votre billet
validate your ticket | | buffet | snacks |
| consigne | left luggage |
| défense de fumer | no smoking |
Polite expressions
There are two forms of address in French, formal (vous) and informal (tu). You should always stick to the formal until you are invited to tutoyer (use the informal tu).
| The meal was delicious | Le repas était délicieux luh ruh-pa ay-teh day-lee-syuh |
| Thank you very much | Je vous remercie zhuh voo ruh-mehr-see |
| Delighted to meet you | Enchanté(e) ahñ-shahñ-tay |
| This is… | Voici… vwa-see… |
| my husband/my wife | mon mari/ma femme moñ ma-ree/ma fam |
| Enjoy your holiday! | Passez de bonnes vacances! pa-say duh bon va-kahñs! |
Celebrations
Christmas celebrations revolve around food as much as they do presents. They start on Christmas Eve (réveillon de Noël) with a lavish meal lasting many hours. The main course is usually goose, turkey, capon or white pudding followed by the traditional dessert, a bûche de Noël (Christmas log). Families start the celebrations with an apéritif before the meal accompanied by foie gras and elaborate amuse-bouche (nibbles). Champagne sometimes replaces the usual apéritif drinks.
| I’d like to wish you a… | Je vous souhaite un/une… zhuh voo soo-eht uñ/ewn… |
| Merry Christmas! | Joyeux Noël! zhwa-yuh noh-el! |
| Happy New Year! | Bonne année! bon a-nay! |
| Happy Easter! | Joyeuses Pâques! zhwa-yuz pak! |
| Happy birthday! | Bon anniversaire! bon a-nee-vehr-sehr! |
| Have a good trip! | Bon voyage! boñ vwa-yazh! |
| Enjoy your meal! | Bon appétit! bon a-pay-tee! |
Making friends
In this section we have used the informal tu for the questions.
| FACE TO FACE |
| Comment tu t’appelles? ko-mahñ tew ta-pel? What’s your name? |
| Je m’appelle… zhuh ma-pel… My name is… |
| Tu es d’où? tew ay doo? Where are you from? |
| Je suis anglais(e), de Londres zhuh swee zahñ-gleh(z), duh loñdr I am English, from London |
| Enchanté(e)! ahñ-shahñ-tay! Pleased to meet you! |
| De rien! duh ryañ! You’re welcome! |
| How old are you? | Quel âge as-tu? kel azh a tew? |
| I’m … years old | J’ai … ans zhay … ahñ |
| Are you French? | Tu es français(e)? tew ay frahñ-seh(z)? |
| I’m English/Scottish/American | Je suis anglais(e)/écossais(e)/américain(e) zhuh swee zahñ-gleh(z)/zay-ko-seh(z)/za-mayree-kañ/ken |
| England/English | l’Angleterre f/anglais(e) ahñ-gluh-tehr/ahñ-gleh(z) |
| Scotland/Scottish | l’Écosse f/écossais(e) ay-kos/ay-ko-seh(z) |
| Wales/Welsh | le Pays de Galles/gallois(e) pay-yee duh gal/ga-lwa(z) |
| Ireland/Irish | l’Irlande f/irlandais(e) eer-lahñd/eer-lahñ-deh(z) |
| USA/American | les États-Unis/américain(e) ay-ta-zew-nee/a-may-ree-kañ/ken |
| Australia/Australian | l’Australie f/australien(ne) oh-stra-lee/oh-stra-lyañ/lee-en |
| Where do you live? | Où est-ce que tu habites? oo es kuh tew a-beet? |
| Where do you live? (plural) | Où est-ce que vous habitez? oo es kuh voo za-bee-tay? |
| I live in London | J’habite à Londres zha-beet a loñdr |
| We live in Glasgow | Nous habitons à Glasgow noo za-bee-toñ a glaz-goh |
| I’m… | Je suis… zhuh swee… |
| single | célibataire say-lee-ba-tehr |
| married | marié(e) mar-yay |
| divorced | divorcé(e) dee-vor-say |
| I have… | J’ai… zhay… |
| a boyfriend | un petit ami uñ puh-tee-ta-mee |
| a girlfriend | une petite amie ewn puh-teet a-mee |
| I have a partner (male/female) | J’ai un compagnon/une compagne zhay uñ koñ-pa-nyoñ/ewn koñ-panyuh |
| I have … children | J’ai … enfants zhay … ahñ-fahñ |
| I have no children | Je n’ai pas d’enfants zhuh nay pas dahñ-fahñ |
| I’m here on holiday/on business/for the weekend | Je suis ici en vacances/en voyage d’affaires/en week-end zhuh swee zee-see ahñ va-kahñs/ahñ vwa-yazh da-fehr/ahñ wee-kend |
Work
| What work do you do? | Qu’est-ce que vous faites comme travail? kes kuh voo fet kom tra-va-yuh? |
| I’m… | Je suis… zhuh swee… |
| a doctor | médecin may-dsañ |
| a manager | directeur dee-rek-tur |
| a secretary | secrétaire suh-kray-tehr |
| I’m self-employed | Je travaille à mon compte zhuh tra-va-yuh a moñ koñt |
Weather
| temps variable tahñ va-ree-abl | changeable weather |
| beau boh | fine |
| temps orageux tahñ o-ra-zhuh | thundery weather |
| It’s sunny | Il y a du soleil eel ya dew so-lay |
| It’s raining | Il pleut eel pluh |
| It’s snowing | Il neige eel nezh |
| It’s windy | Il y a du vent eel ya dew vahñ |
| What a lovely day! | Quelle belle journée! kel bel zhoor-nay! |
| What awful weather! | Quel mauvais temps! kel moh-veh tahñ! |
| What will the weather be like tomorrow? | Quel temps fera-t-il demain? kel tahñ fuh-ra-teel duh-mañ? |
| Do you think it’s going to rain? | Vous croyez qu’il va pleuvoir? voo krwa-yay keel va pluh-vwar? |
| It’s very hot/cold | Il fait très chaud/froid eel feh treh shoh/frwa |
Getting around
Asking the way
| en face de ahñ fas duh | opposite |
| à côté de a ko-tay duh | next to |
| près de preh duh | near to |
| le carrefour luh kar-foor | crossroads |
le rond-point
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