say you. Tu is used
when speaking to children, animals, or close friends and relatives.
Vous is used when speaking to more than one person, or to
someone you don't know or who is older. On can be translated into
English as one, the people, we, they, or you.
Tutoyer and vouvoyer are two verbs that have no direct translation
into English. Tutoyer means to use tu or be informal with someone,
while vouvoyer means to use vous or be formal with someone
7. TO BE & TO HAVE / ETRE & AVOIR
Present tense of tre /t/ - to be
I am

je suis

/ si/

We are

nous sommes

/nu sm/

You are

tu es

/ty /

You are

vous tes

/vu zt/

He is
She is
One is

il est
elle est
on est

/il /
/l /
/ n/

They are
They are

ils sont
elles sont

/il s/
/l s/

Past tense of tre - to be

I was
You were
He was
She was
One was

j'tais
tu tais
il tait
elle tait
on tait

/et/
/tu et/
/il et/
/l et/
/ net/

We were
You were

nous tions
vous tiez

/nu zetj/
/vu zetje/

They were
They were

ils taient
elles taient

/il zet/
/l zet/

Je and any verb form that starts with a vowel (or silent h) combine
together for ease of pronunciation.
Future Tense of tre - to be
10

Future tense of avoir - to have

je sera / We will be nous sero
i
se/
ns
You will be tu sera
/ty
You will vous sere
We
znous auron
I will have sj'auraisa/
/oe/ be
will have
s
He will be il sera
/il
They
ils seront
She will
elletuser
sa/ /ty willYou
be will
elles vous
sero aurez
You
will be
have
auras
o

/
have
One will be
a
/l
They will
nt
on ser sa/ /il
be
il
aura
They
/ soa/a/
He will have a
ils auront
elle aur
will have
She will have
/l oa/
elles auron
a
They will
One will have
/
t
on aura
have
noa/
Past tense of avoir - to have
I will be

I had
You had
He had
She had
One had

j'avais
tu avais
il avait
elle avait
on avait

/av/
We had
/ty av/ You had
/il av/
/l av/ They had
/ nav/

/nu s/
/vu se/
/nu zo/
/il s/
/l/vu
szo
/ e/

/il zo/
/l zo/

nous avions /nu zavj/

vous aviez /vu zavje/
ils avaient
elles avaient

/il zav/
/l zav/

Present tense of avoir /avwa/ - to have

I have

j'ai

/e/

We have

nous avons

/nu zav/

You have

tu as

/ty /

You have

vous avez

/vu zave/

He has
She has
One has

il a
elle a
on a

/il /
/l /
/ n/

They have
They have

ils ont
elles ont

/il z/
/l z/

11

In spoken French, the tu forms of verbs that begin with a vowel

contract with the pronoun: tu es = t'es /t/, tu as = t'as /t/, etc. In
addition, it is very common to use on (plus 3rd person singular
conjugation) to mean we instead of nous.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS WITH AVOIR AND ETRE

Avoir and tre are used in many common and idiomatic
expressions that should be memorized:
avoir chaud
avoir froid
avoir peur
avoir raison
avoir tort
avoir faim
avoir soif
avoir sommeil
avoir honte
avoir besoin de
avoir l'air de
avoir l'intention de
avoir envie de
avoir de la chance

/avwa o/
/avwa fwa/
/avwa p/
/avwa z/
/avwa t/
/avwa f/
/avwa swaf/
/avwa smj/
/avwa t/
/avwa bzw d/
/avwa d/
/avwa tsj/
/avwa vi d/
/avwa d la s/

to be hot
to be cold
to be afraid
to be right
to be wrong
to be hungry
to be thirsty
to be sleepy
to be ashamed
to need
to look like, seem
to intend to
to feel like
to be lucky

tre de retour
/t d tu/
to be back
tre en retard
/t ta/
to be late
tre en avance
/t navs/
to be early
tre d'accord
/t dak/
to be in agreement
tre sur le point de
/t sy l pw d/ to be about to
tre en train de
/t t d/
to be in the act of
tre enrhume
/t yme/
to have a cold
nous + tre (un jour)
/t // u/
to be (a day)

12

Je suis en retard!
I'm late!
Tu tais en avance.
You were early.
Elle sera d'accord.
She will agree.
Nous sommes lundi.
It is Monday.
Vous tiez enrhum.
You had a cold.
Ils seront en train d'tudier.
They will be (in the act of) studying.
Elles taient sur le point de partir. They were about to leave.
On est de retour.
We/you/they/the people are back.
8. QUESTION WORDS / LES INTERROGATIFS
Who
What
Why
When
Where
How
How much / many
Which / what

Qui
Quoi
Pourquoi
Quand
O
Comment
Combien
Quel(le)

/ki/
/kwa/
/pukwa/
/k/
/u/
/km/
/kbj/
/kl/

9. CARDINAL NUMBERS / LES NOMBRES CARDINAUX

Zero
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen

Zro
Un
Deux
Trois
Quatre
Cinq
Six
Sept
Huit
Neuf
Dix
Onze
Douze
Treize
Quatorze
Quinze
Seize
13

/zeo/
/// /
/d/
/tw/
/kat/
/sk/
/sis/
/st/
/it/
/nf/
/dis/
/z/
/duz/
/tz/
/katz/
/kz/
/sz/

Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-one
Twenty-two
Twenty-three
Thirty
Thirty-one
Thirty-two
Forty
Fifty
Sixty
Seventy
(Belgium & Switzerland)
Seventy-one
Seventy-two
Eighty
(Belgium & Switzerland)
Eighty-one
Eighty-two
Ninety
(Belgium & Switzerland)
Ninety-one
Ninety-two
One Hundred
One Hundred One
Two Hundred
Two Hundred One
Thousand
Two Thousand
Million
Billion

Dix-sept
Dix-huit
Dix-neuf
Vingt
Vingt et un
Vingt-deux
Vingt-trois
Trente
Trente et un
Trente-deux
Quarante
Cinquante
Soixante
Soixante-dix
Septante
Soixante et onze
Soixante-douze
Quatre-vingts
Octante
Quatre-vingt-un
Quatre-vingt-deux
Quatre-vingt-dix
Nonante
Quatre-vingt-onze
Quatre-vingt-douze
Cent
Cent un
Deux cents
Deux cent un
Mille
Deux mille
Un million
Un milliard

/dist/
/dizit/
/diznf/
/v/
/vt e / /
/v d/
/v tw/
/tt/
/tt e // ///
/tt d/
/kat/
/skt/
/swast/
/swastdis/
/sptt/
/swast e z/
/swast duz/
/katv/
/ktt/
/katv t// /
/katv d/
/katv dis/
/nnt/
/katv z/
/katv duz/
/s/
/s t// /
/d s/
/d s t/ /
/mil/
/d mil/
/o milj/
/o milja/

French switches the use of commas and periods. 1,00 would be

1.00 in English. Belgian and Swiss French
useseptante and nonante in place of the standard French words for
14

70 and 90 (though some parts of Switzerland usehuitante for 80

and octante is barely used anymore). Also, when the numbers 5, 6,
8, and 10 are used before a word beginning with a consonant, their
final consonants are not pronounced. Phone numbers in France are
ten digits, beginning with 01, 02, 03, 04, or 05 depending on the
geographical region, or 06 and 07 for cell phones. They are written
two digits at a time, and pronounced thus: 01 36 55 89 28 = zro
un, trente-six, cinquante-cinq, quatre-vingt-neuf, vingt-huit.
ORDINAL NUMBERS / LES NOMBRES ORDINAUX
first
second
third
fourth
fifth
sixth
seventh
eighth
ninth
tenth
eleventh
twelfth
twentieth
twenty-first
thirtieth

premier / premire
deuxime / second
troisime
quatrime
cinquime
sixime
septime
huitime
neuvime
dixime
onzime
douzime
vingtime
vingt et unime
trentime

The majority of numbers become ordinals by adding -ime. But if a

number ends in an e, you must drop it before adding the -ime.
After a q, you must add a u before the -ime. And an f becomes a
v before the -ime.
10. DAYS OF THE WEEK / LES JOURS DE LA SEMAINE
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

lundi
mardi
mercredi
jeudi
vendredi
samedi

/l/di/
/madi/
/mkdi/
/di/
/vddi/
/samdi/

15

Sunday
day
week
today
yesterday
tomorrow

dimanche
le jour
la semaine
aujourd'hui
hier
demain
prochain /
next
prochaine
last
dernier / dernire
day before yesterday avant-hier
day after tomorrow aprs-demain
the following day
le lendemain
the day before
la veille

/dim/
/l u/
/la s()mn/
/oudi/
/j/
/dm/
/p/ /pn/
/dnje/ /dnj/
/avtj/
/apdm/
/l ldm/
/la vj/

Articles are not used before days, except to express something that
happens habitually on a certain day, such as le lundi= on Mondays.
Days of the week are all masculine in gender and they are not
capitalized in writing.
11. MONTHS OF THE YEAR / LES MOIS DE L'ANNEE
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
month
year
decade
century
millennium

janvier
fvrier
mars
avril
mai
juin
juillet
aot
septembre
octobre
novembre
dcembre
le mois
l'an / l'anne
la dcennie
le sicle
le millnaire

16

/vje/
/fevije/
/mas/
/avil/
/m/
//
/ij/
/u(t)/
/sptb/
/ktb/
/nvb/
/desb/
/l mwa/
/l/ /lane/
/deseni/
/l sjkl/
/milen/

To express in a certain month, such as in May, use en before the

month as in "en mai." With dates, the ordinal numbers are not
used, except for the first of the month: le premier mai but le deux
juin. Also note that months are all masculine and not capitalized in
French (same as days of the week).
12. SEASONS / LES SAISONS
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring

l't
/lete/
in the summer en t
/ nete/
l'automne /lotn/ in the fall
en automne / notn/
l'hiver
/liv/
in the winter en hiver
/ niv/
le printemps /l pt/ in the spring au printemps /o prt/

13. DIRECTIONS / LES DIRECTIONS

on the left
on the right
straight ahead

gauche
droite
tout droit

/a go/
/a dwt/
/tu dw/

North le nord /l n/ Northeast le nord-est

South le sud /l syd/ Northwest le nord-ouest
East
l'est
/lst/ Southeast
le sud-est
West l'ouest /lwst/ Southwest le sud-ouest

/l n(d)st/
/l n(d)wst/
/sydst/
/sydwst/

14. COLORS & SHAPES / LES COULEURS & LES FORMES

Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue

rouge
orange
jaune
vert / verte
bleu / bleue

/u/
square
le carr
/kae/
//
circle
le cercle
/skl/
/on/
triangle le triangle /tijgl/
/v/ /vt/ rectangle le rectangle /ktgl/
/bl/
oval
l'ovale
/val/
/vjl/
Purple violet / violette
cube
le cube
/kyb/
/vjlt/
White blanc / blanche /bl/ /bl/
sphere
la sphre
/sf/
brun / brune /bo/ /byn/
Brown
cylinder le cylindre /sild/
marron
/ma/
17

Black
Pink
Gold
Silver
Gray

noir / noire
rose
dor / dore
argent /
argente
gris / grise

/nwa/
/oz/
/de/

cone
octagon
box

le cne
l'octogone
la bote

/kon/
/ktogn/
/bwat/

/ate/

light

clair / claire

/kl/

/gi/ /giz/

dark

fonc /
fonce

/fse/

Some adjectives of color do not change to agree with gender or

number, such as adjectives that also exist as nouns:orange,
marron, rose; and compound adjectives: bleu clair, noir
fonc remain masculine even if they describe a feminine noun.
Remember to place the color adjective after the noun.
15. WEATHER / LE TEMPS QU'IL FAIT
What's the weather like?
It's nice
bad
cool
cold
warm, hot
cloudy
beautiful
mild
stormy
sunny
humid
muggy
windy
foggy
snowing
raining
freezing
hailing
It is ____ degrees.

Quel temps fait-il ?

Il fait bon
Il fait mauvais
Il fait frais
Il fait froid
Il fait chaud
Il fait nuageux
Il fait beau
Il fait doux
Il fait orageux
Il fait soleil
Il fait humide
Il fait lourd
Il fait du vent
Il fait du brouillard
Il neige
Il pleut
Il gle
Il grle
Il fait ____ degrs.

18

/kl t f til/
/il f b/
/il f mve/
/il f f/
/il f fw/
/il f o/
/il f nya/
/il f bo/
/il f du/
/il f a/
/il f slj/
/il f ymid/
/il f lu/
/il f dy v/
/il f dy buja/
/il n/
/il pl/
/il l/
/il gl/
/il f __ dge/

Il pleut des cordes /il pl de kod/ is a common expression

meaning it's pouring. Il caille /il kaj/ or a caille /sa kaj/ is slang for
it's freezing. And remember that France uses Celcius degrees.
16. TIME / LE TEMPS QUI PASSE
What time is it?
It is...
one o'clock
two o'clock
noon
midnight
a quarter after three
one o'clock sharp
four o'clock sharp
twelve thirty
six thirty

Quelle heure est-il ?

Il est...
une heure
deux heures
midi
minuit
trois heures et quart
une heure prcise
quatre heures prcises
midi (minuit) et demi
six heures et demie
sept heures moins le
a quarter to seven
quart
five twenty
cinq heures vingt
ten fifty
onze heures moins dix
in the morning/AM du matin
in the afternoon/PM de l'aprs-midi
in the evening/PM du soir

/kl til/
/il /
/yn /
/d z/
/midi/
/mini/
/tw z e ka/
/yn pesiz/
/kat pesiz/
/midi (mini) e dmi/
/si z e dmi/
/st mw l ka/
/sk v/
/z mw dis/
/dy mat/
/d lapmidi/
/dy swa/

Official French time is expressed as military time (24 hour clock.)

You can only use regular numbers, and not demi, quart, etc. when
reporting time with the 24 hour system. For example, if it is 18h30,
you must say dix-huit heures trente. The word pile /pil/ is also a
more informal way of saying prcise (exactly, sharp).
17. FAMILY & ANIMALS / LA FAMILLE & LES ANIMAUX
Family
Relatives
Parents
Grandparents
Mom

la famille
des parents
les parents
les grands-parents
la mre / maman
19

/famij/
/pa/
/pa/
/gpa/
/m/ /mm/

Stepmother/Mother-in-Law la belle-mre
Dad
le pre / papa
Stepfather/Father-in-Law le beau-pre
Daughter
la fille
Son
le fils
Sister
la sur
Half/Step Sister
la demi-sur
Sister-in-Law
la belle-sur
Stepdaughter/Daughter-inla belle-fille
Law
Brother
le frre
Half/Step Brother
le demi-frre
Brother-in-Law
le beau-frre
Stepson/Son-in-Law
le beau-fils
Twins (m)
les jumeaux
Twins (f)
les jumelles
Uncle
l'oncle
Aunt
la tante
Grandmother
la grand-mre
Grandfather
le grand-pre
Cousin (f)
la cousine
Cousin (m)
le cousin
Wife
la femme
Husband
le mari
Woman
la femme
Man
l'homme
Child (m) / (f)
un enfant / une enfant
Girl
la fille
Boy
le garon
Niece
la nice
Nephew
le neveu
Grandchildren
les petits-enfants
Granddaughter
la petite-fille
Grandson
le petit-fils
Godfather
le parrain
Godmother
la marraine
Godson
le filleul
20

/blm/
/p/ /papa/
/bop/
/fij/
/fis/
/s/
/dmi s/
/bls/
/bl fij/
/f/
/dmi f/
/bo f/
/bo fis/
/ymo/
/yml/
/kl/
/tt/
/gm/
/gp/
/kuzin/
/kuz/
/fam/
/mai/
/fam/
/m/
/f/
/fij/
/gas/
/njs/
/n()v/
/p()tizf/
/p()tit fij/
/p()tifis/
/pa/
/man/
/fijl/

Goddaughter
Distant Relatives
Single
Married
Separated
Divorced
Widower
Widow
Dog
Cat
Puppy
Kitten
Pig
Rooster
Rabbit
Cow
Horse
Duck
Goat
Goose
Sheep
Lamb
Donkey
Mouse

la filleule
des parents loigns
clibataire
mari(e)
spar(e)
divorc(e)
veuf
veuve
le chien / la chienne (m) / (f)
le chat / la chatte (m) / (f)
le chiot
le chaton
le cochon
le coq
le lapin
la vache
le cheval
le canard
la chvre
l'oie
le mouton
l'agneau
l'ne
la souris

/fijl/
/pa elwae/
/selibat/
/maje/
/sepae/
/divse/
/vf/
/vv/
/j/ /jn/
/a/ /at/
/jo/
/at/
/k/
/kk/
/lap/
/va/
/()val/
/kana/
/v/
/wa/
/mut/
/ao/
/n/
/sui/

Le gendre /d/ is another word for son-in-law.

Slang words for people and pets:

21

The entire family

toute la smala
/tut la smala/
Grandma
mm / mamie
/meme/ /mami/
Grandpa
pp / papi
/pepe/ /papi/
Children
des gosses
/gs/
Kid
un gamin / une gamine
/gam/ /gamin/
Woman
une nana
/nana/
Man
un mec / type / gars
/mk/ /tip/ /ga/
Sister
la frangine
/fin/
Brother
le frangin
/f/
Son
le fiston
/fist/
Aunt
tata / tatie
/tata/ /tati/
Uncle
tonton
/tt/
Dog
le cabot / clbard
/kabo/ /kleba/
Cat
le minou
/minu/
18. TO KNOW PEOPLE & PLACES / CONNAITRE & SAVOIR:
connatre-to know people /knt/
connais /kn/ connaissons /kns/
connais /kn/ connaissez /knse/
connat /kn/ connaissent /kns/

savoir-to know facts /savwa/

sais /s/ savons /sav/
sais /s/ savez /save/
sait /s/ savent /sav/

Connatre is used when you know (are familiar with) people, places,
food, movies, books, etc. and savoir is used when you know facts.
When savoir is followed by an infinitive it means to know how.
There is another form of savoir commonly used in the
expressions que je sache that I know (of) and pas que je
sachenot that I know (of).
Je connais ton frre. I know your brother.
Je sais que ton frre s'appelle Jean. I know that your brother is
named John.
Connaissez-vous Grenoble ? Do you know (Are you familiar
with) Grenoble? / Have you ever been to Grenoble?
Oui, nous connaissons Grenoble. Yes, we know (are familiar
with) Grenoble. / Yes, we've been to Grenoble.
Tu sais o Grenoble se trouve. You know where Grenoble is
located.
Ils savent nager. They know how to swim.

22

Connatre can be translated several ways into English:

Tu connais le film, Les Enfants ? Have you seen the film, Les
Enfants?
Tu connais Lyon ? Have you ever been to Lyon?
Tu connais la tartiflette ? Have you ever eaten tartiflette?

19. FORMATION OF PLURAL NOUNS / LA FORMATION DES

NOMS PLURIELS:
To make a noun plural, you usually add an -s
(which is not pronounced).
But there are some exceptions:

Sing.

Plural

If a noun already ends in an -s, add

nothing.

bus(es)

le bus

les bus

If a noun ends in -eu or -eau, add an x.

boat(s) le bateau

les
bateaux

If a masculine noun ends in -al or -ail,

change it to -aux.

horse(s
le cheval
)

les
chevaux

Some nouns ending in -ou add an -x

instead of -s.

knee(s) le genou les genoux

Exceptions: festival, carnaval, bal, pneu, bleu, landau, dtail,

chandail all add -s. There are only seven nouns ending in -ou that
add -x instead of -s: bijou, caillou, chou, genou, pou, joujou,
hibou. There are, of course, some irregular exceptions: un
il (eye) - des yeux (eyes); le ciel (sky) - les cieux (skies);
and un jeune homme (a young man) - des jeunes gens (young
men).
Notice that the only time the pronunciation will change in the plural
form is for masculine nouns that change -al or -ail to -aux and for
the irregular forms. All other nouns are pronounced the same in
the singular and the plural - it is only the article that changes
pronunciation (le, la, l' to les).
20. possessive adjectives / les adjectifs possessifs :

23

Masc.

Fem.

Plural

My

mon /m/

ma /ma/

mes /m/

Your

ton /t/

ta /ta/

tes /t/

His/Her/Its

son /s/

sa /sa/

ses /s/

Our

notre /nt/

notre /nt/

nos /no/

Your

votre /vt/

votre /vt/

vos /vo/

Their

leur /l/

leur /l/

leurs /l/

Possessive pronouns go before the noun. When a feminine noun

begins with a vowel, you must use the masculine form of the
pronoun for ease of pronunciation. Ma amie is incorrect and must
be mon amie, even though amie is feminine. Remember that
adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number, not the
possessor! Sa mre can mean his mother or her mother even
though sa is the feminine form, because it agrees with mre and
not the possessor (his or her).
C'est ma mre et mon pre. This is my mother and my father.
Ce sont vos petits-enfants ? These are your grandchildren?
Mes parents sont divorcs. My parents are divorced.
Sa grand-mre est veuve. His grandmother is a widow.
Notre frre est mari, mais notre sur est clibataire.
Our brother is married, but our sister is single.
Ton oncle est architecte, n'est-ce pas ?
Your uncle is an architect, isn't he?
Leurs cousines sont nerlandaises. Their cousins are Dutch.

21. TO DO OR MAKE / FAIRE

Faire - to do, make /f/

Present tense

Past tense (imperfect)

Future tense

/
fai / faison /
faisai /
faision
fera /
feron /
fzj
s
f/ s
fz/ s
fz/ s
i
f/ s
f/
/
24

/
fai /
faisai /
fera /
/
faites /ft/
faisiez fzje
ferez
s
f/
s
fz/
s
fa/
fe/
/
fait

/
font
f/

/f/

faisai /
faisaie
/
feron /
/fz/ fera
t
fz/ nt
fa/ t
f/

Another past tense (pass compos) uses the present tense forms
of avoir plus the past participle of faire: fait. J'ai faittranslates as I
did/made whereas je faisais translates as I was doing/making, I
used to do/make (continuous action in the past).
Faire is used in expressions of weather (il fait beau) and many other
idiomatic expressions:
faire de (a sport) - to play (a sport)
faire le sourd / l'innocent - to act deaf / innocent
faire le (subject in school) - to do / study (subject)
faire le mnage - to do the housework
faire la cuisine - to do the cooking
faire la lessive - to do laundry
faire la vaisselle - to do the dishes
faire une promenade - to take a walk
faire un voyage - to take a trip
faire les courses - to go (grocery) shopping
faire des achats - to go shopping
faire de l'exercice - to exercise
faire attention - to pay attention
faire la queue - to stand in line

22. WORK & SCHOOL / LE TRAVAIL & L'ECOLE

Masculine

Feminine

25

actor / actress

l'acteur

/akt/

l'actrice

/aktis/

singer

le chanteur

/t/

la chanteuse

/tz/

architect

l'architecte

/aitkt/

l'architecte

/aitkt/

accountant

le comptable

/ktabl/

la comptable

/ktabl/

judge

le juge

/y/

la juge

/y/

business pers
on

l'homme
d'affaires

/m daf/

la femme
d'affaires

/fam daf/

baker

le boulanger

/bule/

la
boulangre

/bul/

hair dresser

le coiffeur

/kwaf/

la coiffeuse

/kwafz/

la
/
computer
le programmeur /pgam/ programmeu pgam
programmer
se
z/
secretary

le secrtaire

/sket/

la secrtaire /sket/

electrician

l'lectricien

/elktisj/

l'lectricienn
/
e
elktisjn/

mechanic

le mcanicien

/mekanisj/

la
/
mcanicienn mekanisjn
e
/

cook

le cuisinier

/kizinje/

la cuisinire /kizinj/

salesperson

le vendeur

/vd/

la vendeuse

/vdz/

fire fighter

le pompier

/ppje/

la pompier

/ppje/

plumber

le plombier

/plbje/

la plombier

/plbje/

librarian

la
/
le bibliothcaire /biblijtek/ bibliothcair biblijtek
e
/

police officer l'agent de police /a d plis/

l'agent de
police

/a d pl
is/

reporter

le journaliste

/unalist/

blue-collar
worker

l'ouvrier

/uvije/

l'ouvrire

/uvij/

banker

le banquier

/bkje/

la banquire

/bkj/

lawyer

l'avocat

/avka/

l'avocate

/avkat/

postal worker

le facteur

/fakt/

la factrice

/faktis/

carpenter

le charpentier

/aptje/

26

la journaliste /unalist/

la
/aptj/
charpentire

engineer

l'ingnieur

/enj/

l'ingnieure

/enj/

doctor

le mdecin

/mds/

la mdecin

/mds/

nurse

l'infirmier

/fimje/

l'infirmire

/fimj/

pharmacist

le pharmacien

/famasj/

la
/
pharmacien
famasjn/
ne

psychologist

le psychologue

/psiklg/

la
/psiklg/
psychologue

dentist

le dentiste

/dtist/

veterinarian

le vtrinaire

/vetein/

la
/vetein/
vtrinaire

taxi driver

le chauffeur de
taxi

/of d
taksi/

la chauffeur /of d
de taxi
taksi/

writer

l'crivain

/ekiv/

teacher
(primary
school)

l'instituteur

/stityt/

l'institutrice /stitytis/

teacher /
professor

le professeur

/pfes/

la professeur /pfes/

student

l'tudiant

/etydj/

l'tudiante

/etydjt/

intern

le stagiaire

/staj/

la stagiaire

/staj/

retired person

le retrait

/tete/

la retraite

/tete/

la dentiste

l'crivaine

/dtist/

/ekivn/

Notice that some professions are always masculine, even if the

person is a woman. There are also words that are
always feminine (such as la victime) even if the person is a man.
Slang words/abbreviations for school: ( school subjects / les matieres)

dictionary

un dico

/diko/

/
paper / essay une disserte dist
/
college /
la fac
/fak/
faculty
27

student

un
potache

/pota/

book

un
bouquin

/buk/

to work

bosser

/bse/

quiz

une interro /t/

to have
detention

tre coll(e)
/kle/
avoir une
/kol/
colle

to
understand

piger

/pie/

to skip (a
scher
/see/
class)
(un cours)

SCHOOL SUBJECTS / LES MATIERES

Math

les
/
Geograph la gograph
mathmatiq matemati
/egafi/
y
ie
ues
k/

Algebra

l'algbre

/alb/

Physics

la physique

/fizik/

Calculus

le calcul

/kalkyl/

Biology

la biologie

/bjli/

Geometry

la gomtrie

/
Chemistr
emeti/
y

la chimie

/imi/

Business/Tra
le commerce /kms/ Zoology
de

la zoologie

/zli/

la
/
Botany
comptabilit ktabilite/

la
botanique

/btanik/

Art

les artsplastiques

/a
plastik/

Accounting

/sj
les sciences
Economics
zeknmi
conomiques
k/
Foreign
Languages

les langues /lg vivt

vivantes
/

Music

la musique

/myzik/

Linguistics

la
/lgistik/
linguistique

Dance

la danse

/ds/

Literature

la littrature

le dessin

/des/

Philosophy

la
/filzfi/
philosophie

Psychology

la
/
Computer l'informatiq
/
psychologie psikli/ Science
ue
fmatik/

Political Scie les sciences

nce
politiques
History

l'histoire (f)

/
Drawing
liteaty/

Painting la peinture

/pty/

/sjs
plitik/

Technolo
la
/tknli/
gy
technologie

/istwa/

Physical
l'ducation /edykasj
Educatio
physique(f)
fizik/
n

28

Notice that you do not use an indefinite article before professions,

unless they are preceded by an adjective.
Qu'est-ce que vous faites dans la vie ? What do you do for a
living?
Je suis avocate. I am a lawyer. (fem.)
Je suis professeur. I am a professor.
Je suis tudiant. I am a student (masc.)
O est-ce que vous faites vos tudes ? Where do you study?
Je vais l'universit de Michigan. I go to the university of
Michigan.
Je fais mes tudes l'universit de Toronto. I study at the
University of Toronto.
Qu'est-ce que vous tudiez ? What do you study?
Quelles matires tudiez-vous ? What subjects do you study?
J'tudie les langues trangres et la linguistique. I study
foreign languages and linguistics.
Je fais des mathmatiques. I study/do math.
Ma spcialisation est la biologie. My major is biology.
23. PREPOSITIONS & CONTRACTIONS
at / to / in
from / of /
about
at the
house of
in
for
by /
through

/a/

during

pendant

/pd/

de

/d/

since / for

depuis

/dpi/

chez

/e/

among

parmi

/pami/

/d/ //

between

entre

/t/

/pu/

around

autour de

/otud/

/pa/

against

contre

/kt/

/dv/

toward

vers /
envers

/v/ /nv/

travers

/atav/

avec
sans

/avk/
/s/

dans /
en
pour
par

in front of devant
behind

derrire

/dj/

before
after

avant
aprs

/av/
/ap/

through /
across
with
without
29

up

en haut

/no/

down

en bas

/ba/

on

sur

/sy/

over /
above
under /
below
across
from
near
far from

/dd/
/altej/
/
dehors /
outside
d//alkstej
l'extrieur
/
hors de /
/d/ /ndd
outside of en dehors
/
de
inside

dedans /
l'intrieur

audessus /odsyd/ because of cause de

de
sous /
au/su/
selon /
according to
dessous /odsud/
d'aprs
de
en face
approximate
/fasd/
environ
de
ly
prs de /pd/
in spite of
malgr
loin de /lwd/
as for
quant

/akozd/

/sl/ /dap/

/vi/
/malge/
/kta/

You can also use dessus and dessous as adverbs to mean over it
/ on top of it and beneath it / underneath it,respectively. They are
not followed by nouns or pronouns, unlike prepositions.
Prepositional Contractions
+ le = au
/o/
at / to / in the
+ les = aux
/o/
at / to / in the (pl.)
de + le = du
/dy/
of / from / about the
de + les = des
/de/
of / from / about the (pl.)
In: Dans vs. En
Dans is used to show the time when an action will begin,
while en shows the length of time an action takes.
Je pars dans quinze minutes. I'm leaving in 15 minutes.
Il peut lire ce livre en une demi-heure. He can read this book in
a half hour.
With: Avec vs. De vs. A vs. Chez
Avec implies doing something or going along with someone; de is
used in phrases of manner and in many idiomatic expressions; is
used when referring to someone's attributes; and chez is used to
30

mean "as far as (person) is concerned." To describe the way a

person carries him/herself, no extra word is used.
Je vais en France avec ma sur. I'm going to France with my
sister.
Elle me remercie d'un sourire. She thanks me with a smile.
L'homme aux cheveux roux est trs grand. The man with the
red hair is very tall.
Chez cet enfant, tout est simple. With this child, everything is
simple.
Il marche, les mains dans les poches. He walks with his hands
in his pockets.

24. COUNTRIES AND NATIONALITIES / LES PAYS ET LES

NATIONALITES :

Africa l'Afrique (f)

/afik/

Hebrew
(lang.)

hbreu

/eb/

African

africain/e

/afik/
/n/

Italy

l'Italie (f)

/itali/

Albania

l'Albanie
(f)

/albani/

Italian

italien/ne

/italj/ /n/

Albania
albanais/e
n

/
alban/
/z/

Japan

le Japon

/ap/

Algeria l'Algrie (f)

/alei/

Japanese

japonais/e

/apn/
/z/

Korea

la Core

/ke/

Korean

coren/ne

Latvia

la Lettonie

/
Algerian algrien/ne alej/
/n/
l'Amrique
America
/ameik/
(f)
America amricain/ /ameik/

31

/ke/
/n/
/letni/

n
e
/n/
Argentin l'Argentine
/atin/ Latvian
a
(f)
Argentin
/at/
argentin/e
Lithuania
e
/in/
Asia

l'Asie (f)

/azi/

letton/ne

/let/ /n/

la Lituanie

/litani/

Lithuanian lituanien/ne

/litanj/
/n/

Luxembou
le
/lyksbu/
rg
Luxembourg
/
Australi l'Australie
Luxembou luxembourge
/ostali/
lyksbu
a
(f)
rger
ois/e
wa/ /az/
/
/
Australi australien/
Macedoni
ostalj/ /
la Macdoine masedwa
an
ne
a
n/
n/
/
l'Autriche
Macedoni macdonien/
Austria
/oti/
masednj
(f)
an
ne
/ /n/
autrichien/ /otij/
Austrian
Malta
Malte (f)
/malt/
ne
/n/
Belgium la Belgique /blik/
Maltese
maltais/e /malt/ /z/
Belgian
belge
/bl/
Morocco
le Maroc
/mak/
/
Bosnia la Bosnie /bsni/ Moroccan marocain/e mak/
/n/
Netherlan
Bosnian bosniaque /bsniak/
les Pays-Bas /peib/
ds
/
nerlandais/
Brazil
le Brsil
/bezil/
Dutch
neld/ /
e
z/
/
Brazilia brsilien/n
Dutch
/'l d/
bezilj/ /
hollandais/e
n
e
(person)
/z/
n/
/
New
la NouvelleBulgaria la Bulgarie /bylgai/
nuvlzeld
Zealand
Zlande
/
/
Bulgaria
New
nobulgare
/bylga/
neozeld
n
Zealander zlandais/e
/ /z/
Cambod
le
/kbd/ Norway
la Norvge /nv/
Asian

asiatique

/azjatik/

32

ia

Cambodge

/
Cambod cambodgie /kbdj/ Norwegia
norvgien/ne nvej/ /
ian
n/ne
/n/
n
n/
Canada le Canada /kanada/ Poland
la Pologne
/pl/
/
Canadia canadien/n
/pln/
kanadj/ / Polish
polonais/e
n
e
/z/
n/
China
la Chine
/in/
Portugal le Portugal /ptygal/
/
/inwa/ Portugues
Chinese chinois/e
portugais/e ptyg/
/az/
e
/z/
Croatia la Croatie /kasi/ Quebec
le Qubc
/kebk/
Quebecke
/kebekwa/
Croatian croate
/kat/
qubcois/e
r
/az/
Czech
la
/epyblik
Republi Rpubliqu
Romania la Roumanie /umani/
tk/
c
e Tchque
Czech
tchque
/tk/ Romanian roumain/e /um/ /n/
Denmar
le
/
Russia
la Russie
/ysi/
k
Danemark danmak/
/
Danish danois/e danwa/ Russian
russe
/ys/
/az/
Egypt l'Egypte (f) /eipt/
Scotland
l'Ecosse
/eks/
/
Egyptia
/eks/
gyptien/e eipsj/ Scottish cossais/e
n
/z/
/n/
l'Angleterr
England
/glt/ Senegal le Sngal /senegal/
e (f)
Senegales
/senegal/
English anglais/e /gl/ /z/
sngalais/e
e
/z/
Estonia l'Estonie
/stni/
Serbia
la Serbie
/sbi/
/
Estonia estonien/n
stonj/ Serbian
serbe
/sb/
n
e
/n/
Europe l'Europe (f) /p/
Slovakia la Slovaquie /slvaki/
/
Europea europen/n
pe/
Slovak
slovaque
/slvak/
n
e
/n/
33

Finland la Finlande

/fld/
/finwa/
/az/
/fs/
/fs/
/z/

Slovenia

la Slovnie

/slveni/

Slovene

slovne

/slvn/

Spain

l'Espagne (f)

/spa/

Spanish

espagnol/e

/spal/

German l'Allemagn
y
e (f)

/alma/

Sweden

la Sude

/sd/

German allemand/e

/alm/
/d/

sudois/e

/
sedwa/ /
az/

la Suisse

/sis/

suisse

/sis/

Tawan

/tajwan/
/
tajwan/
/z/
/tynizi/
/tynizj/
/n/
/tyki/

Finnish

finnois/e

France

la France

French franais/e

Swedish

/
Great la GrandeSwitzerlan
gdbt
Britain Bretagne
d
a/
britanniqu
British
/bitanik/
Swiss
e
Greece la Grce
/gs/
Taiwan
Greek
Hungary
Hungari
an
Iceland
Icelandi
c
India
Indian

grec /
grecque

/gk/

la Hongrie

/'gi/
Tunisia
/'gwa/ /
hongrois/e
Tunisian
az/
l'Islande
/isld/
Turkey
/isld/
islandais/e
Turk
/z/
l'Inde
/d/
Ukraine
indien/ne /dj/ /n/

Indonesi l'Indonsie
/dnezi/
a
(f)
Indonesi indonsien /dnezj/
an
/ne
/n/
Ireland l'Irlande (f) /ild/
Irishma
/ild/
irlandais/e
n
/z/
Israel

Taiwanese tawanais/e

Isral

/isael/

la Tunisie
tunisien/ne
la Turquie
turc /
turcque
l'Ukraine

/tyk/

/ykn/
/yknj/
Ukrainian ukrainien/ne
/n/
/
United la Royaumewajomyni
Kingdom
Uni
/
United
les Etats/etazyni/
States
Unis
Vietnam le Vietnam /vitnam/
Vietnames vietnamien/n /vjtnamj/
e
e
/n/
le Pays-deWales
/peidgal/
Galles
34

Israeli

/
isralien/n
isaelj/ /
e
n/

Welsh

gallois/e

/galw/
/z/

The masculine forms of the nationalities are also used for the
language. Adjectives of nationalities and languages are not
capitalized in written French. The definite article is not used before
a language when it follows the verb parler (to speak): Je parle
anglais. Notice that French also uses hollandais when referring to
Dutch people and sometimes the Dutch language, but this is not
exactly correct (just as it is not correct to use Holland when
referring to the Netherlands in English). Also notice that you do not
use the definite article with Isral or Malte.
25. NEGATIVE SENTENCES
To make sentences negative, simply put ne and pas around the
verb. In spoken French, however, the ne is frequently omitted, but
it cannot be omitted in written French. And when you are replying
"yes" to a negative question, you use siand not oui (though in
Quebec, it is perfectly fine to just use oui).
Je suis du Canada. I am from Canada.
Je ne suis pas du Mexique. I am not from Mexico.
Je suis franaise. I am French (feminine.)
Je ne suis pas suisse. I am not Swiss. (masculine or feminine)
Il est australien. He is Australian.
Elle n'est pas danoise. She is not Danish.
Elles sont des Etats-Unis. They are from the United States.
Ils ne sont pas du Portugal. They are not from Portugal.
Je parle chinois et japonais. I speak Chinese and Japanese.
Je ne parle pas sudois. I don't speak Swedish.
Vous n'tes pas du Brsil ? You aren't from Brazil?
Si, nous sommes du Brsil. Yes, we are from Brazil
26. TO / IN AND FROM PLACES, CITIES, AND COUNTRIES
Places
Masc. au du
Fem. la de la
Vowel l' de l'

Cities

de

de

d'

Countries
au du
en
de
en
d'
35

Plural aux des

aux des

aux des

If the name of a country ends in-e, the gender is feminine. If it ends

in anything else, it is masculine. All continents are feminine. The
country exceptions are le Cambodge, le Mexique, le Zare, le
Zimbabwe, and le Mozambique. Some cities have an article as
well, such as La Nouvelle-Orlans (New Orleans).
Je vais la boulangerie. I'm going to the bakery.
Il vient de Londres. He comes from London.
On va en France demain. We're going to France tomorrow.
Tu viens du Mexique ? You come from Mexico?
Prepositions with Regions, Provinces & States
To / In
From
Feminine

en

de

Islands

de / d'

Masc. w/ Vowel

en / dans l'

d' / de l'

Masc. w/ Consonant

au / dans le

du

In general, if a region, province or state ends in -e, it is feminine.

Californie, Caroline du Nord / Sud, Floride, Gorgie, Louisiane,
Pennsylvanie, and Virginie are the feminine American states; while
Maine is masculine. For French rgions or dpartements that begin
with Haut(e), the h is an aspirate h, and therefore, there is no
elision with preceding words, i.e. de Haut-Rhin, la HauteNormandie, etc.
Elles habitent en Californie. They live in California.
Il est de Haute-Savoie. He is from Haute-Savoie.
Ce fromage vient du Nord. This cheese comes from Nord.
Je veux voyager dans le Texas. I want to travel in Texas.
27. TO COME & TO GO / VENIR & ALLER

Venir-to come /vni/

36

Present

Past (Imperfect)

viens /vj/

venons

/vn/

venais /vn/ venions /vnj/

viens /vj/

venez

/vne/

venait /vn/ veniez

vient /vj/

viennent

/vijn/

venait /vn/

/vnje/

venaien
/vn/
t

Future
viendrai

/
viendron
/vijnd/
vijnd/ s

viendras

/
viendrez /vijnde/
vijnda/

viendra

/
viendron
/vijnd/
vijnda/ t

Aller-to go /ale/
Present
vais /v/

Past (Imperfect)

Future

allon /
j'allai /
/
j'ira /
iron
allions
/i/
s
al/ s
al/
alij/ i
i/ s

vas

/
/
allez
allais /al/ alliez
va/
ale/

/
iras /ia/ irez /ie/
alije/

va

/
allaien
vont /v/ allait /al/
/al/ ira
va/
t

/ia/

iron
/i/
t

Other verbs that are conjugated like venir: tenir - to hold, devenir to become, obtenir - to get, revenir - to come back.
Je viens des Etats-Unis. I come from the United States.
Il tient un crayon. He's holding a pencil.
Nous allons en Espagne. We're going to Spain.
Tu ne vas pas au Brsil cet t. You're not going to Brazil this
summer.
Aller + an infinitive means "going to do something."
Ils vont aller en Angleterre. They are going to go to England.
Elle va parler russe. She's going to speak Russian.
Je vais devenir professeur. I'm going to become a professor.
37

Aller is also used idiomatically when talking about health.

Comment vas-tu ? How are you?
Je vais bien. I'm fine.
Venir de + an infinitive means "to have just done something."
Il vient d'aller en Finlande. He just went to Finland.
Vous venez de manger une pomme. You just ate an apple.
28. CONJUGATING REGULAR VERBS IN THE PRESENT
INDICATIVE TENSE
Verbs in French end in -er, -re, or -ir. The verb before it is
conjugated is called the infinitive. Removing the last two letters
leaves you with the stem (aimer is the infinitive, aim- is the stem.)
The present indicative tense indicates an ongoing action, general
state, or habitual activity. Besides the simple present tense (I write,
I run, I see); there are two other forms of the present tense in
English: the progressive (I am writing, I am running, etc.) and the
emphatic (I do write, I do run, etc.) However, these three English
present tenses are all translated by the present indicative tense in
French.
To conjugate verbs in the present tense, use the stem and add the
following endings.
-er

-re

1st -ir

2nd -ir*

-e

-ons

-s

-ons

-is

-issons

-s

-ons

-es

-ez

-s

-ez

-is

-issez

-s

-ez

-e

-ent

-ent

-it

-issent

-t

-ent

Sample Regular Verbs in the Present tense

aimer - to like, love

vendre - to sell

aime

/em/

aimons

/em/

vends /v/

vendons

/vd/

aimes

/em/

aimez

/eme/

vends /v/

vendez

/vde/

aime

/em/

aiment

/em/

vend

vendent

/vd/

finir - to finish

/v//

partir - to leave

finis

/fini/ finissons

/finis/

pars

/pa/ partons

/pat/

finis

/fini/ finissez

/finise/

pars

/pa/ partez

/pate/

finit

/fini/ finissent

/finis/

part

/pa/ partent

/pat/

Notice how several conjugations are pronounced the same. This is

why you must use the subject pronouns in French.
38

Irregular verbs -er

-re

aimer

/eme/

to like, love

vendre

/vd/

chanter

/te/

to sing

attendre /atd/

to wait for

chercher

/e/

to look for

entendre /td/

to hear

commence
/kmse/ to begin
r

perdre

to lose

donner

/dne/

to give

rpondre
/epd/
()

to answer

tudier

/etydje/

to study

descendr
/dsd/
e

to go down

fermer

/fme/

to close

habiter

/abite/

to live

btir

/bti/

to build

jouer

/we/

to play

finir

/fini/

to finish

manger

/me/

to eat

choisir

/wazi/

to choose

montrer

/mte/

to show

punir

/pyni/

to punish

parler

/pale/

to speak

remplir

/pli/

to fill

penser

/pse/

to think

obir () /bei/

to obey

travailler

/tavaje/

to work

russir

/eysi/

to succeed

trouver

/tuve/

to find

gurir

/gei/

to cure, heal

/pd/

to sell

1st -ir

If a verb is followed by (like rpondre) you have to use the and

any contractions after the conjugated verb. Ex: Je
rponds au tlphone. I answer the phone.
* The 2nd -ir verbs are considered irregular sometimes because
there are only a few verbs which follow that pattern. Other verbs
like partir are sortir /sti/ (to go out), dormir /dmi/ (to
sleep), mentir /mti/ (to lie), sentir /sti/ (to smell, feel)
and servir /svi/ (to serve.)
You can also download a list of the 681 most common verbs in
French (available in PDF format.).
29. PRONOMINAL (REFLEXIVE) VERBS
These verbs are conjugated like normal verbs, but they require an
extra pronoun before the verb. Most indicate a reflexive action but
some are idiomatic and can't be translated literally. The pronouns
are:
39

me

/m/

nous

/nu/

te

/t/

vous

/vu/

se

/s/

se

/s/

Some Pronominal Verbs

s'amuser
/samyze/
se lever
/slve/
se laver
/slave/
se dpcher
/sdepee/
se peigner
/spee/
s'habiller
/sabije/
se marier
/smaje/
se reposer
/spoze/
se souvenir de
/ssuvni d/
s'entendre bien
/stdbj/
se coucher
/skue/
se brosser
/sbse/
se maquiller
/smakije/
se casser

/skase/

se rveiller
se raser
s'ennuyer
se promener

/seveje/
/sze/
/snije/
/spmne/

s'intresser

/steese a/

s'entraner
se dtendre

/stene/
/sdetd/

to have fun
to get up
to wash (oneself)
to hurry
to comb
to get dressed
to get married
to rest
to remember
to get along well
to go to bed
to brush
to put on makeup
to break (arm,
leg, etc.)
to wake up
to shave
to get bored
to take a walk
to be interested
in
to train/practice
to relax

When used in the infinitive, such as after another verb, the reflexive
pronoun agrees with the subject of the sentence.
Je vais me coucher maintenant. I'm going to go to bed.
Tu veux t'asseoir ? Do you want to sit down?
40

je m'assieds
tu t'assieds
il s'assied

Sample Irregular Pronominal Verb

s'asseoir - to sit down /saswa/
/masj/ nous nous asseyons
/nunuzasej/
/tytasj/
vous vous asseyez
/vuvusaseje/
/ilsasj/
ils s'asseyent
/ilsasej/

30. IRREGULARITIES IN REGULAR VERBS

1. Verbs that end in -ger and -cer: The nous form of manger isn't
mangons, but mangeons. The e has to stay so the g can retain the
soft sound. The nous form of commencer isn't commencons, but
commenons. The c must have the accent (called a cedilla) under
it to make the c sound soft.
manger-to eat /me/
mange

/
mangeon /
/
commeno /
commence
m/ s
m/
kms/ ns
kms/

mange /
mangez
s
m/
mange

commencer-to begin /kmse/

/
commence /
/
commencez
me/ s
kms/
kmse/

/
/
commence
mangent /m/ commence
/kms/
m/
kms/ nt

2 . Verbs that add or change to an accent grave: Some verbs add

or change to an accent grave () in all the forms except
the nous and vous.
acheter-to buy /ate/
esprer-to hope /spee/
j'achte /at/ achetons /at/ j'espre /sp/ esprons /spe/
achtes /at/ achetez /ate/ espres /sp/ esprez /spee/
achte /at/ achtent /at/ espre /sp/ esprent /sp/
3. Verbs that are conjugated as -er verbs: Some -ir verbs are
conjugated with -er endings. Examples: ouvrir-to open
/uvi/, couvrir-to cover /kuvi/, dcouvrir-to discover
/dekuvi/ and souffrir-to suffer /sufi/.

41

offrir-to offer /fi/

j'offre

/f/

offrons

/f/

offres

/f/

offrez

/fe/

offre

/f/

offrent

/f/

4. Verbs that end in -yer: Change the y to an i in all forms except

the nous and vous. Examples: nettoyer-to clean
/netwaje/, payer-to pay /peje/, and essayer-to try /eseje/
envoyer-to send /vwaje/
/vwa/ envoyons
/vwaj/
/vwa/ envoyez
/vwaje/
/vwa/ envoient
/vwa/

j'envoie
envoies
envoie

5. Verbs that double the consonant: Some verbs, including jeter-to

throw /te/, double the consonant in all forms except
the nous and vous.

j'appelle
appelles
appelle

appeler-to call /aple/

/apl/
appelons /apl/
/apl/
appelez
/aple/
/apl/
appellent /apl/

31. PRESENT PERFECT TENSE OR PASSE COMPOSE

You have learned the present indicative so far, which expresses
what happens, is happening, or does happen now; but if you want
to say something happened, or has happened, you use the pass
compos. The pass compos is used for actions that happened
only once, a specified number of times or during a specified period
of time, and as a result or consequence of another action. All you
need to learn are the past participles of the verbs.
Regular Verbs: Formation of the Past Participle
-er

-
42

-re
-ir

-u
-i

Then conjugate avoir and add the past participle:

J'ai aim le concert.
Tu as habit ici ?

I liked the concert.

You lived here?
He answered (or has answered)
the telephone.
We finished (or have finished)
the project.
They filled (or have filled) the
cups.

Il a rpondu au tlphone.
Nous avons fini le projet.
Elles ont rempli les tasses.

To make it negative, put the ne and pas around the conjugated

form of avoir.
Je n'ai pas aim le concert.

I didn't like the concert.

He didn't answer (or hasn't
answered).
They didn't fill (or haven't filled) the
glasses.

Il n'a pas rpondu.

Elles n'ont pas rempli les tasses.

32. IRREGULAR PAST PARTICIPLES

avoir

to have

eu

/y/

had

connatre

to know

connu

/kny/

known

croire

to believe

cru

/ky/

believed

devoir

to have to

/dy/

had to

dire

to tell

dit

/di/

said

crire

to write

crit

/eki/

written

tre

to be

/ete/

been

faire

to do, make

fait

/f/

made

43

lire

to read

lu

/ly/

read

mettre

to put

mis

/mi/

put

permettre

to permit

permis

/pmi/

permitted

promettre

to promise

promis

/pmi/

promised

ouvrir

to open

ouvert

/uv/

opened

offrir

to offer

offert

/f/

offered

pouvoir

to be able to

pu

/py/

was able to

prendre

to take

pris

/pi/

taken

apprendre

to learn

appris

/api/

learned

comprendre to understand

compris

/kpi/

understood

surprendre

to surprise

surpris

/sypi/

surprised

recevoir

to receive

reu

/sy/

received

rire

to laugh

ri

/i/

laughed

savoir

to know

su

/sy/

known

voir

to see

vu

/vy/

seen

vouloir

to want

voulu

/vuly/

wanted

33. ETRE VERBS

Seventeen so-called "house" verbs and all pronominal
verbs are conjugated with tre, and they must agree in gender and
number with the subject. Irregular past participles are highlighted.

to go

aller

all / alle

arriv /
arrive
descendr descendu /
to go down
e
descendue
devenu /
to become devenir
devenue
to arrive

arriver

to go by /
pass
to return
home
to stay

passer

pass / passe

rentrer

rentr /
rentre

rester

rest / reste

to enter

entrer

entr / entre

to come
back

retourn retourn /
er
retourne
revenu /
revenir
revenue

to go up

monter

mont /
monte

to go out

sortir

sorti / sortie

to die

mourir

mort / morte

to fall

tomber

tomb /
tombe

to return

44

to be born natre
to leave
partir

n / ne
parti / partie

to come

venir

venu / venue

A mnemonic device to remember these 17 verbs is DR & MRS P

VANDERTRAMP. Each letter in the name corresponds to the first
letter of the verbs. Five of these verbs (monter, descendre, sortir,
rentrer, and passer) are conjugated with avoir if they are used with
a direct object.
Je suis sortie. I went out.
J'ai sorti la poubelle. I took the trash out.
Conjugation of an tre verb
Je suis rest(e) Nous sommes rest(e)s
Tu es rest(e) Vous tes rest(e)(s)
Il est rest
Ils sont rests
Elle est reste Elles sont restes
Add e for feminine and s for plural. Sometimes adding an -e
causes the pronunciation to change, i.e. the preceding consonant
that is silent in the masculine form is pronounced in the feminine
form: Il est mort /m/ vs. Elle est morte/mt/ To form the
negative, place ne...pas around the auxiliary verb:
Je ne suis pas rest.
Conjugation of a Pronominal Verb
Je me suis amus(e)
Nous nous sommes amus(e)s
Tu t'es amus(e)
Vous vous tes amus(e)(s)
Il s'est amus
Ils se sont amuss
Elle s'est amuse
Elles se sont amuses
To form the negative of pronominal verbs, place ne before the
reflexive pronoun, and pas after the auxiliary verb: Je neme
suis pas amus.
There are only two cases with pronominal verbs where the past
participle does not agree with the subject:
1. When the pronominal verb is followed by a direct object.
Compare: Elles se sont laves, but: elles se sont lav les mains.
45

2. With verbs where the reflexive pronoun is an indirect object,

such as se parler, se demander, se dire, s'crire, se sourire,
and se tlphoner.
Ils se sont tlphon.

34. FOOD AND MEALS / LA NOURRITURE ET LES REPAS

le petit
djeuner
le
Lunch
djeuner
Dinner
le dner
Cup
la tasse
Slice
la tranche
Bowl
le bol
Glass
le verre
le sel et le
Salt and Pepper
poivre
la
Fork
fourchette
Spoon
la cuillre
Knife
le couteau
l'assiette (f
Plate
)
Napkin
la serviette
Breakfast

Ice cream
Juice
Fruit
Cheese
Chicken
Cereal

la glace

/pti
dene/

Egg

l'uf (m)

/f/

/dene/

Cake

le gteau

/gto/

/dine/
/ts/
/t/
/bl/
/v/
/sl/ /pwa
v/

Pie
Milk
Coffee
Butter
Water

la tarte
le lait
le caf
le beurre
l'eau (f)

/tat/
/l/
/kafe/
/b/
/o/

Ham

le jambon

/b/

/fut/

Fish

le poisson

/pwas/

/kij/
/kuto/

Tea
Salad

/te/
/salad/

/asjt/

Jam

/svjt/

Meat
French
fries
Beer
Wine
Sugar
Soup

le th
la salade
la
confiture
la viande
les
frites (f)
la bire
le vin
le sucre
le potage

/glas/

le jus
/y/
le fruit
/fi/
le fromage /fma/
le poulet
/pul/
des
/seeal/
crales
46

Ketchup le ketchup

/kfity/
/vjd/
/fit/
/bj/
/v/
/syk/
/pta/
/ktp/

Oil

la
/mutad/
moutarde
la
Mayonnai
le vinaigre /ving/
mayonnais /majnz/
se
e
le yaourt
/jaut/
Pasta
des ptes
/pt/
l'huile (f)

Vinegar
Yogurt

/il/

Mustard

In France, it is common to use djeuner to mean to have

breakfast as well as to have lunch. In Canada, Belgium, and
Switzerland, the meals are le djeuner, le dner, and le souper.
The plural of un uf is des ufs, but fs is not pronounced: /f/
vs. //. Food is generally divided into two categories: sucr (sweet/
sugary) and sal (savoury/salty).Le pain /p/ is the general word for
bread; if you want to specify white bread, use le pain de mie /p d
mi/ . Because the French eat dinner so late in the evening (8 pm),
young children have l'heure de goter (snack time) after school. Le
yaourt refers to fruit yogurts and sweet puddings and they are eaten
as desserts in France. La glace is also a common dessert, and you
can find several parfums /paf/ (flavors). The word for scoops (of
ice cream) is boules /bul/. Many restaurants now offer take out food
options, which is called emporter (to take away). The opposite
is sur place.
35. FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND MEAT
fruit

un fruit

/fi/

apple

une pomme

/pm/

apricot
banana

un abricot
une banane

/abiko/
/banan/

corn
le mas
cucumb
un concombre
er
eggplant une aubergine
lettuce la laitue
mushroo
un champignon
m
onion un oignon

/mais/

les pois

/pwa/

un piment
une pomme de
terre

/pim/
/
pmdt/

blueberry une myrtille

/mitij/

cherry

une cerise

coconut

une noix de
coco

date

une datte

/siz/
/
nwadkok peas
o/
/dat/
pepper

fig

une figue

/fig/

grape

un raisin

/z/

grapefrui un

potato

pumpki
une citrouille
n
rice
le riz
47

/kkb/
/obin/
/lty/
/pi/
//

/situj/
/i/

lemon
lime
melon
olive
orange
peach

pamplemouss
e
un citron
un citron vert
un melon
une olive
une orange
une pche

pear

pineappl
e
plum
prune
raisin
raspberry
strawberr
y
watermel
on

pplmus/
/sit/
/sit v/
/ml/
/liv/
//
/p/

spinach
squash
tomato
turnip
zucchini
meat

des pinards
une courge
une tomate
un navet
des courgettes
la viande
du lard,
du bacon

/epina/
/ku/
/tmat/
/nav/
/kut/
/vjd/
/la/ /bek
n/

une poire

/pwa/

bacon

un ananas

/ananas/

beef

le buf

/bf/

une prune
/pyn/
un pruneau /pyno/
un raisin sec /z sk/
une framboise /fbwaz/

chicken
duck
goat
ham

le poulet
le canard
la chvre
le jambon

/pul/
/kana/
/v/
/b/

une fraise

lamb

l'agneau (m)

/ao/

liver

le foie

/fwa/

/fz/

une pastque /pastk/

vegetable un lgume

/legym/

artichoke un artichaut

/atio/

asparagu
des asperges
s

/asp/

beet

/
meatball des boulettes de
bultdvj
s
viande
d/
/
pork
une ctelette de
kotltdp
chop
porc
/
rabbit

hambur
ger
/bkli/ sausage
dried
/u/
sausage
/kat/
turkey

une betterave /btav/

broccoli le brocoli
cabbage un chou

carrot
une carotte
cauliflow
un chou-fleur /ufl/
er
celery
un cleri
/sli/

veal

le lapin

/lap/

le steak hach

/stkae/

la saucisse

/sosis/

le saucisson

/sosis/

la dinde

/dd/

le veau

/vo/

venison le chevreuil

/vj/

Lettuce can also be referred to as la salade verte.

48

36. TO TAKE, EAT OR DRINK

Prendre - to take, eat or drink /pd/

Boire - to drink /bwa/

prends

/p/

prenons

/prn/

bois /bwa/ buvons /buv/

prends

/p/

prenez

/prne/

bois /bwa/ buvez

prend

/p/

prennent

/pn/

boit /bwa/ boivent /bwav/

/buve/

Other verbs that are conjugated like prendre: apprendre /apd/ to learn, comprendre /kpd/ - to understand
and surprendre /sypd/ - to surprise
When you want to say "I am having wine," the French translation
is "Je prends du vin." You must use de and le, la, l', orles and the
proper contractions (called partitives) because in French you must
always express some. So "je prends de la bire" literally means "I
am having some beer" even though in English we would usually
only say I am having beer.
Manger is a regular verb meaning "to eat," but manger is used in a
general sense, such as Je mange du poulet tous les samedis. I
eat chicken every Saturday. Boire is literally the verb to drink and
is also used in a general sense only.Je bois du vin tout le
temps. I drink wine all the time.
37. QUANTITIES :
assez de

enough (of)

un morceau de

a piece of

une assiette de

a plate of

un peu de

a little (bit) of

beaucoup de

a lot of

une tasse de

a cup of

une bote de

a box of

une tranche de

a slice of

une bouteille de

a bottle of

trop de

too much, many

un kilo de

a kilo of

un verre de

a glass of

une douzaine de a dozen of

un panier de

a basket of

un paquet de

une poigne de

a handful of

plus de

more

a packet of

With quantities and negatives, you never use partitives. The

construction is always de or d' + noun.
49

Je voudrais prendre du fromage, mais pas de fruit. I would like

to have some cheese, but no fruit.
Il prend de la viande. He is eating some meat.
Nous prenons du riz et des brocolis. We are having some rice
and broccoli.
Il y a trop de lait dans la tasse. There is too much milk in the cup.
Je voudrais un morceau de tarte. I would like one piece of pie.
Est-ce que je peux prendre un verre de vin ? May I have a glass
of wine?
Je prends du vin. I'm drinking some wine.
Je ne prends pas de vin. I am not drinking any wine.
38. COMMANDS:
Use the vous, tu and nous forms for commands.
Vous
form

Polite and Plural

Tu form

Familiar

Nous
form

Let's...

Same as verb form

Restez !

Stay!

Same as verb form,

Regarde Look/Watc
but
!
h!
drop -s for -er verbs
Same as verb form

Allons-y

Let's go!

When using pronominal verbs as commands, the pronoun is placed

after the verb connected by a hyphen. Tu te
dpches becomes Dpche-toi ! And in negative commands,
the pronoun precedes the verb, as in Ne nous reposons pas.
Irregular Command Forms
tre (be)
tu

sois

/swa/

avoir (have)
tu

aie

//

savoir (know)
tu

sache

/sa/

nous soyons /swaj/ nous ayons /aj/ nous sachons

/sa/

vous soyez

/sae/

/swaje/ vous ayez

/aje/ vous sachez

Ne sois pas mchant avec ta sur ! Don't be mean to your

sister!
N'ayez pas peur ! Don't be afraid!
Sachez que j'apprcie votre aide. Know that I appreciate your
help.
50

39. MORE NEGATIVES

ne...plus
ne...jamais
ne...rien
ne...aucun(e)
ne...que
ne...personne
ne...ni...ni
ne...nulle part

/n...ply/
/n...am/
/n...j/
/n...ok// /yn/
/n...k/
/n...psn/
/n...ni...ni/
/n...nyl pa/

no longer
never
nothing
not a single one
only
nobody
neither...nor
nowhere

The que in ne...que is placed directly before the noun it limits.

Rien and personne may be used as subjects: Personne n'est ici.
Aucun(e) by definition is singular, so the verb and nouns must also
be changed to the singular. With ni...ni, all articles are dropped
except definite articles. Je n'ai ni camra ni camscope, but Je
n'aime ni les chats ni les chiens.
Il n'aime plus travailler. He no longer likes to work. (Or: He
doesn't like to work anymore)
Nous ne voulons faire des achats que lundi. We want to go
shopping only on Monday.
Elle ne dteste personne. She hates no one. (Or: She doesn't
hate anyone.)
Negatives with Pass Compos:
1. Ne...pas, ne...plus, ne...jamais, and ne...rien
Ne comes before auxiliary verb, and the other part is between
auxiliary and past participle.
Nous n'avons rien fait. We did nothing.
Vous ne vous tes pas ennuys. You were not bored.
2. Ne...personne, ne...aucun, ne...ni...ni, ne...nulle part, and
ne... que
Ne comes before the auxiliary verb, but the other part is after the
past participle.
Il n'a cout personne. He listened to no one.
Il n'a fait aucune faute. He made not a single mistake.

51

* Use of ne ... pas de: In negative sentences, the partitives and

indefinite articles become de before the noun (unless the verb is
tre, then nothing changes.)
Partitive: Je prends du pain et du beurre. I'm having some bread
and butter.
Negative: Je ne prends pas de pain ou de beurre. I am not having
any bread or butter.
Indefinite: J'ai un chien. I have a dog.
Negative: Je n'ai pas de chien. I don't have a dog.
Verb is tre: C'est une chatte brune. It's a brown cat.
Negative: Ce n'est pas une chatte brune. It's not a brown cat.
40. HOLIDAY PHRASES :
Merry Christmas
Happy New Year
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving (Canada)
Happy Easter
Happy Halloween
Happy Valentine's Day
Happy Birthday
Happy Saint Day
Happy Holidays
Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve

Joyeux Nol
Bonne Anne
Joyeux Thanksgiving
Bonne Action de grces
Joyeuses Pques
Bonne fte d'Halloween
Joyeuse Saint-Valentin
Bon Anniversaire
Joyeux Anniversaire
Bonne Fte
Joyeuses Ftes
le Rveillon
la Saint-Sylvestre

If someone is named after a saint, you can wish them bonne fte on
that saint's feast day. In Quebec, bonne fte is used for Happy
Birthday.
The French National Anthem: La Marseillaise
by Claude-Joseph Rouget de L'Isle
Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arriv.
52

Contre nous, de la tyrannie,

L'tendard sanglant est lev,
l'tendard sanglant est lev.
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces farouches soldats.
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras
gorger vos fils, vos compagnes.
Aux armes citoyens! Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons !
Qu'un sang impur Abreuve nos sillons.
Amour sacr de la Patrie,
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs.
Libert, libert chrie,
Combats avec tes dfenseurs;
Sous nos drapeaux, que la victoire
Accoure tes mles accents;
Que tes ennemis expirants
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire !
Aux armes citoyens !
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons !
Qu'un sang impur Abreuve nos sillons.
Ye sons of France, awake to glory, Hark, hark, what
myriads bid you rise: Your children, wives and grandsires
hoary, Behold their tears and hear their cries, see their
tears and hear their cries! Shall hateful tyrants mischief
breeding with hireling hosts, a ruffian band
Affright and desolate the land, while peace and liberty lie bleeding?
To arms, to arms, ye brave! Th'avenging sword unsheathe!
March on! March on! All hearts resolved on victory or death.
O sacred love of france, undying,
Th'avenging arm uphold and guide
Thy defenders, death defying,
Fight with Freedom on their side.
Soon thy sons shall be victorious
When the banner high is raised;
And thy dying enemies, amazed,
Shall behold thy triumph, great and glorious.
To arms, to arms, ye brave! Th'avenging sword unsheathe!
March on! March on! All hearts resolved on victory or death.
Translation by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1st verse) and Mary Elizabeth Shaw
(2nd verse) (This is not a literal translation.)

53

The Canadian National Anthem: O Canada

O Canada, terre de nos aeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux.
Car ton bras sait porter l'pe,
Il sait porter la croix.
Ton histoire est une pope
Des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur, de foi trempe,
Protgera nos foyers et nos droits.
O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
The Belgian National Anthem: La Brabannone
Noble Belgique, jamais terre chrie,
toi nos curs, toi nos bras,
Par le sang pur rpandu pour toi, Patrie!
Nous le jurons d'un seul cri: tu vivras!
Tu vivras toujours grande et belle
Et ton invincible unit
Aura pour devise immortelle
Le Roi, la Loi, la Libert!
Le Roi, la Loi, la Libert!
La Libert!
Noble Belgium, forever beloved land,
Thine our hearts, thine our arms,
By the pure blood shed for you Fatherland!
We swear it in a single shout: thou shalt live!
Thou shalt live, ever great and beautiful
And thy invincible unity
Shall have for everlasting motto:
The King, the Law, Liberty!
The King, the Law, Liberty!
Liberty!
The Swiss National Anthem: Cantique suisse
54

by Charles Chatelanat
Sur nos monts, quand le soleil
Annonce un brillant rveil,
Et prdit d'un plus beau jour le retour,
Les beauts de la patrie
Parlent l'me attendrie;
Au ciel montent plus joyeux
Les accents d'un cur pieux,
Les accents mus d'un cur pieux.
Lorsqu'un doux rayon du soir
Joue encore dans le bois noir,
Le cur se sent plus heureux prs de Dieu.
Loin des vains bruits de la plaine,
L'me en paix est plus sereine,
Au ciel montent plus joyeux
Les accents d'un cur pieux,
Les accents mus d'un cur pieux.
Lorsque dans la sombre nuit
La foudre clate avec bruit,
Notre cur pressent encore le Dieu fort;
Dans l'orage et la dtresse
Il est notre forteresse;
Offrons-lui des coeurs pieux:
Dieu nous bnira des cieux,
Dieu nous bnira du haut des cieux.
Des grands monts vient le secours;
Suisse, espre en Dieu toujours!
Garde la foi des aeux, Vis comme eux!
Sur l'autel de la patrie
Mets tes biens, ton cur, ta vie!
C'est le trsor prcieux
Que Dieu bnira des cieux,
Que Dieu bnira du haut des cieux.
41. IMPERFECT TENSE
This past tense corresponds to "was, were or used to." This tense
is used for repeated, continuous, or ongoing actions; as well as for
verbs that describe background and circumstances, such as
weather, time, and physical, mental, and emotional states. (Use
the pass compos for actions that happened once and are done.)
Verbs that express mental and emotional states that are
descriptive in nature are generally used in the imperfect more than
55

the pass compos. These verbs are: aimer, avoir, croire,

dtester, esprer, tre, penser, and prfrer.
To form the stem, use the nous form of the present tense and drop
the -ons. Then add these endings:
-ais

//

-ions

/j/

-ais

//

-iez

/je/

-ait

//

-aient

//

The only exception is tre for which you must use the stem t-, but
still the same endings. Verb stems that end in -c must use a cedilla
() under the c to make it soft. Verb stems ending in -g keep the e
before all forms except nous and vous.

tre
tais

/et/

tions

/etj/

tais

/et/

tiez

/etje/

tait

/et/

taient

/et/

Avoir, Devoir, Pouvoir, Savoir, and Vouloir

These verbs change meanings, according to whether they are used
in the imperfect or the pass compos.
Imperfect

Pass Compos

avoir

j'avais

I had

j'ai eu

I got, received

devoir

je devais

I was
supposed to

j'ai d

I must have, I had to

(and did)

pouvoir

je
pouvais

I was capable

j'ai pu
je n'ai pas
pu

I was able to (and

did), succeeded
I couldn't, failed

savoir

je savais

I knew

j'ai su

I found
out, discovered

vouloir

je
voulais

I wanted to

j'ai voulu
je n'ai pas

I tried, decided,
insisted

56

voulu

I refused

The imperfect tense is also used with these constructions:

tre en train de + infinitive = to be in the middle of doing something
J'tais en train d'tudier quand
vous tes arrivs.

I was (in the process of )

studying when you arrived.

tre sur le point de + infinitive = to be just about to do something

J'tais sur le point de vous
rappeler.

I was just about to call you back.

aller + infinitive = going to do something

J'allais sortir quand le tlphone a I was going to leave when the
sonn.
phone rang.
venir de + infinitive = to have just done something
Je venais de manger, alors je
n'avais plus faim.

I had just eaten, so I wasn't

hungry anymore.

42. PLACES / LES ENDROITS:

school
bathroom
locker
drinking fountain
store
library
office
stadium
cafe
cafeteria
movie theater

l'cole (f)
les toilettes (f)
le casier
la fontaine
le magasin
la biblio(thque)
le bureau
le stade
le caf
la caftria
le cinma
57

/ekl/
/twalt/
/kzje/
/ftn/
/magaz/
/biblijtk/
/byo/
/stad/
/kafe/
/kafeteja/
/sinema/

church
museum
pool
countryside
beach
theater
park
restaurant
hospital
post office
home
city
supermarket
delicatessen
university
bank
train station
airport
telephone
apartment
hotel
village
factory
garden
castle
cathedral
zoo
bakery
monument
pharmacy
butcher shop
candy store
police station
town hall
square
bookstore

l'glise (f)
le muse
la piscine
la campagne
la plage
le thtre
le parc
le restaurant
l'hpital (m)
la poste
la maison
la ville
le supermarch
la charcuterie
l'universit (f)
la banque
la gare
l'aroport (m)
le tlphone
l'appartement (m)
l'htel (m)
le village
l'usine (f)
le jardin
le chteau
la cathdrale
le zoo
la boulangerie
le monument
la pharmacie
la boucherie
la confiserie
la gendarmerie
la mairie
la place
la librairie
58

/egliz/
/myze/
/pisin/
/kpa/
/pla/
/tet/
/pak/
/st/
/pital/
/pst/
/mz/
/vil/
/sypmae/
/akyti/
/ynivsite/
/bk/
/ga/
/aep/
/telefn/
/apatm/
/otl/
/vila/
/yzin/
/ad/
/ato/
/katedal/
/zo/
/buli/
/mnym/
/famasi/
/bui/
/kfizi/
/dam()i/
/mi/
/plas/
/libi/

grocery store
pastry shop
fish market

l'picerie (f)
la ptisserie
la poissonnerie

/episi/
/ptisi/
/pwasni/

Nowadays, la mdiathque /medjatk/ is replacing bibliothque

because most libraries also have DVDs and CDs to lend, not just
books. You may also hear la cantine /ktin/ to refer to the cafeteria
in a school.
43. TRANSPORTATION
by bike
by bus
by moped
by car
by motorcycle
by subway
on foot
by plane
by train
by boat

en vlo (m)
en bus (m)
en scooter (m)
en voiture (f)
en moto (f)
en mtro (m)
pied (m)
en avion (m)
en train (m)
en bateau (m)

/ velo/
/ bus/
/ skut/
/ vwaty/
/ moto/
/ meto/
/a pje/
/ navj/
/ t/
/ bato/

Instead of using a specific verb of movement (drive, fly, walk)

before a location, French actually uses a more general verb + the
location + the manner of movement.
I walk to school. = Je vais l'cole pied. (I go to school on foot.)
I'm flying to New York. = Je vais New York en avion. (I go to
New York by plane.)
Common slang words for car/automobile are une bagnole /bal/
or une caisse /ks/. In Quebec, it's un char /a/.

44. TO WANT & TO BE ABLE TO:

59

vouloir /vulwa/ -to want and pouvoir /puvwa/ - to be able to, can
Present

Imperfect

Future

/
/
/
/
/
/
veu
voulo
voula
voulio
voud
voudr
v
vul
vul
vulj
vud
vud
x
ns
is
ns
rai
ons
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
veu
voule
voula
voud
voudr
v
vule
vul vouliez vulje
vud
vud
x
z
is
ras
ez
/
/
/
/
a/
e/
/
/
/
/
veu
veule /
voula
voulaie /
voud
voudr
v
vul
vud
vud
t
nt
vl/ it
nt
vul/ ra
ont
/
/
a/
/
/
/
/
/
peu
pouv
pouv
pouvio
pourr /
pourr /
p
puv
puv
puvj
x
ons
ais
ns
ai
pu/ ons
pu/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
peu
pouve
pouv
pouvie
pourr
pourre /
p
puv
puv
puvj
pua
x
z
ais
z
as
z
pue/
/
e/
/
e/
/
/
/
/
/
/
peu
peuve
pouv
pouvai
pourr
pourr /
p
pv
puv
puv
pua
t
nt
ait
ent
a
ont
pu/
/
/
/
/
/
Voulez-vous? can mean Do you want? or Will you? The past
participles are voulu and pu and both are conjugated with avoir.
The conditional forms of vouloir are used in the expression "would
like" i.e. I'd like = je voudrais, you'd like = tu voudrais, he'd/she'd
like = il/elle voudrait, we'd like = nous voudrions, you'd like
= vous voudriez, they'd like =ils/elles voudraient.
You do not need to use pouvoir after verbs that involve the
senses, such as voir (to see) and entendre (to hear). Je ne vois
pas / Je n'entends pas can mean I don't see or I can't see / I don't
hear or I can't hear depending on the context.

45. THE HOUSE AND YARD / LA MAISON ET LE JARDIN :

House
Apartment

la maison
l'appartement (m)
60

/mz/
/apatm/

Bedroom
Hallway
Kitchen
Storeroom
Stairs
Floor
Living Room
Closet
Room
Ground Floor
Dining Room
Bathroom
Terrace, patio
Attic
Chimney
Roof
Garage
Driveway
Sidewalk
Porch
Basement
Cellar
Yard
Shrub
Lawn/grass
Bush
Tree
Lawn mower
Hose
Watering can
Rake
Hoe
Clippers
Shovel
Sprinkler
Lock (door)

la chambre
le couloir
la cuisine
le dbarras
l'escalier (m)
l'tage (m)
le living / le salon
la penderie
la pice
le rez-de-chausse
la salle manger
la salle de bains
la terrasse
le grenier
la chemine
le toit
le garage
l'alle (f)
le trottoir
le porche
le sous-sol
la cave
le jardin
l'arbuste (m)
le gazon / la pelouse
le buisson
l'arbre (m)
la tondeuse gazon
le tuyau d'arrosage
l'arrosoir (m)
le rteau
la bche
le cisaille
la pelle
l'arroseur (m)
la serrure
61

/b/
/kulwa/
/kizin/
/debaa/
/skalje/
/eta/
/livi/ /sal/
/pdi/
/pjs/
/dose/
/salame/
/saldb/
/tas/
/gnje/
/()mine/
/tw/
/gaa/
/ale/
/ttwa/
/p/
/susl/
/kav/
/ad/
/abyst/
/gaz/ /p()luz/
/bis/
/ab/
/tdzagaz/
/tijodaoza/
/aoza/
/to/
/b/
/sizj/
/pl/
/aoz/
/sey/

Lock (bolt)
Padlock
Hinges
Key
Keychain
Keyhole
Doorknob
Tile roofing
Clapboard/Shingle
Slate roofing

le verrou
le cadenas
la charnire
la cl
le porte-cl
le trou de la serrure
la poigne de porte
les tuiles (f)
les bardeaux (m)
l'ardoise (f)

/vu/
/kadna/
/anj/
/kle/
/ptkle/
sey/
/pwaedpt/
/til/
/bado/
/adwaz/

You may also see the words la loggia /ldja/ (small room off a
large room - sometimes like a pantry) and la
veranda/veda/ (enclosed porch/balcony), as well as les
toilettes /twalt/ (a separate room just for the toilet), for parts of a
house or apartment.
46. furniture and appliances / les meubles et l'electromenager

Furniture les meubles

/mbl/

Shelf

l'tagre (f)

/eta/

Desk

le bureau

/byo/

Chair

la chaise

/z/

Dresser la commode
Curtain
Curtain
rod

/kmd/

/
Applianc l'lectromn
elktomena
es
ager
e/
Thermost
le thermostat /tmsta/
at
Air
le
Condition
/klimatiz/
climatiseur
er
Fan
le ventilateur /vtilat/
Rocking le fauteuil
/
chair
bascule
fotjabaskyl/
Stool
le tabouret
/tabu/

le rideau

/ido/

la tringle

/tgl/

Cushion

le coussin

/kus/

Shutters

les volets
(m)

/vl/

Carpet

la moquette

/mkt/

Blinds

les stores
(m)

/st/

Mixer /
Beater

le batteur
lectrique

/
batelkti
k/

62

Window

Door

la fentre
le lit / le
plumard
la porte

/fnt/
/li/
/plyma/
/pt/

Closet

le placard

/plaka/

Rug

le tapis

/tapi/

Bed

Blender
le mixeur
/miks/
Can
l'ouvre/uvbwat/
opener
botes (m)
Toaster le grille-pain
/gijp/
Coffee
la caftire
/kaftj/
maker
Coffee le moulin
/mul na
press
caf
kafe/
Kettle la bouilloire
/bujwa/

Lamp
la lampe
/lp/
Nightstan la table de
/tabldni/ Sheet
d
nuit
Answerin
le
g
/epd/ Blanket
rpondeur
machine
la chane hi
Stereo
/n i fi/ Mattress
fi

le drap

/da/

la
couverture

/kuvty/

le matelas

/matla/

les lits
Televisio
la
/televizj/ Bunkbeds superposs
n
tl(vision)
(m)
le
/
Lightswit l'interrupteu
VCR magntosco maetsk
ch
r (m)
pe
p/
la
Remote
/
Lampsha l'abat-jour
tlcomman
Control
telekmd/
de
(m)
de
Compute l'ordinateur
/
Faucet
le robinet
r
(m)
dinat/
Drain/Pip la canalisatio
Radio
la radio
/adjo/
ing
n
le porteFridge
le frigo
/figo/ Towel bar
serviettes
le
/
Refrigera
Laundry
rfrigrateu efieat
la buanderie
tor
room
r
/
le
Freezer
/kelat/ Bleach
la javel
conglateur
(Coffee)
la table
Laundry le panier
/tabl bas/
Table
(basse)
basket
linge
Clothespi la pince
Sink
l'vier (m)
/evje/
n
linge
63

/lisyppoze/

/teypt/

/abau/
/bin/
/kanalizasj/
/ptsvjt/
/bdi/
/avl/
/panje a l/
/ps a l/

Bathtub la baignoire /bwa/

Stove

la cuisinire /kizinj/

Oven

le four

/fu/

Dishwas
her

le lavevaisselle

/lavvsl/

/
Microwa le four
fuamiko
ve
micro-ondes
d/

Washing
Machine

la machine
/
laver / le
mainalave/
lave-linge
/lavl/

Clothes
le sche-linge
/sl/
Dryer
le fer
Iron
/fapase/
repasser
Ironing la planche
/plapase/
board
repasser
Hanger

le cintre

/st/

l'aspirateur
/aspiat/
(m)
Pillow
l'oreiller
/je/
Broom
le balai
/bal/
Mirror
le miroir
/miwa/ Dustpan
la pelle
/pl/
Ceiling le plafond
/plaf/
Mop
la serpillire /spij/
les ordures
Floor le plancher
/ple/
Garbage
/dy/
(f)
Garbage
le sac
Armchair le fauteuil
/fotj/
/sakpubl/
bag
poubelle
Garbage
Clock
la pendule
/pdyl/
la poubelle
/publ/
can
Bedsprea
Flyswatte la tapette
le couvre-lit /kuvli/
/taptamu/
d
r
mouche
Clothes
Vase
le vase
/vz/
le schoir
/sewa/
Dryer
Bathroo
Hair
le schele lavabo
/lavabo/
/seav/
m sink
Dryer
cheveux
Futon
Couch/So le canap / le /kanape/ /sfa
le clic-clac /klik klak/
couch
fa
sofa
/
/
DVD le lecteur de
lktddeve
Player
DVD
de/
Shower

la douche

/du/

Vacuum

Monte le son. / Baisse le son. Turn up the volume. / Turn down

the volume.
Allume la lumire. / Eteinds la tl. Turn on the light. / Turn off the
television.

64

47. COMPARATIVES & SUPERLATIVES

Comparatives
aussi (adj or adv) que

as (adj or adv) as

moins (adj or adv) que less (adj or adv) than

plus (adj or adv) que

more (adj or adv) than

plus de (noun) que

more (noun) than

autant de (noun) que

as many (noun) as

moins de (noun) que

less (noun) than

Sample Sentences
She is taller than Colette.
Elle est plus grande que Colette.
I am smarter than you.
Je suis plus intelligente que toi.
Pierre court moins rapidement
Peter runs less quickly than me.
quemoi.
The kitchen is as big as the living La cuisine est aussi grande que le
room.
salon.
I have more books than she.
J'ai plus de livres qu'elle.
Nous avons autant
We have as many cars as he.
de voitures que lui.
Verbs can also be compared with plus/aussi/moins (+ que):
Il travaille moins qu'elle. He works less than she.
Ils dorment plus. They sleep more.
Superlatives
Simply add le, la or les before the comparative if you are using an
adjective. With adverbs, always use le. After a superlative, de is
used to mean in. If the adjective follows the noun, the superlative
follows the noun also, surrounding the adjective.
Sample Sentences
It's the biggest city in the C'est la plus grande ville du
world.
monde.
She is the most beautiful Elle est la plus belle femme de
woman in this room.
cette salle.
This neighborhood is the Ce quartier est le moins
65

least expensive in Paris.

It's the most dreaded
punishment in the world.
She works the most
courageously of
everyone.

cher de Paris.
C'est la punition la plus
redoutabledu monde.
Elle travaille le plus
courageusement de tous.

In French, sometimes you don't use any articles, as compared to

English: Plus a change, plus c'est la mme
chose. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
48. IRREGULAR FORMS:
Adjective

Comparative

Superlative

good meilleur/e

better

le/la
meilleur/e

best

mauvais

bad

pire

worse

le/la pire

worst

petit

small

moindre

less

le/la moindre

least

bon

Adverb
bien

well

beaucoup much

Comparative

Superlative

mieux

better

le mieux

best

plus

more

le plus

most

mal

badly

pis

worse

le pis

worst

peu

little

moins

less

le moins

least

Only use the irregular forms of mauvais in the abstract sense. If the
idea is concrete, you may use plus/moins mauvais and le/la
mauvais.
49. CLOTHING / LES VETEMENTS
pajamas
jewelry
necklace
jeans
pants
sweater
turtleneck

le pyjama
le bijou
le collier
le jean
le pantalon
le pull
le col roul

boxer shorts
le caleon
briefs
le slip
panties
la culotte
tuxedo
le smoking
bowtie
le nud papillon
vest/cardigan
le gilet
flip flops
les tongs
66

raincoat
blouse

l'impermable (m)
le chemisier

bra

le soutien-gorge

slip
coat
tennis shoes
swimsuit

le jupon
le manteau
des tennis (m)
le maillot de bain

shorts

le short

bracelet
charm
t-shirt
hat
ring
chain
earrings
pin
sock
shoe
man's shirt
hooded jacket
sneakers
track suit
size (clothes)

sleeve
la manche
pocket
la poche
decorative
la foulard
scarf
man's suit
le costume
woman's suit
le tailleur
slippers
des pantoufles (f)
jacket
le blouson
les sousunderwear
vtements
gloves
les gants (m)
mittens
les moufles (f)
belt
la ceinture
cap
la casquette
skirt
la jupe
dress
la robe

le bracelet
le porte-bonheur
le tee-shirt
le chapeau
la bague
la chanette
les boucles d'oreilles
sandal
(f)
l'pingle (f)
boots
la chaussette
blazer/coat
la chaussure
scarf
la chemise
tie
l'anorak
slipper shoes
des baskets
high heels
le jogging
long shorts
la taille
size (shoes)

la sandale
des bottes (f)
la veste
l'charpe (f)
la cravate
des chaussons
des escarpins
le bermuda
la pointure

Les bas (stockings) and les collants (tights) are popular in

France. Chaussures talons hauts are high-heeled shoes,
while chaussures talons plats are flat shoes. Chaussures de
ville are dress shoes. A slang word forclothes is les fringues.
50. TO WEAR:
Mettre /mt/ - to put, to put on, wear
Present

Imperfect

67

Future

/
/
/
/
/
/
me
metto
mett
mettio
mettr
mettro
m
mt
mt
mtj
mt
mt
ts
ns
ais
ns
ai
ns
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
me
mette
mett
mettie
mettr
mettre
m
mt
mt
mtj
mt
mt
ts
z
ais
z
as
z
/
e/
/
e/
a/
e/
/
/
/
/
/
me
mette /
mett
mettai
mettr
mettro
m
mt
mt
mt
mt
t
nt
mt/ ait
ent
a
nt
/
/
/
a/
/
Other verbs that are conjugated like mettre: promettre - to promise
and permettre - to permit. The past participle of mettre is mis and it
is conjugated with avoir.
Porter is actually the verb to wear, but the French use mettre also.
Il / Elle te va bien.
Il / Elle vous va bien.
Ils / Elles te vont bien.
Ils / Elles vous vont bien.

It looks good on you. (informal)

It looks good on you. (formal)
They look good on you. (informal)
They look good on you. (formal)

51. FUTURE TENSES: SIMPLE AND ANTERIOR

The futur simple expresses an action that will take place [will +
infinitive]. The futur antrieur expresses an action that will
have taken place before another future action [will have + past
participle]. The future tense is used just like it is in English,
however, in French, the future is always used
after quand or lorsque (when), ds que or aussitt que (as soon
as) and tant que (as long as.)
To form the future tense, use the infinitive and add these endings
that resemble those of avoir. However, you drop the -e from -re
verbs.
-ai

//

-ons

-as

/a/

-ez

/e/

-a

/a/

-ont

//

parler
parlerai parlerons

choisir
choisirai choisirons
68

perdre
perdrai perdrons

parleras
parlera

parlerez
parleront

choisiras
choisira

choisirez
choisiront

perdras perdrez
perdra perdront

And of course, there are exceptions. Here are the irregular stems
for the future tense (these will also be used in the conditional
tense):

Irregular Stems
aller

ir-

pleuvoir

pleuvr-

avoir

aur-

pouvoir

pourr-

courir

courr-

recevoir

recevr-

devoir

devr-

savoir

saur-

envoyer

enverr-

tenir

tiendr-

tre

ser-

valoir

vaudr-

faire

fer-

venir

viendr-

falloir

faudr-

voir

verr-

mourir

mourr-

vouloir

voudr-

tre
serai
seras
sera

aller
serons
serez
seront

j'irai
iras
ira

irons
irez
iront

Other exceptions: For appeler and jeter, double the consonant.

For nettoyer and payer, change the y to i. For acheter, add an
accent grave. For prfrer, the accents all remain the same.

jeter

payer

acheter

prfrer

jetter jettero paier paiero achter achtero prfrer prfrero

ai
ns
ai
ns
ai
ns
ai
ns
jetter jettere paier
achter achtere prfrer prfrere
paierez
as
z
as
as
z
as
z

69

jetter jettero paier paiero achter achtero prfrer prfrero

a
nt
a
nt
a
nt
a
nt
To form the futur antrieur (will have + past participle), use the
future of either avoir or tre (whichever the main verb takes) and
the past participle of the main verb.
Quand ils reviendront, ils auront chang. When they come
back, they will have changed.
Ds qu'ils seront revenus, ils voudront repartir. As soon as
they have returned, they will want to leave again.
52. PRECEDING & PLURAL ADJECTIVES

Adjective
beautiful
good
dear
crazy
nice
big
large
young
pretty
long
bad
better, best
soft
new
little
old

Masculine
Feminine
Singular
Plural
Singular
Plural
beau (bel)
beaux
belle
belles
bon
bons
bonne
bonnes
cher
chers
chre
chres
fou (fol)
foux
folle
folles
gentil
gentils
gentille
gentilles
grand
grands
grande
grandes
gros
gros
grosse
grosses
jeune
jeunes
jeune
jeunes
joli
jolis
jolie
jolies
long
longs
longue
longues
mauvais
mauvais mauvaise mauvaises
meilleur
meilleurs meilleure meilleures
mou (mol)
moux
molle
molles
nouveau (nouvel) nouveaux nouvelle nouvelles
petit
petits
petite
petites
vieux (vieil)
vieux
vieille
vieilles

The masculine singular and plural are pronounced the same, as are
the feminine singular and plural. These are the most common
adjectives that go before the noun. An acronym to remember which
ones go before the noun is BRAGS: Beauty, Resemblance (mme
and autre), Age/Order (premier and dernier), Goodness, and Size.
All other adjectives, except numbers, go after the noun. The five
70

words in parentheses (bel, fol, mol, nouvel, and vieil) are used
before masculine singular words beginning with a vowel or a silent
h. A few adjectives can be used before or after the noun, and the
meaning changes accordingly. When used before the noun, they
take a figurative meaning; and when used after, they take a literal
meaning.
Before plural adjectives preceding plural nouns, you use de instead
of des to mean some. Ex: Some old monuments. De vieux
monuments.
53. ADJECTIVES: FORMATION OF FEMININE
Almost all adjectives must agree in number and gender with the
noun they modify. Most adjectives are given in the masculine form,
so to change to the feminine forms, follow these rules:
Masculi
ne
brun
fatigu
jeune
gnreu
x

Add -e
If it already ends in -e, add nothing
-x changes to -se
Exceptions:

faux

Femini
Adjective
ne
brune
brown
fatigue
tired
jeune
young
gnreu
generous
se
fausse

false

roux
doux

rousse red (hair)

douce sweet, soft
-il, -el, and -eil change to -ille, -elle, and naturell
naturel
natural
eille
e
-et changes to -te
inquiet inquite worried
Exceptions:

muet

muette

coquett
e
Italienn
Italien
e

coquet
-en and -on change to -enne and -onne
-er changes to -re

cher

-f changes to -ve

actif
71

silent
stylish
Italian

dear, expensi
ve
active
active
chre

-c changes to -che
Exceptions:
-g changes to -gue
-eur changes to -euse if adjective is
derived from verb
-eur changes to -rice if adjective is not
same as verb
-eur changes to -eure with adjectives of
comparison
And a few completely irregular ones:

blanc blanche
white
publiqu
public
public
e
grec grecque
Greek
long longue
long
menteu
menteur
liar
se
cratric
crateur
creator
e
infrieu infrieu
inferior
r
re
pais paisse
thick
favori favorite favorite
frais frache fresh, cool

54. FORMING PLURALS: ADJECTIVES

To form the feminine plural, just add an -s, unless it already ends in
an s, then add nothing. To form the masculine plural, just add an s, except in these cases: -al becomes -aux (exceptions: banal banals; final - finals); and if it ends in an x or s already, add nothing.

national
general
national
general

Masculine Singular
national
gnral
Feminine Singular
nationale
gnrale

Masculine Plural
nationaux
gnraux
Feminine Plural
nationales
gnrales

And of course there are more exceptions... some adjectives are

invariable and do not have feminine or plural forms. Compound
adjectives, such as bleu clair (light blue) and vert fonc (dark
green), adjectives that are also nouns, such
as or (gold), argent (silver), marron (chestnut), and the
words chic (stylish), bon march or meilleur march(inexpensive)
never change.
55. MORE ADJECTIVES

72

differe
diffrent/e
nt

boring

ennuyeux/eu
se

bruyant/e

situate
d

situ/e

crazy

fou/folle

elegant

lgant/e

big

gros/se

tight, narrow

troit/e

curious

several

plusieurs

pointed

pointu/e

bright

vif/vive

cute

mignon/ne

perfect

parfait/e

funny

ready

prt/e

heavy

sad

triste

careful prudent/e

clever

malin/mali
gne

dirty

sale

pretentiou prtentieux/e
s
use

lazy

paresseux/e
use

tired

fatigu/e

ambitious ambitieux/se

short (length)

court/e

loud, noisy

generous

interesting intressant/e

curieux/eus
sensitive
e

nervou nerveux/eu
s
se
only

seul/e

amusin
amusant/e
g

athletic

sportif/sport
ive

stubborn

ttu/e

shy

timide

touchin
hardmouvant/e
g
working

gnreux/e
angry
use

sensible

travailleur/e
use

drle,
optimistic
marrant/e

optimiste

pessimisti
c

pessimiste

tolerant

tolrant/e

lourd/e

fch/e

famous

clbre

annoye
d

irrit/e

decorated

dcor/e

old

g/e

pleasant

agrable

enthusiasti
enthousiaste
c
honest

honnte

Remember the first word is the masculine and the second is the
feminine. The addition of an e for the feminine form allows the last
consonant to be voiced. These adjectives go after the noun.
Normally, the verb rendre means to give something that you owe to
someone, such as On rend ses devoirs au professeur. It can
also be used in the sense of to represent. But rendre + adjective
means to make someone or something + adjective.

73

Tu me rends si heureuse ! You make me so happy!

Le fait qu'il ne possde pas de voiture le rend triste. The fact
that he doesn't have a car makes him sad.
Some common slang adjectives that are used constantly in
everyday speech:
chouette
great, good
con / conne
stupid, dumb
dbile
idiotic
dgueu(lasse) disgusting, bad
extra
extraordinary
gnial
very interesting
impec
perfect

minable
mediocre
moche
ugly, unpleasant
sensass
sensational
super
marvellous
sympa
nice, pleasant
tarte
inane
tocard ridiculous, deplorable

The intensifiers vachement and drlement are also used often,

meaning very or really.
Il est vachement sympa. = He is really nice.
Elle est drlement triste. = She is very sad.
56. PROBLEM VERBS
Some verbs in French present problems because they have several
translations in English. Other verbs can have several translations in
French, but fewer meanings in English.
visiter - to visit places
rendre visite - to visit people
apporter - to bring things to some place
emporter - to take things from some place
amener - to bring someone to some place
emmener - to take someone from some place
apprendre quelque chose - to learn something
apprendre quelque chose quelqu'un - to teach someone
something
rencontrer - to meet
faire la connaissance de - to meet someone for the first time
retrouver - to meet (for an appointment)
partir - to leave (from or for a place)
quitter - to leave (a person or place)
sortir - to go out
74

s'en aller - to go away

laisser - to leave something behind
retourner - to go back (to where speaker is not)
revenir - to come back (to where speaker currently is)
rentrer - to come or go home
rendre - to return or give something back
faire - to make
fabriquer - to produce
obliger - to make someone do something
rendre - to make someone + adjective
After some verbs, the word ne is required, but this does not
imply negation: craindre, redoter, empcher
Je crains qu'il ne fasse trop froid. I'm afraid that it's too cold.
And a few verbs only require ne and not pas in the negative, but
this is elevated or literary language: cesser, oser, pouvoir, savoir
Je ne peux vivre sans toi. I cannot live without you.
57. C'EST / IL EST + ADJECTIVE + A / DE + INFINITIVE:
C'est + adjective + + infinitive is used when the idea has
already been mentioned; while il est + adjective + de +
infinitive is used when the idea has not yet been mentioned. Also,
the c'est construction is used when you do not use a direct object
after the infinitive of the transitive verb, and the il est construction is
used when you do.
Est-ce qu'on peut apprendre le chinois en un an ? Can you
learn Chinese in one year?
Non, c'est impossible apprendre en un an ! No, it's impossible
to learn in one year! (The idea, Chinese, has already been
mentioned, and there is no direct object.)
OR:
Non, il est impossible d'apprendre le chinois en un an ! (This
sentence contains the direct object after the infinitive.)
Il est facile d'apprendre l'italien. It is easy to learn Italian. (The
idea has not already been mentioned, and the direct object is
used.)
Adjectives that express a certain emotion require de before the
infinitive: content, dsol, furieux, heureux, triste
Je suis contente de vous voir. I am happy to see you.

75

 Other adjectives require before the infinitive: agrable,

pnible, terrible, amusant, intressant, ennuyeux, lger, lourd,
lent, rapide, premier, dernier, prt, seul
Il est prt partir. He is ready to leave.
A longer list of adjectives that require or de before an infinitive
can be found at 91. on French V.
In addition, when quelque chose is followed by an adjective, de is
inserted between the two.
quelque chose d'intressant = something interesting.
58. SPORTS & INSTRUMENTS:
Soccer
Hockey
Football
Basketball

le football
le hockey
le football amricain
le basket

Baseball

le base-ball

Horse-back ridin
g
Tennis
Skiing
Volleyball
Wrestling
Jogging
Ice-skating
Swimming
Track and Field
Bowling

l'quitation; du
cheval
le tennis
le ski
le volley
la lutte / le catch
le jogging
le patin glace
la natation
l'athltisme
le bowling

Softball
Golf
Bicycling
Surfing
Dirt/Motor
biking
French horn
violin
guitar
drum
tuba
flute
trombone
clarinet
cello
harp

le softball
le golf
le vlo
le surf
le bicross
le cor
d'harmonie
le violon
la guitare
le tambour
le tuba
la flte
le trombone
la clarinette
le violoncelle
la harpe

La lutte is regular wrestling (the real Greco-Roman sport), while le

catch is professional/fake wrestling.
Faire de + a sport means to play. Jouer + a sport also means
to play, as does jouer de + an instrument.
Tu fais du foot. You play soccer.
J'aime jouer au tennis. I like to play tennis.
Je peux jouer de la guitare. I can play the guitar.
Nous jouons de la clarinette. We play the clarinet.
Il veut jouer du tuba. He wants to play the tuba.
76

59. NATURE
air
l'air (m)
archipelag l'archipel
o
(m)
bank
la rive
bay
la baie
barn
la grange

frost

la gele

rose

la rose

grass

l'herbe (f)

sand

le sable

gulf
hail
hay

sea
shadow
sky

la mer
l'ombre (f)
le ciel

snow

la neige
la terre
le sud

beach

la plage

high tide

branch
bridge

la branche
le pont

hill
ice

le golfe
la grle
le foin
la mare
haute
la colline
la glace

bud

le bouton

island

I'le (f)

bush
cape

le buisson
le cap

isthmus
jungle

l'isthme
la jungle

soil
south
spring(wa
ter)
star
stem

cave

la caverne

lake

le lac

storm

city
climate
cloud
coast

la ville
le climat
le nuage
la cte

leaf
light
lightning
lily

comet

la comte

low tide

la source
l'toile (f)
la tige
l'orage (m) /
la tempte
le dtroit
le ruisseau
la rue
le soleil

la feuille
strait
la lumire
stream
l'clair (m)
street
le lis
sun
la mare
sunflower le tournesol
basse

La
constellati
constellatio meadow
le pr
thaw
on
n
country
le pays
moon
la lune
thunder
country(si
la
mountain la montagne tornado
de)
campagne
mountain la chane de
current le courant
tree
range
montagnes
mouth l'embouchur
daffodil la jonquille
trunk
(river)
e (f)
la
daisy
mud
la vase
tulip
marguerite
darkness l'obscurit
nature
la nature
valley
77

la fonte
le tonnerre
la tornade
l'arbre (m)
le tronc
la tulipe
la valle

desert
dew

(f)
le dsert
la rose

dust

la poussire

plain

earth

la terre

planet

east

l'est (m)

plant

farm

la ferme

field

le champ

flower

la fleur

pond
pot (for
plants)
rain

foam

l'cume (f)

rainbow

fog
foliage
forest

le
brouillard
le feuillage
la fort

north
le nord
peninsula la pninsule

view
la vue
water
l'eau (f)
fresh
la plaine
l'eau douce
water
la plante salt water l'eau sale
watering l'arrosoir
la plante
can
(m)
l'tang (m) waterfall la cascade
le pot de
la vague /
wave
fleurs
l'onde (f)
la pluie
weather
le temps
l'arc-en-ciel
west
l'ouest (m)
(m)

river

le fleuve

wind

le vent

rock
root

le rocher

world
la racine

le monde

60. TO LIVE
vivre - to live, be alive (vee-vruh)
Present
vis
vivons
vis
vivez
vit
vivent

Imperfect
vivais
vivions
vivais
viviez
vivait
vivaient

Future
vivrai
vivrons
vivras
vivrez
vivra
vivront

The past participle of vivre is vcu and it is conjugated with

avoir. Habiter is another verb that means to live, but it means to
live in a place. Vivre is used to mean the state of being alive. A
subjunctive form of vivre, vive, is often used in exclamations.
Vive la France ! Long live France!
61. PERSONAL PRONOUNS
Subject

Direct Object

Indirect Object

Disjunctives

je

me

me

me

to me

moi

me

tu

you

te

you

te

to you

toi

you

il

he

le

him

lui

to him

lui

him

78

elle

she

la

her

lui

to her

elle

her

nous

we

nous

us

nous

to us

nous

us

vous

you

vous

you

vous

to you

vous

you

ils

they

les

them

leur

to them

eux

them

elles

they

les

them

leur

to them

elles

them

You have already learned the subject pronouns. They go before

the conjugated verb forms. The Direct and Indirect Object
pronouns go before the verb even though in English they go after it.
They also go after the ne in a negative sentence and right before
the verb. The disjunctive always go after prepositions, or can be
used alone for emphasis.
Sample Sentences:
J'achte des pantalons.
Je les achte.
Je vous donne la bote.
Je vous la donne.
Aprs toi.
Nous allons avec elle.
Il ne la quitte pas.
Il la quitte.
Je t'aime. or Je vous aime.
Elle ne l'aime pas.

I buy some pants.

I buy them.
I give the box to you.
I give it to you.
After you. (familiar)
We go with her.
He doesn't leave her.
He leaves her.
I love you.
She doesn't love him.

When you have more than one pronoun; me, te,

nous, or vous come first, then le, la, or les, then lui or leur. Me,
te, le,and la contract to m', t', and l' when they precede a vowel,
the same way je does. In commands, the pronouns go after the
verb, connected with a hyphen. And the pronoun order changes a
little too: Le, la, or les come first; then moi, toi,(Me and te become
moi and toi in commands) nous, or vous; then lui, or leur.
If you have pronouns, they go before the complete verb in regular
sentences; but after the ne and before the form ofavoir in negative
sentences.
Nous lui avons parl.

We spoke to him/her.

79

Vous en avez cout trois.

Je t'ai demand du pain.
Il ne l'a pas aim.
Tu n'y as pas habit.
Je ne vous ai pas parl.
Nous ne l'avons pas fini.

You've listened to three of them.

I asked you for some bread.
He didn't like it/her/him.
You didn't live there.
I didn't speak (or haven't
spoken) to you.
We didn't finish (or haven't finished)
it.

In the pass compos with avoir, direct object pronouns only must
agree in gender and number with the past participle.
Je les ai aims.
Il l'a regarde.
Elles nous ont cout(e)s.

I liked them.
He watched her.
They listened to us.

Add an e if the pronoun is feminine, and an s if it is plural.

The l' could mean him or her, so you might not need to put the
extra e on the past participle. The same for nous and vous. They
must have an s because they are plural, but it is unclear as to
whether they are masculine or feminine.
62. PARTS OF THE BODY / LES PARTIES DU CORPS:

head
hair
face
forehead
cheek
ear
eye/s
beard
mustache
mouth
lip
nose

Standard French
la tte
les cheveux
la figure / le visage / la face
le front
la joue
l'oreille
l'il / les yeux
la barbe
la moustache
la bouche
la lvre
le nez
80

Slang
la caboche / le crne
les tifs

les esgourdes
les mirettes
la barbouse
la gueule / la bote
le blair / le pif

tongue
tooth
neck
eyebrows
eyelashes
chin
throat
skin
blood
bone
shoulder
chest
waist
belly button
back
heart
lungs
brain
liver
kidney
bladder
rib
arm
elbow
wrist
fist
hand
fingers
stomach / belly
butt
body
hip
leg
knee
foot
toes

la langue
la dent
le cou
les sourcils
les cils
le menton
la gorge
la peau
le sang
l'os
l'paule
la poitrine
la taille
le nombril
le dos
le cur
les poumons
le cerveau
le foie
le rein
la vessie
la cte
le bras
le coude
le poignet
le poing
la main
les doigts
l'estomac / le ventre
les fesses
le corps
la hanche
la jambe
le genou
le pied
les orteils
81

les crocs

le buffet / le bide
les miches

le penard / les arpions

ankle
thigh
shin
calf
thumb
nails
tattoo
piercing
blond
brunette
red-head
light brown

la cheville
la cuisse
le tibia
le mollet
le pouce
les ongles
le tatouage
le piercing
blond/e
brun/e
roux/rousse
chtain

To say something hurts or that you have an ache, you can

use avoir mal (body part):
J'ai mal la tte. I have a headache.
J'ai mal l'estomac. I have a stomach ache.
Elle a mal au bras. Her arm hurts.
Tu as mal au genou? Your knee hurts?
Il a mal aux orteils. His toes hurt.
However, if someone is causing you pain, use faire mal (to hurt)
plus the indirect pronoun.
Tu me fais mal. You're hurting me.
Ne lui faites pas mal. Don't hurt him / her.
When describing hair color or eye color, you use blonds,
chtain, bruns, roux for hair; and bleus, verts, marron, noirs for
eyes. Notice that chtain and marron do not agree in gender or
number.
Elle a les cheveux roux. Elle est rousse. She has red hair. She is
a red-head.
Il a les yeux marron. He has brown eyes.
Combien msures-tu ? / Combien fais-tu ? How tall are you?
Combien pses-tu ? How much do you weigh?
Je fais 1m60. I am 1 m 60 cm.
Je pse 50 kilos. I weigh 50 kilos.
63. ASKING QUESTIONS
1) Invert the subject and verb form and add a hyphen. Instead
of Vous parlez anglais? use Parlez-vous anglais? But if you
82

invert il, elle, or on, you must put a t between the verb form (if it
ends in a vowel) and the subject for ease of pronunciation. Parleil anglais? is incorrect and must become Parle-til anglais? And je is usually only inverted with pouvoir or devoir.
However, if je is inverted with pouvoir, you don't use peux,
but puis. Puis-je ? (pweezh) is Can I?
2) Add n'est-ce pas ? (ness pah) to the end of the sentence. It is
equivalent to isn't it, don't you, aren't we, won't you, etc.
3) If the question requires a yes or no answer, put Est-ce que (ess
kuh) at the beginning. It contracts to Est-ce qu'before a word
beginning with a vowel, such as elle, il or on. You can also use
interrogative words (quand, comment, o, etc.) at the beginning of
the sentence and then add est-ce que.
4) With interrogative words, you can also use inversion: Quand tes
parents partent-ils en vacances ? Or you can use an interrogative
with est-ce que and normal word order: Pourquoi est-ce que vous
tes ici ?
5) Quel / Quelle / Quels / Quelles (which, what) agrees with the
noun it modifies. It precedes the noun or the verb tre, it may
follow a preposition, and it can be used with inversion or with est-ce
que. Quelle est la date ? A quelle heure partez-vous ? Quels
bagages est-ce que vous prenez ? Notice that the forms of quel
can also be used in exclamatory sentences. Quel beau jour ! /
Quelle belle journe ! What a beautiful day!
6) With negative questions, negative expressions remain in their
usual place (i.e. around the verb, or verb and subject if inverted).
Tu ne travailles pas ? Est-ce que tu ne travailles pas ?
Ne travailles-tu pas ? Pourquoi n'as-tu pas travaill ?
Asking Questions with the Pass Compos
Only the auxiliary verb (avoir or tre) and the subject pronoun are
inverted. The past participle follows.
A-t-il t surpris ? Was he surprised?
T'es-tu amus ? Did you have fun?
64. INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS
To ask about people:
Long Form
Subject

Qui est-ce qui

Qui est-ce qui est
venu?
83

Short Form

Translation

Qui
Qui est venu?

Who came?

Direct Object

Qui est-ce que

Qui
Qui est-ce que tu as
Qui as-tu vu?
vu?

Whom did you

see?

Object of
Preposition

Preposition + qui
est-ce que
A qui est-ce que tu
as parl?

Whom did you

speak to?

Preposition +
qui
A qui as-tu
parl?

To ask about things:

Long Form

Short Form

Translation

Subject

Qu'est-ce qui
Qu'est-ce qui est
arriv?

Direct Object

Qu'est-ce que
Qu'est-ce que tu as
fait?

Que
Qu'as-tu fait?

What did you

do?

Object of
Preposition

Preposition + quoi
est-ce que
De quoi est-ce que
tu as parl?

Preposition +
quoi
De quoi as-tu
parl?

What did you

talk about?

No short form

What
happened?

Use of Inversion when Subject is Noun:

a. With qui and quoi, inversion pattern is regular.
Qui Marie a-t-elle vu? Whom did Marie see?
De quoi Marc a-t-il besoin? What does Marc need?
b. With que, the noun subject must be inverted directly.
Que veut Jean? What does Jean want?
Que font les autres? What are the others doing?
c. However, if the sentence contains more than a subject and verb,
or if the verb is in a compound tense (such as thepass compos),
the short form is not used.
Qu'est-ce que Luc veut faire aujourd'hui? What does Luc want
to do today?
Qu'est-ce que les autres ont fait? What did the others do?
Verb Agreement:
a. Interrogative pronouns are usually masculine singular.
Les voitures font du bruit. Qu'est-ce qui fait du bruit? Cars make
noise. What makes noise?
Les enfants sont arrivs. Qui est arriv? The children arrived.
84

Who arrived?
b. Exception: when qui is followed by a conjugated form of tre,
the verbs agrees with the noun that follows.
Qui taient Les Trois Mousquetaires? Who were the three
Musketeers?
Qu'est-ce que (or qui) vs. Quel:
a. Qu'est-ce que c'est que is used to ask for a definition, and quel
asks for specific information.
Qu'est-ce que c'est que le camembert? What is "camembert"?
Quel est le problme? What is the problem?
b. When followed by a conjugated form of tre, quel is used if tre
is followed by a noun and qu'est-ce qui is used if tre is followed by
anything other than a noun.
Quelle est la date? What is the date?
Qu'est-ce qui est bon? What is good?
Written vs. Spoken French with Questions
In spoken French, inversion and the use of est-ce que are usually
dropped, but they must be used in written French. Additionally,
some forms are contracted or the word order may differ. It's also
very common to use qui c'est qui in place of qui or qui est-ce qui.
Written forms
Parlez-vous franais ?
Est-ce que vous parlez franais ?
Comment l'avez-vous appris ?
Comment est-ce que vous l'avez
appris ?
Quand es-tu arriv ?
Quand est-ce que tu es arriv ?

De quoi parlent-ils ?
De quoi est-ce qu'ils parlent ?
Pourquoi me regardes-tu ?
Pourquoi est-ce que tu me
regardes ?
Qui t'a dit a ?
Qui est-ce qui t'a dit a ?

Spoken forms
Vous parlez
franais ?

Translation
Do you speak
French?

Vous l'avez appris How did you

comment ?
learn it?
Quand t'es
arriv ?
When did you
T 'es arriv quand arrive?
?
De quoi ils parlent
?
What are they
Ils parlent de quoi talking about?
?
Pourquoi tu me
regardes ?

Why are you

looking at me?

Qui c'est qui t'a dit Who told you

a?
that?

85

65. FORMS OF LEQUEL

Lequel is a pronoun that replaces the adjective quel and the noun it
modifies. It expresses Which one? as a question, but which in a
statement (usually preceded by a preposition).
Adjective
Singular
Masculi Quel livre lisne
tu?

Pronoun
Plural

Quels livres listu?

Feminin Quelle page lis- Quelles pages

e
tu?
lis-tu?

Singular
Lequel listu?

Plural
Lesquels lis-tu?

Laquelle lis- Lesquelles listu?

tu?

Lequel contracts with and de in the plural and masculine singular

forms:

Singular
Masculine
Feminine

Plural

+ lequel = auquel

+ lesquels = auxquels

de + lequel = duquel

de + lesquels = desquels

+ laquelle = laquelle

+ lesquelles = auxquelles

de + laquelle = de laquelle de + lesquelles = desquelles

Voil le portrait sans retouche de l'homme auquel j'appartiens. That's the unaltered portrait of the man to which I belong. [Edith
Piaf - La Vie en Rose]
Et des amours desquelles nous parlons. - And the loves about
which we talk. [by Jean-Denis Bredin]
You can also use another preposition + form of lequel to
translate preposition + which: on which, to which, in which, etc.
La table sur laquelle j'ai mis la bouteille est l-bas. - The table on
which I put the bottle is over there.
Le btiment dans lequel j'habite est trs vieux. - The building in
which I live is very old.
66. RELATIVE PRONOUNS
86

Relative pronouns join sentences together. These words signal a

relative clause which explains the noun, called the antecedent. If
the relative pronoun is the subject of the clause (a verb immediately
follows), use qui. If the relative pronoun is the direct object of the
clause (subject + verb follows), use que. If the verb of the
dependent clause requires the preposition de, use dont to replace
it. Also use dont to mean whose. Qui, que, and dont can all
mean that or who, depending on the sentence. If the antecedent is
a place or time, use o to mean where or when. When there is no
specific antecedent, ce is added as an artificial one before que, qui
or dont; but it can refer to only things, not people. Ce qui, ce
que and ce dont generally mean what.
Je mange des
choses qui sont bonnes.

I eat things that are good.

qui is subject

Je mange des
choses que j'aime.

I eat things that I like.

que is object

C'est ce que je disais.

That's what I said.

no antecedent

La femme dont le mari est

mort...

The woman whose husband is

whose
dead...

Voici ce dont j'ai besoin.

Here is what I need.

C'est un restaurant o on sert It's a restaurant where they

du poisson.
serve fish.

avoir besoin
is followed by
de
restaurant is a
place

Dont can also be translated as including or of which. Sept morts,

dont 6 civils, dans l'attentat. Seven dead, including six civilians,
in the attack.
After verbs of declaration or opinion (dire, affirmer, prtendre,
jurer, dclarer, reconnatre, avouer, penser, croire), you do not need
to use a relative pronoun or to repeat the subject. As long as the
subject is the same in both clauses, you can replace que + subject
+ conjugated verb with the infinitive.
Je pense que je peux le faire. = Je pense pouvoir le faire. I think
that I can do it.
Elle dit qu'elle le connais. = Elle dit le connatre. She says that
she knows him.
Vous avouez que vous avez menti. = Vous avouez avoir
menti. You admit that you lied.
87

67. DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS

Demonstrative pronouns translate to the one(s), or that/those when
replacing a noun. There are four forms, but they are not often used
alone. De, qui, que, dont and -ci or -l usually follow them.
Masc.

Fem.

Singular

celui

celle

Plural

ceux

celles

Donnez-moi mon billet et celui de Guillaume. Give me my ticket

and William's. (or: the one of William)
Il porte ses propres livres et ceux de sa sur. He is carrying his
own books and his sister's. (or: those of his sister)
Quelles fleurs aimes-tu, celles-ci ou celles-l? Which flowers do
you like, these (ones) or those (ones)?
Ceux qui travaillent dur russissent. Those who work hard
succeed.
C'est celui dont je parle. That's the one I'm talking about.
The indefinite demonstrative pronouns ceci (this), cela (that)
and a (this/that) refer to indefinite things or ideas.
J'aime a. I like that.
Prenez ceci. Take this.
68. TO READ, TO SAY / TELL, & TO LAUGH:
lire-to read

dire-to say/tell

rire-to laugh

lis

lisons

dis

disons

ris

rions

lis

lisez

dis

dites

ris

riez

lit

lisent

dit

disent

rit

rient

The past participles are: lu, dit and ri, and all three are conjugated
with avoir
69. DISJUNCTIVE PRONOUNS

88

1. As mentioned above, disjunctives are mostly used after

prepositions and can only replace people, not things. However, if
the preposition is , there are two possible rules:
+ person = indirect pronoun
+ person + = disjunctive pronoun, in these cases:
se fier
s'habituer
s'intresser
penser
rver

to trust
to get used to
to be interested in
to think about
to dream about

2. They can also be used alone, to emphasize a subject, with tre

(to belong to) or in compound subjects.
Moi, j'ai faim. Me, I am hungry.
Ses amis et lui, ils aiment manger. His friends and he, they like to
eat.
Ce livre est moi ! That book is mine!
3. They can be added to -mme to mean -self.
elle-mme = herself
4. They are also used with ne...que.
Ce n'est que lui. It's only him.
70. Y & EN
Y and en are both pronouns that go before the verb.
Y (ee) means it or there. En (awn) means some or some (of
them),or of it. They replace prepositional phrases. In French, the
phrases will begin with (or any contraction of it), en, sur, sous,
chez, devant, derrire, dans, etc. for y; and de (or any contraction
of it) or a number for en. They cannot replace people unless the
person is introduced with an indefinite article, partitive, number or
quantity. Sometimes y anden have no direct translation in English.
Remember that they go before the verb, except in a command, in
which they follow the verb and are connected with a hyphen. Theer verbs also add the -s they lost when forming the you (familiar)
command.

89

Sample Sentences
Do you want some apples?
Voulez-vous des pommes?
Do you want some?
En voulez-vous?
I have three sisters.
J'ai trois surs.
I have three (of them).
J'en ai trois.
It is in the drawer
Il est dans le tiroir.
It is there.
Il y est.
I am going to Detroit.
Je vais Dtroit.
I am going there.
J'y vais.
I am going to go to Atlanta. Je vais aller Atlanta.
I am going to go there.
Je vais y aller.
Answer the telephone!
Rpondez au tlphone !
Answer it! (formal)
Rpondez-y !
Stay there! (familiar)
Restes-y !
Don't stay there! (familiar)
N'y reste pas.
Y and en can also replace a phrase or clause, especially with verbs
that require or de after them:
I think a lot about these stories.
I think about them a lot.
He obeyed the rules.
He obeyed them.
We don't need this book.
We don't need it.
She's using the computer.
She's using it.

Je rflchis beaucoup ces histoires.

J'y rflchis beaucoup.
Il a obi aux rgles.
Il y a obi.
On n'a pas besoin de ce livre.
On n'en a pas besoin.
Elle se sert de l'ordinateur.
Elle s'en sert.

Notice y and en don't go after the verb in negative commands.

Treat them like pronouns. Ne or Je plus y or en all contract
to N'y, J'y, N'en, and J'en. When you have a conjugated verb plus
an infinitive (vais and aller), the y or en go in between the two
verbs.
71. TO SEE, TO BELIEVE, & TO WRITE
Verbs take a direct object if they do not need a preposition to
connect it to the noun. Verbs that take indirect objects use
prepositions after the verb. Voir-to see (vwahr) and croire-to
believe (krwahr) take a direct and crire-to write (ay-kreer) takes an
indirect.
90

voir-to see

croire-to believe

crire-to write

vois (vw voyons (vwah- crois (krw Croyons

cris (ay-

ah)

kree)

vois
voit

yohn)

voyez (vwahyay)

voient (vwah)

ah)

crois
croit

(krwah-yohn)

croyez (krwah
-yay)

croient (krwah
)

cris
crit

crivons
(ay-kreevohn)

crivez
(ay-kreevay)

crivent
(ay-kreev)

The past participles are: vu, cru, and crit.

You can sometimes tell if a verb takes a direct or indirect object by
using the verbs in English. We say "I see her" or "She believes
him" or "He writes to them." In French, it would be "Je la
vois" (direct), "Elle le croit" (direct) and "Il leur crit." (indirect) But
don't always count on English to help you out. Tlphoner
() and obir () both take indirect objects in French but you can't
tell that in English. In this case, you can tell by the that follows
the infinitive.
Writing Vocabulary
le point
question
writing
l'criture (f)
d'interrogat
mark
ion
le point
punctuatio la
exclamati
d'exclamati
n
ponctuation on point
on
les
quotation
period
le point
guillemets
marks
(m)
parenthes la
comma la virgule
es
parenthse
les deux
apostroph l'apostroph
colon
points (m)
e
e (f)
semile pointle trait
hyphen
colon
virgule
d'union

"at" sign l'arobase

(@)
(f)
asterisk

l'astrisq
ue (m)

brackets

le
crochet

slash

la barre

upperca
se
lowerca
se

majuscul
e
minuscul
e

When typing in French, you must leave an extra space before a

punctuation mark that has two components, such as a colon, semicolon, question mark, exclamation point, etc.
72. ANIMALS:
91

ant

la fourmi

giraffe

antelope

l'antilope

goat

antenna

l'antenne
la chauvesouris

goose

pig
le cochon
pigeo
la chvre
le pigeon
n
l'oie (f)
pike le brochet

gorilla

le gorille

bat
beak
bear
bee
bird
blackbird
bull
butterfly
calf
cat
caterpillar
cheetah
chicken
chimpanz
ee
claw
cockroach
cod
cocoon
cow

la girafe

pony

grasshoppe
la
puppy
r
sauterelle
l'ours (m)
hamster le hamster rabbit
racco
l'abeille (f)
hare
le livre
on
l'oiseau
hen
la poule
rat
(m)
rooste
le merle
herring
la hareng
r
salmo
le taureau
hoof
le sabot
n
le papillon
horn
la corne scale
scorpi
le veau
horse
le cheval
on
hummingbir
sea
le chat
le colibri
d
gull
la chenille
iguana
l'iguane
seal
l'insecte
le gupard
insect
shark
(m)
le poulet
jellyfish
la mduse sheep
le
shrim
kitten
le chaton
chimpanz
p
la
la griffe
ladybug
slug
coccinelle
l'agneau
le cafard
lamb
snail
(m)
l'alouette
la morue
lark
snake
(f)
sparro
le cocon
lion
le lion
w
le bec

la vache

lizard

le lzard spider
92

le poney
le chiot
le lapin
le raton
laveur
le rat
le coq
le saumon
l'caille (f)
le scorpion
la mouette
le phoque
le requin
le mouton
la crevette
la limace
l'escargot
(m)
le serpent
le moineau
l'araigne
(f)

crab

le crabe

lobster
(spiny)

crayfish

l'crevisse
(f)

louse

crocodile

le
crocodile

mackerel

crow

le corbeau

mole

deer

le cerf

monkey

dog

le chien

mosquito

donkey

l'ne (m)

moth

la
squid
langouste
squirr
le pou
el
le
starfis
maquerea
h
u
swallo
la taupe
w
le singe swan
le
tadpol
moustique
e
le papillon
tail
de nuit
la souris tiger
le mulet toad
la moule trout

dragonfly la libellule
mouse
duck
le canard
mule
eagle
l'aigle (m)
mussel
l'anguille
eel
nest
le nid
tuna
(f)
l'lphant
le
elephant
nightingale
turkey
(m)
rossignol
feather
la plume
octopus
la pieuvre turtle
fin
la nageoire
ostrich
l'autruche wasp
wease
fish
le poisson
owl
le hibou
l
flea
la puce
ox
le buf whale
fly
la mouche
oyster
l'hutre (f) wing
le
fox
le renard
parrot
wolf
perroquet
la
frog
partridge la perdrix worm
grenouille
le
gill
la branchie penguin
zebra
pingouin
sit
lie down
shake
dog/cat food

assis
to bark
couche-toi
to growl
donne la patte
to pant
les croquettes to whine/whimper
93

le calamar
l'cureuil
(m)
l'toile de
mer
l'hirondelle
(f)
le cygne
le ttard
la queue
le tigre
le crapaud
la truite
le thon
le dindon
la tortue
la gupe
la belette
la baleine
l'aile (f)
le loup
le ver
le zbre

aboyer
grogner
haleter
gmir

leash
la laisse
collar
le collier
to take/let dog out sortir le chien
to climb on
grimper sur

to drool
to meow
to scratch
to pounce on

baver
miauler
griffer
se jeter sur

73. PLAIRE & MANQUER

plaire-to please, enjoy

manquer-to miss, be lacking

plais

plaisons

manque

manquons

plais

plaisez

manques

manquez

plat

plaisent

manque

manquent

The past participle of plaire is plu. To say that someone likes

something, you have to switch the subject and object around, so
that literally it translates to "something or someone pleases." As a
reflexive verb, se plaire means to enjoy being somewhere. Faire
plaisir can also be used to mean "to delight or to like."
Cette chienne plat Dominique. Dominique likes this dog.
(Literally: This dog is pleasing to Dominique.)
a t'a plu? Did you like it?
Ils se plaisent Londres. They enjoy being in London.
Cela me fait plaisir de vous revoir. I am happy to see you again.
Manquer has several meanings: to miss, to lack, or to regret the
absence (miss). The last meaning uses inverted word order just
like plaire. Manquer means "to fail to do."
Elle a manqu le train. She missed the train.
Vous manquez de courage. You lack courage.
Tu me manques. I miss you. (Literally: You are missing to me)
Ils ont manqu aux devoirs. They failed to do the homework.
74. PLUPERFECT (PAST PERFECT)
This compound tense is used for flashbacks or anything that had
happened before the time of the narration. It's formed with the
imperfect tense of avoir or tre and the past participle of the main
verb. This tense is comparable to the pass compos.
Imperfect of avoir or tre
94

avais

avions

tais tions

avais

aviez

tais tiez

avait

avaient

tait

+ past
participle

taient

Je n'avais pas fini mon travail quand il est arriv. I had not
finished my work when he arrived.
Vous aviez faim parce que vous n'aviez pas du tout mang. You
were hungry because you hadn't eaten at all.
Nous avions manqu le rendez-vous parce que le bus tait en
retard. We had missed the meeting because the bus was late.

75. INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

Indefinite pronouns refer to no one or nothing in particular, such as
someone or something.
someone/bo
dy

quelqu'un

something

quelque chose (de +

adjective)

not one,
none

aucun(e)

some

quelques-uns / quelquesunes

anything

n'importe
quoi

somewhere

quelque part

anyone

n'importe qui

several

plusieurs

anywhere

n'importe o

some...other
s

certains...d'autres

another

un(e) autre

each

any time
nowhere

chacun(e)

n'importe
quand
nulle part

Do not confuse chacun with chaque (each, every). Chacun is a

pronoun and replaces a noun, while chaque is an adjective that
describes a noun.

95

76. SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD

If a sentence expresses a subjective statement of opinion, the
subjunctive mood is used rather than the indicative. The
subjunctive is used in dependent clauses introduced by the
word que. The main clause must express personal opinions or
feelings and have a different subject from the dependent clause. If
the two subjects are the same, the infinitive is used.
Je doute que Marc soit l. I doubt that Marc is here. (shows
judgment and opinion)
Je veux venir. NOT: Je veux que je vienne. (use infinitive, same
subject)
To form the subjunctive, use the ils/elles form of the present
indicative tense. This is also the form for the ils/elles form of the
subjunctive. For je, tu, il/elle, drop the -ent and add -e, -es, and -e.
Nous and vous use the imperfect forms.

-e
-es
-e

-ions
-iez
-ent

Conjugations in the Subjunctive

avoir
aie
ayons
aies
ayez
ait
aient
vouloir
veuille voulions
veuilles vouliez
veuille veuillent

tre
sois
soyons
sois
soyez
soit
soient
pouvoir
puisse puissions
puisses puissiez
puisse puissent

faire
fasse fassions
fasses fassiez
fasse fassent
savoir
sache sachions
saches sachiez
sache sachent

aller
aille allions
ailles alliez
aille aillent
pleuvoir

pleuve

These verbs and conjunctions are followed by the subjunctive:

Verbs
douter

Verbal
Expressions
il faut que
96

Conjunctions
avant que

suggrer

il vaut mieux
pour / afin que
que

vouloir

il est
important
que

jusqu' ce que

proposer

il se peut
que

moins que

avoir peur

il est
bien
possible que que / quoique

regretter

il est temps
que

sans que

craindre

c'est
dommage
que

en attendant
que

tre
content(e)/triste/dsol(e)/surpris(e),
etc.
penser/croire/trouver (negative &
interrogative forms only)

Je veux que tu viennes avec moi. I want you to come with me.
Il est content que nous soyons l. He's happy that we are here.
Est-ce que vous pensez qu'elle puisse le faire ? Do you think
that she can do it?
Il faut que je fasse la vaisselle. I have to do the dishes.
Elle sera l jusqu' ce que vous partiez. She will be there until
you leave.
However, douter, jusqu' ce que, moins que, and bien que /
quoique use the subjunctive whether there is a change in subject
or not. And when using avant before an infinitive, the construction
is avant de + infinitive. Note, also, that the subjunctive is not used
with esprer or il est probable, although the subjunctive may be
used with these words in other Romance languages.
The word ne is used after certain conjunctions (most
notably avant que and moins que) that take the subjunctive, but
this does not make the phrase negative:
Finissez le travail avant que la classe ne se termine. Finish the
work before class ends.
77. FALLOIR & VALOIR
97

Falloir (to be necessary) and valoir (to be worth) are two very
common impersonal verbs used in several phrases and situations.
Their conjugations are:
imperfect
present perfect
present
future
conditional

il fallait
il a fallu
il faut
il faudra
il faudrait

il valait
il a valu
il vaut
il vaudra
il vaudrait

Falloir can be translated as must, have to, be required to, etc. It can
be followed directly by an infinitive, or a subject and the subjunctive
mood.
Il faut rester la maison aujourd'hui. You must stay at home
today.
Il faut pas le faire ! You must not do it!
Il faut qu'il parte 8h. He must leave at 8.
In addition to worth, valoir mieux is used in translating "it's better."
a ne vaut pas la peine. It's not worth it.
Il vaut mieux en rire quen pleurer. It's better to laugh about it
than cry.
78. ADVERBS:
bien
mieux
mal
peu
dj
bientt
ici
l
dedans
dehors
souvent
d'habitude

well
better
badly
little
already
soon
here
there
inside
outside
often
usually

quelquefois
toujours
vite
donc
encore
quelque part
maintenant
tt
tard
peut-tre
jamais
nulle part

sometimes
always
quickly
therefore
yet
somewhere
now
early
late
maybe
(n)ever
nowhere

To form an adverb, simply take the feminine form of an adjective

and add -ment to the end. If the masculine form ends in -e, you just

98

add the -ment to that. Adjectives ending in -ent or -ant take the
endings -emment and -amment.
Masculine
naturel
heureux
lent
facile
probable
intelligent
brillant
rcent

Feminine
naturelle
heureuse
lente
facile
probable
intelligente
brillante
rcente

Adverb
naturellement
heureusement
lentement
facilement
probablement
intelligemment
brillamment
rcemment

Some adverbs such as actuellement (currently, now)

and ventuellement (possibly, perhaps) can be deceiving.
A Few Irregular Adverbs
vrai
vraiment
gentil
gentiment
profond
profondment
bref
brivement
prcis
prcisment
Adverbs are placed right after the verb in a simple tense. Adverbs
of opinion and time usually go at the beginning or end of the
sentence. When peut-tre and sans doute begin a sentence or
clause, they are usually followed by que. With the pass compos,
most adverbs are placed between the auxiliary verb and past
participle. In negative sentences,pas precedes the adverb, except
with peut-tre, sans doute, srement, and probablement.
Adverbs of time and place generally follow the past participle.
79. TOOLS & HOBBIES
tools
toolbox

les outils
la bote

chisel
measuring tape
99

le ciseau
le mtre

hammer
screwdriver
nail
screw
wrench
adjustable
wrench
bolt
nut
pliers
saw
blade
handle
anvil
clamp / vise
shovel
pick axe
drill
drill bit

outils
le marteau
chainsaw
la trononneuse
le tournevis
file
la lime
le clou
do-it-yourself
le bricolage
la vis
handicrafts
l'artisanat
la cl
embroidery
la broderie
la cl
cross-stitch
le point de croix
molette
le boulon
needlework
la couture
l'crou (m)
needle
l'aiguille (f)
les pinces (f)
thread
le fil
la scie
painting
peindre
la lame
jewelry making faire des bijoux
le manche
gardening
le jardinage
l'enclume (f)
knitting
le tricot
l'tau (m)
photography
la photographie
la pelle
woodworking
la menuiserie
la pioche
pottery
la poterie
la perceuse
drawing
le dessin
la mche
cooking
la cuisine

Other expressions related to hobbies/leisure time:

bavarder - to chat
bronzer - to tan
faire la grasse matine - to sleep in late
faire la sieste - to take a nap
faire une pause - to take a break
faire une promenade - to take a walk
faire un tour - to go out for a while
prendre un bain de soleil - to sunbathe
prendre un verre - to go out for a drink
se dtendre - to relax
se reposer - to rest.

100

Le Corbeau et le Renard
Jean de la Fontaine
Matre corbeau, sur un arbre perch,
Tenait en son bec un fromage,
Matre renard, par l'odeur allch,
Lui tint peu prs ce langage:
<<Eh bonjour, Monsieur du Corbeau.
Que vous tes joli ! que vous me semblez beau !
Sans mentir, si votre ramage
Se rapporte votre plumage,
Vous tes le phnix des htes de ces bois.>>
A ces mots, le corbeau ne se sent pas de joie;
Et pour montrer sa belle voix,
Il ouvre un large bec, laisse tomber sa proie.
Le renard s'en saisit, et dit: <<Mon bon monsieur,
Apprenez que tout flatteur
Vit aux dpens de celui qui l'coute.
Cette leon vaut bien un fromage sans doute.>>
Le corbeau, honteux et confus,
Jura, mais un peu tard, qu'on ne l'y prendrait plus.
The Crow and the Fox
Jean de la Fontaine
Master Crow perched on a tree,
Was holding a cheese in his beak.
Master Fox attracted by the smell
Said something like this:
"Well, Hello Mister Crow!
How beautiful you are! how nice you seem to me!
Really, if your voice
Is like your plumage,
You are the phoenix of all the inhabitants of these woods."
At these words, the Crow is overjoyed.
And in order to show off his beautiful voice,
He opens his beak wide, lets his prey fall
The Fox grabs it, and says: "My good man,
Learn that every flatterer
Lives at the expense of the one who listens to him.
This lesson, without doubt, is well worth a cheese."
The Crow, ashamed and embarrassed,
Swore, but a little late, that he would not be taken again.
81. COLLOQUIAL EXPRESSIONS:
101

101. CAMPING
camping

le camping

axe

la hache

shelter

l'abri (m)

stump

la souche

tent

la tente

canteen

le bidon

spike

la sardine

hammock

le hamac

sleeping bag

le sac de
couchage

backpack

le sac dos

flashlight

la lampe
torche

path

le chemin / le
sentier

lantern

la lanterne

bench

le banc

torch

le flambeau

rock

le rocher

compass

la boussole

stone

la pierre

map

la carte

pebble

le caillou

binoculars

les jumelles (f)

canoe

le cano

campfire

le feu de camp

oar

la pagaie

102. SPECIAL USES OF DEVOIR

Devoir is one of the trickiest verbs to translate and use in French.
The following is a list of the different meanings of devoir used in
various tenses.
Present
Tense

must, have to
probably

Je dois tudier.
Il doit tre malade.

I must (have to)

study.
He's probably sick.

Pass
Compos

had to (and did),

Il a d partir.
must have

He had to leave.

Imperfect

was supposed to, Elle devait chanter

used to have to ce soir.

She was supposed

to sing tonight.

Future

will have to

Tu devras payer
l'argent.

You will have to

pay money.

Conditional should

Vous devriez manger You should eat

les fruits.
fruits.

Past
should have
Conditional

Ils auraient d jouer.

102

They should have

played.

In the present tense, you can also express I am supposed

to with Je suis cens + infinitive. To express you don't have
to instead of you must not, use vous ntes pas oblig de instead
of vous ne devez pas or il ne faut pas.
103. COSMETICS & TOILETRIES

hair
spray

la laque

blush

toothpaste le dentifrice

hair
dryer

le schecheveux

foundatio le fond de
n
teint

dental floss le fil dentaire

nail
polish

le vernis
eye liner
ongles

l'eye liner

hair brush

la brosse

mascara

le
mascara

l'ombre
paupires

comb

le peigne

lipstick

le rouge bubble
lvres
bath

shampoo

le shampooin
shower
powder la poudre
g
gel

toothbrush

la brosse
dents

curling iron le fer friser soap

le savon

eye
shadow

le blush

le bain
moussant
le gel douche

deodorant le dodorant

shaving
cream

la crme
raser

le
makeup maquillag lotion
e

la lotion / la
crme

razor

le rasoir

perfum
le parfum pads
e

les serviettes
hyginiques

mousse

la mousse

cologne

l'eau de
Cologne

les tampons

tampons

104. MEDICINE & HOSPITAL

AIDS

le sida

ambulance
anesthetic
antidote
bandage
band-aid

l'ambulance (f)
l'ansthsie (f)
l'antidote
le bandage
le pansement

food
poisoning
hospital
infection
intensive care
medecine
medication
103

l'intoxication
alimentaire (f)
l'hpital (m)
l'infection (f)
la ranimation
la mdecine
le mdicament

cancer
cane
capsule
cast
chicken
pox
cold
crutches
cure
diabetes
diagnosis
disease
doctor

le cancer
la canne
la capsule
le pltre

nurse
pills
pneumonia
poison

l'infirmier (m)
les cachets (m)
la pneumonie
le poison

la varicelle

sling

l'charpe (f)

stethoscope
stretcher
surgeon
surgery
syringe
tablet
tumor

le stthoscope
la civire
le chirurgien
la chirurgie
la seringue
le comprim
la tumeur

wheelchair

le fauteuil roulant

X-ray

la radio

le rhume
les bquilles (f)
le remde
le diabte
le diagnostic
la maladie
le mdecin
la trousse de
first aid kit
secours
flu
la grippe
105. PRESENT PARTICIPLE

Present participles can be used as adjectives, as verbs, or like

a qui clause. When an adjective, it agrees with the noun it
modifies. When it functions as a verb, it is invariable. Preceded
by en, (equivalent to while, by, upon or in), it corresponds to the
English -ing gerund form. Used without en, the present participle
can act like a qui clause. To formthis participle, drops the -ons
ending of the nous form in the present tense and add -ant. (There
are only three irregular present participles: ayant, tant, sachant having, being, knowing.)
Je me suis cass le poignet en tombant. I broke my wrist by
falling.
C'est en forgeant que l'on devient forgeron. Practice makes
perfect.
Ce restaurant ne propose pas d'eau ptillante. This restaurant
doesn't serve sparkling water.
106. ABBREVIATIONS
In everyday speech, it is common to shorten some words:
advertisement
afternoon
apartment

la publicit
l'aprs-midi
l'appartement
104

la pub
l'aprm
l'apparte

car
cinema
college
demonstration
dictionary
drink before dinner
extraordinary
friendly
have a good meal
intellectual
laboratory
microphone
owner
photography
raincoat
slide
soccer
television
terrific
usually

l'automobile
le cinma
la facult
la manifestation
le dictionnaire
l'apritif
extraordinaire
sympathique
bon apptit
intellectuel
le laboratoire
le microphone
le propritaire
la photographie
l'impermable
la diapositive
le football
la tlvision
sensationnel
d'habitude

l'auto
le cin
la fac
le manif
le dico
l'apro
extra
sympa
bon app
intello
le labo
le micro
le proprio
la photo
l'imper
la diapo
le foot
la tl
sensas
d'hab

107. PAST INFINITIVE

The past infinitive is used to express something that has already
happened. Verbs such as s'excuser, regretter, and remercier are
often used in this tense. It is formed with the infinitive of the
auxiliary verb (avoir or tre) and the past participle of the main verb.
And the past participle can have agreement as well, with either the
subject or the object, depending on the sentence. Whenever aprs
is followed by a verb, it is always a past infinitive. And note that
negative expressions precede an infinitive.
Je vous remercie d'tre venus.

I thank you for coming (or having

come.)

Excusez-moi d'tre arriv(e) en

retard.

Excuse me for arriving (or

having arrived) late.

Aprs avoir fini mes tudes, je veux

devenir professeur.

After finishing (or having

finished) my studies,
I want to become a teacher.

105

Elle regrette de ne pas avoir pos de

questions.

She regrets not asking (or having

asked) any questions.

108. IN THE OCEAN

barnacle
bubble

fishing line

la bernacle
la bulle
la combinaison
de plonge
la ligne de pche

jellyfish

la mduse

flipper
clam
wave
anchor

la palme
la palourde
la vague
l'ancre
le ballon
d'oxygne
le coquillage
le corail
le crabe

wet suit

oxygen tank
seashell
coral
crab

fish hook
mask

le hameon
le masque
le plongeur sousscuba diver
marin
sand
le sable
treasure
le trsor
chest
snorkel
le tuba
shipwreck l'pave
seaweed
les algues
starfish
l'toile de mer
sea horse

l'hippocampe

sea urchin
helm

l'oursin
la barre

109. TO DIE
Mourir-to die
meurs

mourons

meurs

mourez

meurt

meurent

The past participle is mort / morte and it is conjugated with tre.

You will most likely use this verb in the past tense, but it is used in
some present tense sayings.
Je meurs de faim ! I'm dying of hunger / I'm starving!
110. IN SPACE
alien
asteroid

l'extra-terrestre
(m)
l'astrode (m)
106

nebula

la nbuleuse

planet

la plante

astronaut

l'astronaute (m)

rings

beaker

le gobelet

robot

comet

la comte

rocket

constellation
control panel
crater
Earth
galaxy

la constellation
satellite
le tableau de
solar panel
bord
le cratre
solar system
space shuttl
la terre
e
space
la galaxie
station

laboratory

le laboratoire

landing
capsule
lunar rover
meteor
shower
moon

la capsule
d'atterrissage
la jeep lunaire
la pluie de
mtores
la lune

les anneaux
le robot /
l'automate
la fuse
interplantaire
le satellite
le panneau solaire
le systme solaire
la navette spatiale
la station spatiale

star

le scaphandre de
cosmonaute
la soucoupe
volante
l'toile (f)

sun

le soleil

test tube

l'prouvette (f)

space suit
spaceship

111. POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS

Possessive pronouns replace nouns used with possessive
adjectives. They agree in gender and number with noun they
replace as well.
Singular
mine
yours
his/hers/its
ours
yours
theirs

Masc.
le mien
le tien
le sien
le ntre
le vtre
le leur

Plural

Fem.
la mienne
la tienne
la sienne
la ntre
la vtre
la leur

Masc.
les miens
les tiens
les siens
les ntres
les vtres
les leurs

Fem.
les miennes
les tiennes
les siennes
les ntres
les vtres
les leurs

C'est ma pomme. Voil la tienne. That's my apple. Here's yours.

Il a son sac. Elle a le sien. He has his bag. She has hers.
107

C'est le mien, pas le tien ! That's mine, not yours!

Ils aiment leur voiture. Nous aimons la ntre. They like their car.
We like ours.
112. SIMPLE PAST TENSE
The simple past tense is used in works of literature in place of the
pass compos and is very rarely spoken. You most likely will
never need to form this tense, but you should be able to recognize
it for reading purposes. Add the following endings to the stem:
-er

-ir / -re

-ai

-mes

-is

-mes

-as

-tes

-is

-tes

-a

-rent

-it

-irent

Irregular verbs that follow a pattern: Some verbs use their past
participle as a stem, and then add endings for the simple past. In
this case, the six endings are -s, -s, -t, -^mes, -^tes, -rent.

avoir
eus
emes
eus
etes
eut
eurent
prendre

croire
lire
dire
crus crmes lus
lmes
dis
dmes
crus crtes
lus
ltes
dis
dtes
crut crurent
lut
lurent
dit
dirent
sortir
vouloir
mettre
sorti
pris
prmes
sortmes voulus voulmes mis
mmes
s
sorti
pris
prtes
sorttes voulus voultes mis
mtes
s
prit
prirent sortit sortirent voulut voulurent mit
Mirent
dormir
devoir
recevoir
vivre
dormme
dormis
dus dmes reus remes vcus vcmes
s
dormis dormtes dus dtes reus retes vcus vctes
dormiren
dormit
dut durent reut reurent vcut vcurent
t
connatre
savoir
pouvoir
108

connme
sus
s
connus conntes sus
connuren
connut
sut
t
connus

smes

pus

Pmes

stes

pus

ptes

surent

put

purent

Other verbs do not use their past participles as stems (but they still
take the same endings), so you should memorize these forms.
tre

faire

fus

fmes

fus

ftes

fut

furent

mourir
mourm
mourus
es
mourus mourtes
mourure
mourut
nt
conduire
conduisi
conduisis
s
conduisi
conduisis
s
conduisit conduisit

crire
venir
crivm
fis
fmes crivis
vins
vnmes
es
crivte
fis
ftes crivis
vins
vntes
s
crivire
fit
firent crivit
vint
vinrent
nt
natre
ouvrir
craindre
naqum
ouvrme
naquis
ouvris
craignis craignmes
es
s
naquis naqutes ouvris ouvrtes craignis craigntes
naquire
ouvrire
naquit
ouvrit
craignit craignirent
nt
nt
voir
battre
battme
vis
vmes battis
s
vis

vtes

battis

batttes

vit

virent

battit battirent

113. MAKE-BELIEVE & FANTASY:

archer
armor
arrow
ax
bow
cackle
castle

l'archer (m)
l'armure
la flche
la hache
l'arc (m)
ricaner
le chteau

fairy
fantasy
fork
genie
ghost
giant
grave
109

la fe
la fantaisie
la fourche
le gnie
le fantme
le gant
la tombe

cauldron
caveman
cemetery
coffin
crown
demon
devil
dragon
drawbridge
dungeon
dwarf
elf
executioner
moat
monster
mummy
pillory
pirate
troubadour
wizard
spear
sword
throne

le chaudron

haunted
house

l'homme des
headstone
cavernes (m)
le cimetire
hobgoblin
le cercueil
humpback
la couronne
jester
le dmon
king
le diable
knight
le dragon
lamp
le pont-levis
lance
le donjon
magic wand
le nain
mermaid
le lutin
minstrel
le bourreau
moan
les douves (f)
prince
le monstre
princess
la momie
queen
le pilori
scarecrow
le pirate
shield
le troubadour
unicorn
le sorcier
zombie
la lance
squire
l'pe (f)
tower
le trne
witch

la maison hante
la pierre tombale
le lutin
le bossu
le fou
le roi
le chevalier
la lampe
la lance
la baguette magique
la sirne
le mnestrel
gmir
le prince
la princesse
la reine
l'pouvantail (m)
le bouclier
la licorne
le mort vivant
l'cuyer (m)
la tour
la sorcire

114. RELIGION
altar
angel
baptism
bell
Bible
bishop
bliss

l'autel (m)
l'ange (m)
le baptme
la cloche
la Bible
l'vque (m)
la batitude

Judaism
mass
minaret
monastery
mosque
munk
Muslim

Buddhism

le bouddhisme

nun
110

le judasme
la messe
le minaret
le monastre
la mosque
le moine
le musulman
la religieuse /
bonne sur

candle
cathedral
choir
Christian
Christianity
church
convent
cross
dome
faith
fast
God
gold ring
Gospel
heaven
hell
Islam
Jew

le cierge
la cathdrale
la chorale
le chrtien
la chrtient
l'glise (f)
le couvent
la croix
la coupole
la foi
le jene
le Dieu
l'aurole (f)
l'Evangile (m)
le ciel / le
paradis
l'enfer (m)
l'islam (m)

organ
pillar
Pope
prayer
priest
prophet
Protestant
religion
reverend
rosary
saint
sermon
sin
suffering

l'orgue (m)
le pilier
le pape
la prire
le prtre
le prophte
le protestant
la religion
le cur
le chapelet
le saint
le sermon
le pch
la souffrance

temple

le temple

torture
vow
worship/servic
le juif / la juive
e

le supplice
le vu
le culte

115. MUSIC & ART

accordion
bagpipe
band

l'accordon (m) xylophone

la cornemuse
acteur
la bande / le
actress
groupe

le xylophone
l'acteur
l'actrice

bass clef

la clef de fa

applaud

les
applaudissements
(m)

conductor

le chef
d'orchestre

art

l'art (m)

le bton

audience

le public

le tambour
la baguette
la flte

boo
bust
canvas

la hue (f)
le buste
la toile

conductor's
stick
drum
drumstick
flute

111

French horn
guitar
guitar strings
harp
horns
keyboard
music
music stand
orchestra
piano
piano keys
saxophone
sheet music
tambourine
treble clef
trombone
trumpet
tuba
tuning fork
cello
violin
violin bow

le cor
director le metteur en scne
d'harmonie
la guitare
easel
le chevalet
les cordes (f)
film
le film
la harpe (f)
film bob
la bobine
les cors (m)
frame
le cadre
le synthtiseur
light
le projecteur
la musique
mask
le masque
le pupitre
model
le modle
musique
l'orchestre (m) museum
le muse
le piano
paint
la peinture
paintbrus
les touches (f)
le pinceau
h
le saxophone
painter
le peintre
la partition
painting
le tableau
le tambourin
pallette
la palette
la clef de sol
pedastel
le pidestal
le trombone
projector
le projecteur
la trompette
screen
l'cran (m)
le tuba
sculptor
le sculpteur
le diapason
stage
la scne
le violoncelle
star
la vedette, la star
le violon
statue
la statue
l'archet (m)
tickets
les billets (m)
viola - l'alto (m)

116. ACQUERIR - TO ACQUIRE & RESOUDRE - TO RESOLVE

acqurir - to acquire
acquiers
acqurons
acquiers
acqurez
acquiert
acquirent

rsoudre - to resolve
rsous
rsolvons
rsous
rsolvez
rsout
rsolvent

The past participles are acquis and rsolu, and both verbs are
conjugated with avoir.
112

117. IMPERFECT & PAST SUBJUNCTIVE

The subjunctive in past tenses is not used very often in French in
everyday speech, but grammatically, it should be used if the verb in
the main clause is in the past tense. The imperfect subjunctive is
formed from the simple past, while the the past and pluperfect
subjunctive forms are composed of two elements: the present
subjunctive of avoir or tre + past participle for the past subjunctive
and the imperfect subjunctive of the avoir or tre + past participle
for the pluperfect subjunctive.
Use the il/elle form of the simple past to form the imperfect
subjunctive endings. Sometimes, the only difference between the
il/elle forms of the simple past and the imperfect subjunctive is the
circumflex for the imperfect subjunctive.
avoir

tre
couper
finir
lire
tenir
Use the simple past to form the stems
il eut
il fut
il coupa
il finit
il lut
il tint
Imperfect Subjunctive
eusse
fusse
coupasse
finisse
lusse
tinsse
eusses fusses coupasses finisses lusses tinsses
et
ft
coupt
fint
lt
tnt
coupassion finission
eussions fussions
lussions tinssions
s
s
eussiez fussiez coupassiez finissiez lussiez tinssiez
eussent fussent coupassent finissent lussent tinssent
118. translating phrasal verbs: english to French:
Most English phrasal verbs translate as one verb without any
prepositions or adverbs in French. Make sure to pay attention to the
correct meaning of the phrasal verb in English, however, before
deciding on the correct French translation.
add up
back up
beat up

additionner
soutenir /
sauvegarder
tabasser

make up inventer / se rconcilier

make up
compenser / rattraper
for
mess
faire l'imbcile /
around
s'amuser / toucher
113

bend
down
bend over

se baisser

mess up

se pencher

blow out

souffler

miss out
miss out
on

gonfler / sauter /
mix up
faire sauter
break
tomber en panne /
mouth off
down
enfoncer
entrer par
move
break in
effraction
forward
rompre / se
break up
move in
terminer
breathe in
inspirer
move off
breathe
expirer
move out
out
brighten
s'claircir / se
move
up
dgager
over
rapporter /
muddle
bring back
ramener
up
bring up lever / soulever note down
rentrer dans /
bump into
renconter par
own up
hasard
clater / fondre (en
burst into
part with
larmes)
call back
rappeler
pass for
call off
annuler
pass on
call on
rendre visite
pass out
call round
passer
pay back
calm
se calmer
pay for
down
care
se soucier de
peel off
about
s'occuper de /
phone
care for
aimer
back
blow up

carry on

continuer

pick on

catch up

rattraper

pick up

mettre en dsordre /
gcher / bcler
omettre / sauter
laisser passer / louper
confondre /
embrouiller / mlanger
se vanter / parler tort
et travers
avancer
emmnager
se mettre en route
dmnager
se pousser
mlanger / embrouiller
noter
avouer
se sparer de
se faire passer pour
transmettre
s'vanouir / distribuer
rembourser
payer
dtacher
rappeler
s'en prendre /
harceler
ramasser / chercher /
114

chase
after
chase
away

courir aprs

pile up

chasser

plug in

apprendre / draguer
s'entasser / s'empiler /
s'accumuler
brancher

se prsenter
l'enregistrement / point out
la rception
rgler sa note /
check out
pop in
regarder
check
pull
vrifier / examiner
over
ahead
remonter le moral
cheer up
/ retrouver le
pull down
moral
chop
abattre
pull in
down
clean up
nettoyer
pull out

montrer / faire
remarquer

check in

passer
prendre la tte
dmolir / baisser
s'arrter

arracher / retirer
se ranger / se garer sur
clear off
dgager / filer
pull over
la ct
pull
clear out
vider
s'en sortir
through
pull
clear up ranger / s'claircir
faire un effort
together
climb
descendre
pull up
remonter / s'arrter
down
climb over passer par-dessus pump up
gonfler
climb up
monter
push in
resquiller
se couvrir /
cloud over
put away
ranger
s'assombrir
come
venir / reprendre
put back
remettre
around
connaissance
come
revenir
put down
poser
back
remettre plus tard /
come
descendre /
put off
dissuader / dgoter /
down
baisser
dranger / teindre
mettre / allumer /
come in
entrer
put on prendre / monter / faire
marcher
115

come off

se dtacher

put out

teindre / tendre /
sortir / dranger

come out

sortir / partir

put
together

monter

come
over

venir

put up

riger / monter / mettre /

augmenter / hberger

put up
with

supporter

reach out

tendre la main

read out

lire haute voix

reprendre
connaissance
monter / soulever /
come up
tre soulev
come up
arriver /
to
s'approcher de
come up
proposer /
with
suggrer
cool down refroidir / refrachir
cross off
rayer
cross out
barrer
cross over
traverser
cry out
pousser un cri
cut off
couper
cut out
dcouper
s'occuper de /
deal with
traiter de
dig up
dterrer
do away
se dbarasser /
with
supprimer
fermer / attacher /
do up
boutonner /
retaper
do without
se passer de
se dguiser /
dress up
s'habiller
drop by
passer
drop off dposer / laisser
end up finir / se retrouver
face up to
faire face
fall apart
s'effondrer
come to

read up
parcourir / lire en entier
on
rely on
compter sur
ring back
rappeler
ring up
appeler / tlphoner
roll up
rouler / retrousser
rub out
effacer
rule out
exclure
run away
s'enfuir
run out

s'puiser

run over

renverser / craser
mettre de l'argent de
ct

save up
scare
away

faire fuir / effrayer

search for

chercher

see off

dire au revoir

see to
send back
send for
send off
set off

s'occuper de
renvoyer
appeler / faire venir
expulser
partir / se mettre en
route / faire partir / faire
116

fall down
fall off

tomber

set out

exploser / dclencher
partir / se mettre en
route
crer / installer / monter

tomber
set up
tomber / se
settle
fall out
se calmer / s'installer
brouiller
down
tomber / trbucher
fall over
show off
frimer
sur
fight back
se dfendre
show up
arriver
comprendre /
figure out
shut up
se taire
calculer
fill in
remplir / boucher sit down
s'asseoir
slave
fill out
remplir
trimer
away
fill up
remplir
sleep in faire la grasse matine
se renseigner /
passer la nuit chez
find out
sleep over
dcouvrir
quelqu'un
finish off
terminer / finir
slip off
filer / s'clipser
slow
flick off
teindre
ralentir
down
ranger / rgler /
flick on
allumer
sort out
s'occuper de
flip
parler en faveur /
feuilleter
speak out
through
dfendre
fly away
s'envoler
speed up
aller plus vite
s'chapper /
spin
get away
tourner / se retourner
partir / s'en aller
around
rentrer /
get back
split up
se sparer
rcuperer / reculer
spread
get down
descendre
se disperser
out
entrer / monter
get in
stand for
vouloir dire / tolrer
dans
get off
descendre (de) stand out
ressortir
monter dans /
get on
stand up
se lever
s'entendre
stand up
get out sortir / descendre
dfendre
for
get up
se lever
start
partir
117

give in
give out

off/out
stay away
stay in

ne pas s'approcher
rester chez soi

stay out

ne pas rentrer

stay up
step
forward

ne pas se coucher

go away

cder
distribuer
abandonner /
arrter
partir

go back

retourner / rentrer

go down

descendre /
baisser

stick out

dpasser / tirer

go in

entrer

stretch
out

tendre / allonger /
s'allonger

give up

go off
go on
go out
go under

exploser / sonner /
sum up
partir / tourner
continuer / se
swell up
passer
sortir / s'teindre switch off
couler

switch on

avancer

rsumer
enfler / gonfler
teindre / arrter
allumer / mettre en
marche

take after

tenir de

go without
grow up

monter /
augmenter
se passer de
grandir

take apart
take aside

hand in

rendre

take away

hand out

distribuer

take back

hand over

remettre / cder

take down

dmonter
prendre part
enlever / emporter /
emmener
rapporter
dmonter / enlever /
noter
dcoller / enlever
embaucher / prendre

go up

hang on
attendre
take off
hang out frquenter / traner take on
accrocher /
hang up
suspendre /
take out
raccrocher

sortir / retirer

head for

se diriger vers

take over

remplacer / prendre la
relve

hear from

avoir des
nouvelles de

take up

se mettre / prendre

hear of

entendre parler de

talk
through

expliquer / prvenir
118

heat up
help out
hold on
hold out
hold up
hurry up
join in
jump in
keep out
keep up
knock
down

faire rchauffer /
tear down
dmolir
(faire) chauffer
venir en aide
tear out
arracher
attendre /
tear up
dchirer
s'accrocher
tendre
tell off
gronder
lever / retarder /
think
penser / penser de /
attaquer
about
rflchir
se dpcher
think of
penser de
throw
participer ()
jeter
away
sauter dedans /
throw out jeter / mettre la porte
plonger
ne pas entrer dans throw up
vomir
suivre / continuer tidy up
ranger
renverser

tie up

ficeler / attacher

knock out

assommer /
liminer

tip off

prvenir / avertir

knock
over

renverser

know
about

tre au courant
de / s'y connatre
en

laugh at

se moquer de

lean over

se pencher

leave
aside

laisser de ct

turn
around

leave out
let down

oublier
laisser tomber

turn back
turn down

let in

faire entrer /
laisser entrer

turn into

ne pas punir / faire

partir, tirer
s'allonger / se
lie down
coucher
let off

tip over renverser / se renverser

toss
away/out
track
down
try on/out

jeter
retrouver
essayer
se retourner / faire
demi-tour / tourner
(dans l'autre sens)
faire demi-tour
rejeter / baisser
changer en /
transformer en / se
transformer en

turn off

teindre

turn on

allumer
119

lift off

dcoller

turn over retourner / se retourner

mettre plus fort / venir /
line up
faire la queue
turn up
arriver
lock in
enfermer
wait for
attendre
lock out enfermer dehors wake up rveiller / se rveiller
log in/on
se connecter
walk out
partir
rchauffer / faire
look after
s'occuper de
warm up
rchauffer / se
rchauffer / s'chauffer
faire la vaisselle (UK) /
look at
regarder
wash up
se laver (US)
look down baisser les yeux watch out
faire attention
look down
regarder de haut wear out user / s'user / puiser
on
weigh
look for
chercher
alourdir
down
look
attendre avec
avoir les larmes aux
well up
forward to
impatience
yeux
se retrouver / se
look out
faire attention
wind up
terminer / remonter
look out
chercher /
wipe up
essuyer
for
s'occuper de
trouver / rsoudre /
look
se retourner /
calculer / comprendre /
work out
round
regarder / visiter
se passer / faire de
l'exercice
lever les yeux /
emballer / envelopper /
look up
wrap up
chercher
rcapituler / se couvrir
look up to
admirer
write back
rpondre
dchiffrer /
write
make out
comprendre /
noter
down
prtendre
119. other translation difficulties: english to French:
be getting / going + adjective
do nothing but
forgive somebody for [verb]-

devenir + adjective
ne faire que
excuser quelqu'un de + infinitive
120

ing
get oneself + past participle
how come...?
however / no matter (much)
I can't help [verb]-ing
I hate/loathe/can't stand [verb]ing
I miss + [verb]-ing
I was going to / I had planned
to
I wish (regret)
I wish + imperfect
I wish + past perfect
I'd rather that
In order (not) to
It's about time
it's no use / you needn't
It's typical of him/her
It's usual for
just because... doesn't mean
keep on [verb]-ing
let (permission)
let somebody know
let's just hope that
let's [verb] / how about we
[verb]?
may / might
may...
no matter
no sooner...
see to it that
so far
The way + subject + verb
There is no + [verb]-ing

se faire + infinitive
comment se fait-il que...?
avoir beau
Je ne peux pas m'empcher de +
infinitive
J'ai horreur de + infinitive
a me manque de ne pas
J'avais prvu de
Je regrette de ne pas
si seulement + imperfect
J'aurais aim que + subjunctive
J'aimerais mieux que +
subjunctive
dans le but de (ne pas) + infinitive
il serait grand temps
il est inutile que
a lui ressemble
il est d'usage que
le simple fait que... ne veut pas
dire
ne cesser pas de + infinitive
Que + subjunctive
faire savoir
pourvu que
Et si on...?
il se peut / pourrait que
puisse...
peu importe
n'avoir pas si tt
veiller ce que
jusqu' prsent
La faon dont + subject + verb
Il n'y a pas de moyen de
121

There/it happens to
to sit, stand, lie
What / How about + [verb]ing?
What if?
whatever
whatever
whenever
wherever
Whether you like it or not
whoever

Il se trouve que
tre assis, debout, allong
Que dirais tu de + infinitive ?
et si?
quel que soit
quoi que
chaque fois
o que + subjunctive
Que a te plaise ou non.
quiconque

120. QUEBECOIS FRENCH

Differences in vocabulary:
Quebec
l'arrt
un breuvage
une broue
des bbelles
un bcyque
des bidoux / du
foin
un bleuet

France

Quebec
France
achaler / gosser
le stop
embter quelqu'un
quelqu'un
une boisson
asteure
cette heure
avoir les yeux
une bire
dans la graisse de avoir l'air fatigu
binnes
des jouets
bienvenu
de rien
une bicyclette
brailler
piquer une crise
de l'argent

a adonne bein

une myrtille

a tombe bien

a pas d'allure
a n'a aucun sens
a pas de tes
a ne te regarde
ma blonde
ma petite amie
affaires
pas
une buanderie une blanchisserie clisser une vole donner une racle
une calotte
une casquette c'est dispendieux
c'est cher
une canneberge
une airelle
c'est pas fort
c'est pas terrible
conduire un
un char
une automobile
chauffer
vhicule
dbarquer (d'un descendre (d'une
une chicane
une dispute
char)
voiture)
le djeuner
le petit djeuner embarquer (dans monter (dans une
122

un char)
tre tann

un dpanneur un petit magasin

le dner

le djeuner

faire dur

voiture)
en avoir marre
avoir mauvaise
mine

la fin de
semaine
un frigidaire
la gang
une gunille

le week-end

faire la baboune

bouder

un rfrigrateur
la bande d'amis
un chiffon

faire son picerie

il mouille
jaser

la job

le boulot

magasiner

faire ses courses

il pleut
causer / bavarder
se promener dans
les magasins
inscrire / noter

une joke
une blague
marquer
une lampe de
une lampe-torche maudit niaiseux ! espce de crtin !
poche
une machine
une laveuse
minoucher
caresser
laver
un melon d'eau
un pastque
pantoute
pas du tout
attraper / tripoter /
un minou
un chat
pogner
avoir du succs
prendre une
faire une
le nettoyeur
le pressing
marche
promenade pied
une patente
une chose
prsentement
maintenant
une
un dollar
sacrer son camp
ficher le camp
piastre/piasse
se cler (une
commander /
un pitou
un chien
pizza / un taxi)
appeler
une machine
tabernacle /
une scheuse
zut !
scher
tabarnak !
le souper
le dner
tiguidou
c'est d'accord
la tabagie
le tabac
tu es fin
tu es gentil
y a du monde la
une vadrouille une serpillire
il y a foule
messe
Differences in pronunciation:
1. An affrication of the consonants "t" and "d" before the vowels "u"
and "i." For example, "tu es parti" is pronounced "tsu es partsi."

123

2. There is a reduction of the pronoun "il" to"y": Y'est malade, Y'a

pas le temps; as well as a reduction of "elle" to "a" ("elle a"
becomes "aa"): Aa pas le temps, aa mal au dos.
3. "Chu" is a contraction for "je suis": Chu fatigu, chu en retard.
4. A "t" sound still exists in the expressions: "il fait frette" (froid),
"mon litte" (lit), "viens icitte" (ici). And the old pronunciation for the
"oi" sound (as o) is still used sometimes: moi, toi, and verb forms
such as bois, boit, vois, voit,
reoit, etc. are pronounced mo, to, bo, etc.
5. "Tu" is often added after questions: Il en veut-tu ? Tu m'coutestu ? Je l'ai-tu ?
6. Many people end their statements with: T'sais ? (a reduction of:
tu sais)
7. The verb pogner is a very popular word with several translations:
to catch, to get, to grab, to be successful, to come, to get caught, to
take, to be stuck, etc.
Quoss qui't'pogne, toi? What's going on with you?
Arrte de pogner les nerfs. Stop getting worked up.
Some examples of Anglicisms used in Quebec:
Bummer, spinner, slaquer, kiquer, faker, domper, frencher, puncher,
backer, rusher, spotter, tripper, checker, avoir un good time, tre
cheap, tre opne, faire son show, etc.
CONFUSIONS:
The following are sentences that initially confused me because I
was translating them literally into English.
C'est pas du franais. It's not grammatically correct, formal
French. [not the French language in general]
La Norvge n'est pas en Europe. Norway is not in the European
Union. [not Europe as a continent]
J'ai laiss un petit mot pour toi. I left a little note for you. [not
word]
Tu djeunes pas ? You aren't eating breakfast? [not lunch]
Normalement, elle arrive 15h. If everything goes as planned,
she will arrive at 3 PM. [not normally or usually]
Tes parents s'ennuient de toi ? Do your parents miss you? [not
get bored with]
Tu veux te baigner aujourd'hui ? Do you want to go swimming
today? [not take a bath]
J'ai mal aux reins. My lower back hurts. [not kidneys]
124

On a dj donn manger au chat. We've already fed the

cat. [not give to eat]
Elle l'a connu en Italie. She met him in Italy. [not known]
FILLING OUT FORMS:
les
coordonne
passport
le passeport
s
last name
nom
visa
le visa
first name
prnom
residency card la carte de sjour
address
adresse
receipt
le rcpiss
date de
le formulaire / la
birthdate
application
naissance
candidature
lieu de
la demande
place of birth
enrollment form
naissance
d'inscription
Signed [city] ...
to apply (for a
Fait ... le
postuler
date
job)
l'acte de
to apply/enroll
birth certificate
s'inscrire
naissance
(in university)
contact
information

Remember the date format in France is day/month/year instead of

month/day/year and that you generally capitalize yourlast name, but
not your first name: Jean-Paul BOUCHER.
ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION OR HELP
Excusez-moi de vous dranger, monsieur/madame, mais j'ai
un problme. Sorry for bothering you, mister/miss, but I have a
problem.
Est-ce que je peux vous poser une question ? Can I ask you a
question?
Qu'est-ce que vous avez dit ? What did you say?
Pourriez-vous rpter, s'il vous plat ? Can you repeat that,
please?
Je n'ai pas entendu ce que vous avez dit. I didn't hear what you
said.
Comment est-ce qu'on crit a ? / a s'crit comment ? How is
that written?
Comment est-ce qu'on prononce a ? / a se prononce
comment ? How is that pronounced?
Qu'est-ce que a veut dire? / a veut dire quoi ? What does that
mean?
125

FOOD & EATING

cold cuts
raw vegetables
salad (with bacon)
onion soup
melted cheese (w/ potatoes & cold
cuts)
cheese, ham & potato casserole
melted cheese (with bread)
grilled ham and cheese
grilled ham & cheese with egg
beefstew with carrots
beefstew in red wine
chicken in red wine
Steak & French fries
potatoes au gratin
ham & cheese quiche
dumplings (flavored w/ meat or fish)
vegetarian
Vegan

la charcuterie
les crudits (f)
une salade (avec des
lardons)
la soupe l'oignon
la raclette
la tartiflette
la fondue
le croque-monsieur
le croque-madame
du buf-carottes
du buf bourguignon
du coq au vin
un steak-frites
le gratin dauphinois
la quiche lorraine
les quenelles
vgtarien/ne
vgtalien/ne

Qu'est-ce que je vous offre ? / Qu'est-ce que je vous

sers ? What can I get you?
Quelque chose boire ? Something to drink?
J'ai la dalle ! J'ai les crocs ! Je meurs de faim ! I'm starving!
J'ai trop mang. / J'ai trop bouff. I ate too much.
On the phone / au telephone:
All, est-ce que je pourrais parler ... ? Hello, may I speak to...?
C'est de la part de qui ? Who is calling?
Qui est l'appareil ? Who is on the phone?
Un instant, s'il vous plat. One moment, please.
Ne quittez pas. Please hold.
Je vous la passe. I'm putting you through to her.
Il ne rpond pas. He is not answering.
126

Il n'est pas l. He is not here.

Est-ce que vous voulez laisser un message ? Do you want to
leave a message?
Pouvez-vous rappeler plus tard ? Can you call back later?
La ligne est occupe. The line is busy.
Vous vous tes tromp(e)(s) de numro. You have the wrong
number.
Je me suis tromp(e) de numro. I got the wrong number.

Cell Phone Vocabulary

pay as you
go plan

sans engagement

credit/minutes

le crdit

to recharge
your account

recharger votre
compte

call waiting

le double appel

contract plan

le forfait

caller ID

la prsentation du
numro

extra charges

hors forfait

unlimited
calls

les appels illimits

payment plan

le plan tarifaire

PIN code

land line

la ligne fixe
la messagerie
vocale

SIM card

le code PIN /
secret
la carte SIM

locked

bloqu

le suivi conso

to download

tlcharger

puis

ringtone

la sonnerie

voicemail
account
summary
empty / no
credit

text
message
photo
message

SMS
MMS

Le suivi conso is short for le suivi de consommation.

Going Shopping / Faire Les Magasins :

department store
outlet store

la grande
surface
le magasin
d'usine
127

fitting room
club/loyalty
card

la cabine
d'essayage
la carte de
fidelit

la boutique
second-hand shop
d'articles
heels
d'occasion
discount
le magasin hard
flip-flops
store (such as Aldi)
discount
le march aux tank/halter
flea market
puces
top
department
le rayon
underwire bra
to go windowfaire du lchethong
shopping
vitrine
to go grocery
faire les
spotted
shopping
courses
mini market
la suprette
flowery
supermarket (food) le supermarch
frilly
super store
l'hypermarch
glittery
(everything)
(m)
le centre
shopping center
striped
commercial

des talons
des tongs
le dbardeur
le balconnet
le string
pois
fleurs
frous-frous
paillettes
rayures

Est-ce que je peux vous aider ? / Je peux vous renseigner ? /

Vous dsirez ? Can I help you?
Non, je regarde seulement. No, I'm just looking.
Je vais rflchir. I'll think about it.
Quelle est votre taille ? Vous faites du combien ? What is your
size? What size do you wear?
Quelle est votre pointure ? Vous chaussez du combien ? What
is your shoe size? What size shoe do you wear?
a va, la taille ? Cest la bonne taille ? Is the size right?
Cest trop grand. / C'est trop serr. Its too big / too small.
a cote combien ? How much does this cost?
C'est en solde ? Is it on sale?
Quelle escroquerie ! / Quelle arnaque ! What a rip-off!
Avez-vous une carte de fidlit ? Do you have a club card?
Vous rglez comment ? / Vous payez comment ? How are you
paying?
En espces/par carte bleue. Cash/with a bank card.
A good way to increase your vocabulary is to look at ads for stores
that are available online, such as Carrefour, Gant,Monoprix, etc.
Going To The Doctor / Chez Le Docteur :

128

allergy
l'allergie (f)
swollen
illness
la maladie
dizziness
cold
le rhume
drops
fever
la fivre
pills
flu
la grippe
tablet
migraine
la migraine
ointment
bump
la bosse
bandage
itching les dmangeaisons (f) prescription
poisoning

l'intoxication (f)

sting / bite
scratch

la piqre
l'gratignure (f)

scar

la cicatrice

scab
blister
sprain
ear
infection

la crote
l'ampoule (f)
la foulure

enfl/e
le vertige
les gouttes (f)
les pilules (f)
le cachet
la pommade
le sparadrap
l'ordonnance (f)
les mdicaments
medicine
(m)
vitamins
les vitamines (f)
lozenge
la pastille
les somnifres
sleeping pills
(m)
to skin
s'corcher
to sprain
se fouler
to crush
s'craser

l'otite (f)

to break

se casser

Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous, s'il vous plat. I'd like to make

an appointment, please.
O est-ce que vous avez mal ? Where does it hurt?
Est-ce que vous tes allergique quelque chose ? Are you
allergic to anything?
Je me suis corch la main en tombant. I skinned my hand by
falling.
Je me suis fait mal. I hurt myself.
The French health care system (called la Scurit Sociale)
generally reimburses 70% of your health costs (including dentist
and eye doctor visits). If you want to be reimbursed for the other
30%, you have to join a mutuelle and pay a monthly fee. Everyone
covered by la Scu receives a Carte Vitale to use at the doctor's
consultation and when filling prescriptions at any pharmacie. If you
are a recent immigrant to France and have not yet received your
Carte Vitale, you will receive feuille de soins forms to fill out in
order to be reimbursed.
The emergency medical service in France is called SAMU (Service
d'aide mdicale d'urgence) and the phone number is 15. You can
dial 17 to reach the police, and 18 to reach
the pompiers (firefighters). The general emergency number used
129

throughout the European Union is 112. In Belgium, you can also

dial 100 for emergency services; in Switzerland, it's 144, and in
Canada, it's 911.

Going to the dentist or eye doctor / chez le dentiste

ou l'ophtalmologiste :
cavity
wisdom tooth

la carie
la dent de
sagesse

baby tooth

la dent de lait

gums

la gencive

jaw

la mchoire

crown

la couronne

filling

le plombage

cleaning

le dtartrage
le canal
dentaire

root canal
to pull out, remove
(tooth)

arracher

glasses

les lunettes

frames

la monture

glasses l'tui de lunettes

case
(m)
contact
les lentilles
lenses
cleaning
la solution de
solution
nettoyage
contact l'tui de lentilles
case
(m)
nearmyope
sighted
far-sighted hypermtrope
clear

net

blurry

flou

Getting your eyes checked and then choosing your frames are two
different processes in France. You go to anophtalmologiste to get
your eyes checked and you will receive a prescription for your
glasses/contacts. Then you must go to an opticien in order to
choose your frames and turn in your prescriptions. They are not in
the same office like in the US.
AT THE HAIR SALON / CHEZ LE COIFFEUR
bangs
highlights
hair cut

la frange

braid

les mches / le
balayage
la coupe de
cheveux

ponytail
barette
130

la natte / les
tresses
la queue-decheval
la barrette

blowdry

le brushing

head band

curly

boucls

hair clips

wavy

onduls

hairband

frizzy

friss / crpus

hairpin

straight

raides

buzz cut

dyed

teints

lightened
layered

dcolors
dgrad

le serre-tte
les pinces
cheveux
l'lastique (m)
l'pingle
cheveux (f)
la coupe en
brosse

completely shaved
la boule zro
head
bald
chauve
part
la raie

There is a slight difference between se couper les cheveux (to cut

one's hair - by oneself) and se faire couper les cheveux (to get
one's hair cut - by someone else). The same is true of se teindre
les cheveux (to dye one's hair - by oneself) and se faire teindre
les cheveux (to get one's hair dyed - by someone else).
Opening A Bank Account / Ouvrir Un Compte Bancaire :

savings account

le compte
d'pargne

checking account

le comptechques

deposit
direct deposit
cash
credit card
loan
debt
wages
estimate
automatic

bank / debit la carte bancaire / la

card
carte bleue
le distributeur / le
ATM
guichet
(automatique)
check
le chque
le carnet de
checkbook
chques

le dpt
le dpt
direct
les espces /
balance
le bilan
du liquide
la carte de
sum, amount
le montant
crdit
l'emprunt (m)
bank
le relev de compte
/ le prt
statement
la dette
salary
le traitement
l'augmentation de
le salaire
raise
salaire (f)
le devis
payment
le versement
le
transfer/depo
le virement
131

payment
to deposit

prlvement
dposer /
remettre

to withdraw

retirer

to earn

gagner

to spend

dpenser

sit
to write a
faire un chque
check
to cash a encaisser / toucher
check
un chque
to pay cash payer en espces
to save
faire des conomies
money

Je voudrais ouvrir un compte. I would like to open an account.

Bordereau de remise de chques. Checks deposited slip.

Post Office / La Poste :

accus de
rception

acknowledgeme
nt of receipt

printed
matter
lettre
registered
avis de rception notice of receipt
recommande letter
adresse de
return address mandat cash money order
l'expditeur
adresse de
forwarding
par avion
air mail
rexpdition
address
colis
parcel / package
port pay
postage paid
retour
return to
destinataire
addressee
l'envoyeur
sender
expditeur
sender
tarifs postaux postage rate
envoi en nombre
bulk mail
trier
to sort
imprims

Currently, the price of timbres (stamps) is 58 Euro cents to send

mail within France, 75 cents within the EU & Switzerland, and 87
cents to the rest of the world (for a letter or postcard under 20
grams).
Renting an apartment / louer un appartement :
housing

le logement

lease
132

le bail

apartment

l'appartement

rent

le loyer

rent receipt

la quittance de
loyer

utilities / fees
expenses
(rental)
charges
agency fees

bill (telephone,
la facture
etc.)
insurance
l'assurance (f)
conditions /
l'tat des lieux
evaluation of
(m)
apt.

les charges / les

frais
les dpenses
les charges
(locatives)
les honoraires /
frais d'agence

taxes

les impts (m)

furnished

meubl

building

immeuble

landlord

le propritaire

private
landlord
security
deposit
guarantor
needed

le particulier

renting

location

la caution / le
dpt de garantie

renter

locataire (m) /
locatrice (f)

short-term
rental

location courte

le garant exig

renting with
roommates
roommate /
flatmate /
housemate

colocation
colocataire (m) /
colocatrice (f)

Apartments are generally listed as F1/T1, F2/T2, F3/T3, etc.

regarding the number of rooms. This number does not include the
kitchen or bathroom, but it does include the living room. If a kitchen
is quipe, it will probably have a refrigerator and burners, but may
or may not have an oven. If a kitchen is non-quipe, there will be
no appliances at all. Some apartments do not have ovens, but they
might have plaques lectriques / plaquettes (burners, similar to a
stove). A cuisinire is also electric burners without an oven.
J'habite en colocation. I live with roommates.
Je cherche un colocataire pour un appartement avec 2
chambres. I'm looking for a roommate for a 2 bedroom apartment.
Le bail sera sign ds votre arrive la rsidence. The lease
will be signed as soon as you arrive at the dorms.
Les charges sont comprises dans le prix (eau, lctricit,
chauffage). Utilities are included in the price (water, electricity,
heat).
Cooking & Kitchen Utensils :
133

to chop / grind
to grate

to pit
to mix

hacher
rper
peler /
plucher
dnoyauter
mlanger

to stir

remuer

to beat

battre

to whip

fouetter

to sift
to pour

tamiser
verser

to cook

cuire

to roast

rtir

to fry

to boil
to simmer

frire
cuire
l'touffe /
faire cuire la
vapeur
bouillir
mijoter

to melt

fondre

to stew

cuire en
ragot

whisk

to broil / grill

griller

rolling pin

to moisten

mouiller

to soften

faire revenir

to sprinkle
to drain

saupoudrer
goutter

to peel

to steam

cooking pot
lid

la marmite
le couvercle

saucepan

la casserole

frying pan
la pole
skillet
la sauteuse
casserole
la cocotte / daubire
dish
baking sheet la plaque gteaux
la grille de
cooling rack
refroidissement
cake tin
le moule gteaux
pie tin
la tourtire
le bol mixer / le
mixing bowl
saladier
strainer /
la passoire
colander
peeling knife
l'conome (m)
slotted
spoon /
skimmer
ladle
spatula
(cheese)
grater

l'cumoire (f)
la louche
la spatule
la rpe ( fromage)
le fouet
le rouleau
ptisserie
l'ouvre-bote (m)

can opener
aluminum
le papier d'aluminium
foil
plastic wrap le film transparent
wax paper
le papier cuisson

For verbs that involve cooking methods, you add faire before them
when they are transitive verbs (when they take a direct object). So to
cook something is faire cuire, to fry something is faire frire, to boil
something is faire bouillir, etc. If you bake American foods in
134

France, you will most likely need to look for certain ingredients that
are not used very often in French cooking: condensed milk - lait
concentr sucr; evaporated milk - lait concentr non-sucr;
baking soda -bicarbonate alimentaire; baking powder - levure
chimique and yeast - levure du boulanger. It is also very common
to use le sopalin instead of essui-tout for paper towel.
Christmas Vocabulary :
Merry Christmas!
angel
bell
bow
bulb
candle
candy cane
chimney
Christmas card
Christmas carols
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve dinner
Christmas market
Christmas tree
decorations
egg nog
elf
fake tree
garland
holly

Joyeux Nol !
lange (m)
la cloche / la clochette
le nud
la boule
la bougie / la chandelle
la canne en bonbon
la chemine
la carte de Nol
les chansons de Nol
la veille de Nol
le rveillon de Nol
le march de Nol
le sapin de Nol
les dcorations
le lait de poule
le lutin
le sapin artificiel
la guirlande
le houx
la guirlande lectrique /
lumineuse
le gui
la crche
le ple nord
le cadeau
les tiquettes
le renne
le bolduc / le ruban

lights
mistletoe
nativity scene
North Pole
present
present name tags
reindeer
ribbon
135

Santa Claus
Santas hat
Santas sack
Santas workshop
sleigh
sleigh bell
snow
snowflake
snowman
star
stocking
toy
wrapping paper
wreath
Yule log

le Pre Nol
le bonnet de Nol
la hotte du Pre Nol
latelier du Pre Nol
le traineau
le grelot
la neige
le flocon de neige
le bonhomme de neige
ltoile (f)
la chaussette de Nol
le jouet
le papier demballage
la couronne
la bche de Nol

Transportation :
connection

la
correspondance

track

le quai

platform
restaurant
car
intersection
sedan (4
door)
coupe (2
door)
station
wagon
convertible

le cabriolet

semi-truck

le camion

subway map

le plan de mtro

la voie
le wagonrestaurant
le carrefour

book of ten
tickets
monthly pass

la carte orange

subway/bus line

la ligne

bus ticket

le ticket

la berline

van

la camionnette

le coup

minivan

le monospace

le break

pick-up truck

le pick-up

SUV / large
truck
trailer

le 4x4 (quatrequatre)
le remorque

le carnet

Merci d'oblitrer votre ticket. Thank you for validating your ticket.
O est l'arrt de bus le plus proche ? Where is the closest bus
stop?
Pour aller au centre-ville ? How do I get downtown?
136

Vous vous installez ici, madame ? Do you want to sit here,

ma'am? Vous descendez ? Are you getting off here?
Je descends ici. I'm getting off here.
School & Education:
school district
urban district
department /
division
region / area
town

pre-school
elementary
education
elementary
student
secondary
education
middle school

middle school
principal
principal
l'arrondissement
high school
proviseur
(m)
principal
exam after
le dpartement
brevet
middle school
exam after high
la rgion
baccalaurat
school
mathmatique
la commune
mathematics
s
sciences
l'cole
economics &
conomique
maternelle
sociology
et sociale
(SES)
living/foreign
langue
l'cole primaire
language
vivante (LV)
l'acadmie (f)

colier/re

physics

physique

secondaire

chemistry

chimie

le collge

biology

middle school
student

collgien/ne

high school

le lyce

high school
student
higher
education
university
student
university

biologie
sciences de la
life/earth science vie et de la
terre (SVT)
sciences de
engineering
l'ingnieur
(SI)
history/geograph
histoirey
gographie

lycen/ne
suprieur

philosophy

philosophie

tudiant/e

literature

littrature

l'universit / la
facult

research
project/seminar

travaux
personnels
encadrs

137

prestigious
universities

les grandes
coles

P.E. / Gym

library

le CDI

report card

(TPE)
ducation
physique et
sportive
(EPS)
le bulletin
scolaire

La rentre scolaire a lieu dbut septembre. The return to school

takes place at the beginning of September.
Les vacances d't s'appellent les grandes vacances. The
summer vacation is called the big vacation.
Il a eu de mauvais rsultats et il a d redoubler. He got bad
marks and he had to stay in the same grade.
Cette anne, il passe dans la classe suprieure. This year, he's
passing into the next grade.
Si je rate / Si j'choue mon bac, je suis oblig de redoubler ma
terminale. If I fail my final exam, I have to do my last year of school
over again.
Ils ont sech les cours aujourd'hui. They skipped classes today.
Tu as eu combien ? What (grade) did you get?
J'ai eu 13, pas mal. I got a 13, not bad.
Note: In French schools, the grades/marks range from 1 to 20
(though 10 is considered passing, so it cannot be easily changed
into percentages); and the grades/years descend instead of
increasing: sixime is the first year of collge, while troisime is the
last year. Ecole maternelle is ages 2-6, cole lmentaire is ages 611 (CP, CE1, CE2, CM1, CM2), collge is ages 11-15 (6e, 5e, 4e,
3e), and lyce is ages 15-18 (2nde, 1re, T).
LG = Lyce Gnral
LT= Lyce Technique
LPO= Lyce Polyvalent
LGT= Lyce Gnral et Technique
CLG= Collge
EE= Ecole Elmentaire
IA= Inspecteur Acadmique
IEN= Inspecteur dEducation
138

Bac = baccalaurat
L = Littraire
ES = conomique et sociale
S = scientifique
STT = sciences et
technologies tertiaires
STI = sciences et
technologies industrielles
STL = sciences et
technologies de laboratoire
SMS = sciences mdico-

Nationale
sociales
IUFM = Instituts Universitaires de CAP = certificat d'aptitudes
Formation des Matres
professionnelles
BEP = brevet d'tudes
CP = Cours prparatoire
professionnelles
CE1 = Cours lmentaire 1re
BTS = brevet de technicien
anne
suprieur
CPGE = classes
CE2 = Cours lmentaire 2e
prparatoires aux Grandes
anne
Ecoles
CDI = centre de
CM1 = Cours moyen 1re anne documentation et
d'information
CPE = conseillers principaux
CM2 = Cours moyen 2e anne
d'ducation
COP = conseiller
T = Terminale
d'orientation psychologue
Premier degr = maternelle &
Second degr = collge &
lmentaire
lyce
News :
les informations / le
poverty
la pauvret
journal
le magazine
news shows
homeless
les sans-abri
d'actualits
current
l'actualit (f)
murder le crime / le meurtre
events
weather
la mto
genocide
le gnocide
report
protest
la protestation
riot
l'meute (m)
demonstratio
la manifestation
curfew
le couvre-feu
n
le tremblement de harassme
earthquake
le harclement (m)
terre
nt
hurricane
l'ouragan (m)
epidemic
l'pidmie (f)
flood
l'inondation (f)
plague
la peste
le tsunami / le raz-detsunami
cloning
le clonage
mare
drug
drought
la scheresse
la toxicomanie
addiction
burglary
le cambriolage
drug
le trafic de drogue
news

139

assault
crime
robbery
military
army
navy
air force
invasion
battle
retreat
treaty
truce

trafficking
l'agression (f)
trial
le procs
le dlit
testimony
le tmoignage
le vol
evidence
la preuve
les militaires (m)
ceasefire le cessez-le-feu
l'arme (f)
gun
le revolver
la marine
rifle
le fusil
les forces ariennes troops
les troupes (f)
l'invasion (f)
soldier
le soldat
la bataille
hostage
l'otage (m)
la retraite
casualty
les pertes (f)
le trait
winners les vainqueurs (m)
la trve
losers
les vaincus (m)

POLITICS:

prime minister
president
vice president
dictator
nationality
community
society
government
election
referendum
vote
environment
democracy
anarchy
capitalism
socialism
communism

le premier
citizen
le citoyen
ministre
le prsident
senator
le snateur
le vicerepresentat
le dput
prsident
ive
le dictateur
mayor
le maire
la nationalit
law
la loi
la communaut
bill
le projet de loi
la socit
policy
la politique
le
proposal
la proposition
gouvernement
l'lection (f)
grant
la subvention
le rfrendum legislation
la lgislation
le vote
negotiation la ngociation
l'environnemen
regulation la rglementation
t (m)
la dmocratie democrat
dmocrate
l'anarchie (f)
liberal
libral/e
conservativ conservateur/tric
le capitalisme
e
e
le socialisme
socialist
socialiste
le communisme communist
communiste
140

The current major political parties in France include: Parti Socialiste

(PS) and Parti Communiste Franais (PCF) - left-wing, Union pour
la Dmocratie Franaise (UDF) - centrist, Union pour un
Mouvement Populaire (UMP) - right-wing, and Front National (FN) far right-wing.
Television:
the news
les infos
to be on (TV)
series/prog
la srie
to act (in)
ram
soap opera
le feuilleton
to channel surf
tv movie
le tlfilm
to turn on the TV
documenta
le documentaire to turn off the TV
ry
channel

la chane

remote
control

la tlcommande

subtitles

les sous-titrages

push the button

turn up the
volume
turn down the
volume

passer
jouer
zapper
allumer la tl
teindre la tl
appuyer sur le
bouton
monter le son
baisser le son

commercial les publicits

to plug in
brancher
s
(pub)
actor/actre
le/la comdien/ne
to unplug
dbrancher
ss
director
le ralisateur
what's it about? a parle de quoi ?
comedian
l'humoriste
to be continued
suivre
Programs do not start at the hour or half hour in France, and the
majority of "prime time" shows begin at 8:50 pm (20h50) with more
than one episode each week. The nightly new is always on at 8 pm
(20h). Commercials are rarely shown during the programs, but
more likely between the shows.
There are a few French channels that you can watch without
subscribing to a cable provider: TF1, France 2, France 3,France
5, Arte, M6, and depending on where you live, there are local
channels as well as foreign channels of bordering
countries. Canal+ is available at some times, but you must
subscribe and pay extra if you want to watch it at all times. There
are of course several other channels: France 4, France
, W9, TMC, NRJ, Paris Premire, Tva, RTL9, AB 1,NT1, etc.

141

Most American television shows are eventually broadcast in

France, though several months later than in the US and dubbed in
French. (You will find that almost every foreign program is dubbed
rather than subtitled). Not all programs or channels support
subtitling/closed captioning, but if your TV is equipped
with tltexte, you should be able to read the subtitles in French as
well. And a series does not have to be a hit in the US to be
broadcast in France; several shows that were cancelled after one
year in the US are still shown here.
A lot of programs have the same names in French (Bones, Heroes,
Desperate Housewives, etc.) while others have French words
added (Lost, les disparus). Here are a few programs that are
different in French: Baywatch - Alerte Malibu; Seventh Heaven
- 7 la Maison; CSI - Les Experts; Without a Trace - FBI: Ports
Disparus; The Young & the Restless - Les Feux de l'Amour; One
Tree Hill - Les Frres Scott; Crossing Jordan - Preuve l'appui.
And because I watch several shows that involve solving crime, here
is some specialized vocabulary that you probably won't ever use,
but you'll need to recognize if you watch crime dramas:
assault
blackmail

l'agression (f)
le chantage

prosecutor
rape

blackmailer

le matre-chanteur

sketch

criminal record le casier judiciaire

defendant
l'accus (m)
la pice
evidence
conviction
federal case
dlit fdral
gun
le flingue
handcuffs
les menottes (f)
homicide
l'homicide (f)
investigation

l'enqute (f)

kidnapping

l'enlvement (m)

laundering
lead
loaded (gun)
murder

le blanchiment
la piste / l'indice
charg
le meurtre
142

stabbed
strangled

le procureur
le viol
le portraitrobot
poignard
trangl

surveillance

la filature

suspect
le suspect
to arrest
arrter
to con/cheat
escroquer
to harass
harceler
to press
porter plainte
charges
to report
porter disparu
missing
to run away
s'enfuir
to shoot
tirer
warrant
le mandat
weapon
l'arme (m)

paperwork

la paperasse

witness

le tmoin

Soccer:
ball
captain
captain
armband
cleats
coach
coin toss
corner kick
defense
fans
final
forward
foul/penalty
game
goal
goal post
goalie
goalie box

le ballon
pass
une passe
le capitaine
penalty kick
un penalty
un brassard de
player
un joueur
capitaine
les crampons
playoffs
le tableau final
l'entraneur / le
les quarts de
quarter-finals
selectionneur
finale
un tirage pile ou
red card
carton rouge
face
un corner
referee
l'arbitre
un dfenseur
replacement le remplaant
les supporters
semi-finals les demi-finales
les protgela finale
shinguards
tibias
un attaquant
shorts
la culotte
une faute
shot
un tir
un match
slide tackle
un tacle
un but
socks
les chausettes
les cages
standings les classements
un gardien de but starter player
le titulaire
la surface de
team
une quipe
rparation

group (in
la poule / le groupe
tournaments)
header
une tte
jersey
un maillot
un coup d'envoi /
kickoff
un engagement
midfield

un milieu de terrain

net
off-sides
out of bounds
(behind the

le filet
hors-jeu
une sortie de but

tie game

un match nul

to pass
to score

passer
marquer

to shoot

tirer

to throw in
faire une touche
the ball
tournament
le tournoi
wave
la ola
What's the
Quel est le
score?
score?
143

goals)
out of bounds
(on the sides)

en touche

yellow card

carton jaune

Zodiac Signs:
signs of the Zodiac
horoscope
astrology
Aries
Taurus
Gemini
Cancer
Leo
Virgo
Libra
Scorpio
Sagittarius
Capricorn
Aquarius
Pisces

les signes du zodiaque

l'horoscope (m)
l'astrologie (f)
Blier
Taureau
Gmeaux
Cancer
Lion
Vierge
Balance
Scorpion
Sagittaire
Capricorne
Verseau
Poisson

Marriage & civil unions:

couple

to enter a PACS
contract
to get engaged
to get married

le couple

date
relationship

se pacser

le rendez-vous
se fiancer
la relation
se marier
le PACS (Pacte Civile
rompre /
civil union
to break up / leave
de Solidarit)
quitter
engageme
les fianailles (f)
to get divorced
divorcer
nt
wedding
le mariage
to cheat on
tromper
wedding
le faire-part de
se
announce
to meet
mariage
rencontrer
ment
honeymoo
la lune de miel
to separate
se sparer
n

144

Ils sont tombs amoureux l'un de l'autre. They fell in love with
each other.
Ils vivent en concubinage / en union libre. They live with each
other (without being married).
C'est mon copain / ma copine. This is my boyfriend / girlfriend.
J'ai une grande amiti pour lui. I have a great friendship with him.
Il a de l'affection pour elle. He has affection for her.
Mais elle n'prouve aucun sentiment pour lui. But she has no
feelings for him.
On se disputait sans cesse. We fought all the time.
Tu m'en veux ? Are you mad at me?
Je t'aime bien. / Je t'aime. I like you. / I love you
Si on allait au cinma ce soir ? How about if we go to the movies
tonight?
Tu es libre, samedi soir ? Are you free Saturday night?
Je n'ai rien de prvu pour ce week-end. I have no plans for this
weekend.
When pulling petals off of a daisy, the French have 5 sayings
instead of just He/she loves me; He/she loves me not:
1. Il/Elle m'aime. He/She loves me.
2. Un peu. A little.
3. Beaucoup. A lot.
4. A la folie. Like crazy.
5. Pas du tout. Not at all.
English Used In French:
There are many, many English words used in French, but some of
them have a different meaning than in English. Sometimes the
French pronunciation is radically different from the English
pronunciation, so you may only be able to understand the word in
writing but not in speech. Almost all English nouns borrowed into
French are masculine, unless otherwise noted below. I've marked
which words are used as adjectives in French, even though the
original English word may be a noun. (Also check out Informal
French & Slang as many words borrowed from French are
considered slang.)

agenda
baby-foot
barman

planner /
calendar
foosball
bartender

mail

e-mail

meeting
nickel

rally
clean / perfect

145

basket
baskets
bermudes
black (adj. /
noun)
body
bowling
break
brushing
caddie
camping
camping-car
catch
clean (adj.)
clip

basketball
parking
sneakers
people
bermuda shorts planning
refers to skin
play-back
color
onesie / body
pom-pom
suit
girl
bowling alley
pressing
station wagon
radio (f)
blowdry
recordman
(shopping) cart
relax
campground
relooking
motorhome /
rollers
camper
pro wrestling
scotch
sober
self (adj.)
music video
shorty

cornflakes

cereal

dancing

dance hall

slip

smoking
speed
dressing
walk-in closet
(adj.)
drive
drive-thru
string
entourage
group of friends
sweat
fashion (adj.)
trendy
tennisman
fast food
fast-food
tongs
restaurant
flipper
pinball
le top
foot
soccer
trench
footing
jogging
tube
hard discount
discount
tuning
(adj.)
jogging
jogging suit
type
lifting
facelift
volley
light (adj.)
diet
zapping
look
style
zen (adj.)
lov (adj.)
cuddly / snuggly
146

parking lot
celebrities
schedule
lip-synching
cheerleader
dry cleaner's
X-ray
record holder
lounge chair
makeover
rollerblades
tape
self service
boy shorts
boxers / briefs /
underwear
tuxedo
hectic, busy
thong underwear
sweatshirt
tennis player
flip-flops
the best
trench coat
hit song
tune up
guy
volleyball
channel surfing
cool / laid-back

Acronyms:
Those marked in color are pronounced as a word, rather than each
letter individually.
Agence Nationale de l'Accueil
PC
des Etrangers et des Migrations
PD
ANPE* Agence nationale pour l'emploi
G
ASSEDI Association pour l'emploi dans
PJ
C*
l'industrie et le commerce
BCBG bon chic bon genre
PS
ANAEM

BD

bande dessine

BN

Bibliothque nationale

BNP

Banque nationale de Paris

BP

bote postale

CAF

Caisse d'allocations familiales

CDD

Contrat dure dtermine

CDI

Contrat dure indtermine

CDS

Carte de sjour
diplme approfondi de langue
franaise

DALF
DEA

DELF
DOMTOM
EDF
ENA
FLQ

Parti communiste
prsident-directeur
gnral
pices joints

Parti socialiste
Postes, tlgraphes
PTT
et tlphones
QG quartier gnral
RAT Rgie autonome des
P
transports parisiens
RD
rez-de-chausse
C
Rseau express
RER
rgional
RF Rpublique franaise
Revenu minimum
RMI
d'insertion
RV rendez-vous
SDF Sans domicile fixe

syndrome
SID
diplme d'tudes approfondies
immunodficitaire
A
acquis
Salaire minimum
diplme d'tudes en langue
SMI
interprofessional de
franaise
C
croissance
Dpartements d'outre-mer et
SNC Socit nationale de
Territoires d'outre-mer
F
chemin de fer
Socit protectrice
Electricit de France
SPA
des animaux
Ecole Nationale d'Administration SVP s'il vous plat
Front de la libration du Qubec TER Transport express
147

rgional
Fdration nationale des achats
Trs grande
FNAC
TGB
de cadres
bibliothque
Train grande
GDF
Gaz de France
TGV
vitesse
toutes taxes
HLM
Habitation loyer modr
TTC
comprises
Institut National de la Statistique
taxe la valeur
INSEE
TVA
et des Etudes Economiques
ajoute
Mutuelle Gnrale de
MGEN
UE Union europenne
l'Education Nationale
Maison des Jeunes et de la
Union pour la
MJC
UDF
Culture
dmocratie franaise
Union pour un
Mouvement pour la libration de UM
MLF
Mouvement
la femme
P
Populaire
Mouvement contre le racisme et
MRAP
VF version franaise
pour l'amiti entre les peuples
Office des Migrations
OMI
VO version originale
Internationales
VOS version originale
ONU
Organisation des Nations Unies
T
sous-titre
Organisation du trait de
OTAN
VTT vlo tout terrain
l'Atlantique du Nord
OVNI
Objet volant non identifi
X
l'cole Polytechnique
PV
procs-verbal
* ANPE and ASSEDIC no longer exist. They were merged together in
2009 to form Ple Emploi.
REGIONS & DEPARTMENTS OF FRANCE
Rgions de France
mtropolitaine

English Translations

Alsace

Alsace

Aquitaine

Aquitaine

Auvergne

Auvergne

Basse-Normandie

Lower-Normandy
148

Bretagne

Brittany

Bourgogne

Burgundy

Centre

Center

Champagne-Ardenne

Champagne-Ardenne

Corse

Corsica

Franche-Comt

Franche-Comte

Haute-Normandie

Upper-Normandy

Ille-de-France

Paris-Isle-of-France

Languedoc-Roussillon

Languedoc-Roussillon

Limousin

Limousin

Lorraine

Lorraine

Midi-Pyrnes

Midi-Pyrenees

Nord-Pas-de-Calais

North-Calais

Pays-de-la-Loire

Pays-de-la-Loire

Picardie

Picardy

Poitou-Charentes

Poitou-Charentes

Provence-Alpes-Cte d'Azur

Provence-Alpes-Azur

Rhne-Alpes

Rhone-Alps

Rgions/Dpartements d'outremer

Overseas
Regions/Departments

Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe

Martinique

Martinique

Guyane

French Guiana

La Runion

Reunion

Each rgion is divided into dpartements, except for the overseas

regions (they exist as rgions as well as dpartements.) Each
dpartement is assigned a two-digit number that begins the zip
code (the numbers somewhat correspond to alphabetical order).
For example, the dpartement of Ain is 01 and the dpartement of
Vosges is 88.
DOM-TOM means dpartements d'outre-mer and trritoires d'outremer. French territories (also called collectivities) include Polynsie
franaise, Mayotte, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Wallis-et-Futuna,
Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthlemy. Nouvelle Caldonie has a
149

special status (sui generis) and will vote for independence from
France in the next ten years.
The 96 departments of mainland France, grouped according to their
region, are:
67 Bas-Rhin
68 Haut-Rhin

11 Aude
30 Gard
34 Hrault
48 Lozre
66 PyrnesOrientales

Alsace

24 Dordogne
33 Gironde
40 Landes
47 Lot-etGaronne
64 PyrnesAtlantiques

LanguedocRoussillon

Aquitaine
19 Corrze
23 Creuse

Limousin

87 Haute-Vienne
03 Allier
15 Cantal
43 Haute-Loire
63 Puy-deDme

Auvergne

54 Meurthe-etMoselle
55 Meuse

Lorraine

57 Moselle
88 Vosges

14 Calvados
50 Manche
61 Orne

21 Cte-d'Or
58 Nivre
71 Sane-etLoire
89 Yonne

22 Ctesd'Armor

BasseNormandie

09 Arige
12 Aveyron
31 HauteGaronne
32 Gers
46 Lot
65 HautesPyrnes
81 Tarn
82 Tarn-etGaronne

Bourgogne

Bretagne
150

Midi-Pyrnes

29 Finistre
35 Ille-et-Vilaine
56 Morbihan

59 Nord
Nord-Pas-deCalais
62 Pas-de-Calais
44 LoireAtlantique
49 Maine-etLoire
53 Mayenne
72 Sarthe

18 Cher
28 Eure-et-Loir
36 Indre
37 Indre-etLoire
41 Loir-et-Cher
45 Loiret
08 Ardennes
10 Aube
51 Marne

Centre

85 Vende
02 Aisne
60 Oise
80 Somme
ChampagneArdenne

52 Haute-Marne
2A Corse-duSud
2B Haute-Corse

Pays de la
Loire

16 Charente
17 CharenteMaritime
79 Deux-Svres

Picardie

PoitouCharentes

86 Vienne

Corse

04 Alpes-deHaute-Provence
25 Doubs
05 Hautes-Alpes
06 Alpes39 Jura
ProvenceMaritimes
AlpesFranche-Comt 13 Bouches-duCte d'Azur
70 Haute-Sane
Rhne
90 Territoire de
83 Var
Belfort
84 Vaucluse
27 Eure
Haute76 SeineRhne-Alpes
Normandie
01 Ain
Maritime
07 Ardche
75 Paris
le-de-France
26 Drme
151

77 Seine-etMarne
78 Yvelines
91 Essonne
92 Hauts-deSeine
93 Seine-SaintDenis
94 Val-de-Marne
95 Val-d'Oise

38 Isre
42 Loire
69 Rhne
73 Savoie
74 Haute-Savoie

MAJOR CITIES & GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES OF FRANCE

The 50 most populous cities in France (including the DOM-TOMs)
are:
City
Paris

Department
Paris

Marseille

Bouches-du-Rhne

Lyon
Toulouse

Rhne
Haute-Garonne

Nice

Alpes-Maritimes

Nantes
Strasbourg
Montpellier
Bordeaux
Lille
Rennes
Reims
Le Havre
Saint-tienne

Loire-Atlantique
Bas-Rhin
Hrault
Gironde
Nord
Ille-et-Vilaine
Marne
Seine-Maritime
Loire

Toulon

Var

Grenoble
Angers
Dijon

Isre
Maine-et-Loire
Cte-d'Or
152

Region
le-de-France
Provence-Alpes-Cte
d'Azur
Rhne-Alpes
Midi-Pyrnes
Provence-Alpes-Cte
dAzur
Pays de la Loire
Alsace
Languedoc-Roussillon
Aquitaine
Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Bretagne
Champagne-Ardenne
Haute-Normandie
Rhne-Alpes
Provence-Alpes-Cte
dAzur
Rhne-Alpes
Pays de la Loire
Bourgogne

Brest
Nmes
Le Mans

Finistre
Gard
Sarthe

Aix-en-Provence Bouches-du-Rhne
ClermontFerrand
Saint-Denis
Tours
Limoges
Villeurbanne
Amiens
Metz *
Besanon
Perpignan
Orlans
Mulhouse
Caen
BoulogneBillancourt
Rouen
Nancy
Argenteuil
Montreuil
Saint-Paul
Roubaix
Saint-Denis

Bretagne
Languedoc-Roussillon
Pays de la Loire
Provence-Alpes-Cte
dAzur

Puy-de-Dme

Auvergne

La Runion
Indre-et-Loire
Haute-Vienne
Rhne
Somme
Moselle
Doubs
Pyrnes-Orientales
Loiret
Haut-Rhin
Calvados

La Runion
Centre
Limousin
Rhne-Alpes
Picardie
Lorraine
Franche-Comt
Languedoc-Roussillon
Centre
Alsace
Basse-Normandie

Hauts-de-Seine

le-de-France

Seine-Maritime
Meurthe-et-Moselle
Val-d'Oise
Seine-Saint-Denis
La Runion
Nord
Seine-Saint-Denis

Haute-Normandie
Lorraine
le-de-France
le-de-France
La Runion
Nord-Pas-de-Calais
le-de-France
Provence-Alpes-Cte
dAzur
Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Martinique
le-de-France
Poitou-Charentes
le-de-France
le-de-France
le-de-France

Avignon

Vaucluse

Tourcoing
Fort-de-France
Crteil
Poitiers
Nanterre
Versailles
Courbevoie

Nord
Martinique
Val-de-Marne
Vienne
Hauts-de-Seine
Yvelines
Hauts-de-Seine
153

People who live in Metz pronounce the city more like mess,
whereas most other French people pronounce it metz.
Geographical Features of France:
la Loire
la Garonne
le Rhne
la Seine
les Alpes (f)
le Mont-Blanc
le Jura
les Pyrnes (f)
le Massif Central
les Vosges (f)
la mer Mditerrane
l'ocan Atlantique (m)
la Mer du Nord
la Manche
le Golfe de Gascogne

Loire river
Garonne river
Rhne river
Seine river
the Alps
Mont Blanc (highest mountain in W.
Europe)
the Jura
the Pyrenees
the Massif Central
the Vosges
Mediterranean Sea
Atlantic Ocean
North Sea
English Channel
Bay of Biscay

WRITING LETTERS:
Your name and address should be placed in the top left corner. The
receiver's address is placed below yours, on the right. The city you
are in and the date is placed below the addresses, and on the left.
(Remember to use French date formats: le 7 octobre 2008).
Your name
Your address
Zip Code & City
Receiver's Name
Receiver's Address
Zip Code & City
City, le # mois 2009
Madame ou Monsieur,
Common formal endings:
154

 Dans lattente de votre rponse, je vous prie dagrer,

Monsieur, lexpression de mes sentiments respectueux.
Veuillez agrer, Madame, Monsieur, lexpression de mes
salutations distingues.
Je vous prie de croire, Monsieur, l'assurance de mes
sentiments distingus.
Notice that you should not use sentiments with Madame because
it's considered rude.
In less formal situations, such as in certain e-mails, you can just
use cordialement.

Informal French
Informal Ways Of Speaking:
Similar to the reduced forms in English (wanna, gonna, doncha,
etc.), there are several informal ways of speaking in French. You
will hear these forms very often, but you do not have to speak this
way if you don't want to. However, you must be able to understand
reduced forms in order to understand real spoken French. You may
see these forms in informal written French (such as on blogs or in
chat rooms), but you should still write the formal way.
1. Tu + verb beginning with a vowel
The most common contractions with tu are t'as and t'es,
which replace tu as and tu es. You can also contract tu +
other verbs that begin with a vowel, such
as t'aimes or t'ouvres, which replace tu aimes and tu
ouvres.
T'as fini de manger ? Have you finished eating?
T'es fatigu ou quoi ? Are you tired or what?
T'as beau essayer, t'y arrives pas. No matter how much
you try, you won't succeed.
T'as rien compris ! Laisse-moi t'expliquer. You didn't
understand! Let me explain it to you.

155

2. Unstressed e
The letter e is often dropped between two consonants (e
caduc) if it is unstressed, such as in samedi, and also at the
end of short words, such as ce, de, je, le, me, que, se, te.
It's also common in future and conditional tenses of verbs:
donnerai = donn'rai; aimerais = aim'rais
Il s'lve de bonne heure. He gets up early.
C'est c'que je veux. That's what I want.
Faut que j'parte maintenant. I have to leave now.
Avec ce travail, je ne manqu'rai pas d'argent. With this job,
I won't lack money.
3. Reduced forms: il(s), elle(s), puis, parce que, quelque
The pronouns il and ils reduce to y, while elle and elles
reduce to when followed by a consonant. When followed by
a vowel, il and elle reduce to l' whereas ils becomes y z' or
just z' and elles becomes 'z'. The word puis is more
commonly pronounced pis, parce que is pronounced pasque,
and quelque is pronounced quque.
Y pense qu'elle l'aime, mais c'est pas le cas. He thinks
that she loves him, but that's not the case.
On va aller au restaurant, et pis aprs on se fera un
cin. We'll go to the restaurant, and then after we'll go to the
movies.
Pourquoi tu dois m'obir ? Pasque je suis ton pre ! Why
must you obey me? Because I'm your father!
Y a quque chose la-dessous ! Regarde voir ! There's
something down there! Look!
4. Use on instead of nous
The pronoun on is used much more often to
mean we than nous. It always take the third
person singular form of the verb even though it's always
plural in English.
On peut y aller ? Tout le monde est l ? Can we go ? Is
everybody here ?
C'est pasqu'on est frres que je te fais confiance. It's
because we are brothers that I trust you.
Pourrait-on acclrer ? On va pas assez vite ! Could we
speed it up? We're not going fast enough!

156

5. Drop ne in negatives
Although the ne in negatives should always be written, it is
very rarely used in informal speech.
a va pas ! C'est nul ! That doesn't work! That's stupid!
Si tu veux pas voir ce film, lequel veux-tu voir ? If you
don't want to see this movie, which one do you want to see?
Je peux pas m'acheter cette voiture. C'est pas possible. I
can't buy myself this car. It's not possible.
6. Drop -re at end of words
You usually do not pronounce -re at the end of a word,
whether it's a verb (mettre) or adjective (notre).
Allez, bientt ! A un de ces quat' ! See you soon one of
these days!
C'est pas vot' problme, c'est not' problme. It's not your
problem, it's our problem.
Y faut pas t' si bte. You shouldn't be so stupid.
7. Word order in questions
Word order in questions is less difficult to master
in informal spoken French. Inversion and est-ce que are
generally not used, and word order is simply subject - verb question word OR question word - subject - verb.
Tu fais quoi ? What are you doing?
On va o ? Where are we going?
Il parle de quoi ? What's he talking about?
Pourquoi t'as dit a ? Why did you say that?
Quand elle va arriver ? When is she going to arrive?
Quelle heure il est ? What time is it?
In addition, a frequently follows an interrogative to add
emphasis, such as in qui a ? or c'est quoi, a ?
8. Forget grammatical rules
Sometimes you can forget the grammar rules that you have
learned when speaking informally. An example of this is
using to show possession (in grammatically correct French,
you should use de).
On est dans la chambre Cyril. We are in Cyril's room.

157

Another example is using (r)amener to mean to bring things

(back) to some place. In grammatically correct French, you
should only use (r)amener with people, and (r)apporter with
things.
J'ai ramen les livres la mdiathque. I brought the
books back to the library.
Fillers In Speech:
Fillers in speech are words that don't add any real meaning to the
sentence, except for maybe emphasis. Examples in English
include uh, um, well, I mean, I guess, you know?, so, ok, etc. You
should get used to just ignoring these words when you hear them,
so that you can focus on the key words in the sentence.
1. Quoi is the most common filler that I hear in everyday speech.
It can be used to add emphasis to emotions or thoughts or to
show impatience. It is usually said at the very end of the
sentence.
2. Voil is often used with quoi at the end of the sentence.
3. A la limite is mostly used by young people, and can be
translated as I suppose or I mean.
4. Tu vois ? is the closest approximation for you know?
5. Bon begins or ends a thought, similar to ok. It also can express
anger or impatience, similar to fine! (Ah, bon ?actually means
"really?" and not "good.")
6. Ben (pronounced liked bain) adds emphasis to
questions, statements, commands and yes or no.
7. Bon ben is used to wrap up a thought or conversation.
Translated as ok or well.
8. Donc emphasizes a question or command.
9. Alors emphasizes an interjection and yes or no.
10.
Moi is commonly added to commands involving the
senses. The closest translation in English is "just." Regardemoi-a ! Just look at that!

158

11.Eh bien means well... at the beginning of a sentence or

thought.[not recorded yet]
12.

Hein ? is similar to eh? at the end of a sentence.

13.
Euh... is the filler equivalent to uh or um when you're
thinking of what to say next.
14.

Voyons... is similar to let's see.

Interjections :
Ae ! / Oue ! / Ouille ! Ouch !
Beurk ! Berk ! Yuck!
Boum ! Boom! Bang!
Chiche ! I dare you! Go ahead!
Chut ! Shush! Be quiet!
Gla gla! Brrrrrrr!
Ho ! / H ! Wow! or Hey!
Hol ! Hey! Whoa!
Hop l ! Got it! There ya go! Whoopsie-daisy!
Merde ! Shit! [not as strong as in English] / Break a leg!
Miam miam ! Yum yum!
Mince ! / Zut ! Darn! Dang it!
Ouf ! Phew!
Oups ! Oops!
Pan ! Bang!
Putain ! [the general all-purpose swear word in French]
Toc, toc ! Knock knock!
Vlan ! Slam!
Youpi ! Yay!
Recognizing French Slang Words:
Several suffixes are commonly used to form slang words from
regular words. This may help you determine the meaning of the
slang word, which you probably cannot find in a dictionary, by
identifying the root word, which you can find in a dictionary. For
example, folle is a regular adjective meaning crazy. Follasse is the
slang word derived from the adjective that means crazy woman.
- aille (r)

- ard

- ars

- asse - ace

159

- oche

- os

- osse - ouille - ouse - ouze - uche

Common Expressions:
Je n'en reviens pas - I can't believe it
C'est du gteau ! - It's a piece of cake!
Revenons nos moutons - Let's get back to the subject
a saute aux yeux - That's obvious
C'est dans la poche - It's a sure thing
Quand les poules auront des dents - When pigs fly
a ne tourne pas rond - Something's wrong
C'est pas vrai ! - You're kidding!
Ce n'est pas la mer boire - It's not the end of the world
C'est pas sorcier - It's not rocket science
Je vais jeter un il - I'll take a look
a n'a rien voir avec... - That has nothing to do with...
a vaut le coup - It's worth it
On voit que dalle - You can't see anything
a va tre chaud ! It's going to be tough!
Tu dois me tirer de l ! - You gotta help me out!
'est parti ! Here we go / we're off !
a gaze ? How are things? What's up?
Oh pure ! Oh my goodness!
a fait un bail ! It's been a long time !
a craint ! / C'est nul ! - That sucks!
Fais voir - Show me / Let me see
Je suis prems ! - I'm first!
Rien que den parler... - Just talking about it...
If you can't remember the name of a thing, you can use ce truc, ce
machin, ce bidule or cet engin similarly to the English thingy,
thingamajig, whatchamacallit, etc.
What's-his-name is Monsieur Untel and what's-hername is Madame Unetelle. You can also use Machin but it has a
more derogative meaning, as if you are saying the person is merely
an object.
Common Verbs:
balancer - to throw (away)
en baver - to have a hard time
bosser - to work
bouffer - to eat
bourrer - to stuff, cram
160

bousiller - to break, damage

chialer - to cry
chopper - to get, to catch
dbarquer - to arrive without notice
dgoter - to find, come up with, dig up
encarrer - to enter
engueuler - to tell someone off / chew someone out / give
someone hell
pater / scier - to astonish, surprise
tre deux doigts (de faire quelque chose) - to be on the verge (of
doing something)
tre la bourre - to be in a hurry
tre mourir d'ennui - to be very boring
faire gaffe - be careful, pay attention
farfouiller - to rummage
filer - to give, hand over
filer l'anglaise - to leave without saying goodbye / to take a
French leave
flipper - to go crazy, flip out
fourrer - to cram, stick, shove
foutre - to put, throw / to give / to do
foutre le bordel - to make a mess
gaver - to be sick of
gerber - to puke
gober - to believe naively / to fall for
gonfler - to annoy
louper - to miss
mater / zieuter - to look
papoter - to chatter, gossip
paumer - to lose
piger - to understand
piquer - to steal
planquer - to hide
poireauter - to wait
repcher - to find
rigoler / se marrer - to laugh
roupiller - to sleep
schlinguer - to stink
se planter - to make a mistake
se pointer / radiner - to show up
se tirer / se barrer / se casser - to leave
vadrouiller - to rove around
The Verb Foutre:
161

This slang verb has several meanings in French: to put, to give, to

do, etc. It is conjugated thus: fous - fous - fout - foutons - foutez foutent. The pronominal verb s'en foutre means to not care, while
the adjective foutu(e) usually means screwed/screwed up. Fiche is
a milder verb that is very common too. It is conjugated: fiche fiches - fiche - fichons - fichez - fichent and the past participle
is fichu(e).
Je m'en fous / Je m'en fiche. I don't care.
Qu'est-ce qu'il fout l-bas ? What's he doing over there? / What
the hell is he doing over there??
J'en ai rien foutre. I don't care. [stronger] / I don't give a damn.
Je m'en fous de tes problmes. I don't care about your problems.
Tu t'en fous de ce que les autres pensent. You don't care about
what others think.
On s'en fout de foot ! We don't care about soccer!
Ils s'en foutent des jeunes. They don't care about young people.
Fous-moi la paix ! Leave me alone! / Give me a break!
Fous le camp ! F you!
Va te faire foutre ! Go to hell!
The adjective foutu does not always have a negative connotation,
however:
un mec bien foutu a well-built/muscular guy
Common Adjectives:
bidon - phoney, fake
chapeau - bravo, hats off!
chelou - shady, suspicious
chiant - annoying
collant - clingy
cradingue / crado - filthy
dbile - pathetic, stupid
dgueulasse - disgusting
djant - oddball
dingue / cingl / timbr / givr / barjo / loufoque - crazy
farfelu - eccentric
fut - cunning, crafty, sly
gnial / chouette - great
godiche - silly, awkward
gratos- free
impec - great, terrific
kif-kif - same difference; it's the same
mal barr / mal foutu - "in dire straits" / screwed
162

marrant / rigolo - funny

moche - ugly
nickel - very clean
nunuche - silly, stupid
pas terrible - not good
radin - cheap
roublard - devious, cunning
sal - expensive
sympa - nice, likable
vache - mean
zinzin - nuts
Common Intensifiers / Adverbs:
carrment - completely
rudement - very, terribly
pas mal de / un paquet de - a lot of
super / mega / hyper - very, ultra
vachement - very, really
foutrement - extremely
Oh la vache ! - Oh wow!
espce de + adjectif - stupid + adjective
adjectif + de chez + adjectif - really, completely + adjective
Ce livre est nul de chez nul. This book majorly sucks.
nom + de malheur - darned + noun
nom + d'enfer - really good + noun
Verlan:
Verlan is a popular form of slang that involves reversing the
syllables in regular words.
mre - reum
pre - reup
femme - meuf
mec - keum
fte - teuf
flic - keuf
louche - chelou
cher - reuch
nerv - vnre
boudin - doubin
capote - poteca
toi - ouat
moi - ouam
163

Health & body :

babines (f) - lips
barbouze (f) - beard
bide / bidon (m) - belly
Mon chat a un bide norme ! My cat has a huge belly!
caillou / ciboulot (m) - head
carcasse (f) - body
couille / roubignole (f) - testicle
esgourdes (f) - ears
gueule (f) / bec (m) - mouth
Ferme ta gueule ! Shut up!
jambons / gigots (m) - thighs
mirettes (f) - eyes
nichons (m) - breasts
palpitant / battant (m) - heart
paluche / pince (f) - hand
panard / ripaton (m) - foot
patte / gambette / guibole / quille (f) - leg
pif / blair (m) - nose
riquiqui (m) - pinkie finger
tifs (m) - hair
tignasse (f) - mop of hair
Jai une tignasse frise qui marrive en bas du dos. I have
curly hair that goes all the way down my back.
tronche (f) - face, head
se casser la gueule - to break one's neck
passer sur le billard - to have an operation
avoir la pche / la patate - to be on top of the world, to feel good
avoir mal au cur - to feel nauseated / to feel like vomiting
gerber / dgueuler - to puke
crever / clamser - to die (figuratively), to "croak"
avoir mauvaise / bonne mine - to look bad / good
tre maigre comme un clou - to be really skinny
attraper la crve - to catch a terrible cold
tomber dans les pommes / les vapes - to pass out
requinquer - to perk up
se dbarbouiller - to wash your face
l'article de la mort - at death's door
bien roule - good body
mal fichu - sick
l'hosto [l'hpital] - hospital

164

Emotions & personality :

crev / lessiv / nase / mort / cass / vann / HS [hors-service] really tired, exhausted
avoir le cafard / le blues / le spleen - to be sad, depressed
tre de mauvais poil - to be in a bad mood
en avoir marre / en avoir ras-le-bol / en avoir soup - to be fed
up, angry
J'en ai marre de ces pubs ! I'm so sick of these ads!
avoir les boules / les glandes / les nerfs / la haine - to be really
angry
raffoler de quelque chose - to be crazy about something
tre accro quelque chose - to be addicted to something
avoir le mal du pays - to be homesick
se barber - to get bored
avoir la trouille / la frousse / le trac - to be scared
fiche la trouille / frousse quelqu'un - to scare somebody
C'est la premire fois qu'une BD me fiche la frousse. That's
the first time a comic book scared me.
dconner - to joke / mess around
se planter - to make a mistake / to fall
pter les plombs / pter un cable - to go crazy
perdre la boule / les pdales - to lose one's mind
s'engueuler / bagarrer - to fight, yell
rififi (m) / bagarre (f) - fight
racle / sauce / trempe (f) - scolding
filer une baffe / une claque / une beigne quelqu'un - to slap
someone
coller un pain / une mandale / une chataigne / un marron
quelqu'un - to punch someone
coquard (m) - black eye
furax - furious, angry
blairer quelqu'un - to not be able to stand someone
ne pas sentir quelqu'un - to not like, not be able to stand
someone
casser les pieds quelqu'un / prendre la tte quelqu'un - to
annoy someone
tre casse-bonbons / casse-pieds / casse-couilles - to be a pain
in the neck/ass
cafter quelqu'un - to tell on someone, to snitch
faire du ptard - to make a fuss
Il fait du ptard quand les choses ne vont pas comme il
veut. He makes a fuss when things aren't how he wants them to
be.
165

rouscailler - to complain
gonfler quelqu'un / emmerder quelqu'un - to get on someone's
nerves, be a pain
faire chier quelqu'un - to really annoy someone, to piss someone
off
a me fait chier de refaire une anne, puis encore deux
annes en BTS. That pisses me off to repeat a grade, and then still
have two more years of BTS.
monter sur ses grands chevaux - to get angry
se mettre en ptard - to get crabby, angry
se faire de la bile - to get all worked up
en faire toute une salade - to make a big deal about it
taper sur les nerfs quelqu'un - to get on someone's nerves
chambrer / taquiner quelqu'un - to tease, bother someone
Tu te fous de ma gueule ? - Are you kidding me? / Do you think
I'm an idiot?
Tu me prends pour qui ? - Who do you think you're dealing with? /
Do you think I'm stupid?
Lche-moi les baskets ! - Give me a break! Leave me alone!
Ce sont pas tes oignons ! / T'occupe ! - Mind your own business!
Laisse bton ! - Nevermind! Forget it!
Ta gueule ! / La ferme ! - Shut up!
avoir la cosse / flemme - to be lazy
avoir un poil dans la main - to be really lazy
avoir la bougeotte - to be fidgety
flemmard / feignant - lazy
glander / glandouiller - to waste time, to bum around
Il glande tous les jours chez lui. He does nothing all day at
home.
se pavaner - to strut about, show off
frimer - to show off
frimeur (m) - showoff
C'est un mec qui a l'air sympathique ; c'est pas un frimeur
ce que je sache ! He seems like a nice guy; he's not a showoff as
far as I know!
lche-bottes (f) - suckup, brown-noser
rat (m) - loser
dbile / tar - stupid, idiotic
con (m) / conne (f) - idiot
"Casse-toi, pauvre con !" Get lost, stupid idiot! - quote from
French president, Nicolas Sarkozy
quiche (f) - stupid person
bourrique (m/f) - a blockhead
avoir l'air vaseux - to seem dazed
166

bte noire (f) - pet peeve

galre (f) - problem, difficulty
donner un coup de main - to give someone a hand / to help
someone
dpanner quelqu'un - to do someone a favor
retirer une pine du pied quelqu'un - to do someone a big favor
pot (m) - luck / drink
bol (m) - luck
J'ai vachement de bol, j'ai pas de gosses et j'ai une voiture.
I'm really lucky, I don't have kids and I have a car.
guigne / dveine / poisse (f) - bad luck
guignard(e)(m/f) - unlucky person
avoir de la veine - to be lucky
branch - with it, hip, cool
peinard / pnard - calm, tranquil
Cette anne, c'est pnard, mais l'anne prochaine, le
bac ! This year is calm, but next year is the bac [final exam]!
zen - cool, calm, laid-back
School:
bahut (m) - school (also truck, taxi)
Mon bahut est en grve ! My school is on strike!
bizut (m) - freshman / pledge (to a fraternity/sorority)
bizutage (m) - hazing
bouquin (m) - book
bcher / potasser - to study hard, to cram
cal en - good/smart in
cartonner un examen - to ace an exam
chouchou (m) - teacher's pet
colle (f) - difficult question
coller un lve - to punish a student / give a student detention
Mon fils est coll deux heures par son prof de math. My son
got two hours of detention from his math teacher.
tre coll - to have detention
fac (f) - university
piger - to understand, to get (it)
plancher - to be grilled/interrogated by a teacher
potache (m) - student
se faire tendre / coller un examen - to flunk a test
scher un cours - to skip class
Weather & time:
167

cailler - to freeze
cramer - to burn
flotter - to rain
flotte (f) - water
froid de canard - really cold weather
temps de chien - lousy weather
tomber des cordes - to rain heavily, to pour
il pleut comme vache qui pisse - it's pouring / it's really coming
down
sauce (f) - shower
se peler les miches - to freeze one's ass off
Je suis frileuse et je me ple les miches t comme
hiver. I'm always cold and I freeze my ass off in summer like in
winter.
entre chien et loup - at dusk, sunset
il y a des lustres - a long time ago
pige (f) - year
un de ces quat' - one of these days
Talking & Chatting:
avoir de la tchatche - to talk a lot
avoir un mot sur le bout de la langue - to have a word on the tip
of your tongue
baratin (m) - nonsense
baratiner - to sweet talk
bavarder / causer - to chat
Elle aime causer et tout le monde la connat. She likes to chat
and everyone knows her.
blaze (m) - name
casser les oreilles quelqu'un - to talk someone's ear off
chanter comme une casserole - to sing really badly
charabia (m) - gibberish
charrier - to exaggerate
dgoiser - to talk a lot, rattle on
djanter - to talk nonsense, to go crazy
donner un coup de fil - to call, telephone
et patati et patata - blah blah blah
jacter - to speak, chatter
parler une langue comme une vache espagnole - to speak a
language really badly
passer du coq l'ne - to quickly change the subject
quand on parle du loup - speak of the devil
ragots - rumors, gossip, the "dirt"
168

 Si quelqu'un dit des ragots sur moi, alors je m'en fous. If

someone spreads rumors about me, I don't care.
rouspter - to complain, moan
tchatcher - to chat
tuyau (m) / astuce (f) - tip, piece of advice
EATING & DRINKING:
avoir la dalle - to be starving
J'ai la dalle et je sais pas quoi faire manger. I'm starving
and I don't know what to make to eat.
avoir la gueule de bois - to have a hangover
avoir les crocs - to be very hungry
avoir un petit creux - to be a little hungry
arroser - to drink to celebrate something
barbaque / bidoche (f) - bad meat
Berk ! - Yuck!
blonde (f) - ale
boire un verre / un coup / un pot - to have a drink
bouffe / boustifaille (f) - food
bouffer - to eat
boui-boui (m) - dive, bad restaurant
bourr / pt / rond / saoul / dfonc / plein - drunk
a fouette - that stinks (said of cheese)
casser la crote - to have a snack
On a cass la crote avec une vue magnifique depuis le
nord au sud du Mont-Blanc. We had a snack with a magnificent
view from the north to south of Mont Blanc.
chaud - tipsy, buzzed
chopine (f) - bottle of wine
dgueulasse - disgusting
gav - stuffed (ate too much)
se goinfrer / s'empiffrer / se taper - to pig out
gueuleton (m) - feast, huge spread of food
Miam ! - Yum!
pter - to fart (also: to burst, blow up, snap)
picole (f) - alcohol, booze
picoler - to drink alcohol
picoleur, picoleuse - drinker
pinard (m) - cheap wine
pochtron / poivrot (m) - drunkard
prendre une cuite - to get wasted/plastered
pression (f) - draft beer
rgaler - to treat, pay
repu - full (of food)
169

roter - to burp
tituber - to stumble (drunkenly)
Il titubait et hurlait dans les couloirs, compltement
bourr. He was stumbling and yelling in the hall, completely drunk.
tourne (f) - round of drinks
trinquer - to toast, to drink to [this can also mean to be devastated,
to suffer: Dans un divorce, ce sont toujours les enfants qui
trinquent. In a divorce, it's always the children who suffer.]

People & animals:

beauf (m) - brother-in-law / lower-class Frenchman
belle-doche (f) - mother-in-law
canaille (f) - rascal, scoundrel
copain / copine (m/f) - friend, pal
fiston (m) - son
frangin (m) - brother
frangine (f) - sister
gamin/e (m/f) - kid, brat
gars (m) - boy
gosse (m/f) - kid [be careful: this means testicles in Quebecois
French!]
loulou / loulotte - boyfriend / girlfriend
mec / keum / type (m) - guy
meuf [Verlan for femme] - wife
mme (m/f) - kid, brat
moutards / lardons / marmots / morveux (m) - kids
nana / gonzesse (f) - girl, chick
pote (m) - buddy, mate
racaille (f) - scum
reum [Verlan for mre] - mother
reup [Verlan for pre] - father
ricain(e) - American
vieux (m) - parents
voyou / gouape - punk, hooligan
clbard (m) - mutt, hound
piaf (m) - bird
Places & transportation:
piaule / crche (f) - bedroom
pieu / plumard / pageot (m) - bed
crcher - to crash, to live
170

pioncer / roupiller - to sleep

truc / machin (m) - a thing, thingamajig
bordel (m) / bazar (m) / galre (f) - mess
C'est quoi ce bordel ? What is all this mess?
bagnole / caisse (f) - car
baraque (f) - shed, stand, house
bled perdu (m) - nowheresville, in the boonies
Je viens du fin fond de la Bretagne dans un bled perdu o il
n'y a rien faire. I come from the boonies at the far end of Brittany,
where there's nothing to do.
coin (m) - place in general
se taper 10 bornes pied - to walk 10 kilometers
borne (f) - kilometer
Work & money:
arnaquer - to rip off, cheat
arnaqueur (m) - con artist
balle (f) - franc (many French people still think in francs instead of
euros)
BCBG [bon chic bon genre] - posh, stylish, preppy
bo-bo [Bourgeois Bohme] - person with good job and Bohemian
lifestyle
bote (f) - company
bosser / taffer - to work
boulot (m) - work, job
bourge (n) - bourgeois, middle class
claquer - to blow money
clodo / clochard (m) - bum, homeless person
douloureuse (f) - bill (that you know is going to be high)
tre plein aux as - to have a lot of money
fric / pognon / bl / des sous / pze / l'oseille (m) - money
fauch / sec / raide / dans la dche - broke
faux jeton (m) - two-sided, hypocritical (politician)
flic / keuf / poulet (m) - cop
grippe-sou (f) - penny pincher
gyneco [gyncologue] - gynecologist
kin [kinsithrapeute] - physiotherapist
mettre au clou - to hock, pawn
prolo (m) - working class
proprio [propritaire] - landlord, landlady
psy [psychologue] - psychologist
radin - cheap
reuch - expensive
171

richard (m) - very wealthy man

rmiste (m) - someone who earns the jobseeker's allowance (RMI)
sal - expensive (a bill)
se faire arnaquer - to get ripped off
smicard (m) - someone who earns minimum wage (SMIC)
taffe (m) - job, work
thune (f) - money / coin
toubib (m) - doctor
turbin (m) - job, daily grind
a cote la peau des fesses ! / a douille ! - That's really
expensive!
Love & dating :
amourettes (f) - passing love affairs
avoir le bguin pour / craquer pour / en pincer pour / flasher
sur quelqu'un - to have a crush on someone
avoir le coup de foudre - to be in love at first sight
avoir un cur d'artichaut - to be fickle (in love)
brancher quelqu'un - to try to seduce someone
bombe (f) - attractive woman
boudin / thon / pou (m) - ugly person [these are mean words!]
canon (m) - hot, very attractive person
capote (f) / chapeau / gant (m) - condom
choper / emballer / embarquer quelqu'un - to succesfully
seduce / pick up someone
draguer / flirter - to flirt
en cloque - pregnant / "knocked up"
se faire jeter / se prendre une veste - to get denied, turned down
gars / mec / type / bonhomme / keum - guy, man
jules - boyfriend, lover
kiffer - to like
lov - cuddly, snuggly
larguer / plaquer - to leave, dump (a person)
mater quelqu'un - to check out (someone)
moche - ugly
nana / nnette / minette / gonzesse / meuf - woman, girl, chick
se remettre de quelqu'un - to get over someone
rencard (m) - date
rouler un patin / une pelle quelqu'un - to French kiss someone
poser un lapin quelqu'un - to stand someone up (for a date)
tripoter / peloter - to grope, fondle
Fashion & shopping:
172

baskets (m) - tennis shoes / sneakers

bermuda (m) - knee-length shorts
body (m) - bodysuit/onesie for a baby
costard (m) - suit
fringues (f) - clothing
futal (m) - pants
godasse (f) - shoe
jogging / survt / training (m) - jogging suit
pbroc / ppin / chamberlain (m) - umbrella
pompe (f) - shoe
shorty (m) - "boy short" underwear for women
string (m) - thong underwear
sweat (m) - sweatshirt
brushing (m) - blowdry
fringu / sap - dressed
lifting (m) - face lift
rabais - discount
relooking (m) - makeover
ringard - old fashioned, out of style
Entertainment & technology:
clope / sche (f) - cigarette
came (f) - drugs
dfonc - high
bote (f) - nightclub, bar
court-jus (m) - short circuit
boum / teuf (f) - party
resto (m) - restaurant
se faire un resto - to go out to eat
s'clater - to have fun
se marrer - to laugh
mater la tloche - to watch TV
se faire un cin / se faire une toile - to go to the movies
cinoche (m) - movie theather
faire un tabac - to be a hit, success (a film, a song, etc.)
tube (f) - hit song
play-back (m) - lip-synching
zapping (m) - channel surfing
buter - to bump off, kill
taule / calche (f) - jail, slammer
maton (m) - prison guard
se faire la belle / se carapater - to run away, escape
cavale (f) - escape (from prison)
173

ptard (m) - gun / joint

potin (m) - gossip
people / pipol (m) - celebrities
casting (m) - audition
book (m) - portfolio (for a model, actor, etc.)
Baby talk :
faire dodo - to go beddy-bye
avoir un bobo - to have a booboo
faire pipi - to go peepee
faire caca - to go poopoo
mamie / mm - grandma
pappy / pp - grandpa
tata / tatie - aunt
tonton - uncle
doudou (m) - favorite stuffed animal / blankie
joujoux (m) - toys
nounours (m) - teddy bear
toto (m) - car
lolo (m) - milk
minet (m) - kitty
toutou (m) - doggy
dada (f) - horsie
Proper names :
A la tienne, Etienne ! Cheers!
a glisse, Alice ! It's slippery!
Tu parles, Charles ! You bet!
Tranquille, Emile ! Calm down!
Idioms & proverbs:
C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron. Practice makes
perfect.
Si jeunesse savait, si vieillesse pouvait. If the young knew, if the
old could.
Tout comprendre, c'est tout pardonner. To understand is to
forgive.
Vouloir, c'est pouvoir. Where there's a will, there's a way.
Un de perdu, dix de retrouvs. There's other fish in the sea.
L'habit ne fait pas le moine. Clothes doesn't make the man.
174

*Animals:
avoir d'autres chats fouetter - to have better things to do; other
fish to fry
avoir un chat dans la gorge - to have a frog in your throat
doux comme un agneau - soft/gentle like a lamb
un froid de canard - very cold
appeler un chat un chat - to call a spade a spade
s'entendre comme chien et chat - to get along like cats and dogs
un mal de chien - difficulties
une vie de chien - difficult life
passer du coq l'ne - to change subjects quickly
avoir une mmoire d'lphant - to have a good memory
avoir une faim de loup - to be starving
marcher pas de loup - to walk silently
revenir ses moutons - to get back to the subject
avoir la chair de poule - to have goosebumps
quand les poules auront les dents - when pigs fly
une peau de vache - a mean person
une langue de vipre - a person who often speaks badly of others
chercher la petite bte - to nitpick, split hairs
avoir le cafard - to be down, depressed
entre chien et loup - at dusk, sundown
avaler des couleuvres - to swallow one's pride
la brebis galeuse de la famille - black sheep of the family
le bouc missaire / le dindon de la farce - scapegoat
avoir une araigne au plafond - to have bats in the belfry
tre heureux comme un poisson dans l'eau - to be as happy as
a clam at high tide
il y a anguille sous la roche - I smell a rat
il faut mnager la chvre et le chou - you have to run with the
hare and hunt with the hounds
jetter quelqu'un dans la fosse aux lions - to throw someone to
the wolves
se jeter dans la gueule du loup - to put one's hand in the lion's
mouth
courir deux livres la fois - to ride two horses at the same time
mettre la charue avant les bufs - to put the cart before the
horse
ce n'est pas un vieux singe qu'on apprend faire des
grimaces - you can't teach an old dog new tricks

175

tre hardi comme un coq sur son fumier - to be a showoff

avoir une fivre de cheval - to have a high fever
*Body Parts
se creuser la tte - to think really hard
se croire sorti de la cuisse de Jupiter - to think oneself is better
than everyone else
se mettre le doigt dans l'il - to make a mistake
rester bouche cousue - to not say anything; keep a secret
avoir le coeur sur le main - to wear one's heart on one's sleeve
avoir un cheveu sur la langue - to lisp
ne pas avoir la langue dans sa poche - to be talkative
avoir la langue bien pendue - to know how to answer/talk
faire la tte - to pout
garder la tte froide - to keep one's calm
ne pas avoir froid aux yeux - to not be scared
avoir/mettre l'eau la bouche - to want/drool over something
rester bouche be - to be speechless
ne rien faire de ses dix doigts - to be lazy
avoir l'estomac dans les talons - to be hungry
prendre ses jambes son cou - to leave quickly
ne pas lever le nez - to concentrate on something
l'il - without paying, for free
faire la sourde oreille - to not listen/hear
tre bte comme ses pieds - to be stupid
mettre les pieds dans le plat - to say/do something stupid
coter les yeux de la tte - to cost an arm and a leg
se payer la tte de quelqu-'un - to pull someone's leg
donner sa langue au chat - to give up
avoir les dents longues - to be ambitious
avoir le bras long - to have influence, connections
tre au bout de la langue - to be at the tip of your tongue
avoir un poil dans la main - to be lazy, to avoid work
casser les pieds quelqu'un - to get on someone's nerves
manger sur le pouce - to grab a bite to eat
enlever une pine du pied quelqu'un - to help someone out
dormir sur les deux oreilles - to sleep soundly
prendre la lune avec les dents - to try to do the impossible
rebattre les oreilles - to repeat the same story over and over
*Numbers :
176

en moins de deux - very quickly

chercher midi quatorze heures - to make things complicated
comme deux et deux font quatre - sure, certain
les deux font la paire - both are the same
jamais deux sans trois - something that's happened twice, will
happen a third time
ni une ni deux - without hesitating, very fast
quatre quatre - quickly
dire des quatre vrits quelqu'un - to say what you think of
someone
se mettre en quatre - to give oneself a hard task
un de ces quatre - one of these days
tre tir quatre pingles - to be dressed well
tourner sept fois sa langue dans sa bouche - to take time to
think before speaking
voir trente-six chandelles - to see stars
faire les cent pas - to pace back and forth, come and go
faire les quatre cents coups - to have a hectic and chaotic life; to
sow one's wild oats
se mettre sur son trente et un - to be dressed to kill
*Colors:
blanc bonnet et bonnet blanc - the same thing
tre blanc comme un linge - to be white from fear
passer une nuit blanche - to spend a sleepless night
donner carte blanche quelqu'un - to let someone do what they
want
tre un cordon bleu - to be a good cook
tre fleur bleu - to be sentimental
avoir une peur bleue - to be scared stiff
tre la bete noire - to be the person that no one likes
avoir des ides noires - to be sad
voir la vie en rose - to see the good side of things, to be optimistic
donner le feu vert - to give the green light to someone
se mettre au vert - to rest in the countryside
devenir pourpre - to get red with embarrassment
*Food :

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appuyer sur le champignon - to go very fast, accelerate

tre haut comme trois pommes - to be small
ne pas tre dans son assiette - to not feel yourself
sucrer les fraises - to be senile, crazy
tomber dans les pommes - to faint, pass out
couper la poire en deux - to meet halfway
jeter de l'huile sur le feu - to add fuel to the fire
tondre des ufs - to be cheap, a skinflint
pdaler dans la semoule - to become insane, senile
c'est la goutte d'eau qui fait dborder la vase - it's the straw that
broke the camel's back
mettre du beurre dans les pinards - to help financially
casser du sucre sur son dos - to spread lies about someone, talk
about someone behind his/her back
tre dans le ptrin - to be in a jam
*Other:
tre dans ses petits souliers - to not feel comfortable
avoir des oursins dans la poche - to be stingy, cheap
faire d'une pierre deux coups - to kill two birds with one stone
ne pas tre de la dernire pluie - to not be born yesterday
pendre la crmaillre - to have a house-warming party
vendre la mche - to let the cat out of the bag, to tell a secret
n'y voir que du feu - to be taken in / to be had
ne pas y aller avec le dos de la cuillire - to not be subtle about
something
faire un chque en bois - to write a bad check
manger les pissenlits par la racine - to push up daisies, to be
dead and buried
tourner autour du pot - to beat around the bush
se mettre table - to confess, come clean
mettre des btons dans les roues de quelqu'un - to throw a
monkey wrench in someone's business
reprendre ses billes - to renege on a deal
un coup d'pe dans l'eau - a wasted effort
tre au four et au moulin - to be in two places at once
faire le pont - to take a long weekend
tirer les plans sur la comte - to count one's chickens before they
have hatched
ce n'est pas la mer boire - it's not as bad as all that
c'est au bout du monde - it's halfway around the world
ce n'est pas le Prou - it's nothing to write home about / it's no
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great fortune
tirer le diable par la queue - to barely get by, have a hard time
il ne faut pas dshabiller Pierre pour payer Paul - you shouldn't
rob Paul to pay Peter
parler quelqu'un brle-pourpoint - to ask someone pointblank
raconter des histoires dormir debout - to tell tall tales
prendre la poudre d'escampette - to leave quickly
tirer son pingle du jeu - to get out of a difficult situation
mener en bateau - to lead someone on, to lie
Pure Vowels
Vowels in French are pure vowels, i.e. they are not diphthongs as
in American English. Americans pronounce a and e with an
extra yuh sound at the end, and o and u with an extra wuh sound at
the end. You must not do this in French! The distinction between
long and short vowels exists in French, but a few American short
vowels do not exist ([] as in didand [] as in put) so make sure to
never pronounce these vowels when speaking French. Also notice
that the [] sound in cat does not exist in French either.
Vowels in Contrast
Long Vowels
[a]
[i]
[e]
[o]
[u]

Short Vowels Similar English

[]
not - nut
---sheep
[]
wait - wet
[ ]
coat - caught
---moon
Words in Contrast

[a] - []
[e] - []
[e] - []
[o] - []

rapporter
des mains
pr
paume

reporter
demain
prs
pomme

On the other hand, French has three front rounded vowels that do
not exist in English, which may take a while to get used to since
English only has back rounded vowels. However, they are the
rounded counterpart of vowels that do exist in English, so you
simply need to round your lips when pronouncing these vowels.
179

Vowels in Contrast
Unrounded
[i]
[e]
[ ]

Rounded
[y]
[]
[]

Many English speakers tend to say [u] instead

of [y] and [] instead of [] or []. Personally, I still find it very hard
to hear the difference between [] and [] in fast speech, but I can
distinguish them if they are isolated vowels.
Words in Contrast
[u] - [y]
[] - []
[] - []

sous
ce
jene

su
ceux
jeune

Here is a review of the vowels in French, with phonetic spellings for

American English speakers (forget the diphthongs though!),
sample words in French and the general spelling for these vowels
in French orthography.
Pure Vowels
IPA
[i]
[y]
[e]
[]
[ ]
[]
[a]
[ ]
[u]

Phonetic
spelling
ee
ee rounded
ay
ay rounded
eh
eh rounded
ah
ah longer
oo

Sample words
vie, midi, lit, riz
rue, jus, tissu, usine
bl, nez, cahier, pied
jeu, yeux, queue, bleu
lait, aile, balai, reine
sur, uf, fleur, beurre
chat, ami, papa, salade
bas, ne, grce, chteau
loup, cou, caillou, outil

180

General spellings
i, y
u
, et, final er and ez
eu
e, , , ai, ei, ais
u, eu
a, ,
a,
ou

[o]
[ ]
[]

oh
aw
uh

eau, dos, escargot, htel

sol, pomme, cloche, horloge
fentre, genou, cheval, cerise

o,
o
e

[] is disappearing in modern French, being replaced by [a].

Vowels that do not exist in English are marked in blue.
Other rules to remember about pure vowels in French:
Vowels are pronounced slightly longer when they are in the
final closed syllable (a consonant follows the vowels in the
same syllable). For example, the vowel [i] in tir is longer than
the vowel [i] in tirer because tir is a closed syllable, while ti is
an open syllable (and rer is a closed syllable). This is
represented with a colon in IPA: long [i] = [i:]
The vowel [e] can only occur in open syllables (no consonant
follows it in the same syllable) in French. In closed
syllables, [] is used; however, [] can also be found in open
syllables. (This is a major difference with English as []can
never be found in open syllables at the end of a word.)
In stressed open syllables, only [] is possible. In stressed,
closed syllables, only [] is possible, unless the syllable ends
in [t], [tR], or [z] - in which case, [] can occur. In unstressed
syllables, whether open or closed, either vowel can occur.
Generally, [o] always occurs in stressed open syllables,
and [] occurs in stressed closed syllables. Nevertheless,
[o] can also occur in stressed closed syllables, depending on
the spelling of the word: when the letter o is followed by [m],
[n], [z]; when the letters au are not followed by [R]; and by the
letter .

Semi-Vowels
Semi-vowels can also be called glides or approximants.

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Semi-Vowels
Phonetic
spelling
w
ew-ee
yuh

IPA
[w]
[]
[j]

Sample words

General spelling

fois, oui, Louis

lui, suisse
oreille, Mireille

oi, ou
ui
ill, y

Some words ending in -ille(r) pronounce the l, however: ville, mille,

tranquille, distiller, osciller, etc.
Words in Contrast
[wa] - [a]
[] - [y]
[ej] - [e]
[aj] - [a]

loi
la
lui
Lu
pareil par
bail
bas

Notice that words ending in -eil or -eille are pronounced [ej], while
words ending in -ail or -aille are pronounced [aj].
Nasal Vowels
Nasal vowels can be a bit tricky to understand in everyday speech,
but learning how to pronounce them correctly isn't too difficult.
Nasal Vowels
Sample words

General spelling

[a]

Phonetic
spelling
awn

gant, banc, dent

[]

ahn

pain, vin, linge

en, em, an, am, aon, aen

in, im, yn, ym, ain, aim, ein, eim, un,
um,
en, eng, oin, oing, oint, ien, yen, en

[]

uhn

[o]

ohn

IPA

brun, lundi,
parfum
rond, ongle, front

un
on, om

[] is being replaced with [] in European French; though this

distinction is kept in Belgian and Quebecois French
Words in Contrast
Nasal Vowel

Nasal Consonant
182

franc
brun
indien
bon

franche
brune
indienne
bonne

A phrase with all nasal vowels is: un bon vin blanc

Consonants
Many of the consonants in French are very similar to the
consonants in English. A few differences include:
1. [p], [t] and [k] are NOT aspirated in French so try not to let that
extra puff of air escape from your lips.
2. Consonants that are alveolar in English are generally dental
in French. Try to rest your tongue just behind your teeth instead
of on the alveolar ridge for [t], [d], [s], [z], [l] and [n].
3. The letter h is never pronounced, but you need to remember to
distinguish the h non-aspir from the h aspir. Most words
belong to the first group, but for the words that have an h
aspir, there are two characteristics that make them different:
the definite article does not reduce to l' (called elision) but
remains le or la and word boundaries are maintained so that
sounds do not link (absence of liaison - see below). Most words
with an h aspir are of Germanic origin.
h non-aspir
l'habitude
l'herbe
l'heure
l'histoire
l'homme
l'honneur
l'huile

h aspir
la hache
le hall
le haricot
le hasard
le hibou
le homard
le hockey

4. [R] is articulated further back in the throat (with the back of the
tongue) and is usually the hardest French consonant for
English speakers to pronounce correctly. It is a voiced uvular
fricative sound and does not have an effect on preceding
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vowels the way that American English r does. It must remain

consistent in all positions, regardless of the other vowels and
consonants that may be adjacent to it.

Initial
rus
rang
rose

After consonant Intervocalic Before consonant

droit
arrt
partout
gris
courir
merle
trou
pleurer
corde

Final
mer
pire
sourd

5. In the majority of words with the grapheme ch,

the pronunciation is [], but it is also pronounced [k] in words of
Greek origin. It is silent, however, in the word almanach.

ch = []
chercher
rchauffer
chrubin
architecte
catchisme
Achille

ch = [k]
archologie
chaos
chrtien
cho
orchestre
chur

6. The graphemes gu and qu can be pronounced three different

ways: [g], [gw], [g] and [k], [kw], [k], respectively. The
majority of words are pronounced with simply [g] and [k], but
the spelling will not tell you which sound to pronounce, so you'll
just have to learn them individually.

[g]
[gw]
[g]
[k]
[kw]
anguille
jaguar
aiguille
question
adquat
fatigue
iguane
ambigut qualit
aquarium
gurilla
lingual
linguiste quivalent
square
distinguer Guadeloupe
quartier
quateur
184

[k]
quiescent
quilatral
ubiquit
quidistant

7. Even though most final consonants are not pronounced in

French (see below), there are a few exceptions, especially with
words ending in -s. In words ending in a consonant + s or -es,
the s is silent. However, if a word ends in -as, -s, -is, -os, or
-us, then the s is sometimes pronounced.

s = silent
cadenas
dbarras
accs
exprs
logis
clos
dessous
confus
dehors

s = pronounced
atlas
pancras
alos
palmars
oasis
vis
albatros
sinus
ours

Silent Letters
French, like English, is not written phonetically. Vowels can be
represented by several different letter combinations and many
letters are actually not pronounced. (You can thank early "linguists"
who changed the spelling of many French words, with complete
disregard to pronunciation, so that it was closer to Latin
orthography.)
The final consonant of many words is silent. Sometimes a final
c, f, l or r are pronounced though.
Final c, f, l, r silent
blanc
franc
tabac
estomac

clf
cerf
nerf

outil
sourcil
gentil
persil

185

parler
chercher
habiter
fermer

Final c, f, l, r pronounced
bouc
lac
avec
donc

uf fil
sauf avril
veuf civil
actif col

car
mer
pour
hiver

Similar to English, the final -e in most words is not pronounced.

For feminine adjectives and nouns, this generally means that
the final consonant of the masculine form will now be
pronounced.

Masculine
vert
grand
canadien
boulanger
chat

Feminine
verte
grande
canadienne
boulangre
chatte

As mentioned above, a few silent letters were placed in French

orthography for the prestige of being more similar to Latin.
Other letters are now silent for other historical reasons (i.e.
perhaps the pronunciation changed, but the spelling did not.)
The following words all have silent letters:

sept
rompt
aspect
instinct
pied
nid

rang
sang
il
fauteuil
ail
drap

fils
pouls
saoul
cul
Renault
sirop

trop
camp
chocolat
crdit
riz
nez

A few plural nouns change their pronunciations to include silent

letters, whereas these consonants are pronounced in the
singular form:
186

un uf
un buf
un os

des ufs
des bufs
des os

e caduc
La loi des trois consonnes states that [] may be omitted in
pronunciation as long as it would not cause three consonants to be
together. Of course there are exceptions to this rule, and some
dialects of French do not delete it anyway (such as in the south of
France.) However, this is extremely common in everyday French
and English speakers need to be able to comprehend words with
dropped syllables.
Phrase-final e is always dropped, except in -le in the imperative. It
is also dropped at the end of nouns, articles and verbs. One
exception to the three consonant rule is in the case of consonant
clusters, such as br, fr, gr, pr, tr, etc. If the e precedes these
clusters, and the e itself is preceded by a consonant, then it can be
dropped: un refrain = un r'frain
Disappearing e
Careful Speech
samedi / lentement / sauvetage
sous le bureau / chez le docteur
il y a de / pas de / plus de
je ne / de ne / tu ne
je te / ce que / ce qui

Normal Speech
sam'di / lent'ment / sauv'tage
sous l'bureau / chez l'docteur
il y a d' / pas d' / plus d'
je n' / de n' / tu n'
j'te / c'que / c'qui

Notice that dropping e in je also results in [] to become []

whenever it is found before voiceless consonants, such as [p], [t],
[k], etc.
Liaison
A loss of word boundaries in French makes it difficult to
comprehend the spoken language for beginning learners. All of the
words seem to be linked together without any clear divisions
because the syllable boundaries do not correspond to the word
boundaries. In many cases, the last consonant from one syllable
(which is usually silent) will become the first consonant of the next
syllable (therefore, it is no longer silent). This linking between
syllables is called liaison, and it may or may not be required and the
187

pronunciation of the consonant may or may not change. Liaison

leads to many homonymous phrases, which can hinder
comprehension. You must pay attention to the liaisons in verb
conjugations as well or you may mistake one verb for another.
The consonants involved in liaison generally include d, s, and x.
However, their pronunciation is changed so that they become [t], [z]
and [z], respectively. The letter n that is written after nasal vowels
becomes the nasal consonant [n]. Peculiarly, the f of neuf is
pronounced [v] only before ans and heures and in all other cases, it
remains [f]. And remember that h aspir prevents liaison from
happening, i.e. there is no [z] sound between des and haricots.
Examples of Liaison
elles arrivent
ils ont
vieux arbres
dix heures
attend-il ?
grand ami

mon amour
les ours
dans un sac
trs aimable
plus ouvert
il est all

There are a few instances when you should always use liaison
(liaison obligatoire):
1. after determiners: un, les, des, ces, mon, ton, quels, etc.
2. before or after pronouns: nous, vous, ils, elles, les, etc.
3. after preceding adjectives: bon, mauvais, petit, grand,
gros, etc.
4. after monosyllabic prepositions: chez, dans, sous, en, etc.
5. after some monosyllabic adverbs: trs, plus, bien, etc.
(optional after pas, trop, fort)
6. after est (optional after all other forms of tre)
Stress
French is a syllable-timed language, so equal emphasis is given to
each syllable. This is quite unlike English, which is a stress-timed
language, and which gives emphasis to one syllable in each word the stressed syllable - and reduces the vowels in the rest of the
188

syllables (usually to [] or [].) All vowels in French must be

pronounced fully, and each syllable must be pronounced with equal
stress, though the final syllable of each word is generally
considered the "stressed syllable."
Listen to these words in English and French and see if you can
hear the difference in stress. Stressed syllables in English are
marked in bold.
photography - photographie
authority - autorit
nationality - nationalit
passion - passion
education - ducation
regiment - rgiment
monument - monument
melodramatic - mlodramatique
Intonation
Intonation in French is slightly different from English. In general, the
intonation rises only for a yes/no question, and the rest of the time,
the intonation falls. French intonation starts at a higher pitch and
falls continuously throughout the sentence, whereas in English, the
stressed syllable has a higher pitch that what precedes and follows
it.
Listen to these sentences in English and French and see if you can
hear the difference in intonation. Bold marks the higher pitch.
Notice that even if the intonation pattern seems similar, the
syllables with higher pitches are often in different locations. The
numbers below refer to the pitch: 1) low, 2) medium, 3) high, 4)
extra high.
English Intonation vs. French Intonation
Sentence Type
English
Intonation
French
Intonation
Yes/No Question
Are you leaving?
2-3
Est-ce que vous partez ?
2-3
Information Question Where are you going? 2 - 3 - 1 O est-ce que vous allez ? 4 - 2 - 1
189

Imperative
Exclamation
Declarative

Do it. / Don't do it.

What a surprise!
I bought a dress.

(2) - 3 - 1
2-3-1
2-3-1

Fais-le. / Ne le fais pas.

Quelle surprise !
J'ai achet une robe.

Informal Reductions
In everyday speech, there are other reductions in addition to e
caduc. Many of these reductions are made for ease of
pronunciation and are considered informal. The most common ones
are reducing tu to t' before a vowel and omitting the final syllable of
words ending in -re. Listen to these reductions in careful speech
and everyday speech:
Informal Reductions in Spoken French
Careful Speech
tu es
tu as
tu tais
tu avais
mettre
notre
autre
il
il y a
ils + vowel
elle
elles + vowel
parce que
quelque
puis

Everyday Speech
t'es
t'as
t'tais
t'avais
mett'
not'
aut'
y
ya
y'z

'z
pasq'
quq'
pis

190

4-2-1
4-2-1
3-2-1