General Day-to-Day Phrases Flashcards
I take
You take
He takes
Je prends
tu prends
il prend
To place / to put
I put
You put
He puts
You can put over there
Verb = Mettre
Je mets
tu mets
il met
Tu peux mettre la-bas
I see
You see
He sees
Voir
je vois
tu vois
il voit
I hear
You hear
He hears
Entendre
J’entends
tu entends
il entend
By any chance….
Use in place of “si possible….”
By any chance is it that you have a table for 2 persons?
par hasard = by any chance
Par hasard est ce que avez vous une table pour deux personnes?
It has been too long …..
Ça fait trop longtemps
Something special ?
Maybe something special ?
Quelque chose de particulier ? = something special
Can also say:
Peut-être quelque chose de spécial ?
We (have) met them at the bar (f)
We can meet you at the bar (f)
nous les avons recontrés au bar
nous pouvons vous rencontrer au bar
Let’s meet at the bar (we meet at the bar)
Nous rencontrons au bar
or:
Rendez-vous au bar
It’s strong (in taste - like in a drink)
It’s not strong (in taste)
C’est for[t] = it’s strong (like a drink)
Ce n’est pas fort
You are very strong
tu es très costaud (cost au)
Thank you ladies (plural)
Merci mesdames
I was right (you would say “I had reason” - imparfait tense)
You were right (you had reason)
He was right (he had reason)
They were right (they had reason)
I am right (I “have” reason - using avoir)
You are right
She is right
I think that I am right
J’avais raison
Tu avais raison
Il avait raison
Ils avaient raison
J’ai raison
Tu as raison
Elle a raison
Je pense que j’ai raison
Too early
Too late
Am I too late / for quiche ?
I have arrived too late for the quiche ? (remember to use être)
Trop tôt
Trop tard
Suis-je trop tard / pour la quiche ?
Diane says just use:
Je suis arrivé en retard pour la quiche ?
All is great
Tout est super (remember to pronounce the “t” as in “tout te”)
I have already swum this morning
I have already done the gym this morning
(translated literally as above)
j’ai déjà nagé ce matin
J’ai déjà fait de la gym ce matin
the storm
there is a storm
l’orage
il y a de l’orage
You can go there
I went there (“I am gone there” using être and “y”)
“I am going to go there” using “y” (remember where there are 2 verbs “y” is always before the second verb)
Tu peux y aller
I went there = j’y suis allé
I will go there / I am going to go there = je vais y aller
“You look like” you’re in good form/shape
Tu as l’air en forme
Instead/in the place of
As in “instead of/in place of something”
à la place
à la place le poulet je prendrais plutôt le poisson.
I would rather take = je prendrais plutôt (literally, “I will take “instead”)
Plutôt = instead
Phrase to use for “it’s too much…”
Literally “it’s much”
C’est trop
Best way to ask someone’s name is…
Comment tu t’appelle ?
It’s far
It’s a long way (it’s “a lot” far)
C’est loin
C’est beaucoup loin (lu a)
loin = “far”
Coming !
I am coming / I come
À venir!
But Diane says just use “J’arrive” for “I’m coming”
Je veins (ve un) / Je vein (ve un) - pronounced the same
At this price ?
At this price ..yes/no
(Literally “at this price there”)
à ce prix-là
à ce prix-là, oui/non
This one / That one (m + f)
These ones
Those two there (as if pointing)
celui-ci (m) / celle-ci (f) = this one, that one
(note quiche is feminine “la quiche” - so when pointing to a quiche you would say “celle-ci”)
ceux-là / celles-là = these ones
So for quiche, when ordering more than one, use the feminine plural “celles-là”)
ces deux là = those two there (as if pointing)
It’s a recent discovery….
C’est une découverte récente
…to keep the blood sugar low
…à garder la glycémie basse
Herbal tea
la tisane = herbal tea
There was
There was not
There is
There is not
There isn’t anything / there is nothing (there)
There isn’t someone
il y avait
il n’y avait pas
il y a
il n’y a pas
il n’y a rien là
il n’y a quelqu’un
They are our good friends
Ce sont nos bons amis
(Ce son no bons (pronounce s) ami)
He is my very good friend
You would say: “it’s my very good friend”
C’est mon très bon ami
It’s nothing don’t worry
First:
“It’s nothing…”
Then:
“….don’t worry”
Ce n’est rien ne t’inquiète pas
It’s nothing = ce n’est rien
Don’t worry = ne t’inquiète pas (“ne tun qui et pah”)
I hope that all is going better / in Turkey / with you
J’espère que tout (tou) va mieux en Turquie / avec toi
Ways to say goodbye in French.
À tout à l’heure (Ah too tah leuhr). This means “see you later.” This phrase is used if you will see the person later in the day.
À plus tard = (Ah plue tahr). This phrase also means “see you later” but is only used in more informal circumstances. You may also hear it said as “à plus” (ah plue-ss), which is just an abbreviation
À très vite = see you very soon
or:
À très bientôt = If you’re seeing the person within a matter of hours (See you very soon)
Salut = (Sah-lou). This is a very casual way of saying goodbye (or rather, “bye!”) in French. Note that it also means “hi!”
À bientôt = (Ah bee yen toe). This is the general way of saying “see you soon.” You’d use it formally or casually, when you know you’ll be seeing the person soon. If you’re seeing the person within a matter of hours, you could say: À très bientôt. (See you very soon)
À tout de suite = (Ah too deh sweet). Here’s yet another way of saying “see you very soon.” The key distinction is that you’d only say it when you’re seeing the person immediately following your conversation.
À la prochaine = (Ah la prosh-enne). This phrase means “until next time” or “see you next time.” Unsurprisingly, it’s used when you’re unsure of when you’re going to see the other person again
À lundi = see you Monday etc.
À ce soir = see you this evening
À demain = see you tomorrow
Ciao = bye!
I love you all !
Je t’aime tous !
I have had
or:
I had back surgery
J’ai eu = i have had
J’ai eu une opération sur mon dos
However
Think… “dependent”
cependant (ce pon don)
cependant: literally something like “while this [is/was happening], meanwhile”, originally with just that simple meaning, but later with the added meaning that concerns us here. Probably the same mechanism as “still”
pourtant: literally “for so much [to the contrary]” - probably the same mechanism as “even so”
toutefois: literally “every time” - maybe the same mechanism as “however”
néanmoins: literally “no less” - seems to be the same mechanism as “nevertheless” and “nonetheless”
en revanche: literally “in revenge” (though revanche is a much gentler “revenge” usually employed for games, such as a return match)
par contre: literally “by against”, usually rendered in English by “in contrast”, “on the other hand”
I am leaving / I am ready to leave now
Je m’en vais (maintenant) = I am leaving / I am ready to leave now
I love you all. I had fun (using “s’amuser” passé compose). However, now I am leaving. I need sleep.
Je t’aime tous. Je me suis amusé / On s’est amusé. Cependant (ce pon don) maintenant je m’en vais. J’ai besoin de sommeil (som may)
The verb ‘to have fun’ in French is s’amuser. If friends are leaving for a night on the town you might tell them to have fun: amusez-vous bien! (‘Have fun!’) Amusez-vous bien is pronounced, ‘am-you-zay voo byehn.’ This is the imperative form of the verb, or a command form, for the plural ‘you.’ It is also the form for when you are speaking with someone you would normally address as vous–the polite form of ‘you.’
If you are speaking to just one friend, the expression for ‘have fun!’ is amuse-toi bien! This is pronounced, ‘am-youz twa byehn.’
On s’est amusé = we had fun
On va s’amuser = we are going to have fun
Or just say “ca va être super”
It’s obvious / it goes without saying
Ça coule de source !
Fast (nouns v actions)
Vous êtes rapides ! (nouns eg. you /car etc)
Vous marchez vite ! (actions/verbs etc.)
vous marchez vite tous les deux (you both walk fast)
Bon / bonne v bien (nouns v actions/verbs)
le dessert est bon (féminin: bonne)
tu nages bien
je vais bien
It would be better (to travel/to do/to eat)
il vaut mieux (voyager/faire/manger)
Is it worth it (to go there)?
“It’s worth / the penalty (effort) / to go there”
The restaurant? Yes, it’s worth going there.
ça vaut la peine (penne)
ça vaut la peine y aller = it’s worth going (as a statement or a question)
Ça vaut = it’s worth
la peine = the effort
Le resto? Oui, ça vaut la peine y aller
Q. You have seen your sister ?
A. Yes, I have seen her
Q. You have spoken to your sister ?
A. Yes, I have spoken “to her”
À + person
Q. Tu as vu ta soeur ?
A. Oui, je l’ai vu (le, la, les…)
Q. Tu as parlé à ta soeur ?
A. Oui, je lui ai parlé (lui, leur…)
