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. | |
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 | |
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... | |
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. | |
ce que |
1. pron. (accusative, relative) what (relative pronoun - direct object) | |
C'est ce que font les gens bien. - This is what good people do. | |
Cela n'est pas ce que je voulais. - That isn't what I wanted. | |
Il avait bien conscience de ce qu'il avait fait. - He knew perfectly well what he had done. | |
Ce que dit le roi est vrai, parce que le roi le dit. - What the king says is true, because the king says it. | |
A est à B ce que C est à D - A is to B as C is to D | |
2. pron. (accusative, interrogative) what (in indirect questions) | |
Savez-vous ce qu’il dit ? - Do you know what he says? | |
Savez-vous ce que vous faites ? - Do you know what you're doing? | |
est-ce que |
1. part. Used to introduce a yes-or-no question. | |
Est-ce que tu veux une chambre ? - Do you want a bedroom? | |
Est-ce qu’elle est arrivée ? - Has she arrived? | |
2. part. Used after a preposed interrogative to introduce the remainder of the question. | |
Quand est-ce que les élèves retournent à l’école ? - When do the students return to school? | |
Combien de musées est-ce qu’il y a en France ? - How many museums are there in France? | |
qu'est-ce que |
1. pron. what, what is it that (used as an interrogative for a direct object) | |
Qu'est-ce que tu fais ? - What are you doing? / What do you do? / What is it that you do? | |
Qu'est-ce qu'il a mangé ? - What has he eaten? | |
2. pron. what is (used as an interrogative for a definition) | |
Qu'est-ce que la liberté ? - What is freedom? | |
Qu'est-ce qu'un blog ? - What is a blog? | |
tu |
1. pron. you (singular); thou | |
2. Participle. past participle of taire | |
3. part. (Quebec, informal) (question marker) | |
C'est-tu possible ? - Is it possible? | |
taire |
1. v. to quieten, to shut up, to silence | |
Faites taire vos enfants ! - Shut your children up! | |
2. v. to shut up (one's self), to be quiet, to fall silent, to stop talking | |
Tais-toi! - Be quiet!/Shut up! | |
3. v. To keep (a matter) quiet, to keep secret, not to say | |
Je l'ai entendu de quelqu'un dont je préfère taire le nom. - I heard it from someone whose name I'd rather keep to myself. | |
fais |
1. v. first-person singular present indicative of faire | |
2. v. second-person singular present indicative of faire | |
3. v. second-person singular present imperative of faire | |
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 | |
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. | |
à |
1. Notes. In Canada, à and a are not homophones, à a, a ɑː. | |
2. prep. to (destination) | |
aller au bout - go to the end / go all the way | |
Je vais à Paris. - I am going to Paris. | |
3. prep. to (until) | |
Le spectacle sera de 18h à 21h. - The show will be from 6 pm to 9 pm. | |
4. prep. on the, to (some directions) | |
Tournez à gauche ! - Turn to the left! | |
Ne tournez pas encore à droite ! - Don't turn to the right yet! | |
Le vent vire au nord. - The wind turns north. | |
L'école est à gauche. - The school is on the left. | |
5. prep. at (said of a particular time) | |
à dix heures et quart - at quarter past ten | |
Je pars à cinq heures précises. - I am leaving at exactly five o'clock. | |
6. prep. at, in, on (said of a particular place) | |
à la maison - at home | |
à l'hôtel - at the hotel | |
au comptoir du bar - at the bar | |
au bois - in the woods | |
J'habite à un demi-kilomètre d'ici. - I live half a kilometer from here. | |
La maison qui a été détruite hier soir ne se trouvait qu'à trois kilomètres de chez nous. - The house that was destroyed last night was only three kilometers from our place.à trois kilomètres d | |
7. prep. Used in various interjections used as warnings or exhortations | |
au voleur ! - stop thief! | |
à l'assassin ! - murderer! | |
au meurtre ! - murder! murderer! | |
à moi ! - help! | |
à l'aide ! - help! | |
au secours ! - help! | |
au feu ! - fire! | |
aux armes ! - to arms! | |
à l'attaque ! - attack! forward! charge! up and at 'em! | |
à l'abordage ! - on board! | |
au boulot ! - get to work! let's get to work! | |
au travail ! - get to work! let's get to work! | |
8. prep. from (origin) | |
Nous prenons de l'eau au puits. - We get water from the well. | |
Je l'ai eu à la bibliothèque. - I got it from the library. | |
Voilà la femme à laquelle j'ai acheté mon chien - There's the woman I bought my dog from. | |
9. prep. of (belonging to) | |
C'est un ami à moi. - This is a friend of mine. | |
Cette voiture est à John. - This is John's car. | |
le chien à Marie - Mary's dog nonstandard: one normally would use de here | |
10. prep. till, until (used in farewells) | |
à plus tard - see you later | |
à bientôt - see you soon | |
Salut, donc. À demain. - Bye, then. 'Til tomorrow / see you tomorrow. | |
11. prep. (cuisine) cooked in or with | |
12. prep. Used to make compound nouns to state what something is used for | |
moulin à poivre - pepper mill | |
sac à dos - backpack | |
boite à musique - music box | |
13. prep. (before an infinitive) to (used to express something not completed) | |
l'équipe à battre - the team to beat | |
Il n'y a jamais grand-chose à faire par ici. - There's never much to do around here. | |
Là où tu ne vois pas grand-chose, je ne trouve qu'une grande abondance de choses qui restent à faire. - Where you see nothing great, I only see a great abundance of things that need doing. | |
Il reste deux tâches à finir. - There are two things left to finish. | |
Il y a de la bière à boire. - There's some beer to drink. | |
14. prep. Used to describe a part of something, often translated into English as a compound adjective | |
un animal à quatre pattes - a four-legged animal | |
une femme au visage pâle - a pale-faced woman | |
un homme à longue barbe - a long-bearded man — a man with a long beard | |
une chemise à manches courtes - a short-sleeved shirt | |
une maison aux murs de brique - a brick-walled house / a house with brick walls | |
15. prep. by | |
peu à peu - bit by bit | |
petit à petit - little by little | |
minute à minute - minute by minute | |
jour à jour - day by day | |
un à un - one by one | |
16. prep. or, to (used to express an approximate number) | |
six à sept personnes - six or seven people | |
de vingt à trente ans - from twenty to thirty years | |
tous les cinq à six ans - every five or six years | |
17. prep. Used to indicate the recipient of certain phrasal verb. | |
mettre le feu à - to set fire to | |
clouer le bec à - to shut (someone) up | |
donner la chasse à - to give chase to | |
18. prep. with | |
Me |
1. n. Abbreviation of Maître/Maitre(, a title given to lawyers and notaries public.) | |
2. pron. (direct object) me | |
Est-ce que tu me vois ? - Do you see me? | |
3. pron. (indirect object) to me | |
Émilien me donne un peu d'argent. - Émilien gave some money to me. | |
regarder |
1. v. to look at | |
Tu regardes quoi ? - What are you looking at? | |
2. v. to watch | |
Je regarde un film à la TV si ça t'intéresse. - I'm watching a film on TV if you're interested. | |
3. v. to face | |
4. v. to concern (be associated with) | |