c'est |
1. contraction. it is (used to define the preceding word) | |
Le temps, c'est de l'argent. - Time is money. | |
2. contraction. it is (used to introduce a focus) | |
3. contraction. this is | |
ce |
1. det. this, that | |
2. pron. (subject of être, with predicative adjectives or relative clauses, singular only) it, this, that (see § Usage notes, below) | |
C'est beau ! - It is beautiful! | |
est-ce que...? - is it that...? | |
ce dont je parlais - that which I was speaking of | |
C'eût été avec plaisir, mais... - It would have been with pleasure, but... | |
C'eût été dommage... - It would have been a pity... | |
3. pron. (subject of être, with predicate nouns) he, she, it, this, that | |
C'est un/une célébrité. - He/she is a celebrity. | |
Ce sont des célébrités. - These are celebrities. | |
Ce sont des gens bien. - These are good people. | |
ce semble - it seems | |
ce peuvent être... - these may be... | |
est |
1. adj. east | |
2. n-m. east | |
3. v. third-person singular present indicative of être | |
être |
1. v. to be | |
Vous devez être plus clairs. - You must be clearer. | |
2. v. (auxiliary) Used to form the perfect and pluperfect tense of (including all reflexive verbs) | |
Après être allé au yoga, je suis rentré chez moi. - After having gone to yoga, I came back home. | |
3. v. (semi-auxiliary) to be (Used to form the passive voice) | |
Il peut être battu ce soir. - He can be beaten this evening. | |
4. n-m. being, creature | |
5. n-m. being, the state or fact of existence | |
une |
1. num. feminine singular of un | |
2. art. a / an (feminine indefinite article) | |
3. n-f. front page (of a publication) | |
corde |
1. n-f. rope (general) | |
2. n-f. (geometry) chord | |
3. n-f. (music) chord (of a string instrument) | |
4. n-f. chord (vocal chord) | |
5. n-f. line (washing line, for hanging clothes to dry) | |
6. v. first-person singular present of corder | |
7. v. third-person singular present of corder | |
8. v. second-person singular imperative of corder | |
corder |
1. v. to rope up, rope | |
que |
1. conj. that (introduces a subordinate noun clause and connects it to its parent clause) | |
Je vois que tu parles bien français. - I see that you speak French well. | |
2. conj. Substitutes for another, previously stated conjunction. | |
Si le temps est beau et que tout le monde est d'accord, nous mangerons en plein air. - If the weather is nice and if everyone likes the idea, we'll eat outside. | |
3. conj. when, no sooner | |
Il était à peine parti qu’elle a téléphoné à la police. - No sooner had he left when she called the police. | |
4. conj. (Links two noun phrases in apposition forming a clause without a (finite) verb, such that the complement acts as predicate.) | |
5. conj. introduces a comparison | |
6. conj. (comparisons of superiority or inferiority) than | |
Il est plus grand que son père. - He is taller than his father. | |
7. conj. (comparisons of equality) as | |
Elle est aussi intelligente que toi. - She is as smart as you. | |
8. conj. (used with ne) only, just; but, nothing but | |
Je ne mange que des fruits. - I eat nothing but fruit. | |
9. conj. how (in rhetorical interjections) | |
Que c'est beau! - How beautiful it is! | |
Mais que t'es drôle, quoi. - Oh, how funny you are. | |
10. pron. (tlb, interrogative) | |
11. pron. (slightly formal, accusative) (The inanimate direct-object interrogative pronoun.) | |
Que pensez-vous de cette peinture ? - What do you think of that painting? | |
Qu'auriez-vous fait d'autre ? - What else would you have done? | |
12. pron. (slightly formal, nominative) (The inanimate subject or predicative interrogative pronoun.) | |
Qu'est-il arrivé ? - What happened? | |
Que me vaut cette visite ? - To what do I owe this visit? | |
Que sommes-nous ? - What are we? | |
13. pron. (accusative, relative) (The direct object relative pronoun.) | |
C'est un homme que je connais très bien. - He's a man whom I know very well. | |
Je viens de lire la lettre que vous m'avez envoyée. - I've just read the letter that you sent me. | |
il |
1. pron. he (third-person singular masculine subject pronoun for human subject) | |
Il est parti. - He left. | |
2. pron. it (third-person singular subject pronoun for grammatically masculine objects) | |
Je cherche mon livre. Où est-il ? - I'm looking for my book. Where is it? | |
3. pron. (impersonal pronoun) Impersonal subject; it | |
Il pleut. - It’s raining. | |
ne |
1. part. (literary) not (used alone to negate a verb; now chiefly with only a few particular verbs: see usage notes) | |
2. part. not, no (used before a verb, with a coordinating negative element usually following; see Usage Notes, below) | |
3. part. (Used in a subordinate clause before a subjunctive verb (especially when the main verb expresses doubt or fear), to provide extra overtones of doubt or uncertainty (but not negating its verb); the so- | |
4. part. In comparative clauses usually translated with the positive sense of the subsequent negative | |
Apprendre le français est plus facile qu'on ne pense. - Learning French is easier than you (might) think. | |
faut |
1. v. singular present indicative of falloir | |
2. v. third-person singular present indicative of falloir | |
3. v. third-person singular present indicative of faillir | |
faillir |
1. v. to almost do something | |
J'ai failli aller en Allemagne, mais j'ai annulé au dernier moment - I almost went to Germany, but cancelled at the last minute | |
2. v. to fail | |
Tu as failli à ta mission. - You failed your mission. | |
3. v. to go bankrupt | |
falloir |
1. v. (impersonal) to need, have to, to be necessary (that) | |
Il faut que j'y aille - I need to go. | |
Faut que j'y aille. - Got to go. | |
Il ne faut pas que tu dises ça. - You don’t have to say that. | |
Il a tout ce qu'il te faut. - He has everything that you need. | |
2. v. to take (time) | |
3. v. to be missing | |
pas |
1. n-m. step, pace, footstep | |
2. n-m. (geography) strait, pass | |
Pas de Calais - Strait of Dover | |
3. n-m. thread, pitch (of a screw or nut) | |
4. adv. The most common adverb of negation in French, typically translating into English as not, don't, doesn't, etc. | |
Je ne sais pas. - I don't know | |
Ma grande sœur n'habite pas avec nous. - My big sister doesn't live with us. | |
J’veux pas travailler. - I don't wanna work. | |
toucher |
1. n-m. the act of touching (see below) | |
2. n-m. a way of touching | |
3. n-m. the sense of touch, tactility | |
4. v. to touch (physically) | |
Ne me touche pas! - Don't touch me! | |
5. v. to affect | |
La maladie touche actuellement 2 millions de personnes. - The disease currently affects 2 million people. | |
6. v. To try, to try out | |
Je n'ai jamais touché au tabac. - I've never tried tobacco. | |
7. v. Short for toucher sa bille. To be skillful | |
Ce mec est un ancien critique d'art. Je peux te dire qu'il touche en peinture! - This guy is a former art critic. Believe me, he knows a thing or two about painting! | |
8. v. to receive, to get | |
il |
1. pron. he (third-person singular masculine subject pronoun for human subject) | |
Il est parti. - He left. | |
2. pron. it (third-person singular subject pronoun for grammatically masculine objects) | |
Je cherche mon livre. Où est-il ? - I'm looking for my book. Where is it? | |
3. pron. (impersonal pronoun) Impersonal subject; it | |
Il pleut. - It’s raining. | |
ne |
1. part. (literary) not (used alone to negate a verb; now chiefly with only a few particular verbs: see usage notes) | |
2. part. not, no (used before a verb, with a coordinating negative element usually following; see Usage Notes, below) | |
3. part. (Used in a subordinate clause before a subjunctive verb (especially when the main verb expresses doubt or fear), to provide extra overtones of doubt or uncertainty (but not negating its verb); the so- | |
4. part. In comparative clauses usually translated with the positive sense of the subsequent negative | |
Apprendre le français est plus facile qu'on ne pense. - Learning French is easier than you (might) think. | |
faut |
1. v. singular present indicative of falloir | |
2. v. third-person singular present indicative of falloir | |
3. v. third-person singular present indicative of faillir | |
faillir |
1. v. to almost do something | |
J'ai failli aller en Allemagne, mais j'ai annulé au dernier moment - I almost went to Germany, but cancelled at the last minute | |
2. v. to fail | |
Tu as failli à ta mission. - You failed your mission. | |
3. v. to go bankrupt | |
falloir |
1. v. (impersonal) to need, have to, to be necessary (that) | |
Il faut que j'y aille - I need to go. | |
Faut que j'y aille. - Got to go. | |
Il ne faut pas que tu dises ça. - You don’t have to say that. | |
Il a tout ce qu'il te faut. - He has everything that you need. | |
2. v. to take (time) | |
3. v. to be missing | |
pas |
1. n-m. step, pace, footstep | |
2. n-m. (geography) strait, pass | |
Pas de Calais - Strait of Dover | |
3. n-m. thread, pitch (of a screw or nut) | |
4. adv. The most common adverb of negation in French, typically translating into English as not, don't, doesn't, etc. | |
Je ne sais pas. - I don't know | |
Ma grande sœur n'habite pas avec nous. - My big sister doesn't live with us. | |
J’veux pas travailler. - I don't wanna work. | |
toucher |
1. n-m. the act of touching (see below) | |
2. n-m. a way of touching | |
3. n-m. the sense of touch, tactility | |
4. v. to touch (physically) | |
Ne me touche pas! - Don't touch me! | |
5. v. to affect | |
La maladie touche actuellement 2 millions de personnes. - The disease currently affects 2 million people. | |
6. v. To try, to try out | |
Je n'ai jamais touché au tabac. - I've never tried tobacco. | |
7. v. Short for toucher sa bille. To be skillful | |
Ce mec est un ancien critique d'art. Je peux te dire qu'il touche en peinture! - This guy is a former art critic. Believe me, he knows a thing or two about painting! | |
8. v. to receive, to get | |
cette |
1. det. feminine singular of ce | |
corde |
1. n-f. rope (general) | |
2. n-f. (geometry) chord | |
3. n-f. (music) chord (of a string instrument) | |
4. n-f. chord (vocal chord) | |
5. n-f. line (washing line, for hanging clothes to dry) | |
6. v. first-person singular present of corder | |
7. v. third-person singular present of corder | |
8. v. second-person singular imperative of corder | |
corder |
1. v. to rope up, rope | |
là |
1. adv. referring to physical place | |
2. adv. there | |
Je t'attendrai là. - I'll wait for you there. | |
3. adv. here; present (used with être) | |
Je suis (toujours) là. - I'm (still) here. | |
4. adv. (referring to an abstract destination or goal); there | |
Je suis presque là. - I'm almost there. | |
se |
1. pron. The third-person reflexive and reciprocal direct and indirect object pronoun. | |
2. pron. (to) himself | |
3. pron. (to) herself | |
4. pron. (to) oneself | |
5. pron. (to) itself | |
6. pron. (to) themselves | |
7. pron. (to) each other | |
8. pron. (Louisiana) (The second-person plural reflexive and reciprocal direct and indirect object pronoun.) | |
Je suis partie à la chasse et faut vous autres se comportes bien. - I'm going hunting and y'all need to behave yourselves. | |
dit |
1. Participle. past participle of dire | |
Il a dit son nom. - He said his name. | |
2. Participle. (in names) Indicating a surname used as a family name. | |
3. v. third-person singular present indicative of dire | |
4. v. third-person singular past historic of dire | |
« Je m'appelle Paul, » dit-il. - “My name is Paul,” he said. | |
dire |
1. v. to say, to tell | |
2. v. (informal) to be of interest to, to interest +preo, à, someone | |
Ça te dit de regarder un film de science-fiction? - Do you want to watch a science fiction movie? What do you say to watching a science fiction movie? | |
Ça vous dit ? - Are you interested in doing this? Are you up for it? | |
Il m'a demandé si ça nous dirait de nous joindre à eux plus tard. - He asked me if we'd like to join them later. | |
Ça ne me dit trop rien d'y aller. - I don't really want to go there. | |
3. v. (informal) to sound familiar +preo, à, someone | |
Ça me dit quelque chose. - It rings a bell. | |
Ça ne me dit rien. - It doesn't ring a bell. | |
4. n-m. saying (that which is said) | |
5. n-m. belief, opinion | |
pour |
1. prep. for (meant for, intended for) (followed by a noun or pronoun) | |
J'ai un cadeau pour toi. - I've got a gift for you. | |
2. prep. for (in support of) | |
Pourquoi voter pour lui ? - Why did you vote for him? | |
3. prep. for (as a consequence for) | |
Il faut le punir pour ses crimes. - He must be punished for his crimes. | |
4. prep. for (an intended destination) | |
Sébastien est parti pour Londres. - Sébastien left for London. | |
5. prep. to (to bring about an intended result) (followed by a verb in the infinitive) | |
Je veux chanter pour te faire revenir. - I want to sing to make you come back. | |
6. prep. for, to (according to) | |
Pour moi, ce film est trop irréaliste. - For me, this film is too unrealistic. | |
faire |
1. v. to do | |
faire la vaisselle - to do the washing-up. | |
Qu'est-ce que tu fais ? - What are you doing? | |
Fais pas ça. - Don't do that. | |
2. v. to make | |
faire une erreur - to make a mistake. | |
faire un voyage - to take a trip | |
3. v. to say (of a person), to go (of an animal) | |
"Je t'aime," fit-il. - "I love you," he said. | |
Le chat fait "miaou". - The cat goes "meow". | |
4. v. to make (cause someone or something to do something) | |
Tu me fais rire. - You make me laugh. | |
La chanson me fait pleurer. - The song makes me cry. | |
5. v. to act like (something) | |
Fais pas ton innocent avec moi. - Don't act like you're so innocent around me./Don't give me that innocent act. | |
6. v. (impersonal) to be (of the weather or various situations) | |
Il fait chaud/froid/noir/beau dehors. - It is hot/cold/dark/nice outside. | |
Ça fait dix ans que nous nous connaissons. - We have known each other for ten years. | |
Ça fait bizarre. - That seems/looks bizarre; that gives a bizarre effect/appearance/result. | |
Ça fait très monsieur, ta cravate. - Your tie makes you look like a real gentleman. | |
7. v. to do, to make (oneself) | |
Elle se fait les ongles. - She is doing her nails. | |
8. v. to be, to get (used for a passive action) | |
se faire piquer - to be stung | |
Je me suis fait avoir. - I got screwed. | |
Est-ce que tu t'es fait couper les cheveux ? - Did you get your hair cut? | |
9. v. to ripen (of fruit), to mature | |
10. v. to become used to, to get used to | |
Je ne m'y suis toujours pas fait. - I still haven't got used to it. | |
11. v. (slang) to do (to have sex with) | |
12. v. (informal, intransitive) to defecate; (metaphorically) to shit oneself (to be terrified) | |
L'enfant a fait dans son pantalon. - The child soiled his trousers. | |
Ils viennent d'entendre les nouvelles et ils font dans leur culotte. - They've just heard the news and they're shitting themselves. | |
13. v. to become, to get | |
entendre |
1. v. to hear | |
2. v. to be able to hear | |
3. v. (literary) to listen to | |
4. v. (formal) to mean | |
Qu'entendez-vous par là ? - What do you mean by that?entendez-vous par là ?, What do you mean by that? | |
Qu'entendait-il par « attristé par la tranquilité » ? - What does he mean by "saddened by the tranquility"?entendait-il par « attristé par la tranquilité » ?, What does he mean by "saddened by | |
5. v. to agree with each other | |
6. v. to have good relations with; to get on; to get along | |
Je m'entends bien avec elle. - I get along well with her.entends bien avec elle., I get along well with her. | |
Si seulement mes enfants s’entendaient ! - If only my kids got along! | |
7. v. (takes a reflexive pronoun) to be good or competent at something | |
s'y entendre en (...) - to be good at ... | |
8. v. (rare) to desire; to wish; to intend | |
comme je l’entends - as I wish | |
J'entends bien régler cette question une bonne fois pour toutes. - I fully intend to solve this issue once and for all.entends bien régler cette question une bonne fois pour toutes., I fully in | |
9. v. (dated) to demand | |
10. v. (dated) to know | |
que |
1. conj. that (introduces a subordinate noun clause and connects it to its parent clause) | |
Je vois que tu parles bien français. - I see that you speak French well. | |
2. conj. Substitutes for another, previously stated conjunction. | |
Si le temps est beau et que tout le monde est d'accord, nous mangerons en plein air. - If the weather is nice and if everyone likes the idea, we'll eat outside. | |
3. conj. when, no sooner | |
Il était à peine parti qu’elle a téléphoné à la police. - No sooner had he left when she called the police. | |
4. conj. (Links two noun phrases in apposition forming a clause without a (finite) verb, such that the complement acts as predicate.) | |
5. conj. introduces a comparison | |
6. conj. (comparisons of superiority or inferiority) than | |
Il est plus grand que son père. - He is taller than his father. | |
7. conj. (comparisons of equality) as | |
Elle est aussi intelligente que toi. - She is as smart as you. | |
8. conj. (used with ne) only, just; but, nothing but | |
Je ne mange que des fruits. - I eat nothing but fruit. | |
9. conj. how (in rhetorical interjections) | |
Que c'est beau! - How beautiful it is! | |
Mais que t'es drôle, quoi. - Oh, how funny you are. | |
10. pron. (tlb, interrogative) | |
11. pron. (slightly formal, accusative) (The inanimate direct-object interrogative pronoun.) | |
Que pensez-vous de cette peinture ? - What do you think of that painting? | |
Qu'auriez-vous fait d'autre ? - What else would you have done? | |
12. pron. (slightly formal, nominative) (The inanimate subject or predicative interrogative pronoun.) | |
Qu'est-il arrivé ? - What happened? | |
Que me vaut cette visite ? - To what do I owe this visit? | |
Que sommes-nous ? - What are we? | |
13. pron. (accusative, relative) (The direct object relative pronoun.) | |
C'est un homme que je connais très bien. - He's a man whom I know very well. | |
Je viens de lire la lettre que vous m'avez envoyée. - I've just read the letter that you sent me. | |
une |
1. num. feminine singular of un | |
2. art. a / an (feminine indefinite article) | |
3. n-f. front page (of a publication) | |
affaire |
1. n-f. business; matter; affair | |
affaire importante - important business | |
C'est une affaire d'honneur. - It is a matter of honor. | |
C'est l'affaire d'une minute. - It's a matter of a minute. | |
C'est mon affaire, pas la vôtre. - It's my business, not yours. | |
2. n-f. deal, transaction, bargain | |
conclure une affaire - to close a deal | |
3. n-f. business, enterprise | |
monter une affaire - to set up a business | |
Ils ont repris l'affaire familiale. - They took over the family business. | |
4. n-f. affair, scandal | |
l'affaire Dreyfus - the Dreyfus affair | |
Affaire Fillon - Fillon affair | |
5. n-f. (law) case, trial | |
L'affaire O.J. Simpson fut une des plus médiatisées. - The O. J. Simpson case was one of the most publicized. | |
6. n-f. (informal) things; stuff | |
7. n-f. (informal, chiefly in the plural) belonging (something physical that is owned) | |
8. n-f. (informal, Quebec) thingamajig | |
9. n-f. (informal, Louisiana French) thing | |
ou |
1. conj. or | |
2. conj. either...or | |
Ou il est fou ou il est bête. - Either he's mad or he's stupid. | |
que |
1. conj. that (introduces a subordinate noun clause and connects it to its parent clause) | |
Je vois que tu parles bien français. - I see that you speak French well. | |
2. conj. Substitutes for another, previously stated conjunction. | |
Si le temps est beau et que tout le monde est d'accord, nous mangerons en plein air. - If the weather is nice and if everyone likes the idea, we'll eat outside. | |
3. conj. when, no sooner | |
Il était à peine parti qu’elle a téléphoné à la police. - No sooner had he left when she called the police. | |
4. conj. (Links two noun phrases in apposition forming a clause without a (finite) verb, such that the complement acts as predicate.) | |
5. conj. introduces a comparison | |
6. conj. (comparisons of superiority or inferiority) than | |
Il est plus grand que son père. - He is taller than his father. | |
7. conj. (comparisons of equality) as | |
Elle est aussi intelligente que toi. - She is as smart as you. | |
8. conj. (used with ne) only, just; but, nothing but | |
Je ne mange que des fruits. - I eat nothing but fruit. | |
9. conj. how (in rhetorical interjections) | |
Que c'est beau! - How beautiful it is! | |
Mais que t'es drôle, quoi. - Oh, how funny you are. | |
10. pron. (tlb, interrogative) | |
11. pron. (slightly formal, accusative) (The inanimate direct-object interrogative pronoun.) | |
Que pensez-vous de cette peinture ? - What do you think of that painting? | |
Qu'auriez-vous fait d'autre ? - What else would you have done? | |
12. pron. (slightly formal, nominative) (The inanimate subject or predicative interrogative pronoun.) | |
Qu'est-il arrivé ? - What happened? | |
Que me vaut cette visite ? - To what do I owe this visit? | |
Que sommes-nous ? - What are we? | |
13. pron. (accusative, relative) (The direct object relative pronoun.) | |
C'est un homme que je connais très bien. - He's a man whom I know very well. | |
Je viens de lire la lettre que vous m'avez envoyée. - I've just read the letter that you sent me. | |
une |
1. num. feminine singular of un | |
2. art. a / an (feminine indefinite article) | |
3. n-f. front page (of a publication) | |
circonstance |
1. n-f. circumstance, situation (datedef, from c. 1220) | |
est |
1. adj. east | |
2. n-m. east | |
3. v. third-person singular present indicative of être | |
être |
1. v. to be | |
Vous devez être plus clairs. - You must be clearer. | |
2. v. (auxiliary) Used to form the perfect and pluperfect tense of (including all reflexive verbs) | |
Après être allé au yoga, je suis rentré chez moi. - After having gone to yoga, I came back home. | |
3. v. (semi-auxiliary) to be (Used to form the passive voice) | |
Il peut être battu ce soir. - He can be beaten this evening. | |
4. n-m. being, creature | |
5. n-m. being, the state or fact of existence | |
délicate |
1. adj. feminine singular of délicat | |
délicat |
1. adj. delicate | |
2. adj. difficult, tricky | |
3. adj. sensitive, thorny | |
et |
1. conj. and | |
que |
1. conj. that (introduces a subordinate noun clause and connects it to its parent clause) | |
Je vois que tu parles bien français. - I see that you speak French well. | |
2. conj. Substitutes for another, previously stated conjunction. | |
Si le temps est beau et que tout le monde est d'accord, nous mangerons en plein air. - If the weather is nice and if everyone likes the idea, we'll eat outside. | |
3. conj. when, no sooner | |
Il était à peine parti qu’elle a téléphoné à la police. - No sooner had he left when she called the police. | |
4. conj. (Links two noun phrases in apposition forming a clause without a (finite) verb, such that the complement acts as predicate.) | |
5. conj. introduces a comparison | |
6. conj. (comparisons of superiority or inferiority) than | |
Il est plus grand que son père. - He is taller than his father. | |
7. conj. (comparisons of equality) as | |
Elle est aussi intelligente que toi. - She is as smart as you. | |
8. conj. (used with ne) only, just; but, nothing but | |
Je ne mange que des fruits. - I eat nothing but fruit. | |
9. conj. how (in rhetorical interjections) | |
Que c'est beau! - How beautiful it is! | |
Mais que t'es drôle, quoi. - Oh, how funny you are. | |
10. pron. (tlb, interrogative) | |
11. pron. (slightly formal, accusative) (The inanimate direct-object interrogative pronoun.) | |
Que pensez-vous de cette peinture ? - What do you think of that painting? | |
Qu'auriez-vous fait d'autre ? - What else would you have done? | |
12. pron. (slightly formal, nominative) (The inanimate subject or predicative interrogative pronoun.) | |
Qu'est-il arrivé ? - What happened? | |
Que me vaut cette visite ? - To what do I owe this visit? | |
Que sommes-nous ? - What are we? | |
13. pron. (accusative, relative) (The direct object relative pronoun.) | |
C'est un homme que je connais très bien. - He's a man whom I know very well. | |
Je viens de lire la lettre que vous m'avez envoyée. - I've just read the letter that you sent me. | |
il |
1. pron. he (third-person singular masculine subject pronoun for human subject) | |
Il est parti. - He left. | |
2. pron. it (third-person singular subject pronoun for grammatically masculine objects) | |
Je cherche mon livre. Où est-il ? - I'm looking for my book. Where is it? | |
3. pron. (impersonal pronoun) Impersonal subject; it | |
Il pleut. - It’s raining. | |
ne |
1. part. (literary) not (used alone to negate a verb; now chiefly with only a few particular verbs: see usage notes) | |
2. part. not, no (used before a verb, with a coordinating negative element usually following; see Usage Notes, below) | |
3. part. (Used in a subordinate clause before a subjunctive verb (especially when the main verb expresses doubt or fear), to provide extra overtones of doubt or uncertainty (but not negating its verb); the so- | |
4. part. In comparative clauses usually translated with the positive sense of the subsequent negative | |
Apprendre le français est plus facile qu'on ne pense. - Learning French is easier than you (might) think. | |
en |
1. prep. in (used to indicate space, also see usage notes) | |
J'habite en Angleterre. - I live in England. | |
2. prep. to (indicates direction towards certain very large locations, see usage notes) | |
Il est allé en France. - He went to France. | |
3. prep. by (used to indicate means) | |
aller en bus - go by bus | |
partir en voiture - leave by car | |
4. prep. as | |
Il me traite en ami. - He treats me as a friend. | |
habillé en père Noël - dressed as Father Christmas | |
5. prep. at (used to describe an ability) | |
fort en histoire - good at history | |
6. prep. of, made of (used to describe composition) | |
une chaise en hêtre - a chair made of beech/a beech chair | |
une fourchette en métal - a fork made of metal/a metal fork | |
7. prep. in (during the following time (used for months and years)) | |
en 1993 - in 1993 | |
en janvier - in January | |
en septembre 2001 - in September 2001 | |
8. prep. (followed by a gerund) while | |
9. prep. (followed by a gerund) by, in describing a way of getting something | |
C'est en trichant qu'il est devenu champion. - It was by cheating that he became champion. | |
10. prep. in (used to describe color) | |
une photo en noir et blanc - a photo in black and white | |
11. prep. in (used to describe feelings) | |
en détresse - in distress | |
12. prep. in (as part of something) | |
en équipe - on a team | |
13. pron. (Used as the object of a verb to indicate an indefinite quantity; of it, of them. Replaces the partitive article (du, de la, etc.)) | |
Essaies-en ! - Try some (of it / them)! | |
Tu as combien de livres ? J'en ai trois. - How many books do you have? I have three (of them). | |
Y a-t-il beaucoup de pièces ? Oui. Il y en a beaucoup. - Are there many rooms? Yes, there are many (of them). | |
Martin a trois sandwichs, mais j'en ai seulement deux. - Martin has three sandwiches, but I have only two (of them). | |
Il y en a combien ? - How many of them are there? | |
Je bois de l'alcool parce que j'en ai besoin - I drink alcohol because I need (of) it. | |
14. pron. Adverbial preposition indicating movement away from a place already mentioned; from there, from it. Replaces the phrase de là or d’ici. | |
Est-ce qu'elle vient de Barcelone ? Oui, elle en vient. - Does she come from Barcelona? Yes, she comes (from there). | |
faut |
1. v. singular present indicative of falloir | |
2. v. third-person singular present indicative of falloir | |
3. v. third-person singular present indicative of faillir | |
faillir |
1. v. to almost do something | |
J'ai failli aller en Allemagne, mais j'ai annulé au dernier moment - I almost went to Germany, but cancelled at the last minute | |
2. v. to fail | |
Tu as failli à ta mission. - You failed your mission. | |
3. v. to go bankrupt | |
falloir |
1. v. (impersonal) to need, have to, to be necessary (that) | |
Il faut que j'y aille - I need to go. | |
Faut que j'y aille. - Got to go. | |
Il ne faut pas que tu dises ça. - You don’t have to say that. | |
Il a tout ce qu'il te faut. - He has everything that you need. | |
2. v. to take (time) | |
3. v. to be missing | |
pas |
1. n-m. step, pace, footstep | |
2. n-m. (geography) strait, pass | |
Pas de Calais - Strait of Dover | |
3. n-m. thread, pitch (of a screw or nut) | |
4. adv. The most common adverb of negation in French, typically translating into English as not, don't, doesn't, etc. | |
Je ne sais pas. - I don't know | |
Ma grande sœur n'habite pas avec nous. - My big sister doesn't live with us. | |
J’veux pas travailler. - I don't wanna work. | |
parler |
1. v. to speak, talk | |
Il a commencé à parler à l’âge de quatre ans. - He began to speak at the age of four. | |
Ils ont parlé plusieurs heures avant d’aller se coucher. - They spoke several hours before going to sleep. | |
2. v. to be able to communicate in a language; to speak | |
Elle parle couramment français. - She speaks French fluently | |
3. v. (heraldry) to cant; (of a coat of arms) to make a pun of its bearer's name | |
Armes parlantes. | |
4. v. takes a reflexive pronoun | |
se parler à soi-même - to talk to oneself | |
5. n-m. parlance | |
6. n-m. vernacular, dialect | |