May - July 2024 Flashcards
when I wake up in the morning
quand je me réveille le matin
the ocean
l’océan oSSéan
I wonder….
(“I ask myself”)
I wonder if it’s true /correct
Sometimes I wonder if it’s true /correct
Je me demande = I wonder
Je me demande si ç’est vrai
Parfois, je me demande si ç’est vrai
talking about being busy
busy:
a person is busy = je suis occupé
a time that is busy = ma semaine est chargée
a place that is busy - endroits (places) = il y a du monde (“there is a lot of people”)
talking / asking about how things were
comment était / ça a été la course ?
comment était le weekend ?
I went swimming this morning
je suis allé nager ce matin.
Talking about weather:
“Something” was cold…(the water was cold)
“It was” (hot) yesterday
It is …hot today in St Barts
“I was” …hot / cold (you would say: “I “had” heat / cold”)
l’eau était froide - the water was cold (i.e. something was cold)
il faisait chaud (hier) - it was hot (yesterday) (i.e. the weather was hot)
il fait chaud aujourd’hui à St Bart = It’s hot today in St Barts
j’avais chaud / froid - I was (had) hot (i.e. someone was hot)
it was fantastic, but I was (I had) cold because there was a lot of wind
c’était fantastique, mais j’avais froid parce que il y avait beaucoup du vent
it was busy (there was a lot of people) at the restaurant last night
Note: 2 ways to say it.
And also:
“it is busy” (there is a lot of people)
It WAS busy:
il y avait du monde au resto heir soir
il y avait beaucoup de gens au resto hier soir
It IS busy:
il y a du monde
il y a beaucoup de gens
most of the people at the Zion Gym (m) are cool
la plupart des gens au Zion Gym sont cool
Trust me
Trust me, it will be good (“it is going to be good”)
fais-moi confiance
fais-moi confiance. ça va être bien
j’étais v J’ai été
j’étais = I was: The imperfect tense is used to describe an action that is progressing in the past.
J’étais fatigué
J’ai été = I have been: past perfect. The passé composé is used to describe an action that happened in the past and is now over.
J’ai été à la banque
J’avais v J’ai eu
“J’avais” (in the imparfait) refers to something you had over a period of time, or which you continue to have but are referring to having had in the past.
J’avais commandé le poulet / I had ordered the chicken
J’avais faim = I had hunger / I was hungry
“J’ai eu” / “I had” refers to something that definitively occurred in the past, which did not repeat, and which is not continuing.
J’ai eu une opération sur mon dos / I had a operation on my back
J’ai eu un message / I had a message
We are ready to clean the bedroom
on est prêts à nettoyer (net toi et) la chambre
The race
La course (corse)
the competition
la compétition
To your health!
À ta santé!
Or:
À votre santé (if there is a group)
Numbers
60+ < 80
80+ < 100
soixante-dix 70
soixante onze 71
soixante douze 72
soixante quinze 75
quatre-vingt dix 90
quatre-vingt onze 91
quatre-vingt douze 92
quatre-vingt dix huit 98
quatre-vingt dix neuf 99
I will be 5 min late
Je serai 5 min en retard - I will be 5 min late
The same thing
The same
La même chose / the same thing
Pareil (pa ray) / the same
Pareil pour Maria et moi
Using “quand même”
I have Covid but I am working still.
The food is not so good in the restaurant but I go there still.
But here you would use a different phrase:
Why you go there still ?
J’ai le covid mais je travaille quand même.
La nourriture n’est pas si bonne dans ce resto mais j’y vais quand même.
Pourquoi tu y vas encore ?
When I go to the restaurant (m)
When I go to the market (m)
Quand je vais au resto
Quand je vais au marché
J’ai pu v Je pourrais
Quelle est la difference ?
They both mean “I could” in 2 different forms
J’ai pu - I could / I was (I have been) able to (completed action)
Par example: J’ai pu réserver le resto pour ce soir
Je n’ai pas pu - I could not / I was not (I have not been) able to
On a pu - We could / we were (we have been) able to
on n’a pas pu - we could not / we were not (we have not been) able to
Je pourrais - I could / I would be able (conditional action)
In French, “j’ai pu” and “je pourrais” are both verb forms that express different aspects of possibility or ability.
“J’ai pu” is the past tense of the verb “pouvoir,” which means “to be able to” or “can.” It indicates that something was accomplished or achieved in the past. This form is used when talking about a specific event that happened and was successfully completed.
Example: Hier, j’ai pu terminer mon travail à temps. (Yesterday, I was able to finish my work on time.)
On the other hand, “je pourrais” is the conditional form of the verb “pouvoir.” It expresses a hypothetical or potential ability or possibility in the present or future. This form is used when discussing what one could do or be able to do under certain circumstances.
Example: Si j’avais plus de temps, je pourrais apprendre à jouer de la guitare. (If I had more time, I could learn to play the guitar.)
To summarize, “j’ai pu” refers to a completed action in the past, while “je pourrais” refers to a hypothetical or potential ability or possibility in the present or future.
We can not go out
We could not / were not able to go out (passe composé)
I could not / was not able to go out (passe composé)
on ne peut pas sortir - we can’t/can not go out
on n’a pas pu sortir - we couldn’t / were not able to go out
Je n’ai pas pu sortir
That’s the way it is / It’s like that
C’est comme ça
I ate (passe composé) v I was eating
I ate
J’ai mangé = one-off or single events, you know when they are finished PASSE COMPOSE
J’ai mangé une pomme
Je mangeais - describing a situation or a background IMPARFAIT
Je mangeais quand Maria est arrivé = I was eating when Maria arrived.
Only for the brave
Seulement pour les courageux (cour raj err)
It helps
Ça aide
I just saw the message from Fazila. All is good!
Je viens de voir le message de Fazila. Tout est bien!
I was looking for an app
I was looking for my wife
Je cherchais une application
Je cherchais pour ma femme
I will take first
Je prendrai en premier
Premier can either be a noun or an adjective.
ex: C’est la première fois que je viens ici. (This is the first time I’ve been here)
D’abord is only an adverb and means “first (of all), at first, firstly, for a start.”
ex: d’abord te laver les mains (wash your hands first)
If you hesitate on how to translate “first” in a sentence, try to replace it with “third.” If it makes sense, then you can translate it as “premier” if it doesn’t, then you need to use “d’abord.”
Ex:
This is the third time I’ve been here - so “première”
Go and wash your hands third - this doesn’t make sense so “d’abord”
Another example:
first we visited Rome - “third we visited Rome” doesn’t make sense - “d’abord” - nous avons d’abord visité Rome
No hurry at all
Pas d’urgence du tout
Training day
(Day of training)
Jour d’entraînement
We will be (f) delighted….to welcome you….again …Sunday.
Nous serons ravis de vous accueillir de nouveau le dimanche.
As much as possible
Autant que possible (poss seeb la)
Surprise me.
Surprends-moi
Perfect. Let’s do that !
Parfait! Faisons ça ! 🙂
It’s over there
ç’est par la
Over there
La bas
nowhere
nulle part
nowhere to be seen
(“nowhere to see”)
nulle part à voir
Check pronunciation with Diane (nulle like in “mule” or nulle like in “dull”
nowhere to go
nulle part où aller
show me
can you show me ?
montre-moi (mon tre moi)
peux-tu me montrer
I don’t feel so good
Je ne me sens pas si bien
saying for:
“and here I am, early in the morning”
et me voilà, de bon matin
I had to (passé composé of “I must” / je dois
I had to do it
I had to - j’ai du
I had to do it - J’ai du le faire
Using “…ant”
First:
I am tired
It’s tiring
Then:
I am exhausted
It’s exhausting
Then:
I am stressed
It’s stressful (same as above, like “it’s stressing”)
Je suis fatigué
c’est fatigant
je suis épuisé
c’est (cet-) épuisant
Je suis stressé
c’est stressant
in total
it’s how much in total ?
au total = in total
c’est combien, au total ?
Saying for:
“you must keep your focus clear” / “you must stay the course”
tu dois garder le cap
Variations on “Porter”
To wear / carry
To bring
To take away
Porter - To carry, to wear
Je porte une chemise blanche
Imagine un sac de 10kg que tu portes tous les jours
Apporter - to bring
Je vais apporter une bouteille de vin pour le dîner ce soir
Emporter - to take away
à emporter
The family is back
La famille est de retour - The family is back
It changes
Climate change
Ça change - it changes
Changement climatique
Explanation
Changement is a noun (Je n’aime pas le changement.)
Change is a conjugated verb (Le temps change selon les saisons.)
Phrases for “yesterday”
Yesterday
Yesterday evening
Last night
Last night I have not slept well
The last night / day of the season / holidays
The last day of my stay
The last day of our stay
Yesterday
Hier soir - yesterday evening
Hier soir on a mangé dehors (dur or) - last night we ate outside
La nuit dernière - last night (yesterday night)
La nuit dernière je n’ai pas bien dormi
La dernière nuit / jour de la saison / des vacances
Le dernier jour de mon séjour
Le dernier jour de notre séjour
Dehors - outside
dur or
Outside, it’s cold
Can we sit outside ?
Dehors, il fait froid
On peut s’asseoir dehors ?
It doesn’t surprise me
ça ne m’étonne pas - it doesn’t surprise me / I am not surprised
(ça ne mé tone pas)
I was at the gym
I was tired
I was eating
I was hiking
I was swiming
I was at the gym - J’étais à la gym
I was tired - J’étais fatigué
I was eating - Je mangeais
I was hiking - Je faisais de la randonnée (hiking = faire de la randonnée)
Je nageais
I think that I train maybe more than you
Je pense que je m’entraîne peut-être plus que toi
First, can I say…..
D’abord, puis-je dire…
Using “Profitez bien de” for “enjoy”
Enjoy your day
Enjoy your vacation
Enjoy your evening
Profitez bien de ta journée / profite de ta journée
Profitez bien de tes vacances / profite de tes vacances
Profitez bien de ta soirée / profite de ta soirée
I would take it
I would do it (first, “I would / will do” the add “it”- like if you were saying “I will / would do my best”)
I would do it with pleasure
I would do it if I could / was able to
Je le prendrais (you could also say “je vais le prendre”)
Je le ferais
Je le ferais avec pleasure
Je le ferais si je pouvais
Je pouvais is an imperfect tense verb that means “I could” or “I was able to”..
Je pourrais is a conditional tense verb that means “I could” or “I would be able to”.
For example, “Si je pouvais vendre ma voiture, je pourrais acheter une moto” translates to “If I could (was able to) sell my car, I could (would be able to) buy a motorbike”.
I will do..
I will do it now
Je ferai
Je le ferai maintenant
Saying for: “if it’s not one thing it’s the other”
Literally: “if it’s not the one, it’s the other”
si c’est pas l’un, c’est l’autre (l’ought)
I read - présent
I read (I have read) - passé
I read the newspaper - passé
Je lis (lee) - présent
j’ai lu - passé
j’ai lu le journal.
The TV / television (f)
La télé - prononcer “tay lay”
A show
We went to see a show
Un spectacle - a show
On est aller voir un spectacle
Fireworks
Les feux (fur) d’artifice (d’art tee feece) - Fireworks
To say, “it used to be” you would say “before, it was….”
Also: “it was good before”
Avant, c’était … - It used to be …
c’était bien avant
(the) things are changing
it changes - present
it (has) changed - passé
It changes all the time
It changes nothing
It changes every day
It changes everything (all)
It changes each week
She has changed a lot
The town has changed a lot
les choses changent (shh onge) - Things are changing
ça change - it changes
ça a changé - it (has) changed
ça change tout le temps
ça ne change rien
ça change tous le jours
ça change tout
ça change chaque semaine
Elle a beaucoup changé
La ville a beaucoup changé
What / I could (would be able to…) / do / better / the next time ?
Ce que je pourrais faire mieux la prochaine fois ?
I could / would be able to = Je pourrais
What I have learned today ? (Passe compose)
Ce que j’ai appris aujourd’hui ?
I am grateful for …
Je suis reconnaissant pour …
With the devices, we don’t take the time
We dont take the time anymore
Avec les appareils, on ne prend pas le temps
On ne prend plus (plu) le temp
You focus
(using reflexive “se concentrer”)
Tu te concentres (con sent)
I focus a lot
je me concentre (con sent) beaucoup
The newspaper (m)
The news
Le journal - the newspaper
Les infos - The news
I switch / turn on
I switch /turn off
J’allume - I switch on
j’allume la lumière
J’éteins (Je et un)
J’éteins la lumière
I start again (“I start” then add “re” for “again”)
Je (re)commence - I start (again)
Saying for “It’s the way it is” (“It’s like that”)
C’est comme ça - It’s the way it is
To our health ! (toasting)
À notre santé
That man over there
Cet homme là-bas
Its over there
Over there
ç’est par la
là-bas
We see each other still in London ?
On se voit toujours à Londres ?
I will have (imparfait of “avoir”)
I will have a flight that day
J’aurai un vol
J’aurai un vol ce jour là
She looks very good for her (the) age
Elle a l’air tres bien pour l’age
I went running
Je suis allé courir
Verb - to bring
I am going to bring a bottle of wine for the diner this evening (futur)
I bring (present)
I will bring (imparfait)
If you want, I will bring some wine (m) and food (f) tonight. Tell me just what you want.
Tell me what you want me to bring this evening (“tell me what you want that I bring this evening”)
Apporter
Je vais apporter une bouteille de vin pour le dîner ce soir
I bring - J’apporte
J’apporterai
Si tu veux, j’apporterai du vin (m) et de la nourriture (f) ce soir ? Dis-moi juste ce que tu veux.
Dis-moi ce que tu veux que j’apporte ce soir
Verb - to wear / to carry
I wear
Imagine a bag of 10kg that you carry all day
I can carry it
Porter - To carry, to wear
Je porte (Je porte une chemise blanche)
Imagine un sac de 10kg que tu portes tous les jours
Je peux le porter
The night (f)
The day (m+f)
The evening (m+f)
La nuit
Le jour / La journée
Le soir / La soirée
Thousand thanks for all the good times (moments).
Mille mercis pour tous les bons moments
Everything is changing (you would say “all is in the process of changing” using “en train de”)
tout est en train de changer
Now, with Trump, (the) life has changed (passe compose) forever (for always)
With Trump, (the) life is going (futur) to change forever (for always)
Maintenant, avec Trump, la vie a changé pour toujours
Avec Trump, la vie va changer pour toujours
I will see (imparfait)
I will see you (i) in London
Je verrai
Je te verrai à Londres
Not so much the same (using “pareil”)
You would say: “not really the same”
Saying for “So far so good”
Literally “until here, all goes well”
Je pouvais v Je pourrais
In French, je pouvais is an imperfect tense verb that means “I could” or “I was able to”, while je pourrais is a conditional tense verb that means “I could” or “I would be able to”. For example, “Si je pouvais vendre ma voiture, je pourrais acheter une moto” translates to “If I could (was able to) sell my car, I could (would be able to) buy a motorbike”.
your watch (fem) is beautiful
ta montre est belle
We are back
On est de retour
Examples of when to Use ‘En’ in French
Examples of When to Use ‘En’ in French
En expresses the length of time that an action happens. As a result, the verb is usually in the present or past tense, as in:
Je peux faire le lit en cinq minutes.
I can make the bed in five minutes.
Il a lu le livre en une heure.
He read the book in an hour.
J’ai appris à danser en un an.
I learned how to dance in a year.
En expresses when an action happens as it relates to the calendar: month, season, or year.
Nous voyageons en Avril.
We travel in April.
Il arrivera en hiver.
He will arrive in the winter.
En can mean “in” or “to” when followed directly by a noun that doesn’t need an article:
Vous allez en prison!
You’re going to prison!
Il est en classe.
He’s in school.
In French, nouns are almost always preceded by an article or a determiner. This indicates the gender of the noun (masculine or feminine) and its number (singular or plural). There are two types of articles: definite articles (articles définis) (le, la, les) and indefinite articles (article indéfinis) (un, une, des).
En can also mean “in” or “to” when used with some states, provinces, and countries, such as:
J’habite en Californie.
I live in California.
Je vais en France.
I’m going to France.
Examples of When to Use ‘Dans’
Examples of When to Use ‘Dans’:
Dans indicates the amount of time before action will occur. Note that the verb is usually in the present or future, as in:
Nous partons dans dix minutes.
We’re leaving in 10 minutes.
Il reviendra dans une heure.
He’ll be back in an hour.
Elle va commencer dans une semaine.
She’s going to start in a week.
Dans refers to something that occurs within or during a decade, as in:
Dans les années soixantes…
In the sixties…
Dans les années quatre-vingts…
During the eighties…
Dans means “in” a location when followed by an article plus noun, such as:
Il est dans la maison.
He’s in the house.
Qu’est-ce qui est dans la boîte?
What’s in the box?
Dans also means “in” or “to” with some states and provinces:
J’habite dans le Maine.
I live in Maine.
Je vais dans l’Ontario.
I’m going to Ontario.
Even (same) on vacation…
même en vacances…
the link does not work (fuction)
The link functions
le lien ne fonctionne pas
le lien fonctionne
French is good, but slowly please because I am trying to learn
le français est bon, mais lentement s’il vous plaît. parce que j’essaie d’apprendre
I forgot (passé compose)
I forgot to tell you
I forgot my….
I forgot to ask you…
J’ai oublié
J’ai oublié de te dire
J’ai oublié mon
J’ai oublié de te demander
it’s enough / that’s enough
It’s sufficient
You could say:
ça suffit (sue fee)
ou
c’est suffi
ou
c’est suffisant (sue feez on)
ou
c’est assez (set assez)
depending on the circumstances.
Enough is enough! Learn how to speak up in French and tell people when you’ve had enough.
We have several ways to say it. The first one is “Ça suffit,” and the second is “C’est assez.” They both mean “That’s enough.” They can be used to express annoyance, or to just politely convey that you’ve literally had enough of something.
Arrête de crier! Ca suffit! – Stop yelling! That’s enough!
N’ajoute plus de sel. C’est assez. – Don’t add anymore salt. That’s enough.
Using “Assez” by itself
Also, you can use “assez” (enough) by itself. Here are a few examples:
J’ai fini de manger. J’ai assez. – I’m done eating. I’ve had enough.
Tu as assez de chaussures. – You have enough shoes.
Je n’ai pas assez d’argent. – I don’t have enough money.
I’m really sorry though
I don’t have access to the documents of other students,
it must be my fault,
I must have made
a mistake (a false maneuver)
Je suis vraiment désolée par contre,
je n’ai pas accès aux document des autres étudiants,
ça doit être ma faute,
j’ai du faire (“I had to do / I must have made” - note if you wanted to say “I had to do it” / “I must do it” you would probably use “Je devais le faire”)
une fausse manœuvre
he is very successful (“he has a lot of success)”
il a beaucoup de succès (suk ces)
I would like that too/also
I would like that a lot
J’aimerais ça aussi
J’aimerais beaucoup ça
try to be better each day
essaie d’être meilleur chaque jour
ok, we will do a little more the next time then
ok, on fera un peu plus la prochaine fois alors
On fera = we will do
not really the same
It’s not the same as the last time
It’s not the same thing as the last time
pas vraiment pareil (pah ray)
ce n’est pas pareil que la dernière fois
ce n’est pas la même chose que la dernière fois
Quelle est la différence entre “très”, “trop”, “beaucoup” et “tellement” ?
Quelle est la différence entre “très”, “trop”, “beaucoup” et “tellement” ?
The difference between “très”, “trop”, “beaucoup” and “tellement” in French can be hard for you to understand, because these two adverbs have similar meanings, but are used in different contexts.
In this lesson, we will see how to use “très”, “trop”, “beaucoup” and “tellement” correctly in French.
How to use “très” in French?
“Très” is an adverb that indicates a high degree of intensity or quality. It is used to reinforce an adjective or adverb, or to express a positive or negative evaluation of a situation.
For example:
Cette robe est très belle. (reinforcement of the adjective “belle”)
Il parle très vite. (reinforcement of the adverb “vite”)
Je suis très heureux de te voir. (positive evaluation of the situation)
One can replace “ très “ with other adverbs that express a high degree of intensity or quality, such as “ vraiment “ or “ extrêmement “.
How to use “trop” in French?
“Trop” is also an adverb that indicates a high degree, but it indicates that the degree is so high that it has a consequence. It is used to express an excess or a surpassing of the acceptable limit.
For example:
Cette robe est trop petite. (surpassing of the acceptable size)
Il parle trop fort. (excess of sound volume)
J’ai trop mangé. (excess of food quantity)
One can replace “trop” with other adverbs that express an excess or a surpassing of the acceptable limit, such as “excessivement” or “outre mesure”.
Très = trop?
In a familiar context, “très” and “trop” can be used as synonyms.
We can say: Cette maison est très belle.
And also: Cette maison est trop belle.
The two sentences are correct, even if it is used in an informal context.
We can even say:
Cette maison est beaucoup trop belle.
Still in an informal context, and with this sentence, we really express the very high degree of beauty of this house: C’est incroyable tellement cette maison est belle.
How to use “beaucoup” in French?
“Beaucoup” is an adverb that expresses a significant quantity or a high intensity. It is used to express a large amount or a high frequency. For example:
J’ai beaucoup de travail à faire. (a high amount of work)
Je t’aime beaucoup. (a high amount of love)
Il parle beaucoup de ses voyages. (a high intensity of words about his travels)
How to use “tellement” in French?
In French, “tellement” is an adverb that is used to express a high intensity, quantity, or quality. It can be used in different ways depending on the context. Here are some examples of using “tellement”:
“Tellement” can be used to strengthen an adjective or an adverb, similarly to “très”. For example:
Cette tarte est tellement bonne.
“Tellement” can be used to bring a consequence:
Il parle tellement vite que je ne comprends pas.
Il parle très vite. → Il parle tellement vite QUE (conséquence) je ne comprends pas.
“Tellement” peut également être utilisé pour exprimer une grande quantité ou une grande fréquence. Par exemple :
J’ai tellement de travail à faire.
“Tellement” peut aussi être utilisé pour exprimer une comparaison entre deux choses. Dans ce cas, on peut l’utiliser avec “plus” ou “moins” pour exprimer une différence. Par exemple :
Cette robe est tellement plus jolie que l’autre.
Quelle est la différence entre “très”, “trop”, “beaucoup” et “tellement” ?
“Très” is an adverb that reinforces an adjective or an adverb, or expresses a positive or negative evaluation of a situation.
For example: Cette leçon est très bien.
“Trop” is an adverb that expresses excess or exceeding the acceptable limit.
For example: J’ai trop de difficultés en français.
“Beaucoup” is an adverb that expresses a large quantity or frequency.
For example: J’ai beaucoup d’amis français.
“Tellement” is an adverb that expresses a very high intensity, quantity or quality, and can be used in different ways depending on the context.
For example: J’ai tellement besoin de ton aide.
Tellement vrai = so true
I had a bad feeling
J’avais un mauvais pressentiment
I had a bad feeling about all that
J’avais un mauvais pressentiment a propos de tout ça
As a result / So what
So what do we do?
You would say “as a result, we do what?”
Du coup
Du coup on fait quoi? / so what do we do ?
From now on… / starting from…
Dorevanant (door ren a vant)
But just use: à partir de…
À partir de maintenant - from now (on)
À partir de demain - from tomorrow…
À partir de la semaine prochaine - from next week
À partir de quand - from when ?
I had to… (passe compose of “I must”)
I had to do that
I had to go there
J’ai dû
J’ai dû faire ça -I had to do that
J’ai dû y aller
Note: je devrais v j’ai dû:
They are both past tenses of “I had to”. Je devrais, however, relates to something that has already happened but may not have stopped occurring or occurred for an undefined period of time. J’ai dû is a concluded action.
Empty the trash
Et vide la corbeille (cor bay)
It’s a must see…
(You would say “it’s to see absolutely”)
C’est à voir absolument
Each day I challenge myself more and more
You would say:
“Each day
I put myself
to the challenge
more and more”
Chaque jour
je me mets
au défi
de plus en plus
Also: par example:
Each day I must (put myself) (to the) challenge more and more
Chaque jour, je dois me mettre au défi de plus en plus
It would / will be cool to do it
ce serait cool de le faire
The most beautiful view
La plus belle vue
I am just enjoying the view
“I enjoy / just / of the view”
Je profite juste de la vue
I am just enjoying (of the) show (m)
Je profite juste du spectacle
We can’t wait !
You would say: “we have already haste”
On a déjà hâte !
I don’t feel old
je ne me sens pas vieux
I am getting old / older
Je me fais vieux
je me fais
- I am getting
- I make myself
We are getting old
On se fait vieux
Let’s enjoy it while it lasts
Profitons-en tant que
ça dure
A must see…
“It’s to see absolutely”
C’est à voir absolument
Or you can also say:
Un intournable (un tour nas bill)
C’est un intournable ! (“It’s unmissable”)
Not so much the same
(Not using “meme chose”)
pas tellement pareil
It doesn’t surprise me
Ça ne me surprend pas (sur pron)
You could also use the reflexive verb: s’étonner
ça ne m’étonne pas
The reflexive verb for “surprise” is “s’étonner”. It is used in the form “s’étonner de” to express surprise. For example:
• Je m’étonne de la rapidité pour laquelle il a terminé le travail. (“I’m surprised at how quickly he finished the work.”)
Here are some everyday examples using “s’étonner” in different contexts:
1. Expressing surprise at an event: • Je m’étonne qu’il soit en retard, il est toujours ponctuel. → “I’m surprised that he’s late; he’s always punctual.” 2. Reacting to unexpected behavior: • Elle s’est étonnée de ton silence pendant la réunion. → “She was surprised by your silence during the meeting.” 3. Commenting on surprising facts: • Tu t’étonnes encore qu’il ait oublié ? Il est toujours tête en l’air ! → “You’re still surprised that he forgot? He’s always absent-minded!” 4. Talking about personal realizations: • Je m’étonne de voir à quel point le temps passe vite. → “I’m amazed at how fast time flies.” 5. Expressing mild disbelief in casual conversation: • On s’étonne de tout quand on ne connaît pas bien le sujet. → “People are surprised by everything when they don’t know much about the topic.”
But I’m closer than yesterday
You would say “but I am more close than yesterday”
mais je suis plus proche qu’hier
I am still far from my goal
je suis encore loin de mon objectif
More or less
More or less the same thing
More or less like that
Plus ou moin
Plus ou moin la même chose
Plus ou moin comme ça
I might as well tell you
A saying using “autant” literally: “as much you say”
autant vous dire
Encore vs. Toujours: A Brief Comparison
Encore vs. Toujours: A Brief Comparison
While we will go into further detail for both encore and toujours as this lesson continues, let’s begin with a brief overview of how each is used.
Encore
The French adverb encore has a number of meanings. It can be used to mean again, another, more, even, or still.
Again. Again can be translated by encore (une fois) or by de nouveau.
Je l’ai vu encore une fois.
Je l’ai vu de nouveau.
I saw him again.
Il doit encore passer l’examen.
Il doit de nouveau passer l’examen.
He has to take the test again.
Another or More.
Encore + a noun means more or another.
When the noun is plural or uncountable, use encore de.
Il veut encore une tasse de thé - He wants another cup of tea.
Il veut encore de thé - He wants more tea.
Encore des problèmes ! - More problems!
Even or Still.
Encore + a comparative can be used to convey the meaning of even or still to emphasize the comparison.
Encore plus beau - Even more beautiful
Encore moins cher - Even less expensive
Toujours
The French adverb toujours has several meanings. It may mean always, anyway, anyhow, at least, or still.
Always
The adverb always is often translated into French using toujours.
Il est toujours en retard. - He’s always late.
Pas toujours. - Not always.
Anyway, Anyhow, or At least.
If you are trying to confirm or support an idea, use toujours as you would anyway or anyhow.
Fais-le toujours, pour toi-même. - Do it anyhow, for yourself / Do it for yourself, at least.
Où est-il ? Toujours pas chez moi. - Where is he? Not at my house, anyway.
Still.
While encore can be used for the word still, in this sense toujour is a bit more accurate of a translation.
Je viens de manger, mais j’ai toujours faim. - I just ate, but I’m still hungry.
Il me doit toujours 10 euros. - He still owes me 10 euros.
Encore vs. Toujours
Now that we’ve looked at encore and toujours separately, let’s compare them in two special circumstances: still and yet.
Still. Either toujour or encore can be used in a translation of still. As mentioned earlier, toujours is slightly more accurate.
Je suis toujours ici (or)
Je suis encore ici. (this also means “here again”)
I’m still here.
Il n’est toujours pas prêt (or)
Il n’est pas encore prêt.
He’s still not ready.
Still is translated by encore when it modifies an adjective.
encore mieux - better still/yet
Il est encore plus grand.- He’s taller still.
Yet
However, keep in mind that pas encore is more accurate as it is a negative adverb that means not yet.
Il n’est pas encore prêt.
Il n’est toujours pas prêt.
He’s not ready yet.
Je n’ai pas encore mangé.
Je n’ai toujours pas mangé.
I haven’t eaten yet.
pas encore - not yet
(note: pas toujours = not always)
When yet is affirmative in the sense of already, its French equivalent is déjà.
As-tu déjà mangé ? - Have you eaten yet?
Oui, j’ai déjà mangé. - Yes, I have already eaten.
Non, je n’ai pas encore mangé.
No, I have not eaten yet.
It’s a big mess (when talking about politics)
Cet un gros gâchis (cet un grow gash ee)
How to talk about the time.
Lundi 9 septembre à 7h30 du matin heure de Sardaigne marche pour moi. C’est dans l’agenda! ☺️
What time would suit you ?
Imparfait - “would be convenient?”
Quelle heure te conviendrait?
(Con vee on drey)
I have a bad feeling
J’ai un mauvais pressentiment
I have flexible hours
You would say “I have some schedule flexible”
J’ai des horaire flexible
I just want to talk
Je veux juste parler
Using “just”.
Just (can you insert “recently”? just did this / recent past)
Je viens de me réveiller (I recently woke up)
Je viens de manger - I just ate
Or:
Just (only)
Je veux juste savoir
Je veux juste te parler
“Je veux juste te parler.” means “I just want to talk to you.”
Breakdown:
• Je veux → “I want” • juste → “just” (meaning only, as in “nothing more”) • te parler → “to talk to you” (te is the informal “you”)
This phrase is often used to reassure someone that you only want to talk and not do anything else. For example, if someone seems nervous or defensive, you might say this to clarify your intention.
ChatGPT:
You can say “Je viens de lui parler.”
Explanation:
• “Je viens de” + [infinitive verb] is the French equivalent of “I just” + past tense (recent past). • “lui parler” means “to speak to him” (or “to her” since lui is used for both genders).
If you want to emphasize that the conversation just happened a moment ago, you can add “à l’instant”:
➡ Je viens de lui parler à l’instant. → “I just spoke to him/her a moment ago.”
I just woke up (reflexive verb - to wake)
Je viens de me réveiller
I just went there
Je viens d’y aller
I just ate
Je viens de manger
I just want to know
je veux juste savoir
I just got home
Je viens de rentrer à la maison
Happy that you had good times in Sardinia
“Happy that you spent good moments in Sardaigne”
Contente que tu passes de bons moments en Sardaigne !
Phrase to use casually using “tellement”:
It’s so true….
C’est tellement vrai = it’s so true
By the way…
Au fait…
De vs. des vs. dès vs. du vs. dû vs. deux
De vs. des vs. dès vs. du vs. dû vs. deux
De
of (expresses belonging, property or association)
Quel est le nom de cet oiseau ?
(What’s the name of this bird?)
from (used to indicate origin)
Venez-vous de Paris ?
(Are you from Paris?)
of (indicates an amount)
Je voudrais deux kilos de pommes.
(I’d like two kilos of apples.)
(used attributively, often translated into English as a compound word)
Posons quelques règles de base.
(Let’s establish some ground rules.)
from (used to indicate the start of a time or range)
De Janvier à Juin, il fait jour de plus en plus tôt.
(From January to June, the sun rises earlier.)
(used after certain verbs before an infinitive, often translated into English as a gerund or an infinitive)
Pourquoi a-t-il cessé de fumer ?
(Why did he stop smoking?)
J’ai décidé de prendre son parti contre les autres.
(I decided to take his side against the others.)
by (indicates the amount of change)
L’économie japonaise a crû de 4 % l’an dernier.
(The Japanese economy grew by 4% last year.)
(indefinite plural article used with prepositioned adjectives)
En la compagnie de bons amis, le temps s’envola.
(In the company of good friends, the time flew by.)
(indefinite plural article used in negated sentences with the grammatical object)
Je n’ai pas de voiture.
(I don’t have a car.)
Des
(plural of indefinite article “un”)
Je vends des ordinateurs.
(I sell computers.)
(plural of indefinite article “une”)
Je lui achèterai des bottes.
(I’ll buy him some boots.)
of the, from the (contraction of “de” and “les”)
Je prendrai soin des fleurs.
(I will take care of the flowers.)
Les grenouilles ont peur des serpents.
(Frogs are afraid (have fear) of snakes.)
Dès
since, from
Notre plan est mal parti dès le début.
(Our plan went wrong from the beginning.)
dès que: once, as soon as
Allons-y dès qu’il s’arrêtera de pleuvoir.
(Let’s go as soon as it stops raining.)
dès à présent: here and now, right now, as of now, already
Réservez dès à présent.
(Book now.)
Du
of the, from the (contraction of “de” and “le”)
La réunion du parlement commencera à 14 heures.
(The meeting of the parliament will start at 2 pm.)
Ils nourrissent les animaux du zoo.
(They feed the animals of the zoo.)
(partitive article used with uncountable nouns)
N’oublie pas d’acheter du pain.
(Don’t forget to buy bread.)
Veux-tu du vin chaud ?
(Do you want some mulled wine?)
Dû
Participe passé S/0 () form of the verb DEVOIR (must)
J’ai dû surveiller les enfants.
(I had to look after the children.)
Deux
two
I must have made a mistake
j’ai du faire (“I had to do / I must have made” - note if you wanted to say “I had to do it” / “I must do it” you would probably use “Je devais le faire”)
une fausse manœuvre
What is good?
Qu’est-ce qui est bien ?
Remember that..
You would say: “Remember you that”
Remember that I always love you
You would say: “Remember you always that I love you”
souviens-toi que
souviens-toi toujours que je t’aime
Remember that..
You would say: “Remember you that”
Remember that I always love you
You would say: “Remember you always that I love you”
souviens-toi que
souviens-toi toujours que je t’aime
I will remember
(“I am going to remember” - using “se rappeler” and “se souvenir”
Je vais me souvenir
To say “I am going to remember” in French, you can use the near future (futur proche):
- Je vais me souvenir (de…)
• Example: Je vais me souvenir de ce moment pour toujours.
(I am going to remember this moment forever.) - Je vais me rappeler (de…)
• Example: Je vais me rappeler de ton conseil.
(I am going to remember your advice.)
• Note: With “se rappeler”, “de” is often omitted in spoken French:
Je vais me rappeler ton conseil.
Both options are correct and commonly used, with “se souvenir” slightly more formal than “se rappeler”. Let me know if you need more examples!
What’s the difference between J’ai du and J’ai pu ?
Both “j’ai dû” and “j’ai pu” are in the passé composé, but they convey different meanings:
1. “J’ai dû” → from devoir (to have to, must) • It means “I had to” or “I must have” (depending on context). • Example: J’ai dû partir tôt. → “I had to leave early.” • When used without an explicit reason, it can imply probability: Il n’est pas venu, il a dû oublier. → “He didn’t come; he must have forgotten.” 2. “J’ai pu” → from pouvoir (to be able to, can) • It means “I was able to” or “I managed to.” • Example: J’ai pu finir mon travail à temps. → “I was able to finish my work on time.”
Key Difference:
• “J’ai dû” implies obligation or strong probability.
• “J’ai pu” focuses on the ability or successful completion of something.
