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French

Lessons · Vocabulary · Grammar · Appendices · Texts

Vocabulary

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Places
la cuisine	/kɥi.zin/	kitchen		Béatrice est dans la cuisine.	Béatrice is in the kitchen.
la salle à manger	[[:Media:Fr-us-salle-a_manger.ogg|]]	dining room
le restaurant	/ʁɛs.to.ʁɑ̃/	restaurant
Meals
le repas	/ʀəpɑ/	meal
le petit déjeuner	/pə.ti.de.ʒœ.ne/	breakfast
le déjeuner	/de.ʒœ.ne/	lunch
le dîner	/di.ne/	dinner
le goûter	/ɡu.te/	snack
Food stores
la boucherie	/buʃ.ʁi/	butcher shop1
la boulangerie	/bu.lɑ̃ʒ.ʁi/	bakery2
le dépôt de pain		a place that sells bread2
la charcuterie	/ʃaʁkytəˈʁi/	delicatessen3
l'épicerie (f)	/e.pi.sʁi/	grocery4
la crémerie	/kʁɛm.ʁi/	dairy store
la poissonnerie	/pwa.sɔn.ʁi/	seafood store
le marché	/maʁ.ʃe/	outdoor market
la pâtisserie	/pɑ.ti.sʁi/	pastry shop		Je vais goûter dans une pâtisserie.	I'm going to snack in a pastry shop.
Actions and feelings
avoir faim		to be hungry
avoir soif		to be thirsty
manger	/mɑ̃ʒe/	to eat		On mange au restaurant.	We are eating at the restaurant.
boire	[bwɑʁ]	to drink
prendre	/pʁɑ̃dʁ/	to take, to eat, to drink
vouloir	/vu.lwaʁ/	to want
mettre le couvert		to set the table		Le couvert est mis pour deux.	The table is set for two.
préparer un repas		to prepare a meal

Canadian and Belgian French has an off-by-one behavior with meals : breakfast is called déjeuner, lunch is called dîner and dinner is souper.

1. French butchers do not sell pork, pork products, nor horsemeat. For these products, go to a charcuterie.
2. In France, bakeries only sell fresh bread. Places where they sell bread that is not fresh are called dépôt de pain.
3. 'Charcuteries' sell things besides pork products, including pâte, salami, cold meats, salads, quiches and pizzas.
4. An alternative to an 'épicerie' is an alimentation générale (a general foodstore).

Grammar · To want and to be able to · Vouloir et pouvoir

Vouloir

The verb vouloir, meaning to want, is irregularly conjugated (it is not a regular -ir verb).

vouloir  /vu.lwaʁ/ (voo-lwahr)	to want
je veux /vø/ (vew)	I want
tu veux /vø/ (vew)	you want
il veut /vø/ (vew)	he wants
nous voulons /vu.lɔ̃/ (voo-loh(n))	we want
vous voulez /vu.le/ (voo-lay)	you want
ils veulent /vøl/ (vewl)	they want
voulu /vu.ly/ (voo-lew)	wanted

The related phrase vouloir dire /vu.lwaʁ diʁ/ means to mean. The idiom en vouloir /ɑ̃ vu.lwaʁ/ means to be angry (with) .

Pouvoir

Pouvoir, meaning to be able to, is conjugated similarly to vouloir.

pouvoir  /pu.vwaʁ/ (poo-vwahr)	to be able to
je peux /pø/ (pew)	I am able to
tu peux /pø/ (pew)	you are able to
il peut /pø/ (pew)	he is able to
nous pouvons pu.vɔ̃/ (poo-voh(n))	we are able to
vous pouvez /pu.ve/ (poo-vay)	you are able to
ils peuvent /pøv/ (pewv)	they are able to
pu /py/ (pew)	been able to

The noun le pouvoir means power or authority, and the term au pouvoir means in power. The adverb peut-être /pø.tɛtʁ/, literally translated as could be, means maybe or perhaps.

Examples

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Voulez-vous un sandwich ?		Do you want a sandwich?
Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ?		What does this mean?
Que veut dire ce mot ?		What does this word mean?
Je peux venir ce soir.		I can come this evening.
Veux-tu venir avec moi demain ? Peut-être.		Do you want to come with me tomorrow? Maybe.
Elle peut parler cinq langues couramment.		She can speak five languages fluently.
Tu peux fumer si tu le souhaites.		You can smoke if you wish.
Je peux appeler un médecin si tu ne te sens pas bien.		I can call a doctor if you do not feel well.
Ne comptez pas sur lui, il peut partir du jour au lendemain.		Do not count on him, he can leave overnight.
À cette époque, il peut pleuvoir plusieurs fois par jours.		At that time, it can rain several times a day.
Ne t'impatiente pas ! Elle a pu être prise dans les embouteillages.		Don't be impatient! She could have been caught in traffic jams.
Peux-tu m'ouvrir ce bocal s'il te plait ? Oui, je veux bien essayer.		Can you open this jar for me please? Yes, I want to try.

Supplementary usage notes · Pouvoir

Pouvoir is not used with verbs relating to the five senses:

I can see you. - Je te vois. (not Je peux te voir., which is I can meet you.)

Pouvoir is not used to mean can in the sense of to know how to. Use savoir instead.

I can swim. - Je sais nager. (not Je peux nager.)

In Belgian French, pouvoir is additionally not used to say someone is capable of something, savoir is also used for that.

Je ne sais pas dormir. - I am not able to sleep. to a Belgian, I do not know how to sleep. to a Frenchman.

Je ne peux pas dormir. - I am not allowed to sleep. to a Belgian, I am not able to sleep. to a Frenchman.

Puis is the first person present indicative form used in inversion and as an archaic variant.

Vocabulary · Dining at a restaurant

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arriver	/a.ʁi.ve/	to arrive		On est arrivés au restaurant vers 9 heures.	We arrived at the restaurant around 9 o'clock.
la table occupée la table libre		an occupied table a free table
trouver	/tʁu.ve	to find
se trouver		to be found		La boulangerie se trouve en face du cinéma.	The bakery is (found) opposite the cinema.
commander	[kɔ.mɑ̃.de]	to order		Il a commandé un sandwich.	He ordered a sandwich.
le déjeuner déjeuner	/de.ʒœ.ne/	lunch to eat lunch
le petit déjeuner	/pə.ti.de.ʒœ.ne/	breakfast
le dîner dîner	/di.ne/	dinner to dine, to eat dinner
désirer	/de.zi.ʁe/	to desire
le serveur la serveuse	/sɛʁ.vœʁ/ /sɛʁ.vøz/	waiter waitress
la carte	/kaʁt/	menu
l'addition (f)	/a.di.sjɔ̃/	check
le pourboire	/puʁ.bwaʁ/	tip
laisser	/lese/	to leave
je voudrais…		I would like…		Je voudrais un peu de beurre avec mon croissant, s'il vous plaît.	I would like a bit of butter with my croissant, please.

Grammar · To serve · Servir

Servir, meaning to serve (to bring a meal to someone), is conjugated similarly to sortir, partir, and dormir.

Formation

servir  /sɛʁ.viʁ/ (sehr-veer)	to serve
je sers /sɛʁ/ (sehr)	I serve
tu sers /sɛʁ/ (sehr)	you serve
il sert /sɛʁ/ (sehr)	he serves
nous servons /sɛʁ.vɔ̃/ (sehr-voh(n))	we serve
vous servez /sɛʁ.ve/ (sehr-vay)	you serve
ils servent /sɛʁv/ (sehrv)	they serve
servi /sɛʁ.vi/ (sehr-vee)	served

The verbs desservir /de.sɛʁ.viʁ/, meaning to clear (a table) or to clear away, and resservir /ʁə.sɛʁ.viʁ/, meaning to serve again, are conjugated in the same way as servir.

Examples

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Il va servir le dîner à huit heures.		He's going to serve dinner at eight.
On nous a servi à dîner.		We were served dinner.
Ils ont servi un plat de légumes.		They served a vegetable dish.
Le dîner est servi, on peut se mettre à table.		Dinner is served, you can sit at the table.
Il veut desservir la table.		He wants to clear the table.
Vous êtes bien mal servi.		You are very poorly served.

Supplementary usage notes · Servir and desservir

Servir means to serve (to bring a meal to someone):

On nous a servi à dîner. (We were served dinner.)

It can also mean to serve more generally:

Il sert son pays. (He serves his country.)

Il a servi dans l’infanterie. (He served in the infantry.)

Il aime à se faire servir. (He likes to be served.)

It can also mean to be used for or to be useful for someone:

Ce livre lui a bien servi dans son travail. (This book served him well in his work.)

Cela ne sert à rien! (That is useless!)

Cette machine ne peut plus servir. (This machine is no longer useful.) (lit: This machine no longer serves.)

In the context of sports, servir means to serve (start a point with service) or to set up (pass to, in order to give a scoring chance).

In the context of transportation, desservir, meaning to serve (of a train or bus, to stop at a particular town), is used instead:

Ce train dessert les grandes villes de la région. (This train serves the big towns in the region.)

Cet autobus dessert les boulevards. (This bus serves the boulevards.)

Ce bureau de poste dessert plusieurs communes. (This post office serves several municipalities.)

Grammar · -cer verbs

-cer verbs are regular -er verbs, but are also stem changing. The most common -cer verb is commencer, meaning to begin.

Formation

commencer  /kɔ.mɑ̃.se/ (koh-mah(n)-say)	to begin
je commence /kɔ.mɑ̃s/ (koh-mah(n)s)	I begin
tu commences /kɔ.mɑ̃s/ (koh-mah(n)s)	you begin
il commence /kɔ.mɑ̃s/ (koh-mah(n)s)	he begins
nous commençons /kɔ.mɑ̃.sɔ̃/ (koh-mah(n)-soh(n))	we begin
vous commencez /kɔ.mɑ̃.se/ (koh-mah(n)-say)	you begin
ils commencent /kɔ.mɑ̃s/ (koh-mah(n)s)	they begin
commencé /kɔ.mɑ̃.se/(koh-mah(n)-say)	begun

Supplementary vocabulary · Other -cer verbs

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tracer	/tʁa.se/	to draw or plot
placer	/plase/	to place, to seat
agacer	/a.ɡa.se/	to irritate, to tease
forcer	/fɔʁ.se/	to force
commencer	/kɔ.mɑ̃.se/	to begin
prononcer	/pʁɔ.nɔ̃.se/	to say, to mention, to give (a speech)
lancer	/lɑ̃.se/	to throw, to launch
effacer	/e.fa.se/	to erase
acquiescer	/a.kje.se/	to acquiesce
influencer		to influence
sucer	/syse/	to suck
pincer	/pɛ̃.se/	to pince
recommencer	[[:Media:Fr-recommencer.ogg|]]	to restart
avancer	[[:Media:Fr-avancer.ogg|]]	to advance, to go forward
remplacer	[[:Media:Fr-remplacer.ogg|]]	to replace
annoncer	[[:Media:Fr-annoncer.ogg|]]	to announce, to predict
se balancer	[[:Media:Fr-balancer.ogg|]]	to swing
menacer	[[:Media:Fr-menacer.ogg|]]	to threaten, to endanger
se fiancer		to get engaged
clamecer		to snuff it.
froncer	/fʀɔ̃se/	to scowl
épicer		to spice, to add spice to
renforcer		to reinforce, to strengthen
percer	[[:Media:Fr-percer.ogg|]]	to pierce
financer		to fund
rincer	[[:Media:Fr-rincer.ogg|]]	to rinse
enfoncer	/ɑ̃.fɔ̃.se/	to push or press something in
déplacer	/de.pla.se/	to move
divorcer	/di.vɔʁ.se/	to divorce
bercer	[[:Media:Fr-bercer.ogg|]]	to cradle
lacer	/la.se/	to lace, to lace up
coincer		to corner
replacer		to put back, to replace
manigancer	/dekɔ̃tnɑ̃se/	to conspire
décontenancer		to make uncomfortable
tancer	/tɑ̃se/	to scold, to reprimand
relancer		to throw back, to restart
dénoncer	[[:Media:Fr-dénoncer.ogg|]]	to denounce
grimacer	/ɡʁi.ma.se/	to grimace
concurrencer		to compete with
renoncer	[[:Media:Fr-renoncer.ogg|]]	to resign, to quit, to renounce
immiscer	/imise/	to involve
se immiscer (dans)		to interfere (with)
foncer	/fɔ̃.se/	to darken, to tear along
déréférencer		to dereference.
exercer	/ɛɡ.zɛʁ.se/	to instruct, to command, to exercise
pioncer	/pjɔ̃.se/	to be sleeping
évincer	/e.vɛ̃.se/	to evict
ambiancer		to cause ambience
devancer		to get in front of, to go past, to overtake
grincer	[[:Media:Fr-grincer.ogg|]]	to squeak
désamorcer		to defuse
amorcer		to prime, to set in motion
commercer	[[:Media:Fr-commercer.ogg|]]	to trade
épucer	/e.py.se/	to remove fleas
tiercer tercer	/tjeʁse/ /tɛʁ.se/	plough for the third time till for the third time
entrelacer	/ɑ̃tʁlase/	to interlock, to interweave
glacer	/glase/	to freeze; to turn to ice
poncer		to rub down with an abrasive
policer		to police
défoncer		to smash in, to rip
préfacer		to write a preface
exaucer	[[:Media:Fr-exaucer.ogg|]]	to fulfil the wish of a prayer
énoncer		to enounce
cofinancer		to cofinance.
condoléancer		to condole

Supplementary vocabulary · Silverware and the table

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le couvert	/ku.vɛʁ/	cover
l'assiette (f)	/a.sjɛt/	plate	also: dish	On a besoin d'assiettes. C'est une bonne assiette.	We need plates. It's a good dish.
le bol	/bɔl/	bowl
la soucoupe	/su.kup/	saucer
le couteau	/ku.to/	knife
la cuillère	/kɥijɛr/	spoon
la fourchette	/fuʁʃɛt/	fork
la serviette	/sɛʁ.vjɛt/	napkin
la nappe	/nap/	tablecloth
la tasse	/tas/	cup
le verre	/vɛʁ/	glass		On va boire un verre ?	Will we drink a glass?

Supplementary usage notes · To take, to eat, to drink · Prendre

prendre  /pʁɑ̃dʁ/ (prah(n)dr)	to take
je prends /pʁɑ̃/ (prah(n))	I take
tu prends /pʁɑ̃/ (prah(n))	you take
il prend  /pʁɑ̃/ (prah(n))	he takes
nous prenons  /pʁə.nɔ̃/ (pruh-noh(n))	we take
vous prenez  /pʁǝ.ne/ (pruh-nay)	you take
ils prennent  /pʁɛn/ (prehn)	they take
pris /pʁi/	taken

Supplementary vocabulary · Quantities

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le gramme	/ɡʁam/	gram
le kilo(gramme)	/ki.lɔ/ /ki.lɔ.ɡʁam/	kilogram
le litre	/litʁ/	liter
la bouteille	/bu.tɛj/	bottle1		Une bouteille d’eau est utile en excursion.	A bottle of water is useful during trips.
la boîte	/bwat/	can
la livre	/livʁ/	pack, pound2
le paquet	/pakɛ/	packet
le pot	/po/	pot

1. -eille is pronounced eh-y^uh
2. Do not confuse with le livre (book) .

Exercises

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School · Culture · Shopping · Going out · Transportation · Everyday life · Rural life · Food and drink · Dining · Communication

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