Speak
The best way to get fluent in French is to live in a Francophone country and speak the language every day. However, I know not all of you can do that. So here are some tips and tricks to parler la belle langue.
You won't learn this in French class.
The following are common phrases used in the spoken language. The most important principle is to keep it simple. There are some great little sayings in French which can be used for many things:
Il y a - There is / there are - great because you don't have to worry about number / gender
Il y a deux choix There are two choices
Il faut - We have to
Il faut payer en especes? Do we have to pay in cash?
Ca va - How are you going? Are you ok? as a question or I'm fine as an answer
Ca marche - That's fine / that will work (similar to all good in kiwi)
Ce n'est pas grave - It doesn't matter / no problem
J'arrive - I am coming (shortly) or I am getting there / managing
Allez - come on / go on / off you go
Je m'en fiche - I don't care
' Ta gueule - Shut your mouth
Ah mince! - Polite / euphemistic form of saying merde (shit)
There is an interesting form of slang here in France called verlan. It came about when the youth culture wanted their language to be incomprehensible to adults. Words are said backwards eg femme becomes meuf. Some have come into common usage.
Meuf - femme = woman
Keuf - flic = cop
A great way to learn the language is music and these are some of Miss 2's favourite french comptines or nursery rhymes:
You won't learn this in French class.
Useful Phrases
The following are common phrases used in the spoken language. The most important principle is to keep it simple. There are some great little sayings in French which can be used for many things:
Il y a - There is / there are - great because you don't have to worry about number / gender
Il y a deux choix There are two choices
Il faut - We have to
Il faut payer en especes? Do we have to pay in cash?
Ca va - How are you going? Are you ok? as a question or I'm fine as an answer
Ca marche - That's fine / that will work (similar to all good in kiwi)
Ce n'est pas grave - It doesn't matter / no problem
J'arrive - I am coming (shortly) or I am getting there / managing
Allez - come on / go on / off you go
Idioms
- Il y a des jours sans et il y a des jours avec
Literally there are days without and there are days with
Meaning is similar to 'you have good days and bad days' with a Gallic shrug
- Quoi
This is very common, mostly used at the end of a sentence (similar to eh in English)
- C'est parti!
Varied meanings including 'here we go', 'go', 'we're off', 'it's on'
- (Il n'y a) pas de souci
Meaning (there is) no need to worry
Slang and Swearing
La vache! - Oh my god / oh crap
Salope - Bitch
' Ta gueule - Shut your mouth
Ah mince! - Polite / euphemistic form of saying merde (shit)
There is an interesting form of slang here in France called verlan. It came about when the youth culture wanted their language to be incomprehensible to adults. Words are said backwards eg femme becomes meuf. Some have come into common usage.
Meuf - femme = woman
Keuf - flic = cop
Music
A great way to learn the language is music and these are some of Miss 2's favourite french comptines or nursery rhymes:
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