Lesson 5 Flashcards by Julie Bismuth

How do you contract the preposition à with the definite articles le and les?

à + le = au, à + les = aux

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What is your hobby?

Quel est ton hobby?

a hobby - un hobby

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They desire many things

Ils désirent beaucoup de choses

to desire, to want, to wish for - désirer. Note that this verb is commonly followed by the infinitive: ils désirent partir en vacances – “they want to go on vacation.”

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Do you want to listen to the radio?

Voulez-vous écouter la radio?

a radio - une radio

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We make radios

Nous fabriquons des radios

to make, to construct, to manufacture - fabriquer

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I’m going to see Paul tomorrow

Je vais voir Paul demain

immediate future tense - aller + infinitive. The immediate future tense is used to express something that will happen soon. (The future tense, on the other hand, is used for future events in general.) The immediate future tense is composed of the present tense of aller + the infinitive of the action verb. For example, “he’s going to eat” would be il va manger.

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He is going to use a pencil

Il va utiliser un crayon

to use - utiliser

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I am going to get a good grade

Je vais recevoir une bonne note

a grade (in a class/on an exam) - une note. A “rank” or a “school year (level)” is best translated by classe.

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They like all sports

Ils aiment tous les sports

a sport - un sport. Note how tous is employed to match the number and gender of sports. The feminine forms of tout are toute and toutes.

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We’re going to play a game of basketball

On va jouer un match de basket

a (sports) match, a game - un match, une partie. Match and partie apply to sports games, while games in general should be described with jeu.

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Before playing a game, I listen to music

Avant de jouer un match, j’écoute de la musique

before - avant. Note that it is common to use avant right before de + the infinitive of a verb.

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I talk to my mom after lunch

Je parle à ma mère après le déjeuner

after - après. Note that après is used here as a preposition, meaning it is followed by a noun.

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It’s going to be enjoyable

Ça va être agréable

pleasant, enjoyable, nice - agréable. Note that the opposite, “unpleasant,” is désagréable.

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It’s a serious matter

C’est une affaire sérieuse

serious - sérieux, grave. Note that affaire is a feminine noun. To refer to literal matter, use matière, which is also feminine.

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Which basketball team do you like better?

Quelle équipe de basket préfères-tu?

a team - une équipe

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Is he an athlete?

Est-il athlète?

an athlete - un athlète

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My favorite team isn’t very popular

Mon équipe préférée n’est pas très populaire

popular - populaire. Note that, in general, adjectives that already end with an “e” do not change from the masculine to the feminine.

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Soccer is the best sport

Le football c’est le meilleur sport

soccer, football - le football. Note that football is frequently shortened to foot.

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Do you want to play tennis?

Est-ce que vous voulez jouer au tennis?

tennis - le tennis. Remember that jouer à ___ normally applies to playing a sport.

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The game is at the soccer field

Le match est au terrain de foot

a (sports) field - un terrain

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I hate (American) football

Je déteste le football américain

(American) football - le football américain

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I’m going to play sports two times today

Je vais faire du sport deux fois aujourd’hui

a time (instance) - une fois. Note that fois is a mark of reiteration. Be careful not to confuse fois with temps, which is both the concept of “time” and “the weather.”

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We are going to arrive late tonight

Nous allons arriver en retard ce soir

late - en retard. Note that this is only the adverbial use of “late.” The adjective for “late” is tard, like in the expression C’est trop tard – “It’s too late.”

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My dad is always early

Mon père est toujours en avance

to be early - être en avance. Note that the construction arriver en avance, “to arrive early,” is also very common.

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Excuse me, I’m in a hurry

Excusez-moi, je suis pressé

in a hurry, in a rush - pressé

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I’m going to swim three times this weekend. But you don’t know how to swim

Je vais nager trois fois ce week-end. Mais tu ne sais pas nager

to swim - nager. The expression faire de la natation can also mean “to go swimming.” In the second sentence, note the construction savoir + infinitive – “to know how to ___.”

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We’re swimming in her pool

Nous nageons dans sa piscine

a (swimming) pool - une piscine. Note that the nous form of nager keeps the “e” so that the stem becomes nage-.

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They run quickly/fast

Elles courent vite

to run - courir. Note that courir has an irregular conjugation: je cours, tu cours, il/elle/on court, nous courons, vous courez, ils/elles courent.

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Are you going jogging today?

Est-ce que tu vas faire du jogging aujourd’hui?

to go jogging - faire du jogging

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He is breathing quickly while running

Il respire rapidement en courant

to breathe - respirer

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Michel wants to go fishing

Michel veut aller à la pêche

to (go) fish(ing) - aller à la pêche. An alternative is the verb pêcher, “to fish.”

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They read a lot of books

Elles lisent beaucoup de livres

to read - lire. The present-tense conjugations for the verb lire are: je lis, tu lis, il/elle/on lit, nous lisons, vous lisez, ils/elles lisent.

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What novel are you reading?

Quel roman lis-tu?

a novel - un roman

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Who is the author of this book?

Qui est l’auteur de ce livre?

an author - un auteur

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Can you describe the novel?

Peux-tu décrire le roman?

to describe - décrire

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There are a lot of characters in the movie

Il y a beaucoup de personnages dans le film

a character (in a story) - un personnage. Note that the masculine word caractère refers to one’s moral character.

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He has a strong personality

Il a une forte personnalité

personality - la personnalité. Note that this word can also mean “celebrity.”

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Pierre no longer likes to travel

Pierre n’aime plus voyager

to travel - voyager

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I need to take a trip

J’ai besoin de faire un voyage

a trip - un voyage. Note the construction faire un voyage. Prendre un voyage does not work.

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She is going to see the world

Elle va voir le monde

the world - le monde

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I play music on the piano

Je joue de la musique sur le piano

to play music - jouer de la musique. Remember that jouer de normally applies to playing music.

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I like rock music

J’aime le rock

rock music - le rock. La musique rock would also work.

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Classical music is better than rock music

La musique classique est mieux que le rock

classical music - la musique classique

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My favorite instrument is the guitar

Mon instrument préféré c’est la guitare

an instrument - un instrument

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She wants to be a musician

Elle veut être musicienne

a musician - un musicien. Note the feminine form, musicienne. Also note that with a profession, you can skip using the (indefinite) article before the noun.

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How much does the coffee cost?

Combien coûte le café?

a coffee, a café - un café. Note how this word can mean both the drink and the literal establishment where coffee is served.

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I want to watch a movie

J’ai envie de regarder un film

a movie - un film

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Do you want to go to the movies?

Voulez-vous aller au cinéma?

the movies - le cinéma

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I’d like to see a play

J’ai envie de voir une pièce

a play (theatre) - une pièce (de théâtre)

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What is your favorite TV show called?

Comment s’appelle ton émission de télé préférée?

a TV show - une émission de télévision, un programme télévisé. Note that une série télé could also work, although that translates more directly to “a TV series.”

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He is going to create a team of athletes

Il va créer une équipe d’athlètes

to create - créer

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He’s still playing the piano

Il joue encore du piano

still, again - encore. Recall that toujours can also be used to mean “still.”

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We are going to watch the movie (once) again

On va regarder le film de nouveau

(once) again, once more - de nouveau

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He is even going to come to the match with us

Il va même venir avec nous au match

even - même. Used here as an adverb, même can also be an adjective, meaning “(the) same.”

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You guys are saying the same thing

Vous êtes en train de dire la même chose

(the) same - (le/la/les) même(s). Même is used here as an adjective, but it can also be used as an adverb and pronoun.

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They are always the same

Ils sont toujours les mêmes

(the) same - (le/la/les) même(s). Here, the base construction le même is used as a pronoun; note the use of the plural form, however.

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the thing itself

la chose même

Note how when même is used after a noun, it takes on an emphatic meaning. Another example: le jour même means “the very day.”

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Even Jean can explain the story

Même Jean peut expliquer l’histoire

to explain - expliquer. Note that “an explanation” is une explication.

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My cat sleeps during the day

Mon chat dort pendant la journée

during - pendant. When followed by a noun, pendant means “during.” An alternative is durant. Note that the feminine noun journée is used to denote the general duration of a day as opposed to a division of time.

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He is going to tell a story for ten minutes

Il va raconter une histoire pendant dix minutes

to tell - raconter. Note that in this case, pendant means “for,” and applies to the duration of something either in the past or the future (but not the present).

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I’m going to say something

Je vais dire quelque chose

to tell, to say - dire. Recall that you can also use raconter for “to tell.”

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I’ve been working since this morning

Je travaille depuis ce matin

since (prep.) - depuis. This preposition is used with the present tense to indicate actions that began in the past and that are still ongoing. It can also mean “for.” For instance, J’étudie l’anglais depuis cinq ans means “I have studied English for five years (and am still studying it).”

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Marie is going to travel for two months

Marie va voyager pour deux mois

Note that you can use pour to discuss the duration of something, but only if it applies to the future. Pendant would work as an alternative. Finally, note that mois is a masculine noun.

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The lesson is boring, but I’m still going to try to listen to what the professor is saying

La leçon est ennuyeuse, mais je vais quand même essayer d’écouter ce que le prof dit

even so, still - quand même. This adverb can also mean “anyhow” or “all the same.”

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Even so, the situation is still very serious

Cependant, la situation est toujours très grave

however, even so - cependant, pourtant. These adverbs can be used in a variety of ways in contradictory phrases, taking on further meanings like “yet” and “nonetheless.”

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Contrary to my classmates, I like my history class a lot

Contrairement à mes camarades de classe, j’aime beaucoup mon cours d’histoire

contrary to - à l’inverse de, contrairement à

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Sophie is always late but Albert, on the other hand, is always on time

Sophie est toujours en retard mais Albert, par contre, est toujours à l’heure

on the other hand, by contrast - par contre. This common expression is used to contrast two statements. It can take on other meanings, like “but” and “whereas,” as well.

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We sing/are singing better and better

Nous chantons de mieux en mieux

better and better - de mieux en mieux

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In any case, Marie thinks he is a good professor

En tout cas, Marie pense qu’il est un bon professeur

at any rate, in any case, anyhow - en tout cas. This construction is invariable. Note that cas is the word for “case.”

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At any rate, he wants to go

De toute façon, il veut aller

at any rate, in any case, anyhow - de toute façon. This expression is an alternative to en tout cas.

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Since I have been in France, I have eaten a lot more

Depuis que je suis en France, je mange beaucoup plus

since (conjunction) - depuis que. Unlike “since” in English, depuis que is used with the present tense, and not the past, to indicate that an activity is still ongoing.

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See you right away!

À tout de suite!

right away, immediately - tout de suite

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I am beginning to write a novel

Je commence à écrire un roman

to begin - commencer. This verb requires the preposition à before an infinitive in order to say “to begin to ___.”

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The beginning of the story is interesting

Le début de l’histoire est intéressant

the beginning, the start - le début. Note how le début de is “the beginning of.”

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Do you like the end of the novel?

Est-ce que tu aimes la fin du roman?

the end - la fin. Note the use of de, changed here to du because roman is masculine. “The end” can be translated in several ways, including le bout (the extremity of something) and la limite (the outer limit of something).

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My cousin Sophia travels everywhere

Ma cousine Sophia voyage partout

everywhere - partout. Partout can take several other meanings, including “wherever,” “all over,” and “throughout.”

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My house is across from the school

Ma maison est en face de l’école

in front of, across from - en face de

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Why does he live next to the soccer field?

Pourquoi habite-t-il à côté du terrain de foot?

beside, next to - à côté de. Note the inclusion of -t- between the inverted verb and subject. This is done in the third-person singular when the verb ends in a vowel, for the sake of the “t” sound.

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Hello. Where are you? I’m in front of Michel

Allo. Où es-tu? Je suis devant Michel

in front of - devant

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I am walking toward the pool

Je marche vers la piscine

toward - vers. Note that this word can also mean “around” or “about”: for example, vers six heures means “around six o’clock.”

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My mom lives close to here

Ma mère habite près d’ici

here - ici

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They are often far from their families

Ils sont souvent loin de leurs familles

far (from) - loin (de)

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The Eiffel Tower? It’s very far from here

La tour Eiffel? C’est très loin d’ici

far (from) - loin (de). Note the use of c’est instead of elle est, because the adverb that follows is modified.

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The closest school is far from here

L’école la plus proche est loin d’ici

closest, nearest - le plus proche, le plus près. Note that you should use le plus proche when talking about either physical distance or emotional intimacy. Use le plus près for numerical or figurative proximity.

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Is there someone else?

Y a-t-il quelqu’un d’autre?

someone else - quelqu’un d’autre. Note the inversion of il y a here, which includes the added “t” sound. People commonly use est-ce que as an alternative: Est-ce qu’il y a quelqu’un d’autre?

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Marc, are you ready?

Marc, es-tu prêt?

ready - prêt. The feminine form is prête. Note that “ready to” is prêt à.

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They do not agree about the location of the museum

Ils ne sont pas d’accord sur l’emplacement du musée

location - l’emplacement. The construction être d’accord sur means “to agree about,” while être d’accord avec means “to agree with.” Note that musée is masculine.

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This museum is one of my favorite places

Ce musée est un de mes endroits préférés

a location, a place - un lieu, un endroit. These words apply to places in general, while emplacement is used when talking about the location of something in particular.

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I am staying in Paris with my parents

Je demeure à Paris avec mes parents

to stay (somewhere), to remain - demeurer. This verb carries two potential meanings. It can be a synonym of habiter, or it can mean “to remain,” as in the sentence, “This school remains highly competitive.”

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He is there, at school

Il est là, à l’école

there, here - là. This word is used in several ways in French, both for emphasis and as an adverb of place.

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Paul is not here today

Paul n’est pas là aujourd’hui

there, here - là. Note how in this case là is used to mean “here.”

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I’ve been here for ten minutes

Voilà dix minutes que je suis là

Note how voilà can be used as a replacement for il y a or depuis to express how long something’s been going on.

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We live over there

Nous habitons là-bas

over there - là-bas. Note that this can also mean “down there.”

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The cat is behind the piano

Le chat est derrière le piano

behind - derrière

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She is to the right of her friend

Elle est à droite de son amie

right - droite. Note the use of the structure à droite de here. Also note that un droitier is someone who is right-handed.

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My guitar is to your left

Ma guitare est à ta gauche

left - gauche. Note that un gauchier is someone who is left-handed.

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The kitchen is downstairs

La cuisine est en bas

downstairs, down - en bas

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He is not going to buy the right movie

Il ne va pas acheter le bon film

right (correct) - bon. Note that this literally means “good,” so the sense of correctness must be understood from context.

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We are watching the wrong game

Nous regardons le mauvais match

wrong (incorrect, out of a choice) - mauvais. This meaning must be understood from context since mauvais literally means “bad.”

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I don’t like that chair. Plus, it costs too much

Je n’aime pas cette chaise. Et en plus, elle coûte trop cher

plus - (et) en plus

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Where is the park?

Où est le parc?

a park - un parc. Another way of asking this would be Où se trouve le parc?

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I want to throw a party tomorrow

Je veux faire une fête demain

a party - une fête. Une soirée can also mean “a party.” Soirée also means “evening,” but it is used in different situations than soir.

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Does he have alcohol? I don’t know; plus, I don’t like alcohol

A-t-il de l’alcool? Je ne sais pas; en plus, je n’aime pas l’alcool

alcohol - alcool. Note how -t- is added between the inverted verb and subject.

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Do they drink alcohol?

Est-ce qu’ils boivent de l’alcool?

to drink - boire. This is an irregular verb. Its conjugations in the present are: je bois, tu bois, il/elle/on boit, nous buvons, vous buvez, ils boivent.

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He laughs during the film

Il rit pendant le film

to laugh - rire. In the present, the conjugations for this verb are: je ris, tu ris, il/elle/on rit, nous rions, vous riez, ils/elles rient.

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She’s too drunk for this party

Elle est trop ivre pour cette fête

drunk - ivre, soûl

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You guys don’t like beer?

Vous n’aimez pas la bière?

beer - la bière

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She loves red wine

Elle adore le vin rouge

wine - le vin

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The children often drink orange juice

Les enfants boivent souvent du jus d’orange

juice - le jus. Note that a specific type of juice can be specified by using the preposition de. Thus, “prune juice” is le jus de prune.

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They are going hunting this evening

Ils vont à la chasse ce soir

to hunt - chasser, faire la chasse, aller à la chasse

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I’ll drink a little wine

Je vais boire un peu de vin

a little - un peu. Note that peu by itself can mean “few.”

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I have a new bicycle

J’ai un nouveau vélo

a bicycle - un vélo

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It’s too hot to bike

Il fait trop chaud pour faire du vélo

to bike - faire du vélo. Note the use of pour to mean “to.”

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When it’s very cold, do you guys play hockey?

Quand il fait très froid, est-ce que vous faites du hockey?

to play hockey - faire du hockey

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I’m going to take the next plane

Je vais prendre le prochain avion

next, following - prochain. You could also say Je vais prendre le prochain vol, with vol meaning “flight.”

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Apparently he is going to throw something

Apparemment il va lancer quelque chose

to throw - lancer. Note the adverb apparemment.

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I’m going to hike next week

Je vais faire de la randonnée la semaine prochaine

to hike - faire de la randonnée. Note that the placement of prochain can change its meaning. La prochaine semaine means “the following week,” whereas la semaine prochaine means “next week.”

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Next time, he is going to start sooner/earlier

La prochaine fois, il va commencer plus tôt

(the) next time - la prochaine fois. Note how prochaine precedes the noun.

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We are going on vacation for two weeks

Nous allons en vacances pendant deux semaines

vacation - les vacances. “Vacation” is always plural in French. Note the use of en before vacances. The expression prendre des vacances also exists.

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My mother likes to garden behind our house

Ma mère aime faire du jardinage derrière notre maison

to garden - faire du jardinage, jardiner

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I am in the process of collecting old stamps

Je suis en train de collectionner des vieux timbres

to collect - collectionner. Note that faire collection can work as well. Also note that timbre is a masculine noun.

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Is this armchair available in other colors?

Ce fauteuil est-il disponible dans d’autres couleurs?

available - disponible

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Are you free tomorrow morning?

Êtes-vous libre demain matin?

free (available) - libre. Note that disponible would also work.

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Is this seat free?

Ce siège est-il disponible?

a seat - un siège. Note that libre would also work as an alternative to disponible.

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first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth

premier, deuxième, troisième, quatrième, cinquième, sixième, septième, huitième, neuvième, dixième

With the exception of premier, ordinal numbers are usually created by adding the suffix -ième to the given number. If the cardinal number ends with an “e,” that letter must be removed before adding the suffix.

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It’s the last (final) day of the week

C’est le dernier jour de la semaine

last - dernier. Note that the placement of this adjective changes its meaning. La dernière semaine means “the last (final) week,” whereas la semaine dernière means “last week.”

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I see the light under the door

Je vois la lumière sous la porte

under(neath), beneath, below - sous. Note that sous must be followed by a noun.

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The book is under the bed

Le livre est au-dessous du lit

under(neath), below - au-dessous (de). This can take the same meaning as sous, although it does not necessarily have to be followed by a noun.

Translate to French:

Does she live below her neighbor?

Habite-t-elle en dessous de son voisin?

under(neath), below - en dessous (de). This construction is interchangeable with au-dessous (de).

Translate to French:

The ship is at the bottom of the sea

Le bateau est au fond de la mer

at the bottom of - au fond de. Note that mer is a feminine noun.

Translate to French:

He lives above his store

Il habite au-dessus de son magasin

on, on top of, above - au-dessus (de). This construction is similar in meaning to sur. However, it does not necessarily have to be followed by a noun. En dessus (de) does not exist. Finally, note that magasin is masculine.

Translate to French:

My team has the upper hand in this game

Mon équipe a le dessus dans ce match

to have the upper hand - avoir le dessus

Translate to French:

Where do you live? I live on the fifth floor

Où habites-tu? J’habite au cinquième étage

a floor, a story - un étage. Note the use of à to mean “on” here. Of course, à le becomes au.

Translate to French:

There are two entrances to this house

Il y a deux entrées à cette maison

an entrance - une entrée

Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Lesson 5 Flashcards

This deck covers the immediate future tense, ordinal numbers, duration words, and location words. You will also learn vocabulary centered on hobbies and sports.

Brainscape's Knowledge Genome^TM