Книга - Easy Learning French Conversation

Easy Learning French Conversation
Collins Dictionaries


A unique guide to communicating in French. It will help you to find out more about French culture and to practise your spoken French with a free downloadable audio file.An ideal tool for learners of French at all levels, whether at school, in evening classes, or at home, and is indispensable for business or leisure.The text consists of 12 units each illustrating the language used in a particular situation, followed by a summary which gives all the key phrases covered throughout the book. The One-stop phrase shop unit gives you all the everyday expressions and language structures you need to speak in natural French. Finally, the short grammar and verb supplement and the glossary give you further help and ensure that you have everything you need at your fingertips, and the free audio download helps you to communicate with confidence.• Easy to use: all the phrases you need in order to communicate effectively in natural French.• Easy to read: clear layout ensures that you find what you are looking for quickly and easily.• Easy to understand: thousands of examples show how French is really used.













Published by Collins

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

Westerhill Road

Bishopbriggs

Glasgow G64 2QT

Second Edition 2015

© HarperCollins Publishers 2006, 2015

eBook Edition © May 2015 ISBN 978-0-00-811882-2

Version: 2015-03-30

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank those authors and publishers who kindly gave permission for copyright material to be used in the Collins Corpus. We would also like to thank Times Newspapers Ltd for providing valuable data.

MANAGING EDITOR

Janice McNeillie

CONTRIBUTOR

Laurence Larroche

FOR THE PUBLISHER

Gerry Breslin

Hannah Dove




Contents


Cover (#u2d7df95c-45f3-5f67-bc0c-3a39de2e63d6)

Title page (#u3006d7e6-2ead-5361-8767-6638ed8638d0)

Copyright (#u89813868-d9d8-5f99-9966-4a5ca231756f)

Introduction (#ulink_899166e2-48cd-5e7c-9da0-591bac6416e5)

What is it?

Why do you need it? (#ulink_9754245f-be54-5454-b1e1-34768b7715e8)

How is it structured? (#ulink_5da19d61-7ee5-5312-ac64-7ef46a56b7e4)

How does it work? (#ulink_e8da26a6-02e1-51a8-b20d-057d66a42c55)

Why choose Collins Easy Learning French Conversation? (#ulink_9eb96f51-7899-5e1c-902a-0a1a3574dcc6)

The Collins Easy Learning range (#ulink_230c16e4-1e80-5795-8f4d-cb5d7f3a3372)

French pronunciation (#ulink_7ebd5cad-bcc5-5146-abfe-413f9aaa1615)

Silent letters (#ulink_3170468c-3e30-5134-aa60-b8dd83961c66)

French vowels (#ulink_dc80d81b-47b6-5098-b496-6f2a7eff6aff)

Vowel combinations (#ulink_02950ce5-c4b3-5ae7-a314-f2051f36b1c8)

French consonants (#ulink_3ba482b7-c240-58c2-ba39-90ac6a8d5778)

Stress (#ulink_278ffef2-9918-51a6-8906-0582bdb1def0)

Liaison (#ulink_a0a8ca4f-3f3c-543b-be2f-cf5e8c7cbae5)

Units

Small talk (#ulink_544c7f53-da66-5e78-8d54-289cdfc07ac9)

Comment ça va? – How are things?

Greetings (#ulink_316e4e86-d85c-5f89-9b72-108b707402ee)

Introducing people (#ulink_6c948290-4395-5f7b-a34e-5b3a952dabca)

Talking about yourself (#ulink_46acf8ec-f297-5409-998e-8907138b1edd)

Asking for information (#ulink_b1a3ab62-52d5-58cf-8f38-7732cc6199bf)

Saying what you want to do (#ulink_69349dfe-b39d-53f1-95f8-6cb3ea12983b)

Making suggestions (#ulink_a2ab028a-4a9d-5a05-9154-6cf27311f1cc)

Expressing opinions (#ulink_54c31479-64a8-56d6-82c1-65206209912d)

Talking about your plans (#ulink_d65fc9da-bbf7-50b3-8dff-cc135650e6f2)

Making arrangements (#ulink_4fe9f0f8-d641-54da-badf-05458095d3b9)

Saying what you have to do (#ulink_5683d540-17e7-5551-8858-e8a464a648d7)

Listen out for (#ulink_eb649baa-9c64-5381-9bc8-7f913abfc832)

Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_9b7f2b51-4a70-5212-b4b6-5d2be6eabaa4)

Getting there (#ulink_b4a5b4f0-cf41-592e-98f3-0befe2cdc3be)

Bon voyage! – Have a good trip!

Talking about your plans (#ulink_e131fe33-aad4-5026-8281-1f9dbfe568a1)

Saying what you have to do (#ulink_1b9d5762-aae0-567b-a582-f2b9056123bf)

Saying what you want to do (#ulink_6ffe75c8-78b1-5434-adc6-95b6e60c620e)

Making suggestions (#ulink_413a1b8b-232c-55fb-878b-f105b349cf3b)

Asking for information (#ulink_2328af9a-a52e-518f-8cca-eb475a64b2bc)

Asking for things (#ulink_5ae1d5d8-8c93-5edb-871d-dba1e21008a8)

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#ulink_a54100fa-0f75-5f2e-b895-3b5534d9c5f0)

Listen out for (#ulink_cc0782f0-ad87-59d6-8239-a311f30e4892)

Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_bc2c7121-f1de-5f38-974a-2f33f956cfa3)

Home from home (#ulink_9640bc68-c2d3-5d56-81fa-baed47fde6ae)

Dors bien! – Sleep well!

Asking for things (#ulink_d39a12b8-262a-5fd7-9f6f-5d323a03c8ed)

Talking about yourself (#ulink_c77c71a1-5819-57fd-a14b-9e3b32013d93)

Asking for information (#ulink_880c20c2-3435-5804-808b-0fe002275a48)

Asking for permission (#ulink_64077799-6cdd-5cb8-984d-c5747798c539)

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#ulink_775b62be-1dd4-5de7-8e24-d21fa78bb3c6)

Expressing opinions (#ulink_237976b4-395c-5e92-a184-235b7159f873)

Making suggestions (#ulink_36423e5a-43dc-5da6-910f-21e8f25b0a8f)

Asking for suggestions (#ulink_9d558516-4b46-5b88-88dc-ffa83f0a6dbe)

Saying what you have to do (#ulink_be767278-39b3-560c-aee1-75ec22a07858)

Talking about your plans (#ulink_07b7b6f8-799a-5966-8fca-c58023eb99d5)

Complaining (#ulink_0cbee4f8-c8a6-5408-8a73-3e22e21f2b41)

Listen out for (#ulink_f5b17943-b1c4-5cb4-9536-b7b50dd2b728)

Lifestyle Tips (#ulink_3071d7d1-29c8-50fb-83cc-55e79000bc00)

Wining and dining (#ulink_a2a1decc-431c-56eb-bdbb-d044f97b44b2)

Bon appétit! – Enjoy your meal!

Making arrangements (#ulink_a75a418d-9877-5f3f-811f-b569b95f0713)

Asking for information (#ulink_7a02d1a0-2313-55aa-a7bc-620231492c80)

Asking for things (#ulink_6335aaa9-75ac-5458-90e0-4f5cf829ee27)

Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)

Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)

Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)

Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)

Hitting the town (#litres_trial_promo)

Amusez-vous bien! – Enjoy yourselves!

Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)

Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)

Expressing opinions (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for permission (#litres_trial_promo)

Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)

Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)

Museums, monuments and much more (#litres_trial_promo)

Passez une bonne journée! – Have a nice day!

Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)

Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)

Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for permission (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)

Complaining (#litres_trial_promo)

Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)

Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)

Retail therapy (#litres_trial_promo)

Je peux vous aider? – Can I help you?

Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you have to do (#litres_trial_promo)

Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)

Expressing opinions (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)

Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for permission (#litres_trial_promo)

Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)

Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)

Service with a smile (#litres_trial_promo)

Service irréprochable! – Excellent service!

Greetings (#litres_trial_promo)

Talking about yourself (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you have to do (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)

Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)

Making arrangements (#litres_trial_promo)

Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)

Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)

Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)

Ouch! (#litres_trial_promo)

Rétablis-toi vite! – Get well soon!

Describing the problem (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what happened (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)

Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)

Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)

Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)

Help! (#litres_trial_promo)

Ne vous en faites pas! – Don’t worry!

Describing the problem (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what happened (#litres_trial_promo)

Describing people and things (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you have to do (#litres_trial_promo)

Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)

Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)

Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)

Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)

Getting in touch (#litres_trial_promo)

Qui est à l’appareil? – Who’s calling, please?

Making a telephone call (#litres_trial_promo)

When the person you’re calling answers (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying why you’re calling (#litres_trial_promo)

Giving information (#litres_trial_promo)

Answering the telephone (#litres_trial_promo)

Ending a telephone call (#litres_trial_promo)

Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)

Writing emails and letters (#litres_trial_promo)

Texting (#litres_trial_promo)

Social media (#litres_trial_promo)

Lifestyle Tips (#litres_trial_promo)

Time, numbers, date (#litres_trial_promo)

Trois, deux, un… Partez! – Three, two, one… Go!

Les nombres – Numbers

L’heure – The time (#litres_trial_promo)

Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)

La durée – Saying how long (#litres_trial_promo)

Les saisons – The seasons (#litres_trial_promo)

Les mois de l’année – The months of the year (#litres_trial_promo)

Les dates – Dates (#litres_trial_promo)

Les jours de la semaine – The days of the week (#litres_trial_promo)

L’alphabet – The alphabet (#litres_trial_promo)

Listen out for (#litres_trial_promo)

Interesting days and dates (#litres_trial_promo)

In summary… (#litres_trial_promo)

Bon, résumons… – So, to sum up…

Apologizing (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for and giving explanations (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for information (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for permission (#litres_trial_promo)

Asking for things (#litres_trial_promo)

Complaining (#litres_trial_promo)

Describing people and things (#litres_trial_promo)

Explaining a problem (#litres_trial_promo)

Expressing opinions (#litres_trial_promo)

Making suggestions (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what’s happened (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you have to do (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you like, dislike, prefer (#litres_trial_promo)

Saying what you want to do (#litres_trial_promo)

Talking about your plans (#litres_trial_promo)

One-stop phrase shop (#litres_trial_promo)

Je vous demande pardon? – I beg your pardon?

Hellos and goodbyes (#litres_trial_promo)

Please and thank you (#litres_trial_promo)

Attracting someone’s attention (#litres_trial_promo)

Making sure you’ve understood (#litres_trial_promo)

Checking facts (#litres_trial_promo)

Wishing someone something (#litres_trial_promo)

Apologizing (#litres_trial_promo)

Reassuring someone (#litres_trial_promo)

Opinions (#litres_trial_promo)

Agreeing, disagreeing and declining (#litres_trial_promo)

Congratulating someone (#litres_trial_promo)

Reacting to good and bad news (#litres_trial_promo)

Exclamations (#litres_trial_promo)

Surprise (#litres_trial_promo)

Encouraging someone (#litres_trial_promo)

Handing someone something (#litres_trial_promo)

Dangers and emergencies (#litres_trial_promo)

Speaking your mind (#litres_trial_promo)

Conversational words (#litres_trial_promo)

Grammar (#litres_trial_promo)

Nouns (#litres_trial_promo)

Articles (#litres_trial_promo)

Pronouns (#litres_trial_promo)

Adjectives (#litres_trial_promo)

Questions (#litres_trial_promo)

Negatives (#litres_trial_promo)

Some common translation difficulties (#litres_trial_promo)

Verbs (#litres_trial_promo)

Verb tenses (#litres_trial_promo)

Verb tables (#litres_trial_promo)

Aimer: to love (#litres_trial_promo)

Finir: to finish (#litres_trial_promo)

Attendre: to wait (#litres_trial_promo)

S’asseoir: to sit down (#litres_trial_promo)

Aller: to go (#litres_trial_promo)

Avoir: to have (#litres_trial_promo)

Devoir: to have, to owe (#litres_trial_promo)

Être: to be (#litres_trial_promo)

Faire: to do, to make (#litres_trial_promo)

Pouvoir: to be able (#litres_trial_promo)

Vouloir: to want (#litres_trial_promo)

Vocabulary builder (#litres_trial_promo)

About the publisher (#litres_trial_promo)





Introduction (#ulink_0f90dfa8-6eee-579e-b193-43f70050ece9)

What is it? (#ulink_5547b078-9e3e-5206-8530-8b7eb19d641b)


Collins Easy Learning French Conversation is a book for learners of French of all ages. It will increase your confidence in holding a conversation in French, whether you are just starting to learn French, studying at school or at an evening class, or brushing up your language skills. You may be going on holiday or planning to go travelling in a French-speaking country, go there on business, or live there. Whatever your situation, you’ll want to be able to communicate effectively and naturally in French.




Why do you need it? (#ulink_a3bd9a67-2114-5eb6-81ac-5aac08319e83)


Becoming proficient in a foreign language means being able to use and understand a number of different aspects – vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and so on. However, it takes a while to be able to put all these elements together and be sure that what you are saying sounds like natural French. The Easy Learning French Conversation has been carefully designed to bring these aspects together and give you language structures which you can use in conversation with confidence, knowing that you will be speaking French as spoken by French speakers.




How is it structured? (#ulink_4e9bd716-8527-5d22-9ba5-b47f45b238c9)


Collins Easy Learning French Conversation is made up of 12 units, each illustrating the language used in a particular situation, followed by a summary which brings together the key phrases covered throughout the units. You’ll also find the One-stop phrase shop (#litres_trial_promo) – a unit which contains all the important expressions and turns of phrase that help you to sound more natural in French.

A short grammar and verbs supplement gives you additional language support, ensuring that you have everything at your fingertips. Finally, the English-French glossary covers the most important vocabulary you may need to personalize your conversation.




How does it work? (#ulink_ec5b619a-ed8d-556c-89c4-961b0fcbdd20)


Language allows us to express ourselves and interact with others. In any given situation, we perform different language tasks, such as asking for information, agreeing and disagreeing, complaining, making suggestions and so forth. To do this, we use linguistic structures (How…?, When…?, Could I…?, I’d like… and so on) which can be used in a variety of contexts. Each unit in Collins Easy Learning French Conversation gives you all the phrases you might need in a given situation, grouped by structure. English headings help you navigate through the structures to enable you to find what you want quickly and easily. Throughout the units, there are also tips headed Bon à savoir! which highlight important differences in the way English and French work.

A conversation, by definition, is a two-way process. It is as important to understand what is being said to you as it is to be able to respond. At the end of each unit, there is a section headed Listen out for. Each of these sections gives you a variety of the most typical phrases you might hear in a given situation. Becoming familiar with these will allow you to have a successful conversation with a French speaker. For further help with pronunciation, a free download with all the important structures recorded is available on www.collins.co.uk/easylearningresources.

Communicating effectively in French isn’t just about linguistic competence – it’s also about cultural knowledge. For you to feel confident in a French-speaking country, it is useful to know more about French culture and lifestyle. At the end of each unit, the Lifestyle Tips will give you the information you need to gain a deeper insight into the language, the country and its people.




Why choose Collins Easy Learning French Conversation? (#ulink_ae878da3-ddde-5910-8ecc-c07faca459bb)


• easy to use all the key language structures you need to give you the confidence to hold a conversation in natural French

• easy to read a clear, modern layout which allows you to find what you need quickly and easily

• easy to understand the language you may hear from French speakers in a given situation

• easy to speak free audio download available on www.collins.co.uk/easylearningresources




The Collins Easy Learning range (#ulink_42d34314-b1e4-5723-a1d4-a985d2073a83)


The Collins Easy Learning French Conversation is part of the best-selling Collins Easy Learning range, which includes the highly acclaimed Collins Easy Learning French Dictionary. Collins Easy Learning French Grammar and Collins Easy Learning French Verbs support you with all your grammatical needs, and the Collins Easy Learning French Words allows you to learn and practise your French vocabulary. The Collins Easy Learning series is the ideal language reference range to help you learn French.





French pronunciation (#ulink_2f6717f5-6603-56e5-b95e-401d7d2334b5)


There are some sounds in French which need a bit of practice, such as the French r, which is much more noticeable than an English r, and the very sharp u sound to be heard in words like rue and plu, which is different from the oo sound in an English word like ruin.




Silent letters (#ulink_06a17de8-2547-50df-aa6a-d6065159c36f)


As in English, not all the letters in French words are pronounced – especially final consonants. The final consonant is not sounded in the following, for example: vert (green), grand (tall), petit (small), and ouvert (open). However, if the final consonant is followed by an e, for example in the feminine form of the adjective, the consonant is pronounced. The feminine forms verte, grande, petite, and ouverte all end with consonant sounds.




French vowels (#ulink_fd8a97c6-0d6d-575e-a317-8dd576e0035f)


These are the main ways in which French vowels are pronounced:




To make the u sound for words like rue and pure, place your lips as if you were going to whistle and make a sharp ee sound at the front of your mouth.




Vowel combinations (#ulink_2e114443-1f82-54c0-a477-3d5527b7201b)





BON À SAVOIR!

Two words you will often hear – oui (yes) and lui (him) are examples of a breathy w sound – they’re pronounced rather like hwee and lwhee.




French consonants (#ulink_6649742f-3647-5f7a-85c7-1670fb485fd7)


Most French consonants are pronounced the same as their English equivalents. Some consonants, however, are pronounced differently depending on which vowel follows:




Some consonants are pronounced differently to English:




BON À SAVOIR!

Note, however, that mille (one thousand) is pronounced to rhyme with peel.




Stress (#ulink_44624b42-1d5b-5942-bd5a-821f0cf8da1c)


In English words, a particular syllable is stressed (concert, dentist), whereas in French each syllable has its own length and each is pronounced with the same intensity.




Liaison (#ulink_c4ee1f05-74f0-55b5-a595-a81c19a12b36)


Liaison is what happens when a French word ending in a consonant which would usually be silent, for example, petit (small), les (the), precedes a word starting with a vowel or a ‘silent’ h. The silent consonant is sounded to make the words flow more easily.

petit ami (boyfriend) is pronounced puh-teet-ah-mee (the t at the end of petit is sounded)

les hôtels (hotels) is pronounced layz-oh-tel (the s at the end of les sounds like a z)





Small talk (#ulink_e8a45c78-6aa3-51c1-b32d-7d6476e1ccd5)

Comment ça va? – How are things? (#ulink_071c0a4a-82d9-5b77-9876-8bfbfb0220ef)


Whether you’re going to be working in a French-speaking country or you’re going to spend some time with your French-speaking friends, you’ll want to be able to chat with people and get to know them better. The phrases in this unit will help you talk naturally to friends, family and colleagues in a number of everyday situations.




GREETINGS (#ulink_5702647b-fbe0-5c2d-878e-6348996a3593)


Just as in English, there are several ways of greeting people in French, depending on who you are addressing, and whether you want to be formal or not. Say bonjour, madame/mademoiselle/monsieur if you want to sound polite and just bonjour to someone you know a little. If you’re on friendly terms with someone, you can say salut! (hi!).




Hello…





BON À SAVOIR!

In French there is no equivalent for good morning and good afternoon – people just say bonjour during the day or bonsoir in the evening.

Use au revoir, madame/mademoiselle/monsieur to say goodbye to people you don’t know well. You can just say au revoir to people you know, or use salut! (bye!) if you are on friendly terms with them.




Goodbye…








See you…








INTRODUCING PEOPLE (#ulink_7bb2ebad-78f8-5050-b923-0c1f7f0c186f)


You may want to introduce people you know to one another. The simplest way is by saying voici (this is) when introducing a person. You can also use je te présente (I’d like you to meet) when addressing someone you know well, or je vous présente to be more formal or when speaking to several people.




This is…





BON À SAVOIR!

When you’re introduced to someone, you’ll want to know how to react. The traditional enchanté should only be used in formal or business situations these days, and very often people just say bonjour.




TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF (#ulink_efc815e3-fd9d-596b-8a0a-8fb25137b44e)


In order to get the conversation going, you’ll want to be able to talk about yourself – what your name is, what you do and so on. To say what your name is in French, you use the verb s’appeler which literally means to call oneself. The s’ (oneself) changes to m’ (myself) in je m’appelle (my name is). For more information on reflexive verbs like s’appeler, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




My name is…





If you want to say how old you are, use j’ai followed by your age and ans (literally I have… years). ai comes from the verb avoir. For more information on avoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I’m…years old





BON À SAVOIR!

If you have to ask Vous avez quel âge?, you can always add sans indiscrétion (if you don’t mind my asking).

To talk about who you are and what you do, use je suis (I am). This comes from the verb être. For more information on être, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




BON À SAVOIR!

When you say what you do in French, you don’t put an article in front of the job name: I’m a baker is je suis boulanger. However, you do need an article when you address someone by their title, so Mrs Chairwoman is Madame la Directrice.




I have…








I live…





BON À SAVOIR!

If you’re female, you’ll say seule (alone) rather than seul.




I’m staying…





To say that you’ve done something for a given length of time, use ça fait… followed by a time word such as jour (day), semaine (week) or an (year) and the verb in the present tense. For more information on the present tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I have…for…








ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_3843cd1f-9c56-5b93-b7dc-475aca87ea30)


When you’re chatting socially, you will want to ask any number of questions. One simple way of finding out information from someone is to say parlez-moi (tell me) to someone you don’t know very well or parle-moi to someone you’re on friendly terms with.




Tell me…





Another handy way of asking for information in spoken French is to put c’est at the beginning of the sentence before the question word: quoi (what), où (where), quand (when) and so on.




What…?








Where…?








When…?





If you want to ask how long someone has been doing something, use Ça fait longtemps que…? (How long have you…?) followed by the present tense. For more information on the present tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




How long have…?





A very versatile way of asking someone socially how something is going or has gone is to use Ça se passe bien,…? (How is…?) or Ça s’est bien passé,…? (How was…?).




How…?





Sometimes you’ll want to ask why a friend or acquaintance did or didn’t do something. You can use Pourquoi…? (Why…?) and the past tense to ask. For more information on the past tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Why…?








SAYING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO (#ulink_14032335-13a4-55fd-81e9-02087d1dda2c)


When you’re talking to friends or colleagues you will often need to be able to talk about what you would like to do. To say what you want to do, use je voudrais (I’d like). voudrais comes from the verb vouloir. For more information on vouloir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I’d like to…





You can also use je veux (I want) to talk about what you want to do. If you want to say that you want someone to do something, you use je veux que followed by the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I want to…








MAKING SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_a5f3aa1c-02ac-5efb-9313-2f01810eec14)


One easy way of making suggestions to your friends and colleagues is to use on pourrait (we could) followed by the verb in the infinitive. pourrait comes from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




We could…





Just as in English you can make a suggestion by simply asking Pourquoi ne… pas? (Why don’t…?). You will notice that French speakers very often omit ne to make sentences shorter – this is mainly in spoken French.




Why don’t…?





You can also make a suggestion using the French phrase Et si…? (How about?) which is followed by a verb in the imperfect tense. For more information on the imperfect tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




How about…?





Use Est-ce que je devrais…? (Should I…?) followed by the verb in the infinitive to ask if you should do something. devrais comes from the verb devoir. For more information on devoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Should I…?








EXPRESSING OPINIONS (#ulink_389dff21-ae00-559f-b63b-f342ad5117ea)


When talking to people in a social or work situation, you may wish to express your opinion of something. In French you can use je crois or je pense (I think). When you use croire and penser with a negative, as in je ne pense pas que or je ne crois pas que, the verb which follows is in the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I think…





BON À SAVOIR!

Don’t forget to add que (that) after croire and penser. It’s optional in English, but not in French.




In my opinion…





If you want to ask other people what they think of something, use Qu’est-ce que tu penses de…? (What do you think of…?).




What do you think of…?





To agree or disagree with what other people say, use je suis d’accord or je ne suis pas d’accord.




I agree…








You’re right…





BON À SAVOIR!

Where we use the verb to be in English in the phrases to be right or to be wrong, French speakers use avoir (to have): avoir raison (to be right), avoir tort (to be wrong).




TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS (#ulink_59704477-38e6-56a2-835d-778c58b62720)


When talking to your colleagues and friends you will want to tell them about your plans. In French, as in English, the present is very often used to talk about plans, especially for things that have been arranged and that are definite. For more on the present tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I’m seeing…





In English, when we talk about the future we often say I’m going to. French works the same way. To say that you’re going to do something, use je vais (I’m going to) or on va (we’re going to) before a verb in the infinitive. vais and va come from the verb aller. For more information on aller, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I’m going to…








Are you going to…?





When talking about what you intend to do, you can use j’ai l’intention de or je compte (I intend to) followed by a verb in the infinitive.




I intend to…








Do you intend to…?








MAKING ARRANGEMENTS (#ulink_9edfa162-3bc6-5a65-8fe8-61f9fea1de23)


When making arrangements with someone, use Est-ce que ça vous va si…? or Est-ce que ça te va si…? to ask someone if something suits them. va comes from the verb aller. For more information on aller, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Will it suit you if…?





To ask somebody if they would prefer something, use Est-ce que tu préférerais que…? or Est-ce que vous préféreriez que…? (Would you prefer it if…?), which comes from the verb préférer in the conditional. The conditional is very useful to make polite requests or offers. You can find out more about it here (#litres_trial_promo). For more information on -er verbs like préférer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Would you prefer it if…?








Is it better to…?





If you want to confirm an arrangement with somebody, you can use Est-ce qu’on est d’accord sur…? (Are we agreed on…?).




Are we agreed on…?





BON À SAVOIR!

D’accord is used to accept offers or to agree: On y va ensemble? – D’accord! (Shall we go together? – OK!).




SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO (#ulink_d112adad-cbe2-53ec-b733-1f9e88838e40)


When you want to say that you have to do something in French, you use il faut que (I have to) followed by the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I have to…





BON À SAVOIR!

To say that you don’t have to do something, use je ne suis pas obligé de, not il ne faut pas que je which means I mustn’t.

To say what you have to do, you can also use je dois (I must) and then the verb in the infinitive. dois comes from devoir which you can find out about here (#litres_trial_promo).




I must…





When you want to say that you should or ought to do something, use il faudrait que (I should) and then the verb in the subjunctive. Like faut, faudrait comes from the verb falloir, but faudrait is the conditional. To find out more about the conditional and the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I should…





To ask what someone has to do or when, how, why or where they have to do it, put qu’ (what), quand (when), comment (how), pourquoi (why), où (where) and so on at the beginning of the sentence, before est-ce qu’il faut que (do you have to). Remember that the verb after il faut que is in the subjunctive. To find out more about the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Do you have to…?








LISTEN OUT FOR (#ulink_ecdae380-6061-5be6-aba8-d7db8aa04cd9)


Here are some key phrases which you are likely to hear in conversation.






Lifestyle Tips

• The polite you(vous) is used to address people whom you don’t know. It’s also a way of showing respect to someone who’s older than you, or, at work, to someone who’s higher up in the hierarchy. People who work together on a daily basis usually say tu to each other, (se tutoyer – to saytuto each other) but it is safer to wait a little before taking that step. Many people do not like to be addressed as vous, because they think it’s too formal. They will usually suggest you call them tu, saying tu peux me tutoyer or on peut se tutoyer. You can make the first move and ask On se tutoie?, if you think that the other person will be more comfortable using the tu form.

• When meeting someone for the first time, you usually shake hands (serrer la main à quelqu’un), whether it’s a man or a woman. In business relations, at business appointments or at negotiations, shaking hands is very common. Men who are on friendly terms usually shake hands, while women kiss on both cheeks (se faire la bise). Men also kiss female friends and in some cases other men, for instance when they belong to the same family. Bear in mind that habits may be different depending on where you are in France, which is why French people themselves often get confused; for instance, the number of kisses you give someone to say hello varies from one area to another!

• The words ami and copain (and the feminine forms amie and copine) can either mean friend or boyfriend/girlfriend. If someone uses mon copain for instance, they could be either be talking about a male friend or their boyfriend. The expressions petit(e) ami(e) and petit(e) copain/copine can also be used to mean boyfriend and girlfriend. To say my partner, use mon compagnon for a man and ma compagne for a woman.

• French people socialize in cafés and restaurants as British people do, but it is probably more common in France than in Britain to invite people, be it for coffee (pour prendre le café), for the apéritif (pour prendre l’apéritif or, more informally l’apéro) or for dinner (pour le dîner). Traditionally, le café or l’apéritif are ways of getting to know people more, while le dîner (and lunch, le déjeuner) are an opportunity for people who already know each other well, or families, to spend time together.





Getting there (#ulink_e0dedc76-4f9a-51e0-9365-d8af82a52d98)

Bon voyage! – Have a good trip! (#ulink_0cd64482-c3c6-578c-9a01-b29df91a61db)


If you’re going to be travelling to and around French-speaking countries and cities, the phrases in this unit will help you ask for directions, find out how to get to places and buy tickets in easy, everyday French.




TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS (#ulink_8ab9ccf0-ffe8-507c-a328-348fd31b36dc)


When you’re travelling around, you will probably want to talk about what you’re going to do. Use je vais (I’m going to) or on va (we’re going to) before the verb. These come from the verb aller. For more information on aller, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I’m going to…





BON À SAVOIR!

Use normalement or si tout va bien (if all goes well) at the beginning of a sentence to talk about a plan that might have to be changed.




I’ll…





If you want to talk about what your plans are, you can use j’ai l’intention de (I’m planning to).




I’m planning to…








I hope to…








SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO (#ulink_ee20bd00-ff72-53c3-acc8-cd9b39baaaae)


If you want to say that you have to do something in French, such as buy a ticket, catch a train and so on, you use il faut que (I have to) or il faudrait que (I ought to) followed by the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I have to…








I ought to…





Another way of saying what you have to do is to use je dois (I must) followed by the infinitive.




I must…








SAYING WHAT YOU WANT TO DO (#ulink_74742726-4118-50e7-b70f-4f69218490f7)


When you are using some kind of transport in France, you may well need to say what you would like to do in French. You can use je voudrais (I’d like) with the infinitive. This comes from the verb vouloir. For more information on vouloir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I’d like to…





The most direct way of saying what you want to do is using je veux (I want) or je souhaite (I wish) with the infinitive. veux is from the verb vouloir and souhaite is from the verb souhaiter. For more information on vouloir and -er verbs like souhaiter, see here (#litres_trial_promo) and here (#litres_trial_promo).




I want to…





If you want to say that you feel like doing something, say j’ai envie de (I feel like). This is slightly stronger than j’ai bien envie de (I quite fancy). ai comes from the verb avoir. For more information on avoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I feel like…








MAKING SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_e129491b-5a4f-54e3-9e0f-921aa03f8668)


You may wish to make a suggestion to your colleagues or friends in French. One way of doing this is to use on pourrait (we could). This comes from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




We could…





BON À SAVOIR!

If you want to ask someone what they think of a particular suggestion, use Qu’est-ce que tu en dis? or Qu’est-ce que vous en dites? (What do you say?).




I can… if you like





If you want to ask someone if they would like to do something, use Tu veux…?, or Tu voudrais…? (Would you like…?) if you know the person well or Vous voulez…? if you’re talking to several people. These all come from the verb vouloir. For more information on vouloir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Would you like to…?





Another way of making suggestions in French is to ask Pourquoi ne pas…? (Why don’t…?), which is often shortened to Pourquoi pas…? in spoken French.




Why don’t…?








How about…?








ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_5d34fd2b-fd0a-59a7-9d96-d23a79a74189)


When you are travelling around in a French-speaking country or city, you will often need to find out some information to help you get to where you want to go. When you are asking for information you may need to get someone’s attention in order to ask them a question. To do this you can use either excusez-moi or pardon.




I’m looking for…





BON À SAVOIR!

Remember to say merci or merci beaucoup when you get the information. If someone hasn’t been able to help you, you can still thank them by saying merci quand même (thanks all the same).

If you want to ask a general question in French, you can use C’est…? or Est-ce que c’est…? (Is it…?).




Is it…?








Is there…?





BON À SAVOIR!

You can see that both there is and there are are il y a in French.

In order to get more specific information, you may want to ask, for example, Où…? (Where…?), Quel…? (Which…?), or À quelle heure…? (What time…?).




Where…?








Which…?








What time…?





BON À SAVOIR!

When you’re not sure about something, you can ask for confirmation by adding bien after the verb in your question.

If you want to ask how often something happens, how long it takes or how much it costs, you can use a phrase with combien.




How often…?








How long…?








How much is…?





Use Est-ce que je peux…? (Can I…?) or Est-ce qu’on peut…? (Can we…?) to ask whether you can do something. These are from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Can I…?








ASKING FOR THINGS (#ulink_6cd523b0-a112-5c9e-93f1-ac160b40d723)


When asking for something, you can use Est-ce que je peux avoir…? (Can I have…?) or Est-ce que je pourrais avoir…? (Could I have…?). These come from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Can I have…?





When you want to find out if something is available or if someone has something, use Est-ce que vous avez…? or Vous avez…? (Do you have…?). avez comes from the verb avoir. For more information on avoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Do you have…?





When you ask for something, you can simply name what you want, but make sure you finish your question with s’il vous plaît, or your request might sound rather like an order!




A…, please





If you are asking someone if they can do something for you, you should use Est-ce que vous pouvez…? (Can you…?).




Can you…?








Would you mind…?








SAYING WHAT YOU LIKE, DISLIKE, PREFER (#ulink_d62f591c-cf1a-540d-ad16-5109982b6dac)


You will want to be able to discuss what you like and dislike with your French-speaking acquaintances. To say what you like, use j’aime bien (I like), which is not as strong as j’aime (I love). To say what you don’t like, just use je n’aime pas (I don’t like). These come from the verb aimer. For more information on aimer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I like…








I don’t like…








Do you like…?





If you want to say what you prefer, use je préfère (I prefer) or je préférerais (I’d prefer). These come from the verb préférer. For more information on -er verbs like préférer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I prefer to…








I’d rather…








LISTEN OUT FOR (#ulink_679bbd5d-03a1-577a-a781-de26df29b313)


Here are some key phrases you are likely to be hear when you’re travelling around.






Lifestyle Tips

• If you’re behind the wheel of a car, be ready to produce your driving licence if asked for it by the police. If you’ve left it behind, you may well be fined. The police officer might ask you: votre permis de conduire, s’il vous plaît (your driving licence, please). French drivers also have to be able to produce their carte grise (car registration document) and their attestation d’assurance (car insurance certificate).

• Motorways are not free in France. When you go onto the motorway, you get a ticket de péage or ticket d’entrée. When you come off the motorway this will show how many kilometres you’ve driven and how much you have to pay.

• At motorway tolls, some toll booths are manned, some are automatic (using bank cards), and some are reserved for drivers using the télépéage system which makes it possible to pay the toll via a sensor inside the car (with monthly bills sent to your address). It is best to stay clear of these lanes which are marked with a yellow “T” sign, as the drivers equipped with such sensors don’t take kindly to tourists holding up their fast lane!

• Over the past years, covoiturage (car sharing) has become quite popular in France. It can be a cheap and convenient way of getting around, especially for short distances. There are many places where you can find offers for covoiturage, but local papers, and ad boards in shops are probably your best bet.

• If you’re asked to produce your titre de transport on the bus, the train or the underground, it means that you have to show your ticket to the inspector.

• Make sure you punch your ticket before you get on the train or bus. If you have forgotten to do so, it is advisable to go and see le contrôleur (the ticket inspector) as soon as possible or you might be fined.

• If you’re in a hurry, you can hop on the train and buy a ticket for a small amount extra directly from a ticket inspector - go and see him or her as soon as you’re on the train or you might be suspected of resquillage (fare-dodging).

• Queues tend to be informal in French-speaking countries. So if you’re trying to get to an information desk and don’t know if it’s your turn, just ask C’est à moi? or C’est mon tour? (Am I next?). If you want to let someone in before you, you can say après vous (after you).





Home from home (#ulink_a8a741f9-8420-57dc-bed4-b9f0d8dceb14)

Dors bien! – Sleep well! (#ulink_82198e79-5a22-5a57-89af-aed79048b091)


If you’re going to stay in a French-speaking country, the phrases in this unit will provide you with the language you need to help you find the sort of accommodation you want (hotel, hostel, self-catering accommodation or a flat to rent) and ensure that everything is to your satisfaction when you’re there. We’ll also give you a few tips on what the receptionist or your landlord or landlady may say to you.




ASKING FOR THINGS (#ulink_95414f3d-b01b-5c29-9014-79ef0e5c9607)


To say what kind of accommodation you want in French, use je voudrais or je souhaite (I’d like). voudrais comes from the verb vouloir and souhaite comes from the verb souhaiter. For further information on vouloir and -er verbs like souhaiter, see here (#litres_trial_promo) and here (#litres_trial_promo).




I’d like…





je veux is a slightly more direct way of saying what you want.




I want…





Use je tiens à to say that you insist on something. tiens comes from the verb tenir.




I insist on…





When you want to find out if something is available, use Est-ce que vous avez…? (Do you have…?) or Est-ce que vous auriez…? (Would you have…?). These come from the verb avoir. For more information on avoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Do you have…?








Can I have…?





If you are asking someone whether they can do something for you, use Est-ce que pouvez…? (Can you…?) and Est-ce que vous pourriez…? (Could you…?). They both come from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Can you…?








Would you mind…?








TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF (#ulink_1e6a134b-3c96-50ff-9842-62729b06fb43)


When you are enquiring about somewhere to stay you will need to give information about yourself. Use je suis (I am) to talk about yourself and on est (we are) to include the people who are with you. These come from the verb être. For more information on être, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I’m…








My name is…





BON À SAVOIR!

Remember that the French alphabet is pronounced differently from the English alphabet. For more information on how to say letters of the alphabet in French, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_b0c42469-7aa1-5115-9745-85baf6e0e8da)


When you want to obtain some information about your accommodation, an easy way to ask questions is just to put est-ce que before what you want to know. Alternatively, you can simply make your voice go up at the end of the sentence. This sounds more informal than using est-ce que.




Is it…?





You can use Il y a…? in French to ask both Is there…? or Are there…?.




Is there…?





Use je cherche (I’m looking for) or on cherche (we’re looking for) to ask where something is. cherche comes from the verb chercher. For more information on -er verbs like chercher, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I’m looking for…





To get more specific information you may need to ask Quel…? (What…?), Où…? (Where…?) or À quelle heure…? (What time…?).




What…?





BON À SAVOIR!

Remember to use quel with a masculine word and quelle with a feminine word.




Where…?








What time…?





You are very likely to want to ask how much something costs. To do this, use a phrase containing combien.




How much…?








How many…?








ASKING FOR PERMISSION (#ulink_2e469a75-f135-5487-8855-fc113da71517)


Often when you are staying in a hotel or other accommodation you will need to be able to ask whether you can do something or not. Use Est-ce que je peux…? (Can I…?) or Est-ce que nous pouvons…? (Can we…?) to ask if you can do something. These come from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Can I…?








Do you mind if…?





If you want to ask someone if you may do something, use Vous permettez que…? (Am I allowed to…?) followed by a verb in the subjunctive. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Am I allowed to…?








SAYING WHAT YOU LIKE, DISLIKE, PREFER (#ulink_68b1cec9-ae33-5b5a-8a80-d980ddbaab5b)


When talking about what you like, use j’aime bien (I like), which is not as strong as j’aime or j’adore (I love). To say what you don’t like, just use je n’aime pas (I don’t like). These come from the verb aimer. For more information on aimer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I like…








I don’t like…





If you want to say what you prefer, use je préfère (I prefer) or je préférerais (I’d prefer). To say that you prefer A to B, use je préfère A à B. These come from the verb préférer. For more information on -er verbs like préférer, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I prefer…








I’d rather…








EXPRESSING OPINIONS (#ulink_de9b474c-4c5f-5c29-8f12-e7017eca331f)


You may well be asked what you think of your accommodation. Whether it’s perfect or not up to scratch, you can use je trouve to say what you think. This comes from the verb trouver. For more information on -er verbs like trouver, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I think…








In my opinion…








MAKING SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_88aa5a97-f981-5eab-a274-ab32f84dab4d)


If you would like to suggest that you do something, use je peux (I can) followed by the infinitive and si vous voulez (if you like) – or si tu veux for a person you know well – at the end. peux comes from the verb pouvoir. For more information on pouvoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I can… if you like





If you wish to ask what someone would like you to do, you can use Vous voulez que je…? (Would you like me to…?) followed by a verb in the subjunctive, which you can find out more about here (#litres_trial_promo).




Would you like me to…?








ASKING FOR SUGGESTIONS (#ulink_c0770dae-6c62-5432-9cee-3b6ab1ede612)


You may want to ask for advice or a recommendation concerning your accommodation. To ask for advice, use Est-ce que vous me conseillez de…? (Would you advise…?). This comes from the verb conseiller. For more information on -er verbs like conseiller, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Would you advise…?








Would you recommend…?








SAYING WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO (#ulink_c51c92d0-ae39-5729-a189-a7d3bf2bf652)


If you want to say that you have to do something with regard to your accommodation in French, you use il faut que je (I have to) or il faudrait que je (I ought to) and then the verb in the subjunctive, which you can find out about here (#litres_trial_promo).




I have to…








I ought to…





Alternatively, you can use je dois (I must), from the verb devoir. For more information on devoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I must…





In French you can tell somebody what you need by using j’ai besoin de (I need).




I need…





You can use Est-ce qu’il faut que…? (Do I have to…?) followed by the verb in the subjunctive to ask about what you have to do. For more information on the subjunctive, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Do I have to…?





Alternatively, you can use Est-ce que je dois…? (Do I need to…?)




Do I need to…?








TALKING ABOUT YOUR PLANS (#ulink_e65a0007-8131-5b79-a8af-01161a2a713a)


When you are talking about your plans for where you’re going to stay, in French, as in English, the present tense is very often used to talk about things that have been arranged and are definite. For more on the present tense, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I’m staying…





Alternatively, you can use the future tense in French, as in English.




I’ll…





In English we often say I’m going to to talk about the future. French works the same way. To say that you’re going to do something, put je vais (I’m going to) or on va (we’re going to) before the verb. vais and va come from the verb aller. For more information on aller, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I’m going to…





If you want to say that you intend to do something, you can use j’ai l’intention de or je compte (I intend to).




I intend to…








COMPLAINING (#ulink_b6e53241-bfae-5813-aca9-b79e51810189)


Unfortunately the service you get in your accommodation may not always be perfect. A very simple way of complaining is to say what the problem is using il y a, which means both there is and there are or il n’y a pas de which means there isn’t or there aren’t.




There’s…








There isn’t…





You can also use the verb être (to be) to describe what the problem is.




It’s…





BON À SAVOIR!

Remember that in French to talk about the weather, you use the verb faire. For more information on this use of faire, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




LISTEN OUT FOR (#ulink_f8a09e23-36c1-58e8-9f60-63c20a907136)


Here are some phrases you are likely to hear when you’re looking for somewhere to stay.






Lifestyle Tips

• The proportion of propriétaires (homeowners) in France is much lower than it is in Britain. People tend to rent a lot more. Long-term rented accommodation is usually unfurnished; locataires (tenants) often even have to supply their own appareils ménagers (white goods) and meubles de cuisine (kitchen units).

• It is not as common for professionals to share a flat – être en colocation – in France as it is in Britain, although high rents have changed this over the past few years, especially in cities.

• If you’re flat-hunting in France, you will hear flats described as F1, F2, F3 and so on. These refer to the number of rooms in a flat, not including the bathroom and kitchen. A studio is a studio, an F1 is a one-room flat, an F2 is a two-room flat, and so on.

• One good way of getting to know an area and its locals is to stay in a gîte rural – a cottage or apartment in the country. Some offer self-catering facilities, but others give you the chance to stay in an apartment within the house of the host family.

• The equivalent of B&Bs in France are chambres d’hôte, usually a room in someone’s house. Some of these places also offer table d’hôte, which means that they will provide a meal using local produce, or even food grown on the farm. If there aren’t any vacancies you will see a “Complet” (“Full”) sign.

• When staying in a camping (campsite), you will have to pay des arrhes (a deposit) which is part of the full amount you will pay at the end of your stay. When renting accommodation you may also have to pay une caution (a security deposit).





Wining and dining (#ulink_1c545bd2-dfc2-5faa-a7d3-87fc147be6a4)

Bon appétit! – Enjoy your meal! (#ulink_9fbc7f97-a840-548f-abe2-3ae774e660c7)


If you’re going out for a meal in France either in a local café or in a fancy restaurant, the phrases in this unit will give you the confidence to talk to the waiter and chat with your French friends in easy, natural French. We’ll also give you some tips on getting advice about what to order, and a few key phrases the waiters are likely to use.




MAKING ARRANGEMENTS (#ulink_391de24b-df23-5b0d-931d-1d5bdbf10b64)


If you want to make arrangements such as where and when to meet when you go out for a meal with French-speaking people, you can ask Où est-ce que…? (Where…?) or À quelle heure…? (What time…?).




Where…?








What time…?





If you want to check that the arrangements suit your friends or colleagues, you can use Ça te va si…? or Ça vous va si…? (Will it be all right if…?).




Will it be all right if…?








Is it better to…?








It would suit me best to…








ASKING FOR INFORMATION (#ulink_e9828fe1-ce52-5d10-bee8-fd2d10f4f096)


When you’re going out for a meal you’ll need to ask for various pieces of information, such as where things are and how much they cost. To ask where something is, you can use Où se trouve…? (Where is…?), and to ask how much it costs, use C’est combien…? (How much is…?).




Where’s…?








How much…?








What…?





Many of the questions you will be asking can be answered by yes or no. You can either put est-ce que before what you want to know or alternatively you can raise the tone of your voice at the end of the sentence – this will make you sound more informal.




Is it…?








ASKING FOR THINGS (#ulink_b7e73071-965b-5e42-8886-8b1405f7c39d)


When you’re out in a French restaurant you will need to be able to ask for what you want. If you want to ask for something in French, use je voudrais (I’d like) or on voudrait (we’d like). voudrais and voudrait come from the verb vouloir. For more information on vouloir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




I’d like…





When the waiter approaches and you want to say that you’re not ready to order, use je n’ai pas encore décidé. Alternatively, if your order has already been taken, you can say on a déjà commandé, merci (someone’s already taken our order, thanks).




I’ll have…





When you want to find out if something is available, use Est-ce que vous avez…? or Vous avez…? (Have you got…?). avez comes from the verb avoir. For more information on avoir, see here (#litres_trial_promo).




Have you got…?









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