Audio 1 Click Play To Hear Audio

Bonjour, bonjour, bonjour, bonjour, bonjour…

As you have learned before, there are two ways of addressing someone in
French: a polite or formal way using “Vous” and a more casual way using “Tu”.
The same concept applies to greetings. Listen to the link below to hear formal
French greetings…
Audio 2 Click Play To Hear Audio
Good morning! Bonjour!
Good afternoon! Bonjour!
Good evening! Bonsoir!
Good night! Bonne nuit!
As you could see there is no distinction in French between good morning and
good afternoon, only once it’s dark you will have to greet saying good evening.
Nowadays it is quite common to use English greetings, like “hi” and “bye bye”,
but these are considered to be casual. Listen to the link below to hear some
informal French greetings…
Audio 3 Click Play To Hear Audio
Hello(on the telephone) Allô
Hi Salut
How are you? ça va
And here is a formal way of saying good-bye.
Audio 4 Click Play To Hear Audio
Good-bye Au revoir
Let’s listen to some casual farewells…
Audio 5 Click Play To Hear Audio
Bye Au revoir
See you soon A bientôt
See you later A plus tard
Have a good day (formal) Passez une bonne journée
Have a good day Bonne journée
See you then On se voit plus tard !
Take Care (formal) Prenez soin de vous
Take Care Prend soin de toi
Paul Salut Claire.
Claire Salut, Paul. Comment ça va?
Paul Bien merci, et toi?
Claire Je vais très bien.

This is nuts and bolts stuff for sure - but that's all the more reason to get it
straight from the start. Say it over and over again, and notice how the
pronunciation you heard in the last lesson matches up with the French letters
you see here. You'll notice also how they don't necessarily match up in the same
way you would expect English letters to sound.
Now, have a look at the same conversation through familiar eyes...
English Translation
Paul Hi Claire.
Claire Hi Paul. How's it going?
Paul Good thanks, and you?
Claire I'm going very well.

Now it's time for a quick and painless detour into the world of grammar. Some of
this stuff may not be what you've been most looking forward to, but we need to
come to terms with a few simple grammatical concepts before you blossom into
a fully fledged French speaker. And we're going to start with articles. After all,
where would we all be without the word THE!
Making things really clear with Articles!
Articles are the little words that make language really clear: “The,” “A,” “Some,”
“Several,” “Of,” “Of the” and “Any.”
As you work through this Lesson, you will inevitably come across new words and
new expressions. You may feel that you’re having to deal with a lot of new
material and unpredictable rules. Not all of it will make sense at first!
But if we dissect the rules too much, you will find yourself caught up by the
technical side of the language. Rather, allow yourself the benefit of enjoying the
experience even when you have questions left un-answered... for the time being!
You will see that by the time you reach the end of this Lesson, the exercises and
activities will clarify and reinforce your progress.
Define it ….
In English the word “the” is what we call a definite article. That is because the
word “the” points to a very specific thing. For example, you may tell someone, “I
want the mug” assuming that they will bring you the mug you have in mind.
Or not!
If you tell them, “I want a mug,” you will get whichever mug they choose to
hand you! That is because the words “a” or “an” or “some” are indefinite articles
and point to a general group of items, things, people or places.
Making Things Specific (Definite) in French
In French, the short defining word before the noun is really part of the noun. For
instance, “le musicien” and “la musicienne” for musician.
In French, “the” is not just one word. Rather there are a total of 4 versions of
“the,” depending on the gender and quantity of the noun to which you are
referring.
The French word for “the,” if followed by a masculine noun, is “Le” If followed by
a feminine noun, it is “La” and when followed by any noun in the plural, it is
“Les” For example, if there is one (male) cat, we say “Le chat” If there are two
or more cats, we say “Les chats” If there is one woman, we say “La femme” If
there are two or more women, we say “Les femmes”

Le chat Les chats

Any singular noun beginning with a vowel or an “h” is always preceded by an
apostrophe after the definite article: “ L’” - for example, “ L’homme,” “ L’hiver,” “
L’escalier.” The apostrophe is inserted in between the article and the noun. This
is because two vowel sounds in French cannot follow from one word to another.
In summary:

The + masculine noun = le

The + feminine noun = la
The + any noun beginning with a vowel = l’
The + any plural noun = les

Le garçon
The boy

Les garçons
The boys

La fille
The girl

Les filles
The girls

L’invité
The guest (a
man)

Les invités
The guests
 L’enfant
The child

Les enfants
The children

Le livre
The book

Les livres
The books

La pomme
The apple

Les pommes
The apples

La librairie
The bookstore

Les librairies
The bookstores

Le jeu
The game

Les jeux
The games

L’hôtel
The hotel

Les hôtels
The hotels

Making Things General (Indefinite) in French

The previous section referred to making things specific using “ the” in French, in
the form of “ Le,” “ La,” “ Les” and “ L’.” In this section, we talk about the ways
to make things general, or indefinite. In French, there are 3 ways of using the
indefinite articles “ a,” “ an,” “ some” or “ several.”
A or An + masculine noun = un
A or An + feminine noun = une
Some or Several + any plural noun = des
 Une fleur
A flower

Des fleurs
Some flowers

Une copine
A friend (a woman)

Des copines
Several friends (women)

Un crayon
A pencil
Un crayon
Des crayons
Several pencils

When Indefinite and Definite Work Together in

French
"Some" and "several" in French are interchangeable with "any" and "of the." We
refer to words like"some" and "several" as articles. These articles help to define
words and quantities, and just like everything else in French, they have to follow
gender rules.

This means that almost everything new you learn in French will be subject to the
following questions:
Is it a female group of words?
Is it a male group of words?
Is it singular or plural?
Does it begin with a vowel?

A Versatile Word: “De”

The next group of defining words, “ of the,” “of,” “ some,” “ several,” or “ any”
have lots of different uses, and once again, they change according to whether
the thing or things you are talking about are masculine or feminine, singular or
plural. The root word “ de” is very versatile indeed , and generallychanges form
as follows to mean “of” and “of the.”
of or of the + masculine noun = de or du
of or of the + feminine noun = de la
of or of the + any noun starting with a vowel = d’ or de l’
of or of the + any plural noun = des
Sounds in Pronunciation
Before we carry on, it’s worth discussing some points of pronunciation, because
the word “ de” can be a slippery one and tends to change its own sound and the
sound of surrounding words when they all get together. When speaking French,
words must be linked to one another by sound so that they flow. When there are
too many vowel sounds together, they are simply eliminated. In French, the
expression that’s used to explain this principle is “ faire la liaison entre les
mots,” which means, “ to make connections between words.”
As you get used to the various forms of “ de,” as it is used in “of,” and “of
the,” you’ll start noticing lots of examples of “ la liaison.”
Vowels can’t follow straight on from one word to another, so if you see a word
ending in a vowel, and the next word beginning with a vowel, be alert! We have
given you two examples so far:
L’i nvité and l’enfant start with a L’ instead of a Le.
This is because Le would be followed by the sound i in invité, and by the
sound e in enfant, and would be grammatically and phonetically incorrect.
Try saying “Le invite ”and “Le enfant ”and you’ll notice how jerky it sounds.

A very similar principle applies when using “of” and “ of the ” with a noun like “
Le garçon.” The word“of” is “ de” and the word “boy” is “ le garcon.” But “of the
boy,” meaning “belonging to the boy” isn’t “ de le garçon” as you might expect,
but “ du garçon.” “ De le” always gets shortened to “ du.” It’s really because “
de” and “ le” sound odd so close together.

In other words, when the sound of two vowels together clashes, such as “ de le,”
a kind of shortcut rule applies, making it “ du” for the purpose of sounding more
fluid. For feminine words, “ de la” doesn’t change, unless the word begins with a
vowel, when “ de la” becomes “ de l’.”

You will also note from the following examples that a literal translation has been
included in brackets, because there is no equivalent in French for the use of
the apostrophe as it is used in English. The children’s game, for example, is
literally translated as the game of the children. This is where “ de,” in its various
forms as explained above, comes into action.
Le jeu des enfants.
The children’s game. (The game of the children)

Le jeu de l’enfant.
The child’s game. (The game of the child)

Le jeu de la fille.
The girl’s game. (The game of the girl)

Le jeu du garçon.
 The boy’s game. (The game of the boy)

Le jeu de l’invité.
The guest’s game. (The game of the guest)

Le goût du fromage. (masculine)

The taste of the cheese.

La couleur du vin. (masculine)

The color of the wine.

La fraîcheur du pain. (masculine)

The freshness of the bread.

La qualité de la confiture. (feminine)

The quality of the jam.

La beauté de l’actrice. (feminine + vowel)

The beauty of the actress.

As well as being used to say “of” or “of the” in the plural, as we saw above, du,
de la, d’, de l’ and des are also used to mean “some” and “several.” In effect,
this is when the article “a” or “an” becomes a plural, to mean more than just
one.
Du fromage (masculine)
Some cheese

Du vin (masculine)
Some wine

Du pain (masculine)
Some bread

De la confiture (feminine)
Some jam

De l’argent (masculine + vowel) Du vin

Some money

De l’omelette (feminine + vowel)

Some omelet
That's more than enough technical stuff for one day. I have to mention that
you've been a most excellent student for sticking through the tricky bits. Next
time we'll be back on the conversational side of things!

In tomorrow's lesson you'll find out all about how to introduce yourself in French,
ask someone's name, and tell them your own. You'll also be able to explain to
people how much - or how little - French you know. Don't miss this one - we all
know how important first impressions are!
Á plus tard! (See you later!)

The subway network Le métro

The city centre or CBD Le centre ville
Greater Paris suburbs La banlieu Parisienne
The districts (in Paris only) Les arrondissements
City train networks Le RER
The fare Le tarif
The right bank of the Seine La rive droite
The left bank of the Seine La rive gauche

How do I get to….Pour aller à….How do I get to the cathedral please?Pour

aller à la cathédrale s’il vous plait?How do I get to the hotel please?Pour
aller à l’hôtel s’il vous plait?Where is…?C’est ou...?Where is the currency
exchange?C’est où le bureau de change?Where is the train station?C’est où
la gare?How much?C’est combien?How much is the fare?C’est combien le
billet?How much is it to get there?C’est combien pour aller là?Have a happy
trip everyone!Bon voyage à tous!

My parents or My relatives Mes parents

My sister lives in France Ma soeur habite en France
My brother is tall Mon frère est grand
My wife Ma femme
My husband Mon mari
My boyfriend Mon copain
My girlfriend Ma copine
My cousins Mes cousins

To talk Parler
To send Envoyer
To browse Naviguer
Home page La page d’acceuil
To get connected Connecter
To download Télécharger
To switch on Allumer
To switch off Éteindre
Calling someone and finding an answer phone recording might prove challenging
in a new language! Here is a short cut to leaving a message:
» Audio 2 Double Click Play To Hear Audio
Hello, its… Allo, c’est…
It’s a message for… C’est un message pour…
My number here is… Mon numéro ici est…
I look forward to hearing back from you, thank you! J’attends votre appel,
merci!

Audio 1 Click Play To Hear Audio

Over head locker Compartiment supérieur
Seatbelt Ceinture
Emergency Exit Sortie de secours
Swim vest Gilet de sauvetage
Cabin Cabine
Flight attendant Hôtesse de l’air
Boarding pass Carte d’embarquement
Imagine you are on a flight from America to France. It’s a long way, so make
sure you know how to ask for a drink or an extra blanket in case you are cold.
It’s also important to know what “Attachez votre ceinture, s’il vous plait”
means. Repeat the new words aloud to practice your pronunciation.
Audio 2 Click Play To Hear Audio
I would like to have a glass of water. Je voudrais avoir un verre d’eau.
I’m scared of flying. J’ai peur de prendre l’avion.
I’m hungry. J’ai faim.
J’ai froid, est ce que je peux avoir
I’m cold, do you have a blanket?
une couverture?
When are we going to land? Quand est ce que l’on va atterrir?
Please fasten your seatbelt. Merci d’attacher votre ceinture.
My headset doesn’t work Mes écouteurs ne marchent pas.
We are expecting turbulence. Nous attendons des turbulences.
Once you arrive at the airport you will have to collect your luggage. Simply
follow the signs to the “Remise de bagages” and make your way to the
“Control de passeport”. Listen to the Audio link below to hear the
pronunciation…
Audio 3 Click Play To Hear Audio
Baggage claim Remise de bagage
Customs Douane or Contrôle de passeport
Hopefully you won’t need to use the following phrases, but it’s still handy to
know them.
Audio 4 Click Play To Hear Audio
My luggage got damaged. Ma valise a été endommagé.
 My luggage got lost. Ma valise a été perdu.
I’ve missed my connecting flight. J’ai manqué ma connexion.
I’ve lost my passport. J’ai perdu mon passeport.
I’ve lost my ticket. J’ai perdu mon ticket d’avion.
I’ve lost my boarding pass. J’ai perdu ma carte d’embarquement.
I’m lost. Je suis perdu(e)
That’s it for today. I hope you enjoyed the lesson! A bientôt!

Audio 1 Click Play To Hear Audio

Can you recommend ...?
Est-ce que vous pouvez me recommander un bon
… a good hotel?
hôtel?
Est ce que vous pouvez me recommander un hôtel
… an inexpensive hotel?
pas trop cher?
…a family- friendly Est-ce que vous pouvez me recommander un hôtel
hotel? pour famille?
Est-ce que vous pouvez nous recommander un hôtel
…a quiet hotel?
tranquille ?
Est-ce que vous nous recommander un hôtel dans le
…a hotel in the centre?
centre ville ?
Listen to the link below if you prefer other types of accommodation.
Audio 2 Click Play To Hear Audio
Is there… ?
… a youth hostel? Est-ce qu’il y a une auberge de jeunesse?
… a camping ground? Est-ce qu’il y a un terrain camping?
…a motel? Est-ce qu’il y a un hôtel économique?
Once you have decided where to stay you need to find out how to get there.
Audio 3 Click Play To Hear Audio
Où est ce que je dois passer pour
How do I get to the [Millennium] hotel,
arriver à l’hôtel [Millennium], s’il
please?
vous plait?
Où est l’arrêt de taxi, s’il vous
Where is the taxi stand, please?
plait?
Quelle ligne de bus va à l’hôtel
Which bus goes to the [Millennium] hotel?
[Millennium]?
Which tram goes to the [Millennium] Quelle ligne de tram va à l’hôtel
hotel? [Millennium]?
A taxi ride can be quite expensive in France, so you might want to get an idea of
the price before you hop in. Public transport is usually punctual and reasonably
fast, as most big cities have bus lanes. Here are some important words and
phrases for you to remember.
Audio 4 Click Play To Hear Audio
Je voudrais aller à l’hôtel
I would like to go to the [Millennium] hotel,
[Millennium], s’il vous
please.
plait?
Combien coute le voyage
How much does it cost to the[Millennium]
jusqu’à l’hôtel
hotel...?
[Millennium]?
Is it far? Est ce que c’est loin?
More or less? Plus ou moins?
Est ce que vous allez à
Do you go to the [Millennium] hotel...?
l’hôtel [Millennium]?
Est-ce qu’il y a un arrêt de
Is there a bus stop close to the hotel?
bus près de l’hôtel?
The taxi stand L’arrêt de taxi
The bus stop L’arrêt de bus
The tram stop L’arrêt de tram
The taxi Le taxi
Well, that’s it for now. A la prochaine!