French For Dummies

Zoe Erotopoulos, PhD, holds an MA, MPhil, and PhD in French and Romance Philology from Columbia University in New York City.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Conventions Used in This Book 2Foolish Assumptions 3Icons Used in This Book 4Beyond the Book 5Where to Go from Here 5Part 1: Getting Started with French 7Chapter 1: The French You Already Know 9Checking Out the French You’re Familiar With 10Friendly allies — bons alliés 10Close look-alikes 12False friends — faux amis 13Borrowed English words 14Noting Idioms and Popular Expressions 16Chapter 2: Laying the Foundation: Basic French Grammar 19Discovering the Key Parts of Speech 19Using nouns to name things 20Keeping an eye on articles 22Meeting subject pronouns face to face 24Getting descriptive with adjectives 27Getting creative with adverbs 30Cavorting with Verbs 30Regular verbs 31Irregular verbs 33Expressing Action or Being with Verb Tenses 34Speaking in the present 35Livin’ in the past 35Peeking into the future 39Chapter 3: Getting Started with Pronunciation and Basic Expressions 43Sounding Out the French Alphabet 44Uttering Vowel and Consonant Sounds 44The vowel sounds 45Consonants 47The mute h and the aspirate h 48Don’t stress; intone instead 49Clarifying Accents, Liaisons, and Elisions 49The five French accents 49The liaison 50The elision 51Greetings: Formal and Friendly 52Addressing someone formally or informally 52Saying hello and goodbye 53Introducing yourself and others 54Asking Basic Yes or No Questions 56Informal and formal ways to ask questions 56Asking and Replying to “How Are You?” 57Chapter 4: Getting Your Numbers, Dates, and Times Straight 63Counting Your Lucky Stars: Numbers 63Counting up to 20 64Counting higher than 20 65Discovering ordinal numbers 67Approximating quantities 68Using the Calendar and Dates 68Recounting the days of the week 69Knowing the names of the months 69Setting specific dates 70Remembering the seasons 71Telling Time in French 72Using the 12-hour clock 73Using the 24-hour routine 74Chapter 5: Talking about Your Home, Family, and Daily Routine 79Discussing Where You Live with the Verb Habiter 79Identifying rooms in the house 80le salon (the living room) 80la cuisine (the kitchen) 81la chambre (the bedroom) 82la salle de bains (the bathroom) 82Discussing Daily Routine with Reflexive Verbs 85Three squares a day, French-style 87Setting the table 89Eating and drinking with the verbs manger, prendre, and boire 90Using faire, passer, and other verbs to take charge of chores 92Giving orders by using the command form 93Using Possessive Adjectives to Introduce Your Family Members 96Part 2: French in Action 101Chapter 6: Getting to Know You: Making Small Talk 103Asking Who, What, Why, and More 103Using key question words 104Saying the magic words: Polite expressions 105Stating Your Preferences 107Talking about Your Livelihood 108Chatting about the Weather 111Deciding to Keep in Touch 114Texting Friends and Loved Ones 115Chapter 7: Asking Directions and Finding Your Way 119Asking and Answering “Where?” Questions 119Asking questions with “où,” plus the verbs “être” and “se trouver” 120Answering questions with “à” 120Using “voici” and “voilà” 121Getting specific with prepositions 122Getting and Giving Directions 125Using direct commands to give directions 125Softening commands with “il faut” 126Expressing distances in time and space 127Going north, south, east, and west 128Checking directions or your location 130Knowing what to say if you don’t understand 130Chapter 8: Bon Appétit ! Dining Out and Going to the Market 135Dining Out 135Using the conditional verb form to make a request 136Perusing the menu 139Placing your order 144Paying the bill 148Finding the restrooms 148Going to the Market 149Making purchases with the verbs “acheter” and “vendre” 149Specifying how much you want 151Shopping at neighborhood food shops 153Chapter 9: Shopping Made Easy 157Going Shopping 157Shopping for clothes, item by item 158Navigating your way around 160Getting assistance 161Finding the right fit 162Pointing items out with “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those” 166Moving on to demonstrative pronouns 167Choosing the right fabric and color 168Making Comparisons: Good, Better, Best, and More 171Chapter 10: Going Out on the Town 179Going Out with the Verb “Sortir” 179Using Pronominal Verbs and Having Fun with “S’amuser” 180Oh, the Places You’ll Go! 182Visiting museums and art galleries 183Spending an evening at the theater 184Heading to the movies 187Going to concerts 190Enjoying the nightlife 192Making Plans with Friends 193Asking a friend to go out 193Accepting and declining invitations 194Chapter 11: Recreation and the Outdoors 197Playing Sports 197Using “faire” for individual sports 198Using “jouer” for team sports 200Going Downhill — or Cross-Country — Skiing 203Going to the Beach 205Setting Up Camp 208Enjoying Quieter Pursuits 211Having fun with board games 211Reading with the verb “lire” 212Chapter 12: Taking Care of Business and Telecommunicating 215Getting Around — and Along — at the Office 215Working remotely or hybrid style 217Using the computer and the Internet 218Sending an e-mail 219Sending mail the old-fashioned way 219Making Appointments and Minding Business Hours 220Making a Cellphone Call 223Part 3: French on the Go 227Chapter 13: Dealing with Money in a Foreign Land 229Getting Current with Currency 229Getting familiar with euros and cents 230Going to the Bank 232Getting — and requesting — assistance 232Exchanging money 233Making change 234Using Credit or Debit Cards and ATMs 235Saying that You Can, Want, or Have to Do Something 236Using Disjunctive Pronouns 237Chapter 14: Planning a Trip 241Where Do You Want to Go? 241Using geographical prepositions 242Making plans with the future tense 248Getting Ready for Your Trip 250Introducing the indirect object pronouns 253Securing passports and visas 253Packing your suitcases with your belongings: Using possessive adjectives 254Chapter 15: Getting Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, and More 257Getting through the Airport 257Finding your way around the airport 258Up, up, and away — on the plane 258Going through customs 259Navigating Buses, Trains, and Subways 262Boarding the bus 263Using the subway 265Getting around by train 268Getting Around by Car 272Hailing a taxi 272Arranging a car service 272Driving in a foreign land 275Deciphering road signs 279Chapter 16: Finding a Place to Stay 283Finding Accommodations 283Making reservations 285Specifying the kind of room you want 286Asking about the price 287Checking Into Your Lodging 288Using direct object pronouns 289Filling out a registration form 290Asking for towels and other essentials 292Checking Out of Your Lodging 293Chapter 17: Handling Emergencies 297Getting Help Fast 297Finding Medical Services 298Talking with doctors when you’re ill or injured 299Undergoing a medical examination 303Going to a pharmacy for minor ailments and medications 306Braving the dentist 307Handling Legal Matters 308Talking to the police 308Getting legal help 312Part 4: the Part of Tens 315Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Pick Up French Quickly 317Label Things in Your House 317Write Your Shopping Lists in French 318Listen to French Music or Podcasts 318Watch French Movies 318Tune in to TV5 Monde 319Read French Publications 319Take a Class 319Join a French Association 319Go Online to Find Topics That Interest You — in French 320Connect with Language Learning Apps 320Chapter 19: Ten Things Never to Say in French 321Using “Tu” When You Mean “Vous” 321Using “Bonne Nuit !” for Goodbye 322Using “Garçon” or “Porteur” to Address Service Staff 322Saying “Je Suis Excité(e)” to Indicate Excitement 322Saying “Je suis chaud(e)/froid(e)” to Say You’re Hot or Cold 323Saying “Je Suis Plein/e” to Mean You’re Full 323Using “de la Glace” to Request Ice 323Using “Je Suis Ans” to Tell Your Age 324Asking for Change with “J’ai Besoin de Change” 324Using the Verb “Visiter” in Reference to People 324Chapter 20: Ten Favorite French Expressions 325“À mon avis” 325“C’est pas vrai !” 325“Avec plaisir” 326“Bon appétit !” 326“C’est génial” 326“À votre santé !” 326“À vos souhaits !” 326“Quelle horreur !” 327“À bientôt” 327“Pas mal” 327Part 5: Appendixes 329Appendix A: French-English Mini-Dictionary 331Appendix B: Verb Tables 359Appendix C: Answer Key 375Index 379