# Need Help with French



## Daverock (Aug 1, 2009)

Hi Folks,

Will be traveling to France and I speak no french.  Would someone be kind enough to take certain english phrases that I need written in french so that I can use them while we are there?  Would be very appreciative.

Dave


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## DeniseM (Aug 1, 2009)

You can buy a French phrase book at any major book store, and you can hear basic French phrases online.  Just do a google search.


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## saf512 (Aug 1, 2009)

I can probably help.  What phrases would you like translated?
Sandra


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## Jestjoan (Aug 1, 2009)

http://french.about.com/library/begin/bl_travel.htm

http://travel.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Travel_France_-_French_Phrases_for_Travelers


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## grest (Aug 1, 2009)

I speak french, but agree with others that a good little phrase book will help cover the unexpected as well as the predictable situations.  Bon voyage!


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## MULTIZ321 (Aug 1, 2009)

And Bon Appetit!

Richard


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## Passepartout (Aug 1, 2009)

Here's a great website that you can use to give you a basic 'traveler's' French- or backtrack a little for a whole bunch of the world's languages. And it's FREE!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/

Bon Voyage!

Jim Ricks


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## Keitht (Aug 1, 2009)

If you don't speak the language a phrase book is invaluable.  Even if you can't pronounce the words you can point to them in the phrase book.
One of the biggest problems for travellers from the US is that Americans tend to pronounce things very much as they are spelt. Nothing wrong with that, but it tends not to be the case with many European languages and certainly isn't true of French.  Many silent letters which can cause confusion if spoken.

One example that springs to mind is Notre Dame.  I generally hear it pronounced Noter Dame by Americans, but in French it is more like Notra Dam.


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## Passepartout (Aug 1, 2009)

Keitht said:


> One of the biggest problems for travellers from the US is that Americans tend to pronounce things very much as they are spelt.  Many silent letters which can cause confusion if spoken.



True enough, though we American's would never spell the past tense *spelt*. It's "spelled".   'Course we are certainly two peoples separated by a common language. You know, 'tyres', that thing out behind the car that you call a 'boot' and we call a 'trunk'. The 'hood' or 'bonnet' up front, and about a bazillion other oddities.

I tend to revel in and enjoy our linguistic differences. 

By the way, Keith, what did you folks do with all those Shillings?

Jim Ricks


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## Keitht (Aug 1, 2009)

Passepartout said:


> By the way, Keith, what did you folks do with all those Shillings?
> 
> Jim Ricks



Don't get me going on that one.  It was the thin end of the wedge when they took our proper money off us and went decimal.  I'll never understand why.  After all what's confusing about Pounds, Shillings & Pence.  12 pence to 1 shilling, 20 shillings to one Pound.  What could be more obvious and straight forward??


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## nerodog (Aug 2, 2009)

*rick steves/ Phrase books*

I bought the Portuguese phrase book/ dictionary by   Rick Steves.. its invalua ble and small to pack... full of great info.. try to find the French version. He also has a web site to check out...


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## jlp (Aug 2, 2009)

Hello Dave,

I hope that you received my email I sent three days ago with the info that you requested. Let me know if you need any translations. Hope we will be able to meet when you arrive in Monaco.

Judy


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## falmouth3 (Aug 2, 2009)

Rick Steves books also have some translation and pronunciation help.  I did bring a phrase book, but I found for the most part, people in Paris had just enough English skills to help me with my fumbling and I always was able to make myself understood.  I found the people in Paris to be friendly and helpful.


Sue


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## e.bram (Aug 2, 2009)

you don't need french. English will work everywhere.


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## grest (Aug 3, 2009)

e.bram said:


> you don't need french. English will work everywhere.



True, but it's fun to try to parlez-vous...
Connie


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## Bill4728 (Aug 3, 2009)

Even though most people in Paris can speak a little English, IMHO it is absolutely necessary for you to learn about 10 short and easy phases. 
Like:
Good Day & Good Evening ( which they use as hello and goodbye)
Please & Thank you
Mister, Madame, Miss
Do you speak english?
I don't speak French
Pardon me


You should be able to learn these in just a short time. 

The Rick Steves books have a short 2 page phrase list in the back of  his books on France & Paris.

Have A great time.


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## Passepartout (Aug 3, 2009)

e.bram said:


> you don't need french. English will work everywhere.



Yes, I suppose you can get along with just using English, but isn't the reason we travel to broaden OUR horizons, not to see how many people we can impress with just how boorish and monolinguistic we are. To NOT EVEN TRY to communicate with native people in their language is the pinnacle of rudeness. If you want to use English only, go to 'France Land' or whatever they call it at Epcot. You'll save a bundle and not add to the characterization many non-Americans have about us.

Jim Ricks


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## X-ring (Aug 6, 2009)

> One of the biggest problems for travellers from the US is that Americans tend to pronounce things very much as they are spelt. Nothing wrong with that, but it tends not to be the case with many European languages and certainly isn't true of French.  Many silent letters which can cause confusion if spoken.



A frequent common error in French is pronouncing the 's' at the end of a word. (e.g. _trez_ bon instead of _treh_ bon)   [Yes, it can be pronounced if the following word starts with a vowel but I digress ...]

The most frequent misuse of a word by Canadians is using 'bienvenue' for 'you're welcome'.  'Bienvenue' is correct in the context of welcoming someone into your home but not in response to a 'thank you' - to which the simplest correct rejoiner is 'de rien' (i.e. literally, think nothing of it)


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## Ironwood (Aug 6, 2009)

In Paris you will find the French speak 'frenglish'  Just put a 'le' in front of most words and you'll be ok....ie le parking, le shopping, le ferrybot (not boat, but bot) etc.


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## Courts (Aug 28, 2009)

e.bram said:


> you don't need french. English will work everywhere.



A friend of mine once told me many French people would not speak English til he tried to speak French, then *they* were more than happy to help him by using English.  

.


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## AwayWeGo (Aug 28, 2009)

*Est-ce que les services sont compris ?*

Is the gratuity (service charge) already figured in ? 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Quilter (Aug 29, 2009)

For our trip to France my son gave me several CD's for Pimsleur's French.   I put them on my iPod.   For our upcoming trip to Italy I went to the library and found CD packages from Eyewitness, Berlitz and Pimsleur's.   I chose the Pimsleur's set again.   I like the way it's laid out as it starts with learning how to say "I understand" and "I don't understand".   Then it moves to being able to ask directions and order food.   1/2 hour lessons that can be mastered with an iPod while taking a walk.


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## Sandy VDH (Aug 29, 2009)

Asking in french if someone speaks English will go a long way.

Asking in english if they speak english, just kind of annoys some people and some won't speak english, even if they know english.

Speaking from experience, as soon as you say something in french, they will know you are not french.  Many of my friends are fluent if french, but Canadian French, they would speak in french, and many would get an answer directly in english.

Parlez-vous anglais?  (phonetically Par lay vu an glaze)

I speak enough French, Dutch and German to get by, however I am completely lost in Italian.


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