http://http://www.e4tips.com Useful French words and phrases www.e4tips.com en-us [bo(n)-joor] "Bonjour" is used for "good morning" and "good afternoon". Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [bo(n)-sw-are] Good evening. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [sar-loo] This is a more informal way of greeting people, like the English "hello" or "hi". "Salut" is equally used when saying goodbye like "see you" or just "bye". Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [com-o(n) sar var] How are you? The answer could be "Bien, merci." [bee-a(n) m-air-see] (Fine, thanks.) Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [o r-vw-are] Good bye. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [bo(n) vw-are-yare-sh] Have a nice trip! Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [bon joor-nay] This phrase is often used when saying goodbye. It literally means "Have a good day!". Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [jim are-pel] My name is. Use this phrase to introduce yourself. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [jir soo-ee] I am. This could be followed by "anglais." [o(n)-lay] (English), "etudiant." [ay-tu-dio(n)] (a student), "medecin." [made-sa(n)] (a doctor) and so on. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [noo som] We are. Words that follow have a plural s which is normally not audible: "touristes." [too-reest(er)] (tourists), "americains." [ar-may-ree-ca(n)] (Americans), "fatigues." [far-tee-gay] (tired). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [voo zet] You are. This is used to address one person as well as a group of people. It can equally be a statement or a question: "Monsieur Dumont." [mis-yer doo-mo(n)] (Mister Dumont), "le guide? [ler geed(er)] (Are you the guide?). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [vwo-lar] "This is". Complete the sentence with whom you want to introduce, e.g. "mon ami." [mo(n)-nar-me] (my friend.), "mon mari" [mo(n) mar-ee] (my husband) or "ma femme" [ma farm] (my wife). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [seal voo play] Please . You can also append ", s'il vous plait" to the end of the sentence. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [o(n)-cho(n)-tay] Pleased to meet you. This is the shortest way to say it and will certainly contribute to a positive first impression. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [m-air-see bow-coo] Thank you (very much). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [ex-cue-zay mw-are] Excuse me. Not as frequently used as in English, but still essential to keep you out of trouble. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [p-are der kw-are] You can use this phrase in response to a "thank you", like "You are welcome.", as well as in the meaning of "Never mind." as a reaction to someone's apology. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [p-are-lay voo o(n)-lay] Do you speak English ? This very useful phrase will often yield a "oui" [oo-ee] (yes) in larger cities, but occasionally also a "non" [no(n)] (no), especially in rural areas. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [jir (ner) co(n)-pro(n) (p-are)] I (don't) understand. The trouble with addressing foreign people in their own language is that they are more likely to answer back in that language. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [ray-pay-tay seal voo play] Repeat that, please. Don't be afraid to use this phrase as many times as it will take. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [com-o(n) sar sir tra-doo-ee o(n) o(n)-lay] What does this mean in English? If you don't know it yourself just point at it and ask. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [poo-ee jir mar-sw-are] May I sit down? Don't be shy and take the initiative! Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [jir m-er play bow-coo e-see] I like it very much round here. Flattery will get you anywhere. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [vw-us-see mo(n) are-dress] Here is my address. It's so easy to make a French friend. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [a(n), der, trw-are] one, two, three. If "un" is followed by a female noun, it changes to "une" [oon]. All other numerals remain unchanged. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [k-are-trer, s-a(n)k, sees] four, five, six. Combine the numerals with the words you already know: trois bieres, six chambres. The plural s appended to the nouns is not audible. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [set, oo-eet, nerf] seven, eight, nine. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [dees, o(n)-z(er), doo-z(er)] ten, eleven, twelve. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [trez, k-are-torse, ka(n)z] thirteen, fourteen, fifteen. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [sez, va(n), tro(n)t] sixteen, twenty, thirty. "Seventeen", "eighteen" and "nineteen" are combinations of the numerals you already know: "dix-sept" (17), "dix-huit" (18), "dix-neuf" (19). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [k-are-o(n)t, ca(n)k-o(n)t, sw-are-so(n)t] fourty, fifty, sixty. Tens and ones are combined by "et" [eh] (and) if the one is "un" or "une" otherwise just by a hyphen: "quarante et un" (forty-one), "cinquante-trois" (fifty-three), "soixante et une voitures" (sixty-one cars). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [sw-are-so(n)t-dees, k-are-trer-va(n), k-are-trer-va(n)-dees] (seventy, eighty, ninety). These numerals look rather complicated, but you can tell what they are made up of. The number 99 tops it all: "quatre-vingt-dix-neuf", literally "four times twenty plus ten plus nine". French, isn't it? Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [so(n), mil, me-yo(n)] hundred, thousand, million. Now you know everything you need in order to say for example: "Paris a neuf millions trois cent dix-huit mille huit cent vingt et un habitant" (Paris has 9,318,821 inhabitants). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [ko(n)-bee-a(n) koot] How much is ? Another way to ask the question is: Quel est le prix de ? [kel a ler pree der], literally "What is the price of ?" Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [oo er] Where is ? Complete the sentence with whatever you are looking for, e. g. "la gare?" [l-are g-are] (the train station), "l'hotel?" [low-tell] (the hotel), "le centre ville?" [ler s-o(n)-trer vill] (the city center) and so on. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [jir voo-dray] I would like Complete the sentence with what you would like, e. g. "..du vin." [due va(n)] (wine), "..de la biere." [der l-are bee-air] (beer), "..quelque chose a manger." [kel-k-er show-zer ar mo(n)-jay] (something to eat) and so on. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [jay ber-swa(n) der] I need.. The "de" is abbreviated to a "d'" if the following word begins with a vowel: "..d'un medecin" [da(n) made-sa(n)] (a doctor), "..de votre conseil" [der votrer ko(n)-say] (your advice). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [jay ray-sir-vay] I have booked .. You could fill the gap with "..une chambre." [oo-ner charm-br(er)] (a room), "..une table." [oo-ner tar-bl(er)] (a table), or "..un taxi." [a(n) tar-xi] (a taxi). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [kel err at eel seal voo play] What time is it? Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [eel a sa(n)k err va(n)] It's twenty past five. This is the easiest way to state the time: "Il est" followed by the number of hours and the word "heures" (hours) plus the number of minutes after the hour. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [mar-ta(n), sw-are] morning, evening. Remember also: "ce [ser] matin/ce soir" (this morning/tonight), "le [ler] matin/le soir" (in the morning/in the evening). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [me-dee, noo-ee] noon, night. Remember also: "a [ar] midi" (at noon), "la nuit" (at night). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [o-joor-dwee o(n) er ler s-a(n)k jo(n)-vyay/fay-vree-ay/mars] Today is the fifth of January/February/March. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [Noo z-are-ee-vro(n) ler doo-z(er) avr-eel, may, joo-a(n)] We are arriving on the 12th of April/May/June. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [jir rest-er juice-k-o v-a(n) k-are-trer joo-ee-yay/oot/sep-to(n)-br(er)] I am staying until the 24th of July/August/September. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [jir soo-ee nay le tro(n)t ok-to-brer/no-vo(n)-brer/day-so(n)-brer] I was born on the 30th of October/November/December. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [kell bell joor-nay] What a nice day! Break the ice with a few words about the weather! Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [le to(n) se r-ar-frer-she/se r-ar-do-see] It's getting colder/warmer. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [der-ma(n) eel v-ar pler-vw-are] It is going to rain tomorrow. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [le so-lay bree-yer] The sun is shining. When the moon is shining, it's: "Il fait clair de lune" [eel fer clair der lune]. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [coo-ler: blur, v-air, roosh] Colours: blue, green, red. Colours always follow the noun: "un pantalon bleu" [a(n) po(n)-tar-lo(n) blur] (blue trousers). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [nw-are, blo(n), joe-n] black, white, yellow. "light" and "dark" are rendered by adding "clair" [clair] or "fonce" [fo(n)-say]: "bleu clair" (light blue), "rouge fonce" (dark red). Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [vot-rer pass-pore/pair-me der co(n)-doo-eer] Your passport/driving license! Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [jir soo-ee tourist(er)/o(n) vwar-yare-sh d-ar-fair] I am a tourist/travelling on business. Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26 [voo z-are-vay kel-k-er show-zer are day-kl-are-ay] Have you anything to declare? If not, answer: "Je n'ai rien a declarer." [jir nay re-a(n) are day-kl-are-ay] (I have nothing to declare.) Engineering Adventures Ltd 2007-03-26