English language guide - Wikivoyage, the free collaborative travel and tourism guide - Guide linguistique anglais — Wikivoyage, le guide de voyage et de tourisme collaboratif gratuit

English
(English)
FEMA - 32096 - Cars drives though flooded street in an Oklahoma neighborhood.jpg
Information
Official language
Language spoken
Number of speakers
Standardization institution
ISO 639-1
ISO 639-2
ISO 639-3
Bases
Hello
Thank you
Goodbye
Yes
No
Location
Anglospeak.png

TheEnglish has become the international language. Knowing how to speak and understand it is almost essential, especially when traveling. A Germanic language, it is clearly distinguished from the other languages ​​of this linguistic family - such asGerman where the Dutch - since it has incorporated many elements of foreign vocabulary (French in particular).

Besides the UK and theIreland, it is the official or main language of United States, of Canada, of the'Australia and some New Zealand, among many other countries, most of which are former British colonies. Even outside the Anglo-Saxon world, English is the most important auxiliary language in business, diplomacy, and during international meetings between individuals. For you who already have the good fortune to speak French, itself widespread, a first step towards mastering the English language is a key to entering the world.

This guide attempts to give you the expressions of the two major varieties of English (the one spoken in the UK, and the US), and notes the important differences where they exist. If you are familiar with the expressions specific to other English speaking countries, please add them below.

Pronunciation

OUGH - Four letters, several pronunciations:


1. / ɔ: /: thought (thought), or bought (bought), to rhyme with pgoldt

2. / ɒf /: vsough (cough), to rhyme with off

3. / ʌf /: inough (sufficient), or tough (hard), to rhyme with buff

4. / əʊ /: doughnut (donut), or though (yet), to rhyme with noto

5. / u: /: through (by, through), to rhyme with bleu

6. / ə /: borough (arrondissement), to rhyme with brother

7. / aʊ /: drought (drought) or plough (plow), to rhyme with notow

8. / əp /: hiccough (hiccups), to rhyme with its synonym hiccup

Test yourself with this funny tongue twister:

A rough, doughy, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Loughborough, vsoughing and hiccoughing.

English is much more complicated than Georges Clemenceau's “poorly pronounced French”! A Germanic language that has been modified for centuries by Celtic languages, Old Norse, Norman, French, Greek and Latin, it has most recently adopted a bunch of words from several languages ​​around the world, all between araawak and zulu. These various influences resulted in some rather bizarre pronunciation rules.

Even worse for you who get by in the language of Shakespeare, there are several ways of writing the same sound, and several ways of pronouncing the same letter. This is because of the introduction of the printing press (and the standardization of spelling) in the midst of the "great vocal change". English spelling is therefore not very logical in relation to pronunciation, and words tend to retain a spelling that reflects the more archaic pronunciation; the combination ough is a particularly unfortunate example for English learners.

Despite the abundance of words of French origin in English, the “French” pronunciation of these words has completely disappeared over the centuries; if you have the impression that the average English speaker does not realize the French roots of a third of his vocabulary, you are not far from the truth.

Vowels

GraphemeInternational phonetic alphabetExample word in FrenchNotes
ATatat

To:

mToche

batr

blé

Eeɛ

i

ə

sève

pie

je

Often silent, especially at the end of a word. When doubled, it's always / i /
Iiɪ

i (rare)


phaveshe

si

/ ɪ / does not exist in standard French; it is between the / i / of if and the ə of I

Ooɒ

where

bohead

pot

When doubled, it makes / u / like mor
Uuɐ

u

ju


mor

piou

/ ɐ / does not exist in French; it is between the nasals of gryeard and brin, or a bit like "shadthe "

Yyi

pie

phaveshe

Sometimes a consonant - see below

Consonant

GraphemeInternational phonetic alphabetExample word in FrenchNotes
Bbbbouche
VSvsk

s

vsAnne

vserf

Notwithstanding very rare exceptions, it follows the same pronunciation rules as in French: in front of a consonant or at, o, u, it is pronounced / k /, while before e, i, y, it is / s /.
Ddddwe
Ffffemme
Ggg

gant

Djibouti

Usually it is / g / before a consonant or at, o, u, and / dʒ / in front e, i, y. However, the list of exceptions is longer than for vs and understands very common words such as get (/gɛt /) and margarine (/ ˈMɑː.əˌɹiːn /).
HhhSucked or mute; aspirated before a vowel (except some words like hour), silent in front of a consonant or at the end of a word. Unlike French, h-aspiré is pronounced audibly, so air and hate are not identical; to practice, exhale on the hand and feel the breath.
JjDjibouti
Kkkkayak
Lthethetheit
Mmmmatin
NOTnotnotennemi
Pppparea
QqkwwhatickThe only common exception: tail, pronounced / kju /
RrɹAspirated or mute; aspirated before a vowel (close to robot, but there is no real equivalent in French), silent in front of a consonant or at the end of a word.
Sss

z

sto have

Thes English are crazy

Sometimes after a vowel it is / z /
Ttttable
Vvvvenir
Wwwweek-endMute at the end of a word, and in who
Xxks

z (rare)

yourxi

zwow

Only / z / when the word begins with x
YyjyaourtSometimes a vowel - see above
Zzzzwow

Digraphs

GraphemeInternational phonetic alphabetExample word in FrenchNotes
Chch

k

x (rare)

Tchad

chrysanthemum

chutzpah

Only / k / or / x / in words from other languages ​​(Gaelic, Greek, Hebrew ...)
Ghghf

g

mute

femme

gant

A real thorn, the pronunciations are to be learned for each word. The only rule, gh is pronounced / g / only if it begins the word.
GngnnotnoteigeThe g is dumb
KnknnotnoteigeThe k is dumb
Phphfphilosophie
Pspsssto haveThe p is dumb
Shshʃchouette
Ththð

θ

These sounds do not exist in French. Fricative with the tongue between the teeth, with voice (transcribed dh) or without voice (th)

Common diphthongs

This list is not exhaustive :

Diphthongue (API)Letters or combinationsExample word in FrenchNotes
/ aɪ /ie, ighphavesheAs the second pronunciation of I i
/ eɪ /have, ay, eyblé
/ where /oa, Oh, owpotAs the second pronunciation of O o
/ aʊ /or, owSão Patlo
/ eə /have, ea, eiA bit like mtime
/ ɪə /ea, ee, ieA bit like Pierre, but shortened
/ ɔɪ /oi, oy/ ɔɪ / does not exist in French. Start on the sound / ɔ / as in "matve ”, and slide to / ɪ /

Grammar

English grammar is different from that of Romance languages.

Edinburgh and the Arthur's seat
(in) Edinburgh with Arthur's Seat

Articles

Theindefinite article ("Un" and "une" in French) changes according to the phoneme it precedes; before a consonant, it is at, while before a vowel sound, we use year. Well we say UN Chien (a dog), a hat (a hat), a cup (a cup), and an apple (an Apple), an eye (an eye), an umbrella (an umbrella).

Too simple ? Watch out for these common pitfalls: an hour (one hour), at university (a university). The H of hour being mute, the first syllable following the article is a vowel sound. It's the same for an honor (an honor), an heir (an heir) and before certain adjectives: an honest man (an honest man), an historic occasion (a historic event). The letter U is indeed a vowel, but in the case of university makes the sound / ju / so not a vowel sound. Other examples of this phenomenon are a unit (a unit), a union (a union), a unicorn (unicorn), even many words that start with United-.

There is only one definite article ("The", "the", and "the") in English, and it is tea. The hardest thing to master if you are a French speaker - correct pronunciation. Put your tongue between your teeth and exhale, and voila you produce the th. If only it was that easy, but practice is the mother of success! The pronunciation of the "e" changes according to the same criteria as y / year : in front of a vocalic sound, it lengthens (/ i /, giving "Dhi"), while before a consonant it becomes a schwa (/ ə /, giving "Dheuh", more or less). However, its spelling never changes.

Names

The Mount Rushmore, in the South Dakota, with the effigies of four great American presidents.
(in) Mount Rushmore, in South Dakota, with the faces of four great American presidents.

Unlike French, English names do not have a gender. A distinction like "le / la / les" does not exist, which explains why English speakers new to French usually use the wrong article, like "the village", "the main".

At plural, many English names take the ending -s, as in French:

  • catcats (cats)
  • bookbooks (books)
  • treetrees (trees)

Names that end with -ch, -sh, -s, or -x take the termination -es in the plural :

  • beachbeaches (beaches)
  • busnozzles (bus)
  • dishdishes (dishes)
  • taxtaxes (taxes)

Those who have the ending -y in the singular, lose it and add to it -ies :

The wonderful library of Trinity College, Dublin
(in) The marvelous library of Trinity College, Dublin
  • countrycountries (country)
  • storystories (stories)

Some names that have the ending -f or -fe, lose it and add to it -ves :

  • lifelives (lives)
  • wolfwolves (wolves)

Other names take completely irregular shapes, which you have to learn by heart:

  • childchildren (children)
  • footballfeet (feet)
  • goosegeese (geese)
  • manmen (men)
  • mousemice (mouse)
  • oxoxen (oxen)
  • personpeople (people)
  • toothteeth (teeth)
  • womanwomen (women)
Niagara Falls straddles the US-Canada border
(in) Niagara Falls straddle the American-Canadian border

There are even nouns which are invariable, whose plural form is identical to the singular:

  • deer (stag / deer)
  • sheep (sheep / sheep)
  • species (species / species)
  • series (series / series)
  • fish (fish / fish) - NB: fishes can be used if we are talking about species and not individuals

Pronouns

The personal singular pronoun of first person (i) is the word of a letter I, which is pronounced exactly like the French word "aïe", and which in good English is always written in capital letters. In the plural, we use we (we).

In standard English, the address and the familiarity have completely disappeared: a single pronoun of second person (you) is sufficient for everyone, at all times. There are, however, some regional exceptions, such as the youze of new York and New Jersey, the y'all of South American (two equivalents of the plural "you"), or the use of thou in the singular always evident in the Yorkshire. If you are visiting any of these areas, you can make yourself understood by using the you standard.

The pronouns of third person change according to certain criteria. When we talk about human or fantastic people, we must use the right pronoun according to the natural (or presumed) sex of the individual: Hey for males and she for females. Speaking of things, we rather use the neutral pronoun it. For animals, the choice of pronoun is a philosophical question. In general, we use Hey and she for pets, and especially pets, and it for wild animals. However, both are possible and acceptable in each case: if the use of Hey or she affirms the individual identity of an animal, the use of it rather evokes an unconscious beast. In the plural, we use the pronoun they, it does not matter if we refer to several humans, cows, parsnips ... Note that some transsexual or non-binary people prefer that we use the pronoun they speaking of them in the singular.

Are you worried about grammar? "Everything will be alright » (Christchurch, New Zealand)

Adjectives

English adjectives are invariable, and directly precede the noun they describe:

  • a red bus : a red bus
  • yellow taxis : yellow taxis
  • an old lady : an old lady
  • the white mice : white mice

Verbs

The English conjugation is characterized by a limited number of verbal forms. However, it is of a certain complexity for French speakers as to the use of the correct tense because the use of the modes and tenses of French does not necessarily cover that of the corresponding English modes and tenses. As a result, there are several tenses of the present used in English on a daily basis, while in French there is only one. On the other hand, the simple past tense is much more common than in French.

The contraction is a notable feature of some English verb conjugations, especially those of to be (to be) and to have (to have). These contractions are not compulsory, but very often used in popular language, especially orally.

TO BE
Long formAbbreviationTranslation
I am

I am not

I'm

I'm not

I am

I'm not

Tu es

you are not

you're

you aren't

you are / you are

you are not / you are not

he is

he is not

he's

he isn't

It is

he is not

she is

she is not

she's

she isn't

She is

she is not

it is

it is not

it's

it isn't

is, he / she is (inanimate object)

it is not, he / she is not

we are

we are not

we're

we aren't

we are

we are not

they are

they are not

they're

they aren't

they are

they are not

TO HAVE
Long formAbbreviationTranslation
I have

I have not

I've

I haven't

I have

I do not have

Tu as

you have not

you've

you haven't

you have / you have

you don't have / you don't have

he has

he has not

he's

he hasn't

he has

He does not have

she has

she has not

she's

she hasn't

she has

she does not have

it has

it has not

it's

it hasn't

he / she has (inanimate object)

he / she does not have

we have

we have not

we've

we haven't

we have

we do not have

they have

they have not

they've

they haven't

they have

they do not have

In addition, there are the modal verbs which function as auxiliaries by attaching themselves to the active verbs and bringing about a modification of their meaning. You don't have to learn all of these verbs, because there are several. But some, such as can, will and would, are very important and yet not easy to translate into French:

The ruins of Tintern Abbey, at Wales.
(in) The ruins of Tintern Abbey, Wales
  • can - groups together the function of several French verbs, especially “power”, used in the present tense. Its negative form, cannot, most often contracts in can't. You then have I can help to say "I can help", Hey can't read which expresses "he does not know how to read", and she cannot sleep to relate "she can't sleep".
  • will - in combination with an active verb, will creates future time. So, I walk means "I walk", but I will walk becomes "I will walk". Will commonly contracts, giving not only I'll, corn you'll, he'll, she'll... to the negative, will not shortens to will not.
  • would - the conditional version of will which combines with an active verb in a like manner. So if I go expresses "I am going" in the present tense, I would go puts it in the conditional: i would go. And of course it can contract! Would reduces to a single letter with I'd, you d, we'd, they'd...

A final auxiliary, which is not a modal verb, is the verb to do. In its active form, to do means "to do", however English speakers also use it alongside another verb to make it a negative:

  • I eat meat (I eat meat) → I do not eat meat (I do not eat meat)
  • He smokes (He smokes) → Hey does not smoke (He does not smoke)
NB: do not and does not can contract into whose and does not, giving I don't eat meat and He doesn't smoke.

Other useful use of to do ; turn a statement into question - just add to it do in the front :

  • You drink beer (You drink beer) → Do you drink beer? (Do you drink beer?)
  • She speaks English (She speaks English) → Does she speak English? (Does she speak English?)

Varieties of English

Regional accents, standard accent (s)

Each English-speaking country has its own varieties: its standard, its accents, its regional dialects. Even in a fairly small country like England, there are dozens of dialects across the land, among the most distinct of which are the cockney of the working classes of London, the geordie of northeast, and the scouse of Liverpool. In the rest of the United Kingdom, and in Ireland, English speaking is strongly influenced by other national languages ​​- Gaelic (Scottish, Irish, Manx), Welsh, Scots, Norman. Understanding difficulties can occur even between native speakers of various accents, so don't be surprised if you have trouble understanding people you meet while traveling. Normally, it is the popular classes that have the most marked accents, while the middle classes have a more neutral pronunciation which is more or less regionalized.

It's here Received Pronunciation (RP) which has become Standard British English. Although originally a regional speak, the RP originated from a triangular area in the southeast that encapsulated London, the capital, and the two prestigious university towns which are Oxford and Cambridge … We no longer wonder why the English aristocrats enthroned their patois above any other! For a long time, it was the accent of rigor of every educated person, in parliament, on the BBC, within the royal family, finally among all the "upper" classes. Nowadays, people are more proud to use their own regional accents and one hears it very often in public discourse.

Note also that American English has little to do with British English, Australian, South African, Indian ... And of course a New Yorker speaks in a very different accent to his fellow citizen Californian, the same goes for a person from a state of South, or Midwest. Indeed, it is the Midwestern accent that has become the standard, the General American, and the current trend is the reverse of the British situation: regional accents are becoming more and more standardized because of the media. Despite this, the word of some modern day presidents - Donald Trump (born in the Queens), and George W Bush (originally from Texas) in particular, both of formidable eloquence - is influenced by regional varieties.

Rhoticity

Rhoticity in English refers to the presence - or not - of the sound / r / in certain words. In a rhotic accent, the / r / is pronounced whenever it occurs, while in non-rhotic accents, only / r / is pronounced which precede a vowel sound. To illustrate, the / r / is always pronounced in words such as rabbit (rabbit) or arrow (arrow) where it is followed by a vowel, but the presence of the sound / r / in words like hard (hard), where it is followed by a consonant, or butter (butter) where the word ends in / r /, is a unique feature with rhotic accents. That is, in these latter cases, the silence of / r / marks a non-rhotic accent.

"And whether / r / is pronounced or not, why should I care?" Because rhoticity is one of the most powerful differences between varieties of English globally, and it changes the rhythm of the language! Among the supporters of / r / - in any case, most of the United States, the Canada, theIndia, the Pakistan, theIreland, theScotland, and some regional accents elsewhere, notably in the South West England. The opposing team, the non-rhotics, includes the rest of England, whose standard British accent, the Wales, theAustralia, the New Zealand, the New England and the states of New Jersey, new York, and the English-speaking regions ofAfrica and Caribbean.

American English and British English

The United States and Great Britain are, as George Bernard Shaw wrote, "two countries separated by a common language". It is true that there are many differences as much in vocabulary as in pronunciation. Although they benefit from a deep mutual intelligibility, English speakers may experience difficulties in understanding among themselves. In general, if the average Briton is familiar with American accents - thanks Hollywood! - the typical American is not so used to accents from other corners of the Anglo-Saxon world. On the other hand, speakers of the two dialects can make mistakes in vocabulary, which can give inconvenient results. For example, the Brit who offers a fag (a cigarette) to his friend Yankee ignores the fact that in the USA, fag is a derogatory term for a homosexual. Also, the American woman who talks about her fanny (his buttocks) can be frowned upon by his British interlocutors for whom fanny means "pussy".

Beyond rhoticity, there are many differences in pronunciation : a change between vowel sounds, / t / which are pronounced / d / among Americans, andglottal stop British. While each country has its own accents, Canadians generally share the pronunciation of their neighbors to the south, and other English speakers in the Commonwealth are closer to British pronunciation standards. In the phonetic models in this guide, British pronunciation is favored, but for the basic sentences presented there, you will succeed in making yourself understood anywhere.

At first glance, the most obvious difference is in writing, inspelling of certain words. Some examples follow. Pay attention to the first three; you can use it to have a pattern of each word with the same ending:

AmericanBritishFrench
centercentercenter
colorcolorcolor
to organizeto organizeto organise
programprogramagenda; issue
travelertravelertraveler

In general, “American spelling” is the right word, as few other English-speaking countries have adopted it; British spelling standards are almost universal.

As noted before, each dialect has its particular vocabulary. Here are some examples of words that have the same meaning that you will encounter on a typical trip:

Buy and eat
FrenchAmericanBritish
checkout (in a store)cash registertill
chipschipscrisps
diaperdiapernappy
starter dish dessertappetizer, starter, dessertstarter stroke hand pudding
friesfrieschips
trouserspants (pl.)trousers (pl.)
Communicate and manage daily life
FrenchAmericanBritish
lawyerattorneysolicitor
Postal codeZIP codepostcode
paracetamolacetaminophenparacetamol
cellphonecellphonemobile phone
emergencies (in a hospital)emergency room (ER)accident and emergency (A&E)
Go and circulate
FrenchAmericanBritish
round tripround tripreturn
liftelevatorlift
highwayhighwaymotorway
sidewalksidewalkpavement
holidaysvacation (s.)holiday (s.)
Other
FrenchAmericanBritish
apartmentapartmentflat
cinema (building)movie theatermovie theater
wastetrash, garbagerubbish
soccersoccersoccer
flashlightflashlighttorch

You will find more examples in the following sentences. In terms of vocabulary, the Canadian is just as likely to use the term "British" as its "American" equivalent. Elsewhere, either we prefer the British word, or we have our own terminology!

Based

Common signs


Open : Open (pron.: O-pèn)
Firm : Closed (pron.: clauzd)
Entrance : Entrance / Way in (pron.: ÈN-trunce / ouéï ine)
Exit : Exit / Way out (pron.: EX-ite / ouéï aoute)
To push : Push (pron.: pouch)
To pull : Sweater (pron.: chicken)
Bathroom : Toilet / Restroom (USA) (pron.: TOÏE-lute / REST-roum)
Men / Gentlemen : Men / Gentlemen (pron.: leads / DJÈNT-elle-leads)
Women / Ladies : Women / Ladies (pron.: YES-MINE / LÉ-say)
Disabled : Disabled (pron.: say-É-bouled)
Emergency exit : Emergency exit (pron.: i-MEUR-djeune-sî EX-ite)
Forbidden : Forbidden (pron.: four-BID-dun)
No smoking / parking : No smoking / parking (pron.: nô SMÔ-kîngue / PAR-kîngue)
Yield : Give way / Yield (USA) (pron.: guive OUÉÏ / yilde)
Stop : Stop (pron.: stop)

Hello. : Hello. (pron.: he-LÔ)
Good morning) : Good morning (pron.: goude MOR-nîngue)
Hello afternoon) : Good afternoon (pron.: goude af-tor-NOUNE)
Good evening : Good evening (pron.: goude ÎVE-nîngue)
How are you ? : How are you? (pron.: haou ar ïou?)
Very well thank you. : Fine, thank you. (pron.: faïne, thinque ïou)
What's your name ? : What is your name? (pron.: ouotte iz ïour néim?)
My name is _____. : My name is _____ (pron.: maï néim iz _____)
Nice to meet you. : Pleased to meet you. (pron.: plîzd tou mîte ïou )
Please. : Please. (pron.: plize)
Thank you. : Thank you. (pron.: thinque ïou)
You're welcome : You're welcome (pron.: ïour OUEL-keume)
Yes : Yes (pron.: ïes)
No : No (pron.: no)
excuse me : Excusez moi. (pron.: ex-KIOUSE mî)
I am sorry. : I am sorry. (pron.: ouch amme sori)
Goodbye : Good-bye. (pron.: goud baï)
Good day : Have a good day. (pron.: HAVE eu goude deï)
Have a good evening : Good night (pron.: naive goude)
Good night : Good night (pron.: naive goude)
Sweet dreams. : Sweet dreams. (pron.: suite drîmz)
I do not speak english very well. : I don't speak English [well]. (pron.: ouch dônte spik INNE-glich ouel)
Do you speak French ? : Do you speak French? (pron.: dou ïou spik frèntch)
Does anyone speak French here? : Does anyone here speak French? (pron.: deuze ÈN-i-ouone HIRE spik frèntch)
I do not understand. : I do not understand. (pron.: ouch dônte eune-deur-STINDE)
I do not know. : I don't know. (pron.: ouch dônte no)
I can not). : I can not (pron.: aï caente)
What is that ? : What is it? (pron.: OUOTTE iz it)
How do you say in english ? / in French ? : How do you say _____ in English? / in French? (pron.: haou dou ïou séi _____ inne INNE-gliche / inne frèntch)
What do you call it? : What is this called? (this) / What is that called? (that) (pron.: OUOTTE iz DHISSE caulde / OUOTTE iz DHATTE caulde)
How do you write it ? : How is that spelt? (pron.: haou iz dhatte spèlte)
Where are the toilets ? : Where is the toilet? (pron.: OUAIRE iz dheu TOÏE-lute)

Problems

Vigilant neighbors in South Africa

Do not disturb me. : Leave me alone. (pron.: LIVE mi eu-LÔNE)
Clear ! : Go away! (pron.: GÔ eu-YES)
Do not touch me ! : Don't touch me! (pron.: dônte TEUTCHE mî)
I call the police. : I'm calling the police. (pron.: aïme CO-lîngue dheu peu-LÎCE)
Police ! : Police! (pron.: little-LICE)
Warning ! : Look out! (pron.: leuk august)
Stop! Thief! : Stop! Thief! (pron.: stop thîf)
Stop! To rape! : Stop! Rapist! (pron.: stop REIP-ist)
Help ! : Help! (pron.: helpe)
Fire ! : Fire! (pron.: FAÏ-eure)
Help me please! : Help me please! (pron.: HELPE mî PLIZE)
It's an emergency. : It's an emergency. (pron.: its eune i-MEUR-djeune-sî)
I'm lost). : I'm lost. (pron.: aïm LOSTE)
I lost my bag. : I've lost my bag. (pron.: aïve LOSTE maï BAGUE)
I lost my wallet. : I've lost my wallet. (pron.: aïve LOSTE maï OUO-leute)
My things were stolen from me. : My things have been stolen. (pron.: maï thîngz hav bine STÔ-leun)
Someone / This man / This woman is harassing me. : Someone / This man / This woman is harassing me. (pron.: SEUME-ouone / dhisse manna / dhisse OUO-meune iz ha-RASS-îngue mî)
I am in pain. : I'm sick. (pron.: sic soul)
I hurt myself). : I'm hurt. (pron.: soul clashes)
I got bitten by a dog. : I've been bitten by a dog. (pron.: aïve bine BITE-eune baï eu DOGUE)
I need a doctor. : I need a doctor. (pron.: aï NÎDE e DOC-teur)
Call an ambulance. : Call an ambulance. (pron.: corle eune AMME-bieu-leunce)
Call the fire department. : Call the fire brigade. (pron.: corle dheu FAÏ-eure bri-GUÉIDE)
Call the police. : Call the police. (pron.: corle dheu pe-LICE)
Call the Coast Guard. : Call the coastguard. (pron.: corle dheu CÔST-garde)
May I use your phone? : Could I (please) use your phone? (pron.: elbow aï (PLIZE) IOUZE iour FÔOUNE?)

Numbers

The large basin of the Roman baths of Bath
(in) The "Great Bath" in the Roman Baths, Bath
Lake Matheson and the Southern Alps, New Zealand
(in) Lake Matheson and the Southern Alps, New Zealand
(in) The Empire State Building, Manhattan

0 : zero (pron.: ziro)
1 : one (pron.: ouonne)
2 : two (pron.: all)
3 : three (pron.: thrî)
4 : oven (pron.: faur)
5 : five (pron.: faïve)
6 : six (pron.: sixth)
7 : seven (pron.: SÈ-widow)
8 : eight (pron.: éite)
9 : nine (pron.: naïne)
10 : ten (pron.: tenne)
11 : eleven (pron.: i-LÈ-veune)
12 : twelve (pron.: touelve)
13 : thirteen (pron.: THEUR-tîne)
14 : fourteen (pron.: FAUR-tîne)
15 : fifteen (pron.: FIF-tîne)
16 : sixteen (pron.: SIXE-tîne)
17 : seventeen (pron.: SÈ-veune-tîne)
18 : eighteen (pron.: ÉI-tîne)
19 : nineteen (pron.: NAÏNE-tîne)
20 : twenty (pron.: TOUENNE-tî)
21 : twenty-one (pron.: TOUENNE-tî-OUONNE)
22 : twenty-two (pron.: TOUENNE-tî-TOU)
23 : twenty-three (pron.: TOUENNE-tî-THRÎ)
30 : thirty (pron.: THEUR-tî)
40 : forty (pron.: FAUR-tî)
50 : fifty (pron.: FIF-tî)
60 : sixty (pron.: SIXE-tî)
70 : seventy (pron.: SÈ-veune-tî)
80 : eighty (pron.: ÉI-tî)
90 : ninety (pron.: NAÏNE-tî)
100 : one hundred (pron.: ouonne HEUNE-dreude)
200 : two hundred (pron.: tou HEUNE-dreude)
300 : three hundred (pron.: thrî HEUNE-dreude)
1000 : one thousand (pron.: ouonne THAOU-zeunde)
2000 : two thousand (pron.: tou THAOU-zeunde)
1,000,000 : one million (pron.: ouonne MILLE-ieune)
number X (train, bus, etc.) : number (pron.: NEUME-beur)
half : half (pron.: harf)
less : less (comparison) / minus (arithmetic) (pron.: lesse / MAÏ-neusse)
more : more (comparison) / plus (arithmetic) (pron.: maur / pleusse)

Time

now : now (pron.: naou)
later : later (pron.: lèiteur)
before : before (pron.: bifore)
after : after (pron.: AF-tor)
day : day (pron.: dèï)
during the day : during the day (pron.: DIEUR-rîngue dheu dèï)
morning : morning (pron.: MOR-nîngue)
in the morning : in the morning (pron.: inne dheu MOR-nîngue)
afternoon : afternoon (pron.: AF-teur-NOUNE)
in the afternoon : in the afternoon (pron.: inne dhi AF-teur-NOUNE)
evening : evening (pron.: IVE-nîngue )
In the evening : in the evening (pron.: inne dhi IVE-nîngue)
night : night (pron.: naive)
in the night : at night (pron.: att naïte)
every day / evening : every day / evening (pron.: ÈVE-ri déï / IVE-nîngue)

Time

English speakers prefer the 12-hour time system. This especially in oral, where the use of the system over 24 hours would seem too formal, even bizarre. If, in the United Kingdom and in Ireland, one writes timetables (of opening, transport) using the 24 hours, this system has not been adopted in the rest of the English-speaking world. In writing and orally, we distinguish between morning hours and evening hours by using the acronyms AM (ante meridiem, before noon) and PM (post meridiem, afternoon). The time is written with a colon, in place of the h in French.

Buckingham Palace, London : The changing of the guard takes place every day at 11AM

one in the morning, 1 a.m. : one o'clock in the morning, 1AM (pron.: ouonne eu-CLOC ine dheu MOR-nîngue, ouonne ÉI-ÈMM)
two in the morning, 2 a.m. : two o'clock in the morning, 2AM (pron.: tou eu-CLOC ine dheu MOR-nîngue, tou ÉI-ÈMM)
nine in the morning, 9 a.m. : nine o'clock in the morning, 9AM (pron.: naïne eu-CLOC ine dheu MOR-nîngue, naïne ÉI-ÈMM)
noon, noon : midday / noon, 12PM (pron.: mid-dèï / noune, touelve PI-ÈMM)
one o'clock in the afternoon, 1:00 p.m. : one o'clock in the afternoon, 1PM (pron.: ouonne eu-CLOC ine dhi af-teur-NOUNE, ouonne PI-ÈMM)
two o'clock in the afternoon, 2:00 p.m. : two o'clock in the afternoon, 2PM (pron.: tou eu-CLOC ine dhi af-teur-NOUNE, tou PI-ÈMM)
six in the evening, 6 p.m. : six o'clock in the evening, 6PM (pron.: sixe eu-CLOC ine dhi ÎVE-nîngue, sixe PI-ÈMM)
seven in the evening, 7 p.m. : seven o'clock in the evening, 7PM (pron.: SÈ-veune o-CLOC ine dhi ÎVE-nîngue, SÈ-veune PI-ÈMM)
quarter past seven, 7.15 p.m. : quarter-past seven, 7:15 PM (seven-fifteen PM) (pron.: cu-OR-teur past SÈ-veune, SÈ-veune FIF-tine PI-ÈMM)
half past seven, 7:30 p.m. : half-past seven, 7:30 PM (seven-thirty PM) (pron.: harf past SÈ-veune, SÈ-veune THEUR-ti PI-ÈMM)
a quarter to eight, 7.45 p.m. : quarter-to eight, 7:45 PM (seven-forty-five PM) (pron.: cul-OR-teur tou éite, SÈ-veune for-ti-FAÏV PI-ÈMM)
midnight, midnight : midnight, 12AM (pron.: MID-naïte, touelve ÉI-ÈMM)

Duration

_____ minutes) : ______ minutes) (pron.: minite (ss))
_____ time) : ______ hour (s) (pron.: aouweu (z))
_____ days) : ______ day (s) (pron.: dèï (z))
_____ week (s) : ______ week (s) (pron.: ouik (ss))
_____ month : ______ month (s) (pron.: munth (ss))
_____ year (s) : ______ year (s) (pron.: yire (z))
hourly : hourly (pron.: AOU-weu-li)
day-to-day : daily (pron.: DEI-li)
weekly : weekly (pron.: OUIK-li)
monthly : monthly (pron.: MUNN-thli)
annual : yearly (pron.: YIRE-li)

Days

today : today (pron.: tu-dèï)
yesterday : yesterday (pron.: ÏEST-eu-dèï)
tomorrow : tomorrow (pron.: tou-MO-ro)
this week : this week (pron.: dhiss ouik)
last week : last week (pron.: laste ouik)
next week : next week (pron.: next ouik)
the weekend : the weekend (pron.: dheu OUIK-ènde)

Note that the first letter of day names must be capitalized.

  • Monday : Monday (pron.: MUNN-dèï)
  • Tuesday : Tuesday (pron.: TIOUZE-dèï)
  • Wednesday : Wednesday (pron.: OUÈNZE-dèï)
  • Thursday : Thursday (pron.: THEURZ-dèï)
  • Friday : Friday (pron.: FRAÏ-dèï)
  • Saturday : Saturday (pron.: SA-teur-dèï)
  • Sunday : Sunday (pron.: SEUNE-dèï)

Month

The same goes for months: the first letter is capitalized.

  • January : January (pron.: DJA-niou-è-ri)
  • February : February (pron.: FEBE-rou-è-ri)
  • March : March (pron.: martch)

Writing dates, the American way

Americans have an illogical and confusing habit of writing the date with the day in the middle and the year in just two digits. With a date like 12/18/63, no confusion is possible, but in the case of 04/01/03 it can cause problems: the American wants to write the 1er April 2003, while the rest of the world (including other English speakers) includes January 4, 2003!

  • April : April (pron.: E-preul)
  • may : May (pron.: mèï)
  • June : June (pron.: djoune)
  • July : July (pron.: djou-LAÏ)
  • August : August (pron.: OR-gueuste)
  • September : September (pron.: sèp-TÈME-beur)
  • October : October (pron.: oc-TÔ-beur)
  • November : November (pron.: no-VÈME-beur)
  • December : December (pron.: di-SÈME-beur)

Seasons

  • spring : spring (pron.: sprîngue)
  • summer : summer (pron.: SUM-meur)
  • fall : autumn (pron.: OR-teum)
  • winter : winter (pron.: OUÏNE-teur)

Holidays and celebrations

La célèbre plage de Bondi à Sydney, Australie
(in) The famous Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia

Bonnes vacances ! : Enjoy your holiday! / ...vacation! (USA) (pron.: ènne-DJOÏ iour HO-li-dèï / vé-QUAI-cheune)
Bonnes fêtes ! : Happy holidays! (pron.: HA-pi HO-li-dèïz)
Joyeux anniversaire ! : Happy birthday! (pron.: HA-pi BEURTH-dèï)
Bonne année ! : Happy New Year! (pron.: HA-pi niou YIRE)
le jour de l'an : New Year's Day (pron.: niou YIRZ dèï)
le jour de l'Australie (26 janvier) : Australia Day (pron.: auste-RÈI-lia dèï)
la fête nationale de Nouvelle-Zélande (6 février) : Waitangi Day (pron.: ouaï-TANNE-guy dèï)
la fête de la Saint-David (1er mars, pays de Galles) : Saint David's Day (pron.: SÈÏNTE DÈI-vidz dèï)
la fête de la Saint-Patrick (17 mars, Irlande) : Saint Patrick's Day (pron.: SÈÏNTE PATTE-riquess dèï)
les Pâques : Easter (pron.: IE-steur)
la Pâque juive : Passover (pron.: PASS-o-veur)
la fête de la Saint-Georges (23 avril, Angleterre) : Saint George's Day (pron.: SÈÏNTE DJOR-djeuz dèï)
le Ramadan : Ramadan (pron.: RA-ma-DANNE)
la fête du Canada (1er juillet) : Canada Day (pron.: CA-na-deu dèï)
le jour de l'Indépendance (4 juillet, États-Unis) : Independence Day / The Fourth of July (pron.: inne-di-PÈNE-deunss dèï / dheu forth ov djou-LAÏ)
les vacances d'été : the summer holidays (pron.: dheu SUM-meu HO-li-dèïz)
l'Action de grâce (2e lundi d'octobre, Canada / 4e jeudi de novembre, États-Unis) : Thanksgiving (pron.: THINQUE-sguî-vîngue)
le 5 novembre (Grande-Bretagne) : Bonfire Night / Guy Fawkes Night (pron.: BONNE-faïeur naïte / gaï FORCS naïte)
le jour de l'Armistice (11 novembre, Aust., Can., G.-B., N.-Z.) : Armistice Day / Remembrance Day (pron.: AR-misse-tisse dèï / ri-MÊME-breunce dèï)
la fête de la Saint-André (30 novembre, Écosse) : Saint Andrew's Day (pron.: SÈÏNTE ANNE-drouz dèï)
Hanoucca : Hanukkah (pron.: HANNE-ou-ka)
Christmas : Christmas (pron.: CRICE-meuce)
Joyeux Noël ! : Merry Christmas! (pron.: MÈ-ri CRICE-meuce)

Colors

Maisons colorées à Singapore
(in) Colourful houses in Singapore

black : black (pron.: blaque)
White : white (pron.: ouaïte)
Grey : grey (pron.: grèï)
red : red (pron.: rèd)
blue : blue (pron.: blou)
yellow : yellow (pron.: YÈ-lo)
green : green (pron.: grine)
orange : orange (pron.: O-rîndje)
purple : purple (pron.: peur-peul)
Chestnut : brown (pron.: braoune)
pink : pink (pron.: pînque)

Adjectifs, comparatifs et superlatifs

Partout en Australie, on croise des big things (« grandes choses ») à côté de la route. Voici la Big Prawn, in New South Wales.

plus (de) : more (pron.: mor)
moins (de) : less (pron.: lesse)
bon, mieux, meilleur : good, better, best (pron.: goude, BÈ-teur, beste)
mauvais, pire, (le) pire : bad, worse, worst (pron.: bad, oueurse, oueurste)
grand, plus grand, (le) plus grand : big, bigger, biggest (pron.: bigue, BI-gueur, BI-gueuste)
petit, plus petit, (le) plus petit : small, smaller, smallest (pron.: smorl, SMOR-leur, SMOR-leuste)
chaud, plus chaud, (le) plus chaud : hot, hotter, hottest (pron.: hotte, HOTT-teur, HOTT-teuste)
froid, plus froid, (le) plus froid : cold, colder, coldest (pron.: côlde, CÔL-deur, CÔL-deuste)
rapide, plus rapide, (le) plus rapide : fast, faster, fastest (pron.: faste, FAST-eur, FAST-teuste)
lent, plus lent, (le) plus lent : slow, slower, slowest (pron.: sleau, SLEAU-oueur, SLEAU-oueuste)
riche, plus riche, (le) plus riche : rich, richer, richest (pron.: ritch, RITCH-eur, RITCH-euste)
pauvre, plus pauvre, (le) plus pauvre : poor, poorer, poorest (pron.: por, POR-reur, POR-reuste)
bon marché, plus bon marché, (le) meilleur marché (le moins cher) : cheap, cheaper, cheapest (pron.: tchipe, TCHI-peur, TCHI-peuste)
cher, plus cher, (le) plus cher : expensive, more expensive, most expensive (pron.: exe-PÈNE-siv, MOR exe-PÈNE-siv, MÔSTE exe-PÈNE-siv)
- mais oui !

Transport

Les petites rames du métro glaswégien sont trop mignonnes !
(in) Glasgow's little subway trains are so cute!
Le plus vaste réseau de tram au monde se trouve à Melbourne.
(in) Melbourne is home to the largest tram network in the world

Modes de transport

car : car (pron.: because)
Taxi : taxi (pron.: TAX-i)
camping-car : campervan / motorhome (USA) (pron.: CAMME-peur-VANNE / MO-teu-HÔME)
camionnette : van (pron.: vanne)
camion : lorry / truck (USA) (pron.: LO-ri / treuc)
motocyclette, moto : motorcycle, motorbike (pron.: MO-teu-SAÏ-keul / MO-teu-BAÏC)
bike : bicycle, bike (pron.: BAÏ-si-keul / baïc)
calèche : (horse-drawn*) carriage, cart (pron.: (HORSE-drorne) CA-ridj / carte)

* tirée par des chevaux

bus : bus (pron.: beuce)
autocar : coach (pron.: côtche)
tram : tram (pron.: tramme)
train : train (pron.: tréïne)
métro : metro (général) / subway (New York, Glasgow...) / underground (Londres) (pron.: MÈ-tro / SEUBE-ouèï / EUNE-deur-graounde)
cable car : cable car (pron.: QUAI-beul CAR)
navire : ship (pron.: chip)
bateau : boat (pron.: bôte)
ferry : ferry (pron.: FÈ-ri)
avion : aeroplane, plane / airplane (USA) (pron.: AIR-ro-PLÈÏNE, plèïne / AIR-plèïne)
compagnie aérienne : airline (pron.: AIR-laïne)
hélicoptère : helicopter (pron.: HÈLI-cop-teur)
shuttle bus : shuttle (pron.: CHEU-teul)

Bus and Train

How much does the ticket cost to go to ____? : How much does a ticket to ____ cost? (pron.: haou meutch deuze eu TIQUE-ite tou ____ coste)
A ticket for ____, please. : A ticket to ____, please. (pron.: eu TIQUE-ite tou ____ plize)
Where is this train / bus going? : Where does this train/bus go ? (pron.: ouère deuze dhisse tréïne / beuce gô)
Where is the train / bus to ____? : Where is the train/bus for ____? (pron.: ouère iz dheu tréïne / beuce four _____)
Does this train / bus stop at ____? : Does this train/bus stop at ____ ? (pron.: deuze dhisse tréïne / beuce stop atte _____ )
When does the train / bus to XXX leave? : When does the train/bus for _____ leave ? (pron.: ouenne deuze dheu tréïne / beuce four _____ lîve)
When will this train / bus arrive in _____? : When will this train/bus arrive at _____ ? (pron.: ouenne ouïle dhisse tréïne / beuce eu-RAÏVE atte _____)
un aller simple : a one-way ticket (pron.: eu ouonne ouéi TIQUE-ite)
un aller-retour : a return ticket / a round trip (USA) (pron.: eu ri-TEURNE TIQUE-ite / eu raounde trip)

Drive

Miles apart


At UK and to United States, on privilégie le système impérial d'unités. Au volant, il est essentiel que vous compreniez les panneaux que vous rencontrez.

The grandes distances sont données en miles (MAÏ-eulze) tandis que les limites de vitesse utilisent miles per hour (MAÏ-eulze peur AOU-weu).
1 mile égale 1,6 km.


Pour les faibles distances, ça change selon le pays :

  • Au Royaume-Uni, on utilise les yards (ïardz), ce qui est souvent abrégé à yds. 1 yd égale 0,91 m ; il y a 1 760 yds dans 1 mile.
  • Aux États-Unis, on préfère utiliser les feet (fîte). 1 foot égale 0,3 m ; il y a 5,280 feet dans 1 mile.


The limites de hauteur sont données en feet and inches (ÎNNE-tchèse).
1 inch égale 2,54 cm ; il y a 12 inches dans 1 foot. Une hauteur maximale de 14 feet et 6 inches (4,4 m) serait signalée ainsi : 14’-6’’

I would like to rent a car. : I'd like to hire a car. / I'd like to rent a car. (USA) (pron.: aïde laïk tou HAÏ-eur eu car / aïde laïc tou rènte eu car)
Could I be insured? : Can I get insurance? (pron.: canne aïe guette inne-CHEU-reunce)
One Way : one way (pron.: ouonne ouéï)
yield : give way / yield (USA) (pron.: guive OUÉÏ / yilde)
parking forbidden : no parking (pron.: nô PAR-kîngue)
speed limit : speed limit (pron.: SPIDE-li-mitte )
gas station : petrol station / gas station (USA) (pron.: PÈTE-rol STÉÏ-cheune / gasse STÉÏ-cheune)
gasoline : petrol / gas (USA) (pron.: PÈTE-rol / gasse )
diesel : diesel (pron.: DIE-zeul)

Directions

Where is _____ ? : Where is _____? (pron.: OUAIRE-iz)
...the train station ? : ...the railway station? (pron.: dheu RÉÏL-wéi STÉÏ-cheune)
...the bus station ? : ...the bus station? (pron.: dheu beuce STÉÏ-cheune )
...la station de métro la plus proche ? : ...the nearest metro station? (pron.: dheu NIRE-reuste MÈ-tro STÉÏ-cheune)
...la station-service la plus proche ? : ...the nearest petrol station? / gas station? (USA) (pron.: dheu NIRE-reuste PÈTE-rol STÉÏ-cheune / gasse STÉÏ-cheune)
... the airport? : the airport (pron.: dhi AIR-porte)
... the city center? : ...the town / city centre? / ...downtown? (USA) (pron.: dheu taoune / CI-ti SÈNNE-teur / DAOUNE-taoune )
...the hostel ? : ...the youth hostel? (pron.: dheu ïouth HOSSE-teul)
...l'hôtel _____ (le plus proche) ? : ...the (nearest) hotel? (pron.: dheu (NIRE-euste) HÔ-tel)
...l'office du tourisme ? : ...the tourist office? (pron.: dheu TOR-riste OF-isse)
...un guichet automatique ? : ...an ATM? (pron.: eune ÉÏ-TI-ÈME)
...l'hôtel de ville ? : ...the town / city hall? (pron.: dheu taoune / CI-ti horle)
...le commissariat de police ? : ...the police station? (pron.: dheu peu-LICE STÉÏ-cheune)
... the French / Belgian / Swiss / Canadian embassy? : the French/Belgian/Swiss/Canadian embassy? (pron.: dheu frèntch / BEL-djeune / souisse / keu-NÉÏ-di-eune EMME-beu-si)
Where are there lots of ... : Where are there a lot of... (pron.: OUAIRE ar dhaire eu LOTTE ov)
... hotels? : hotels (pron.: HÔ-telze)
... restaurants? : ... restaurants? (pron.: RESTE-rantçe)
... bars? : ...bars? (pron.: barz)
...magasins ? : ...shops? (pron.: chops)
... sites to visit? : ...places to visit? (pron.: PLÉI-seuze tou VIZ-itte)
Can you show me on the map? : Can you show me on the map? (pron.: CANNE ïou CHÔ mi ONNE dheu MAPPE)
rue _____ : _____ Street (pron.: _____ strite)

p. ex. High Street, Market Street, Oxford Street, 42nd Street...
Dans certains pays anglo-saxons, les panneaux routiers donnent beaucoup plus d'importance à la numérotation des itinéraires qu'aux noms des destinations possibles.

Turn left : Turn left (pron.: teurne left)
Turn right : Turn right (pron.: teurne raïte)
straight : straight ahead / straight on (pron.: stréïte eu-HÈDE / stréïte ONNE)
vers le/la / en direction de _____ : towards the _____ / heading to _____ (pron.: teu-OUARDZ dheu _____ / HÈ-dîngue tou _____ )
after _____ : after the _____ / past the _____ (pron.: AF-teur dheu _____ / paste dheu _____ )
before _____ : before the _____ (pron.: bi-FORE dheu _____)
à côté du / de la _____ : next to the _____ (pron.: NEXTE tou dheu _____)
en face du / de la _____ : opposite the _____ (pron.: OP-peu-ZITE dheu _____)
la prochaine sortie : the next exit (pron.: dheu nexte EX-ite)
Suivre : Follow (pron.: fol-lo)
North : north (pron.: north)
South : south (pron.: saouth)
is : east (pron.: iste)
Where is : west (pron.: ouest)
at the top : high (pron.: haï)
downstairs : low (pron.: lo)
là / là-bas / là-haut : there (pron.: dhaire)
here : here (pron.: HIRE)

Beaucoup de pays anglophones roulent à gauche.
(in) Many English-speaking countries drive on the left.

Repérez le/la/les _____ : Watch out for the _____ (pron.: ouotch aoute four dheu _____)
road : road (pron.: rôde)
Street : street (pron.: strite)
crossroads : crossroads / junction (pron.: CROSSE-rôdze / DJEUNK-cheune)
feux : traffic lights (pron.: TRA-fique laïtse)
rond-point : roundabout (pron.: RAOUND-eu-BAOUTE)
highway : motorway / highway (USA) / freeway (Australie du sud-est et du sud-ouest) (pron.: MO-teu-OUÉI / HAÏ-OUÉI / FRÎ-OUÉI)
chemin de fer : railway (pron.: RÉÏL-ouéi)
passage à niveau : level crossing (pron.: LÈ-veule CROSSE-îngue)
pont : bridge (pron.: brîdje)
tunnel : tunnel (pron.: TEUNE-neul)
toll : toll booth (pron.: tolle bouth)
bouchon : queue (pron.: quïou)
travaux : roadworks (pron.: rôde-OUEURXE)
route barrée : road (ahead) closed (pron.: rôde eu-HÈDE cleauzd)
detour : diversion (pron.: daï-VEUR-jeune)

Taxi

Taxi! : Taxi! (pron.: taxi)
Take me to _____, please. : Take me to _____, please (pron.: téïk mi tou _____ plize)
How much does it cost to go to _____? : How much does it cost to go to _____ ? (pron.: haou meutch deuze itte coste tou go tou _____)
Bring me there, please. : Take me there, please. (pron.: téïk mi dhair plize)
Je veux descendre ici. : I want to get out here. (pron.: aï ouonte tou guette aoute hire)
Merci ! Gardez la monnaie. : Thanks! Keep the change. (pron.: thinques! quipe dheu tchéïndj)

Housing

Panneau de motel typique (Hope, British Columbia)

Types de logement

hostel : hostel / inn (pron.: HOSSE-teul / inne)
auberge de jeunesse : youth hostel (pron.: ïouth HOSSE-teul)
camping : campsite / campground (USA) (pron.: CAMME-psaïte / CAMM(E)P-graounde)
chambres d'hôte : bed and breakfast (B&B) / guesthouse (pron.: BÈDE-eunde-BRÈQUE-feuste (BI-eunde-BI) / GUESTE-haouce)
hôtel : hotel (pron.: HÔ-tel)
location de vacances / gîte : self-catering (holiday / vacation) rental / holiday cottage (pron.: selfe-KÉÏ-teur-RÎNGUE (HO-li-dèï / vé-QUAI-cheune) RENNE-teul / HO-li-dèï COTTE-idje)

Phrases utiles

Do you have free rooms? : Do you have any rooms available? (pron.: dou ïou have èni roumz eu-VEILLE-leu-beul?)
How much does a room cost for one person / two people? : How much does a room for one/two cost? (pron.: haou meutch deuze eu roume for ouonne/tou coste?)
Est-ce que, dans la chambre, il y a... : Does the room have... (pron.: deuze dheu roume have...)
...sheets ? : ...bedsheets? (pron.: ...BÈDE-chîtse?)
...a bathroom ? : ...a bathroom? (pron.: eu BATH-roume?)
...a phone ? : ...a phone? (pron.: eu fone?)
...a television ? : ...a television? (pron.: eu TÈ-leu-VI-jeune / TÈ-li / TI-VI?)
...un frigo ? : ...a refrigerator / fridge? (pron.: eu reu-FRIDJ-eu-RÈÏ-teu / fridj?)
...une bouilloire ? : ...a kettle? (pron.: eu KET-eul?)
Can I visit the room? : Can I see the room? (pron.: CANNE aïe SI dheu roume?)

Midland Hotel, Manchester

Vous n'avez pas de chambre _____ ? : Do you have a _____ room? (pron.: dou ïou have eu _____ roume?)
...quieter ? : ...quieter... (pron.: keu-OUAÏ-ïeutt-TEUR)
...bigger ? : ...bigger... (pron.: BI-gueur)
...cleaner ? : ...cleaner... (pron.: CLINE-eur)
...less expensive? : ...cheaper... (pron.: TCHI-peur)
Fine, I'll take it. : Good, I'll take it (pron.: goude, aïeul TÉÏK itte)
I plan to stay _____ night (s). : I plan on staying _____ nights (pron.: aïe planne onne STÈÏ-yîngue _____ naïtse)
Can you suggest me another hotel? : Can you recommend another hotel to me? (pron.: CANNE ïou RÈ-co-MÈNDE eu-neu-DHEUR HÔ-tel tou mi?)
Do you have a safe? : Do you have a safe? (pron.: dou ïou have eu séïfe?)
... lockers ? : ...lockers? (pron.: LOK-euze)
Is breakfast / dinner included? : Is breakfast/dinner included? (pron.: ize BRÈQUE-feuste DI-neur inne-CLOU-did?)
À quelle heure est le petit-déjeuner/déjeuner ? : What time is breakfast/lunch? (pron.: ouotte taïme ize BRÈQUE-feuste/leuntch?)
Please clean my room. : Please clean my room. (pron.: plize cline maï roume)
Can you wake me up at _____ o'clock? : Can you wake me up at ____ o'clock please? (pron.: CANNE ïou OUÉÏC mi eup atte _____ eu-CLOC, plize?)
Vous êtes envahi de blattes / mouches / punaises / souris ici. : You have a cockroach / fly / bedbug / mouse infestation here. (pron.: ïou have eu COQUE-rôtche / flaïe / BÈDE-beug / maouce INNE-fes-TÈÏ-cheune hire)
I want to let you know when I'm leaving. : I'd like to check out. (pron.: aïde laïc tou tchèque aoute)

Silver

The almighty dollar, le dollar « tout puissant »

un dollar / une livre : one dollar ($1) / one pound (£1) (pron.: ouonne DOL-eur, ouonne paounde)
Do you accept euros? : Do you take euros? (pron.: dou ïou téïk ÏOU-rose?)
Do you accept Swiss francs? : Do you take Swiss francs? (pron.: dou ïou téïk suisse freinques?)
Do you accept Canadian dollars? : Do you take Canadian dollars? (pron.: dou ïou téïk keu-NÉÏ-di-eune DOL-euse?)
Do you accept credit cards ? : Do you take credit cards? (pron.: dou ïou téïk CRÈ-dite cardse?)
Can you change me? : Do you do currency exchange? (pron.: dou ïou dou KEU-reunce-î ÈXE-tchéïndj?)
Where can I change it? : Where can I change money? (pron.: OUAIRE canne aïe tchéïndj MEUNE-î?)
Pouvez-vous me faire le change sur un chèque de voyage ? : Do you change traveller's cheques? (pron.: dou ïou tchéïndj TRAV-eu-leuse tchecs?)
Où puis-je échanger un chèque de voyage ? : Where can I change a traveller's cheque? (pron.: OUAIRE canne aïe tchéïndj eu TRAV-eu-leuse tchec?)
What is the exchange rate? : What is the exchange rate? (pron.: ouotte iz dheu ÈXE-tchéïndj réïte?)
Where can I find an ATM? : Where can I find an ATM? (pron.: OUAIRE canne aïe faïnde eune ÉÏ-TI-ÈME?)

Food

At the restaurant

A table for one person / two people, please. : A table for one/two, please (pron.: eu TÉÏ-beul four ouonne/tou, plize)
Puis-je avoir le menu / la carte ? : Can I see the menu, please? (pron.: CANNE aïe si dheu MÈ-nïou, plize)
Can I visit the kitchens? : Can I see the kitchens, please? (pron.: CANNE aïe si dheu QUI-tchînce, plize)

Spécialités du jour
(in) Daily specials

What is the specialty of the house ? : What is the house speciality? (pron.: ouotte iz dheu haouce SPÈ-chi-AL-i-ti)
Is there a local specialty? : Is there a local speciality? (pron.: iz dhaire eu LO-queul SPÈ-chi-AL-i-ti)
Je suis végétarien / végétalien. : I'm a vegetarian / vegan. (pron.: AÏME eu VÈ-djeu-TAIR-i-eune / VIE-gueune)
Je ne mange pas de porc / laitage / gluten / noix. : I don't eat pork / dairy / gluten / nuts. (pron.: aïe dônte îte porc / DAIR-ri / GLOU-teune / neutz )
Je ne mange que de la viande cachère / halal / bio. : I only eat kosher / halal / organic meat (pron.: ouch ÔNE-li ite CO-cheur / ha-LAL / or-GANNE-ic mite)
Can you cook light (with less oil / butter / bacon)? : Can you cook lightly (with less oil / butter / lard)? (pron.: CANNE ïou couque LAÏTE-li (ouidh lesse oïeul / BEU-teur / larde) )
menu : set menu (pron.: this MÈ-niou)
à la carte : [a la carte menu (pron.: (A-la carte) MÈ-niou)
breakfast : breakfast (pron.: BRÈQUE-feuste )
to eat lunch : lunch (pron.: leuntch)
tea (meal) : [afternoon] tea (pron.: [af-teur-NOUNE] ti)
having dinner : dinner (pron.: DI-neur )
supper : supper (pron.: SEU-fear)
I want _____ : I'd like _____. (pron.: secular aid)
I would like a dish with _____. : I'd like a dish with_____ (pron.: secular aïd eu diche ouidh)
Can I have _____? : Could I have some ______ (pron.: elbow ouch have only )
salt : salt (pron.: solte)
pepper : pepper (pron.: PÈ-fear)
butter : butter (pron.: BEU-teur)
Please ? (attract the attention of the waiter) : Excusez moi? (pron.: ex-KIOUSE mî)
I'm done : I've finished. (pron.: aïve FI-nichd )
That was delicious. : It was delicious (pron.: itte ouoze deu-LI-cheuce )
You can clear the table. : You can clear the table (pron.: ïou cane clire dheu TÉÏ-beul )
The bill, please. : The bill, please. / Check, please. (USA) (pron.: dheu bil, plize / tchec, plize)

Proteins

Barbecue is the favorite cuisine in Texas

meat : meat (pron.: mite)
chicken : chicken (pron.: TCHI-keune )
Turkey : turkey (pron.: TEUR-who)
duck : duck (pron.: deuc)
beef : beef (pron.: bife)
Lamb : lamb (pron.: blade)
pork / pig : pork (pron.: pork)
Ham : ham (pron.: hamme)
sausages : sausages
wild meat : game (pron.: Guéïme)
wild boar : [wild] boar (pron.: (ouaïeuld) bor)
deer : venison (pron.: VÈ-ni-seune)

fish and chips At the seaside

Fish : fish (pron.: file)
some salmon : salmon (pron.: SA-meune)
tuna : you dont have (pron.: TIOU-neu)
whiting : whiting (pron.: OUAÏ-tîngue)
bar / wolf : seabass (pron.: SI-low)
cod : cod (pron.: coded)
haddock : haddock (pron.: HA-deuc)
hake : hake (pron.: hey)
seafood : seafood (pron.: SI-foude)
of the dulse : dulse (pron.: deulce)
lobster : lobster (pron.: LOB-steur)
shrimps : prawns (pron.: prornz)
clams : clams (pron.: clammze)
oysters : oysters (pron.: OIE-steurz)
mussels : mussels (pron.: MEU-only)
the Saint-Jacques shells : scallops (pron.: SCO-leups)
cheese : cheese (pron.: tchise)
eggs : eggs (pron.: ègz)

Fruits and vegetables

Fruit and vegetable merchant, Norfolk

[fresh] vegetables : [fresh] vegetables (pron.: (frèche) VEDJ-teu-beulz)
Garlic : garlic (pron.: GARE-lic)
broccoli : broccoli (pron.: BRO-keu-li)
carrots : carrots (pron.: CA-reutce)
Mushroom : mushrooms (pron.: MEUCHE-roumz)
cabbage : cabbage (pron.: CA-bidje)
Brussels sprouts : Brussels sprouts (pron.: BREU-Seulz spraoutz)
spinach : spinach (pron.: SPI-nitche)
green beans : green beans / French beans (pron.: grine bînze / frèntch bînze)
white beans in tomato sauce : baked beans (pron.: béïcd bînze)
red beans : kidney beans (pron.: QUIDE-nie bînze)
lentils : lentils (pron.: lène-tilz)
corn : sweetcorn (pron.: SUITE-horn)
some onions : onions (pron.: EUN-nieunz)
peas : peas (pron.: pize)
a salad (plant) : a lettuce (pron.: eu LÈ-tice)
a salad (dish) : a salad (pron.: eu SA-leude)
cucumber : cucumber (pron.: QUÏOU-keum-beur)
tomatoes : tomatoes (pron.: teu-MA-tose)
lettuce : lettuce (pron.: LÈ-tice)
red / yellow / green pepper : red / yellow / green pepper (pron.: réd / YÈ-lo / grine PÈ-fear)
new onions : spring onions (pron.: sprîngue EUN-nieunz)
radish : radish (pron.: RA-dich)
chives : chives (pron.: tchaivz)
herbs [from Provence] : herbs (pron.: heurbz)
fruit [fresh] : [fresh] fruit (pron.: (frèche) froute)
a banana : a banana (pron.: eu beu-NA-neu)
cherries : cherries (pron.: CZECH-rise)
a lemon : a lemon (pron.: eu LÈ-meune)
a lime : a lime (pron.: had secularism)
a mango : a mango (pron.: eu MANNE-go)
Orange : an orange (pron.: eune O-rîndje)
a peach : a peach (pron.: had pîtche)
a pear : a pear (pron.: even)
an Apple : an apple (pron.: eune A-peul )
a plum : a plum (pron.: had pleumme)
Grapes : grapes (pron.: greeps )
red berries : berries (pron.: BÈ-rise )
blackcurrants : blackcurrants (pron.: BLA-keu-reunce )
strawberries : strawberries (pron.: STROR-beu-rise )
raspberries : raspberries (pron.: RAZ-beu-rise )
blackberries : blackberries (pron.: BLAQUE-beu-rise )
blueberries : blueberries (pron.: BLOU-beu-rise )

Carbohydrates and sweets

potatoes [mashed / roasted] : [mashed / roast] potatoes (pron.: [machd / rôste] peu-TÉÏ-toze)
fries : chips / French fries (USA) (pron.: tchips / frèntch fraïze)
pasta : pasta (pron.: NOT-teu)
rice : rice (pron.: raïce)
bread : bread (pron.: brède )
toasts : toast (pron.: tôste)
a cake : a cake (pron.: eu kéïc)
a pie : a pie (pron.: had straw)
cream : cream (pron.: crime)
custard : custard (pron.: KEU-steude)
ice : ice cream (pron.: aïce crime)
chocolate : chocolate (pron.: TCHOC-leute)
candy : sweets / candy (USA) (pron.: suitz / CANNE-di)

Tea time!

Drinks

Can I have a drink of _____? : I'd like a glass of ______ (pron.: lay aid eu ice cream _____)
Can I have a cup of _____? : I'd like a cup of (pron.: secular aid eu keupe ov _____?)
Can I have a bottle of _____? : Could I have a bottle of _____ (pron.: elbow ouch have had BO-teul ov _____?)
Coffee : coffee (pron.: CO-fi)
tea : tea (pron.: ti)
juice : juice (pron.: djouce)
sparkling water : sparkling water (pron.: SPAR-clîngue OUOR-tor )
Still water : still water / tap water (pron.: stile OUOR-tor / tap OUOR-tor)
beer : beer (pron.: bir)
red / rosé / white wine : red / rosé / white wine (pron.: réd / RO-zé / ouaïte ouaïne)

Bars

Do you serve alcohol? : Do you serve alcohol? (pron.: dou ïou seurve AL-co-HOL)
Is there table service? : Is there table service? (pron.: iz dhaire TÉÏ-beul SEUR-vice)
One beer / two beers, please. : A beer / two beers, please (pron.: eu bir / tou birz, plize)
A pint / half-pint, please. : A pint / half-pint, please (pron.: eu païnte / HARF-païnte, plize)

Murphy's Pub in the County Kerry, Ireland

A glass of red / white wine, please : A glass of red / white wine, please. (pron.: eu ICE ov rède / ouaïte ouaïne, plize)
A bottle, please. : A bottle, please. (pron.: eu BO-teul, plize)
whiskey : whiskey (pron.: YES-who)
vodka : vodka (pron.: VOD-tail)
rum : rum (pron.: reume)
cider : cider (pron.: SAÏ-deur)
some water : water (pron.: OUOR-tor)
soda : soda (pron.: SO-deu)
Schweppes : tonic water (pron.: TO-nic OUOR-tor)
Orange juice : orange juice (pron.: O-rîndje djouce)
Coca : Coke (pron.: cauc )
Do you have crisps or peanuts? : Do you have any bar snacks? (pron.: dou ïou have È-ni bar snacse )
Another one, please. : Another one, please (pron.: eu-neu-DHEUR ouonne, plize)
Another for the table, please. : Another round, please. (pron.: eu-neu-DHEUR raounde, plize)
What time do you close ? : What time do you close? (pron.: ouotte taïme dou ïou cloze)

Purchases

(in) Shopping in Sin City

Do you have this in my size? : Do you have this in my size? (pron.: dou ïou have dhisse inne maï saïze)
How much does it cost ? : How much is it? (pron.: haou meutch iz itte )
It's too expensive ! : It's too expensive! (pron.: itse tou exe-PENE-siv)
Could you accept _____? : Do you take _____? (pron.: dou ïou téïk ...)
Dear : expensive (pron.: exe-PENE-siv)
cheap : cheap (pron.: tchipe)
I can't pay him / her : I can't afford it. (pron.: ouch caente eu-FORD itte)
I do not want it : I don't want it. (pron.: ouch dônte ouonte itte)
You are fooling me. : You're misleading me. (pron.: ïour misse-LI-dîngue mî)
I am not interested. : I'm not interested. (pron.: aïme notte INNE-teu-RÈS-tide)
Fine, I'll take it. : Alright, I'll take it. (pron.: ORL-raïte, grandfather téïk itte)
Could I have a bag? : Can I have a bag, please? (pron.: CANE ouch have had ring, plize)
Do you ship abroad? : Do you ship overseas? (pron.: dou ïou chip O-veur-SISE)
I need... : I need ... (pron.: ouch NÎDE)
... toothpaste. : toothpaste (pron.: TOUTH-peist)
... a toothbrush. : a toothbrush. (pron.: eu TOUTH-breuch)
... tampons. : buffers (pron.: TAMME-ponnz)
...soap. : soap (pron.: bucket)
... shampoo. : shampoo (pron.: CHAMME-pou)
... an analgesic. (p. ex. aspirin, ibuprofen) : some painkillers. (aspirin, ibuprofen) (pron.: seume PÉÏNE-qui-leuze (ASSE-peu-rîn, AÏE-bieu-PRO-fîn))
... medicine for a cold. : cold medicine. (pron.: côlde MÈ-di-ceune)
... a medicine for the stomach. : stomach medicine (pron.: STEU-meuc MÈ-di-ceune)
... an antihistamine. : antihistamine tablets (pron.: ANNE-ti-HISSE-teu-MINE TAB-lètse)
... a razor. : a razor (pron.: eu REÏ-zeur)
... batteries. : batteries (pron.: BA-teu-RISE)
... a SIM card. : a SIM card. (pron.: eu SIMME card)
... an umbrella. : an umbrella. (pron.: eune eume-BRÈ-leu)
... a parasol. : a parasol. (pron.: eu PA-reu-sol)
... sunscreen. : sunblock (pron.: SEUNE-block)
... of a postcard. : a postcard (pron.: eu POSTE-carde)
... postage stamps. : [postage] stamps (pron.: [PÔ-stidj] STAMMPSE )
...writing paper. : writing paper (pron.: RAÏ-tîngue PÉÏ-fear)
... a pen. : a pen (pron.: had LOCK)
... of books in French. : books in French (pron.: BOUCSE inne frèntch)
... magazines in French. : magazines in French (pron.: ma-ga-zînze inne frèntch)
... a newspaper in French. : a French newspaper (pron.: eu frèntch NIOUZE-pei-fear)
... from a French-English dictionary. : a French-English dictionary (pron.: eu frèntch-INNE-glich DIC-cheune-ÉRI)

Authority

I did not do anything wrong. : I haven't done anything wrong (pron.: ouch HA-veunte deune È-ni-thîngue rongue)
It is a mistake. : It's a mistake. (pron.: itse eu mi-STÉÏC)
Where are you taking me? : Where are you taking me? (pron.: OUAIRE ar ïou TÉÏ-quîngue mi)
Am I under arrest? : Am I under arrest? (pron.: amme ouch EUNE-deur a-REST )
I am a French / Belgian / Swiss / Canadian citizen. : I'm a French / Belgian / Swiss / Canadian citizen (pron.: aïme eu frèntch / BEL-djeune / souisse / keu-NÉÏ-di-eune CI-ti-zeune)
I must speak to the French / Belgian / Swiss / Canadian Embassy / Consulate : I need to talk to the French / Belgian / Swiss / Canadian embassy / consulate (pron.: ouch nîde tou torc tou dheu frèntch / BEL-djeune / souisse / keu-NÉÏ-di-eune EMME-beu-si / CONNE-sieu-leute)
I would like to speak to a lawyer. : I'd like to speak to a lawyer. (pron.: lay aid tou spîc tou eu LOÏ-yeur )
Could I just pay a fine? : Can I just pay a fine instead? (pron.: cane ouch djeuste pei eu faïne inne-STED )

Deepen

  • English language varieties : a Wikivoyage article in English that exposes the main differences in spelling, spelling and vocabulary that exist across the English-speaking world.
  • English conjugation with iSpeakSpokeSpoken, the main tenses of English such as the, present simple, present perfect, past simple, etc.
  • Learn English while having fun with Memrise, a free site that uses mnemonics and Spaced Repetition (SRS).
  • Learn by heart with Anki, free and open Spaced Repetition Software (SRS)
  • Learn English with Albert Learning.
Logo representing 2 gold stars and 1 gray star
This language guide has the status of a guide. It covers all major travel topics without resorting to French. Expand it and make it a star article!
Complete list of other articles in the theme: Language guides