Vocabulary Flashcards
A lot of (x2)
beaucoup de,
plein de
the flea market (x 2)
la brocante,
le marché aux puces
the bypass
la rocade
apart from / other than
hormis
to the brink (exhausted)
à bout
(Tu vas me pousser à bout.)
a thing that serves a purpose
e.g.: a device,
a system,
a setup,
an arrangement,
a term or provision
un dispositif …
… de sécurité (a security device)
… de vote (a voting system)
… de scène (a stage setup)
… de travail (a work arrangement)
… du traité (a term of the treaty)
a trap,
to trap
un piège,
piéger
the English Channel
la Manche
service de renseignement (x2)
intelligence agency,
secret service
Distinguish des renseignements from le consignment
des renseignements: information
Le consignation: the consignment; the act of deposit, shipment or delivery (e.g. of goods, money, a pledge, a prisoner or anything); or written instructions or formalities, a piece of documentation, a record or log of a transaction.
plain, unseasoned (adjective)
nature
to dread, fear
redouter
jadis
once, long ago
revêche
surly
attentioné
thoughtful
enfuir
escape, run away
an area such as a private estate, a field of knowledge or expertise, a sector of the economy, or a sphere of influence
un domaine
marriage certificate
acte de mariage
your carry-on bag
ton bagage en cabine
ton bagage à main
« cliché »
stereotype (all senses, originally printing plate cast),
photograph (including negative, snapshot),
cliché (from the click clack of printing plates),
conventional
(to) sit (intransitive),
I sit,
I will sit,
I would sit
s’asseoir (reflexive),
je m’assieds,
je m’assiérai,
je m’assiérais
Ah bon
Oh, really.
I see.
jackpot, nest egg, gambling pot, etc.
la cagnotte
Please (Imperative)
Veuillez.
(Literally: Be willing, imperative of vouloir, only ever used in the 3rd person plural.)
burn (all senses)
brûler
the glimmer
le lueur
a verse,
a stanza,
in verse (with meter and sometimes rhyme)
un vers,
une strophe (lines of poetry),
en strophe
rain shower
averse
wipe, wipe dry, dry off
essuyer,
s’essuyer
counting, statistical analysis,
paring down, despoiling,
simplification, austere style
dépouillement
a preschool
Une école maternelle
jet lag
le décalage horaire
strengths
qualités
of Arabic descent
d’origine arabe
default (all senses), defect, weakness
défaut
still/always/ever/forever
again/yet/more/
continue/still
toujours
encore
find your way around/navigate/figure it out
s’y retrouver
I gave birth
j’ai accouché
balance sheet, appraisal, assessment, the reported toll of a disaster
bilan
a one-way ticket
a round-trip ticket
un aller simple
un aller-retour
Make up your mind!
Il faudrait savoir!
(Décidez-vous!)
scratch or scrape off,
scratch or scribble a scratch on,
scratch up, off the list, or make lines on
gratter, se gratter,
griffer,
rayer
cough
tousser
the score
le score, les points, le pointage, la marque, le compte
to bicker
se brouiller
a boat ride
une promenade en bateau
to fit,
can fit
faire entrer,
peut entrer
an increase (two different words)
une hausse (la hausse),
une augmentation
the steps
les marches
billionaire
milliardaire
an inconvenience (two different words)
un désagrément,
un inconvénient
dreamy, dreamer
rêveur, rêveuse
to whistle
siffler
an avocado and milk drink
une boisson à base d’avocado et de lait
the bucket
le seau
to outrage,
to be or become outraged,
appalled
indigner,
s’indigner,
indigné
to gladden, to delight,
to be glad of it, to be delighted about that,
I am delighted.
réjouir,
s’en réjouir, se réjouir de cela,
Je m’en réjouis.
The French word « mener » and its close cognates.
Mener - To lead, guide, conduct, pilot (someone or something).
“Napoléon mène ses armées” (Napoleon leads his armies).
Amener - To bring someone (to a specific place).
“J’amène ma fille à l’école” (I’m taking my daughter to school).
Emmener - To take someone away (from one place to another).
“Nous emmenons les enfants en vacances” (We are taking the children on vacation).
Ramener - To bring someone back (to a previous place)
“Je ramène mon ami chez lui” (I’m bringing my friend back to his house).
Promener - To take for a walk.
“Je promène mon chien” (I walk my dog).
Se promener - To go for a walk, to stroll.
“Je me promène dans le parc” (I am walking in the park).
The French Verb “Vouloir”
The French verb “vouloir” (to want) is a highly versatile and commonly used verb. While its primary meaning is to express a desire or intention, its meaning can be modified or nuanced when combined with certain words, such as pronouns or prepositions. Let’s explore some of these combinations and their meanings.
This is the most common construction, where “vouloir” is followed by an infinitive verb, expressing a desire or intention to perform an action.
- Example: Je veux manger une pomme. (I want to eat an apple.)
- Example: Ils veulent partir en vacances. (They want to go on vacation.)
“Vouloir dire” means “to mean” or “to express.” It is often used to clarify or explain something.
- Example: Quand j’ai dit “c’est nul,” je ne voulais pas dire que c’était mauvais, juste que ce n’était pas à mon goût. (When I said “it’s lame,” I didn’t mean that it was bad, just that it wasn’t to my taste.)
“Vouloir bien” expresses goodwill or willingness, while “vouloir mal” indicates ill intentions or malice.
- Example: Je veux bien vous aider si vous avez besoin. (I’m willing to help you if you need it.)
- Example: Il ne me veut pas de mal, ne vous inquiétez pas. (He doesn’t mean any harm to me, don’t worry.)
This is the pronominal form of “vouloir,” which means “to aim to be” or “to seek to be.”
- Example: Ce film se veut une comédie, mais il n’est pas très drôle. (This movie aims to be a comedy, but it’s not very funny.)
Certain prepositions can modify the meaning of “vouloir.”
-
Vouloir à: to strongly desire
- Example: Je veux à tout prix réussir cet examen. (I strongly desire to pass this exam at all costs.)
-
Vouloir de: to want from someone
- Example: Que veux-tu de moi ? (What do you want from me?)
-
Vouloir pour: to want for someone’s benefit
- Example: Je ne veux que ton bonheur. (I only want your happiness.)
The pronouns “en” and “y” can also modify the meaning of “vouloir.”
-
Vouloir + en: to desire or want some unspecified thing or quantity
- Example: J’en veux encore un peu. (I want some more [of it].)
-
Vouloir + y: to desire or intend to go to a certain place
- Example: Nous voulons y aller demain. (We want to go there tomorrow.)
This pronominal form means “to blame oneself” or “to reproach oneself.”
- Example: Je m’en veux d’être parti sans dire au revoir. (I blame myself for leaving without saying goodbye.)
- Example: Elle s’en veut d’avoir menti à ses parents. (She blames herself for having lied to her parents.)
This expression means “to hold a grudge against someone” or “to resent someone.”
- Example: Je lui en veux encore pour ce qu’il a fait. (I still resent him for what he did.)
- Example: Elle en veut à son frère de ne pas l’avoir soutenue. (She resents her brother for not supporting her.)
By understanding these various combinations and nuances, you can better grasp the rich and versatile nature of the French verb “vouloir” and use it more accurately in different contexts.
the chin
le menton
Stop bugging me!
Arrête de m’embêter!
the bolt
le verrou: the door bolt, or figuratively, the barrier.
Word Family:
• “Verrouiller la porte”: to bolt or lock the door.
• “Déverrouiller la porte”: to unlock the door.
• “Faire sauter le verrou”: force the lock, break down a door, or figuratively, break down the barriers.
