Phrasebook French - Taalgids Frans

It French is a Romance language spoken as an official language in France, the regions Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Switzerland and a multitude of countries in the Caribbean, French Polynesia and Africa.

Grammar

French grammar is not very complicated. Here's a small overview:

Nouns and Articles

Noun and definite article	Noun and indefinite article
singular plural male le mot lesson mots masculine for vowel or h* l'homme les hommes female la rue les rues feminine before vowel or h* l'animation lesson animations	singular plural male un moth of the moth masculine for vowel or h* un homme des hommes female one rue des rues feminine before vowel or h* une animation the animations
* LOOK OUT! with loanwords and proper names such as hockey and Hollande becomes the h pronounced and thus seen as a full consonant. With these words does not come l' but le or la.

verbs

In French, there are several types of verbs:

• regularly on -er
• regularly on -re
• regularly on -ir
• irregular

Regular verbs

Présent (present tense)

on -er, -re and -ir

Présent (present tense)
verb on -er regardthere (to watch you regarde I watch you regardes you're looking il/elle/on regarde he/she/one looks nos regardUS we look vous regardez you look / you look ils/elles regardent they watch	verb on -re attendre (to wait you attends I wait you attends you wait il/elle/on attend he/she/one waits nos attendUS we are waiting vous attendez you wait / you wait ils/elles attendent they wait	verb on -ir finir (to) end your finis I end you finis you finish il/elle/on finit he/she/one ends well doneissUS we are ending vous finissez you finish / you finish ils/elles finissent they end

Note: The verbs on -ir have a slightly different conjugation than the other regular verbs, with the plural of the verbs always comes with the stem -iss Bee. Then the conjugation looks like this: Stam iss Exit.

Imparfait (simple past tense)

The imparfait (simple past tense) is always formed in the same way with all verbs,être is the only exception in the imparfait. The imparfait is made by van de nous-form the exit -US (this is the trunk) and then add the endings of the imparfait. At the verb être is the stem not regular, because the nous-don't shape up -US ends, the trunk at être is et-. Below the endings (for all verbs) are printed in bold.

Imparfait (simple past tense)
regarder	(to watch
you regardais	I looked
you regardais	you looked
il/elle/on regardait	he/she/it/one looked
nos regardions	we watched
vous regardiez	you watched / you watched
ils/elles regardaim	they watched

Passé composé

The past participle is formed on the basis of the infinitive:

• Infinitive at -er? → tribe e (Regardé)
• Infinitive at -re? → tribe you (Attendance)
• Infinitive at -ir? → tribe i (finally)

The auxiliary verbs for the passé composé (present perfect) are in French in être and avoir, so just like in Dutch are and to have. Sometimes a past participle can be given a different auxiliary verb than in Dutch, such as j'ai été (lett. I have been). Once the past participle is the auxiliary verb être has, the past participle is 'changeable'. The past participle behaves like an adjective; as soon as one girl or woman talks or if the person is talked about, an extra one comes after the exit e. As soon as several people are talking or if they are being talked about, a will come after the exit s. And finally, if several girls or women talk or if they are talked about, comes after the exit es. That will look like this:

• Je suis tomb. (No extra letter, so a man is speaking.)
• Tu es tombee? (An extra e, what does that mean Tu here's a woman.)
• Ma soeur s'est couchée. (An extra e and the person is the sister, we are talking about a woman here.)
• Well sometimes sorties. (An extra e and s, nous This is about several women.)
• Vous êtes venues. (An extra e and s, vous This is about several women.)
• Les gens sont partis. (Only an extra s, so it's about men and women or just men.)

Irregular verbs

Present tense avoir and être
avoir (to have j'ai I have you as you have il/elle/on a he/she/it/one has nos avons we have vous avez you have / you have ils/elles ont they have Passé composé avoir eu		être (to be your suis I'm you es you are il/elle/on est he/she/it/one is well sometimes we are vous êtes you are / you are ils/elles sont they are Passé composé avoir été

Pronunciation

vowels

a

as the Dutch a

E

as the second e in know

E

if ee

E

as the first e in know

I

if i or j

O

if o

YOU

if you

ou

if o

Eu

as eu

au

if oo

an

nasal a

And

nasal a or nasal first e of know

In

nasal first e of know

on

nasal o

un

nasal eu

consonants

B

b

C

s (if followed by an e, i, or y) or k (if followed by an a, o, or u)

Ç

s (used to make the C followed by an a, o or u, still pronounced as s)

d

d

f

f

G

zj (if followed by an e, i or y) or g of go (if followed by an a, o or u)

huh

stupid

J

zj

k

k

l

l

m

m

N

n

p

p

Q(u)

k

R

r

s

s or z

T

t

V

v

W

w

X

X

Y

i or j

z

z

ch

sj

Ph

f

Dictionary

Common expressions OPEN overt CLOSED Ferme ENTRANCE Entrance EXIT Sortie PUSH poussez PULL Tirez WC Toilet MEN, MEN hommes LADIES, WOMEN women FORBIDDEN Interdit

basic words

Good day. (formal)

Bonjour. (bonzhur)

Hey. (informal)

Hello. (saluu)

How are you?

Comment allez vous? (komantalee voe)

Good thank you.

Ça va (bien), thanks. (sava (bjen), mersie)

What is your name?

Comment tu t'appelles? (koman-tutapel)

My name is ______.

Je m'appelle ____. (zju mapel)

Nice to meet you.

Heureux de vous rencontrer. (eureu du voe rancontree)

Please. (proposal)

S'il vous plait. (siel-voe pleh)

Please. (offer)

Voila. (vwala)

Thank you.

thanks. (mersie)

Do not mention it.

the rien. (you row)

Yes.

Oui. (wow)

New.

Non. (non)

Excuse me.

Excuse me. (ekskuuzee mwa)

Sorry.

You suis desolé. (zju swie deesolee)

Bye.

Au revoir. (oo ruvwaar)

I don't speak ______.

Je ne parle pas _____. (zju nu parlu pa)

Do you speak Dutch?

Parlez-vous néerlandais? (parlee-voe netherlands)

Does anyone here speak Dutch?

Est-ce qu'il y a ici quelqu'un qui parle néerlandais ? ()

Help!

aide! (eddu!)

Good morning.

Bonjour. (bonzhur)

good evening.

Bonsoir. (bonzsar )

Good night.

Good night. (bon-nwiet )

I do not understand.

Je ne comprends pas. (zju now kompran pa)

Where is the toilet?

Où sont les toilettes? (oo son le twalettu?)

Issues

Leave me alone.

Laissez moi tranquille. (lessee mwa trang-KIEL)

Do not touch me!

Don't touch me! (ne me TOE-shee PAH!)

I'm calling the police.

J'appelle la police. (zja-PEL lah poo-LIES)

Law enforcement!

Police! (POO-groins)

Stop! Thief!

Arretez ! O voleur! (ah-geh-TEE! oh vo-LUIG!)

Help!

Oh sure! (oh suh-KOEG!)

I need your help.

Aidez-moi, s'il vous plait ! (ei-dee MWAH, siel voe PLEH!)

It's an emergency.

C'est une urgency ! (set uun hour-ZJANS)

I am lost.

Je suis perdu. (zjuh swie peg-DUU')

I lost my bag.

J'ai perdu mon sac. (zjee peg-DUU mong sak)

I lost my wallet.

J'ai perdu mon wallet. (zjee peg-DUU mong pog-te-FUIJ)

I am ill.

Je suis maladé. (zjuh swie ma-DRAW)

I'm hurt.

Je suis blessé. (zjuh me swie meh-SEE)

I need a doctor.

J'ai besoin d'un médecin. (zjee buh-ZWAH dung meed-SEING)

Can I use your phone?

Puis-je utiliser votre téléphone ? (pwie zjuh uu-tie-lie-ZEE vot-guh tee-lee-FON)

Numbers

1

un (uhn)

2

deux (deu)

3

trois (trwa)

4

quarter (cat)

5

cinq (signal)

6

six (sie)

7

Sept (set)

8

hut (weed)

9

neuf (nuf)

10

dix (dies)

11

our (onz)

12

douse (bye)

13

treize (triz)

14

quatorze (cat-ORZ)

15

quinze (kenz)

16

size (sijz)

17

dix-sept (die-SET)

18

dix-huit (die-ZWIET)

19

dix-neuf (diez-NUF)

20

catches (vint)

21

vingt-et-un (vine-tee-UHN)

22

vingt-deux (vin-DEU)

23

vingt-trois (vin-TRWA)

30

trent (style)

40

quarantine (cart-ANT)

50

cinquante (sijn-KANT)

60

soixante (swa-SANT)

70

soixante-dix (swa-sant-DIES) or septante (sep-aunt) in Belgium and Switzerland

80

quatre-vingt (katre-VIJNT) or huitante (who-aunt) in Belgium and Switzerland (except Geneva) or octante (ok-aunt) in Switzerland

90

quatre-vingt-dix (katre-vin-DIES) or nonante (non-ANT) in Belgium and Switzerland

100

cents (san)

200

deux cents (bye san)

300

three cents (trwa san)

1000

mille (miel)

2000

deux mille (deu miel)

1.000.000

a million (uhn miel-JON)

1.000.000.000

()

1.000.000.000,000

()

number _____ (train, bus, etc.)

number _____ (now-with-RO)

half

demi (de-MIE) or moitié (mwa-tjee)

less

moins (mwan)

Lake

plus (plum)

Time

now

maintenant (mentenan)

later

apres (apre)

for

advance (avan)

morning

le matin (lù mates)

afternoon

l'après midi (laprè-miedie )

evening

le soir (lù heavy)

night

la night (la nwie )

Clock

One o'clock in the morning

Il est une heure (Iel e uunuh eur)

two o'clock in the morning

Il est deux heures (Iel e duh eur)

Twelve o'clock in the afternoon

Il est midi (Iel e mie-DIE)

One o'clock in the afternoon

Il est une heure (Iel e uunuh eur)

Two o'clock PM

Il est deux heures (Iel e duh eur )

Midnight

Il est minuit (Iel e mien-WIE)

Expensive

_____ minute(s)

_____ Minute(s) (minute)

_____ you(s)

_____ Heure(s) (EUR)

_____ to dawn)

_____ Journal(s) (zyur)

_____ week(s)

_____ Semiine(s) (semen)

_____ months)

_____ Mois (mwa)

_____ year(s)

_____ an(s)/année(s) (an/anee)

To dawn

Today

aujourd'hui (oo-zjordwie)

yesterday

here (hi-jer)

tomorrow

demain (dùmen)

this week

cette semaine (cettuh semèn)

last week

la semaine dernière (la semèn dernjer)

next week

la semaine prochaine (la semèn prosjen)

Monday

lundi (lun-DIE)

Tuesday

mardi (mag-DIE)

Wednesday

mercredi (meg-kru-DIE)

Thursday

youth (zjeu-DIE)

Friday

vendredi (from-dre-DIE)

Saturday

samed (sa-me-DIE)

Sunday

dimanche (die-MANSJ)

Months

January

janvier (zjanvie-ee)

February

fevrier (feevrie-ee)

March

march (mar)

April

April (avriel)

May

may (along)

June

juin (zjuu-in)

July

juillet (zjuu-ie-ee)

August

août (oot)

September

September (septembruh)

October

october (octobruh)

November

November (Novembruh)

December

December (deecembruh)

To colour

Note: As in other Romance languages, nouns are either masculine or feminine and adjectives are conjugated accordingly.

black

noir/noire (true)

white

white/blanch (blang/blank)

gray

gray / gray (grievances/griez)

red

blush (ruzj)

blue

blue/blue (blue)

yellow

jaune (zjoon)

green

vert / vert (veir/vert)

Orange

orange (o-RANZJ)

Violet

violet/violet (vie-o-LEH/vie-o-LET)

brown

brown/brown (bruh/bruun) or maroon (mah-RONG)

Transport

Train and bus

How much does a ticket to _____ cost?

Ça coûte combien, un billet à _____? (Sa coot kombie-uhn, uh bie-jee à)

A ticket to _____, please.

Un billet à_____, si'l vous plaît. (uh bie-jee à_____, siel voe plè)

Where does this train/bus go?

? ()

Where is the train/bus to _____?

? ()

Does this train/bus stop in _____?

? ()

When does the train/bus leave for_____ ?

? ()

When does the train/bus arrive in _____?

()

Directions

How do I get to _____ ?

? ()

...the station?

la gare (la kadar)

...the bus stop?

? l'arrêt de bus ( larreh de buus)

...the airport?

l'aeroport (ajropor)

...the city center?

le center ville (luh sentruh fell)

...the youth hostel?

l'auberge de jeunesse (looberzje de zjeuness)

...the hotel?

l'hotel_____ (lottery)

...the Dutch/Belgian/Surinamese consulate?

? ()

Where are there many...

Où sont beaucoup des... (oh so boo dee)

...hotels?

hotels? (hotel)

...restaurants?

restaurants (restaurant)

...cafes?

cafes (cafe)

...sights?

? ()

Can you mark it on the map?

Vous pouvez designer à la carte? (Voe poevee deesinjee à la kart)

street

rue (ruu)

Turn left.

a gauche (à goesj)

Turn right.

a droite (à drwat)

left

gauche (kau-ZJUH)

right

droite (drooi-TUH)

straight ahead

all the way (bye drwat)

towards _____

()

beyond the _____

()

for the _____

()

Note the _____.

. ()

intersection

carrefour (karruhfoer)

north

north (nor)

South

sud (suud)

east

est (e)

west

ouest (oo-e)

uphill

()

downhill

()

Cab

Cab!

Cab! (tax)

Take me to _____, please.

Portez-moi à _____ , si'l vous plaît. (portee mwa à_____ , siel voe plè)

How much does it cost to drive to _____?

? ()

Take me there, please.

. ()

To sleep

Do you still have rooms available?

? ()

How much is a room for one person/two people?

? ()

Does the room have...

()

...sheets?

? ()

...a toilet?

the toilets (the toilet)

...a bathroom?

une salle de bains (uunuh sal duh ben)

...a phone?

un telephone (uh teeleefon)

...a television?

une telé (uunuh teelee)

Can I see the room first?

? ()

Don't you have anything calmer?

? ()

...taller?

...plus grand(e)? (pluu gran)

...cleaner?

? ()

...cheaper?

...moins cher? (mwan sher)

Okay, I'll take it.

D'accord, your prends. (dakkor, zje pruhn)

I stay _____ night(s).

Your remaining _____ night(s). (zje rest_____ nwie)

Can you recommend me another hotel?

? ()

Do you have a safe? (for valuable possessions)

? ()

...lockers? (for clothes)

? ()

Is breakfast/dinner included?

? ()

What time is breakfast/dinner?

? ()

Would you like to clean my room?

? ()

Can you wake me up at _____?

? ()

I want to check out.

. ()

Money

Can I pay with US dollars?

Je peux payer avec des dollars américains? (Zje peu pajee avek dee dollar ameerikèn)

Can I pay with British Pounds?

Je peux payer avec des livres britannique? (Zje peu pajee avek dee lievruh britaniek)

Can I pay with euros?

Your peux payer avec des euros? (Zje peu pajee avek deez uuro)

Can I pay with a creditcard?

Your peux payer avec une carte de credit? (Zje peu pajee avek uunuh kart duh kreedie)

Can you change money for me?

Vous pouvez me changer d'argent? (Voe poevee muh sjargee darsjan)

Where can I exchange money?

? ()

Can I exchange traveler's checks here?

? ()

Where can I redeem traveler's cheques?

()

What is the exchange rate?

? ()

Where is there an ATM?

? ()

Food

A table for one person/two people, please.

Un table pour un/deux (personne/s) s'il vous plaît . (Uhn taabluh poer uhn/deu (personne) siel voes plèt )

May I see the menu?

Puis-je regarder le menu? . (Peuzje ruhgardee luh menu? )

Can I take a look in the kitchen?

. ()

Is there a house specialty?

Est-ce qu'il y a un specialité? (es kiel ie yes uh specialitee)

Is there a regional dish?

? ()

I am vegetarian.

Je suis vegétarien/vegétarienne. (zjuh swie veezjeetarie-uhn/veezjeetarie-en)

I do not eat pork.

Je ne mange pas de viande de porc . ( Zje ne manzj dad duh viand duh pork)

I don't eat beef.

. ()

I only eat kosher.

. ()

Can you make that with less oil/butter/fat, please?

? ()

fixed menu

()

à la carte

a la carte (a la cart)

breakfast

petit dejeuner (petie deezjeunee)

lunch

dejeuner (deezjeunee)

afternoon tea (meal)

()

supper

doner (servant)

I would like _____.

Your foldrais _____ (your food)

I would like a dish with _____.

Je voudrais une nourriture avec_____ (Zje vodrè uunuh nuerrituur avek_____)

chicken

(du) poulet ( (duu) polee)

beef

()

fish

(du) poisson ( (duh) pwasoh)

ham

(du) jambon ( (duu) zjambo)

sausage

sausage ( soosiess)

cheese

(du) fromage (fromaazj)

Eggs

(des) oeufs (uf)

salad

salad (salad)

(fresh vegetables

legumes fresh (lekuumuh frè)

(fresh fruit

fruit fresh (frwie frè)

bread

pain (pen)

toast

()

noodles

()

rice

(du) riz ( rie)

beans

()

Can I have a glass of _____?

Je peux unverre_____ (Zje peu uh ver_____)

Can I have a cup of _____?

? ()

Can I have a bottle of _____?

Je peux une bouteille_____ (Zje peu uunuh finei-je_____)

coffee

Cafe (cafe)

tea

tea (tee)

juice

gravy (sjuu)

sparkling water

()

mineral water

eau minerale (oo mineral)

beer

la biere ( la bie-er)

red/white wine

vin blanc/rouge (vih white/roesh)

Can I have some _____?

Puis-je quelque ? ( pwie zje kelkuh)

salt

sel ( sèl)

black pepper

poivre noir ( pwaavruh nwaar)

butter

beurre (scholarship)

Waiter!

Garcon ! ()

I'm ready.

Je suis fini/finie. (Zje swie fienie)

It was delicious.

C'était délicieux. (Seetè Deeliesie-eu)

Can you clear the plates?

? ()

The bill please.

. ()

Going out

Do you serve alcohol?

Servez-vous d'alcool? ( serve voe dalkol)

Is there table service?

? ()

One beer/two beers, please.

Une bière/Deux bières, s'il vous plaît. ( uun bie-èruh/dù bie-èruh, siel voe plè)

A glass of red/white wine, please.

Unverre du vin rouge/blanc (uh ver duu vi rush/blank)

A vase, please

. ()

A bottle, please.

une bouteille, si'l vous plait. (uunuh finei-je, siel voe plè)

_____ (liquor) of _____ (added drink), Please.

. ()

whiskey

()

vodka

()

rum

()

water

eau (oo)

soda water

()

tonic

()

orange juice

Orange juice (sjuu doransj)

coke

coca (koka)

Do you have snacks?

? ()

One more, please.

. ()

One more round, please.

. ( ')

When do you close?

? ()

Cheers!

! ()

Shop

Do you have this in my size?

? ()

How much does that cost?

Ça coûte combien? (Sa coot kombie-en)

That's too expensive.

C'est trop cher! (Se tro sher)

Want to sell it for _____?

? ()

expensive

cher (sjer)

cheap

bon marche (bon marjee)

I can't afford that.

. ()

I do not want it.

. ()

You are deceiving me.

. ()

I am not interested.

Je ne suis pas interest(e) ()

Okay, I'll take it.

Bien, je le print. ()

Can I have a bag?

Est-ce que je pourrais avoir un petit sac ? ()

Do you deliver (overseas)?

()

I would like...

Your foldrais... (your food)

...toothpaste.

. ()

...a toothbrush.

. ()

...tampons.

. ( ')

...soap.

savon. ()

...shampoo.

. ()

...a painkiller.

. ()

...a remedy for the common cold.

()

...stomach tablets.

... ()

... razor blades

. ()

...an umbrella.

an umbrella. ()

...sunscreen.

. ()

...a postcard.

. ()

...stamps.

. ()

...batteries.

. ()

...writing paper.

. ()

...a pen.

un style (uh stielo)

...Dutch books.

des livres néerlandophone (dee livruh netherlandsofon)

...Dutch magazines.

une revue néerlandaise (uunuh reevuu netherlandsèsuh)

...a Dutch-language newspaper.

un journal nederlands (uh journal netherlandsè)

...a Dutch-French dictionary.

un dictionnaire Néerlandais-Français (uh diksionèr dutchè-frenchè)

To drive

I want to rent a car.

Je veux louer une voiture. (Zje veu loe-ee uunuh vwatuur)

Can I have it insured?

? ()

Stop!

arrest! (arrest)

one way street

()

give priority

donner priority (donnee priorityee)

parking ban

()

speed limit

la vitesse reduite (la vietes reedwietuh)

gas station

()

gasoline

l'essence (lessonsuh)

diesel

le gas oil (luh kaswal)

authorities

I haven't done anything wrong.

. ()

It was a misunderstanding.

. ()

Where are you taking me?

? ()

Am I arrested?

? ()

I am a Dutch/Belgian/Surinamese citizen.

()

I want to talk to the Dutch/Belgian/Surinamese embassy/consulate.

()

I want to speak with a lawyer.

()

Can't I just pay a fine now?

()

This is a usable article. It contains information on how to get there, as well as the main attractions, nightlife and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but dive in and expand it!