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Note the use of

  • 1 Usage note : the

    In French, determiners agree in gender and number with the noun they precede ; the is translated by le + masculine singular noun ( le chien), by la + feminine singular noun ( la chaise), by l’ + masculine or feminine singular noun beginning with a vowel or mute ‘h’ (l’auteur, l’homme, l’absence, l’histoire) and by les + plural noun (les hommes, les femmes).
    When the is used after a preposition in English, the two words (prep + the) are often translated by one word in French. If the preposition would normally be translated by de in French (of, about, from etc.) the prep + the is translated by du + masculine noun ( du chien), by de la + feminine noun ( de la femme), by de l’ + singular noun beginning with a vowel or mute ‘h ’ (de l’auteur, de l’histoire) and by des + plural noun (des hommes, des femmes). If the preposition would usually be translated by à (at, to etc.) the prep + the is translated according to the number and gender of the noun, by au ( au chien), à la ( à la femme), à l’ (à l’enfant), aux (aux hommes, aux femmes).
    Other than this, there are few problems in translating the into French.
    The following cases are, however, worth remembering as not following exactly the pattern of the English:
    the good, the poor etc.
    = les bons, les pauvres etc.
    Charles the First, Elizabeth the Second etc.
    = Charles Premier, Elizabeth Deux etc.
    she’s THE violinist of the century
    = c’est LA violoniste du siècle or c’est la plus grande violoniste du siècle
    the Tudors, the Batemans etc.
    = les Tudor, les Bateman etc.
    For expressions such as the more, the better, see the entry the.
    This dictionary contains usage notes on such topics as weight measurement, days of the week, rivers, illnesses, aches and pains, the human body, and musical instruments, many of which use the.
    For other particular usages of the see the entry the.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : the

  • 2 The days of the week

    Note that French uses lower-case letters for the names of days ; also, French speakers normally count the week as starting on Monday.
    Write the names of days in full ; do not abbreviate as in English (Tues, Sat and so on). The French only abbreviate in printed calendars, diaries etc.
    Monday
    = lundi
    Tuesday
    = mardi
    Wednesday
    = mercredi
    Thursday
    = jeudi
    Friday
    = vendredi
    Saturday
    = samedi
    Sunday
    = dimanche
    What day is it?
    (Lundi in this note stands for any day ; they all work the same way ; for more information on dates in French ⇒ Date.)
    what day is it?
    = quel jour sommes-nous? or (very informally) on est quel jour?
    it is Monday
    = nous sommes lundi
    today is Monday
    = c’est lundi aujourd’hui
    Note the use of French le for regular occurrences, and no article for single ones. (Remember: do not translate on.)
    on Monday
    = lundi
    on Monday, we’re going to the zoo
    = lundi, on va au zoo
    I’ll see you on Monday morning
    = je te verrai lundi matin
    but
    on Mondays
    = le lundi
    on Mondays, we go to the zoo
    = le lundi, on va au zoo
    I see her on Monday mornings
    = je la vois le lundi matin
    Specific days
    Monday afternoon
    = lundi après-midi
    one Monday evening
    = un lundi soir
    that Monday morning
    = ce lundi matin-là
    last Monday night
    = la nuit de lundi dernier or (if evening) lundi dernier dans la soirée
    early on Monday
    = lundi matin de bonne heure
    late on Monday
    = lundi soir tard
    this Monday
    = ce lundi
    that Monday
    = ce lundi-là
    that very Monday
    = précisément ce lundi-là
    last Monday
    = lundi dernier
    next Monday
    = lundi prochain
    the Monday before last
    = l’autre lundi
    a month from Monday
    = dans un mois lundi
    in a month from last Monday
    = dans un mois à dater de lundi dernier
    finish it by Monday
    = termine-le avant lundi
    from Monday on
    = à partir de lundi
    Regular events
    every Monday
    = tous les lundis
    each Monday
    = chaque lundi
    every other Monday
    = un lundi sur deux
    every third Monday
    = un lundi sur trois
    Sometimes
    most Mondays
    = presque tous les lundis
    some Mondays
    = certains lundis
    on the second Monday in the month
    = le deuxième lundi de chaque mois
    the odd Monday or the occasional Monday
    = le lundi de temps en temps
    Happening etc. on that day
    Monday’s paper
    = le journal de lundi or de ce lundi
    the Monday papers
    = les journaux du lundi
    Monday flights
    = les vols du lundi
    the Monday flight
    = le vol du lundi
    Monday closing (of shops)
    = la fermeture du lundi
    Monday’s classes
    = les cours de lundi or de ce lundi
    Monday classes
    = les cours du lundi
    Monday trains
    = les trains du lundi

    Big English-French dictionary > The days of the week

  • 3 The human body

    When it is clear who owns the part of the body mentioned, French tends to use the definite article where English uses a possessive adjective:
    he raised his hand
    = il a levé la main
    she closed her eyes
    = elle a fermé les yeux
    Note, for instance, the use of la and mon here:
    she ran her hand over my forehead
    = elle a passé la main sur mon front
    For expressions such as he hurt his foot or she hit her head on the beam, where the owner of the body part is the subject of the verb, i.e. the person doing the action, use a reflexive verb in French:
    she has broken her leg
    = elle s’est cassé la jambe
    ( literally she has broken to herself the leg - there is no past participle agreement because the preceding reflexive pronoun se is the indirect object).
    he was rubbing his hands
    = il se frottait les mains
    she was holding her head
    = elle se tenait la tête
    Note also the following:
    she broke his leg
    = elle lui a cassé la jambe
    ( literally she broke to him the leg)
    the stone split his lip
    = le caillou lui a fendu la lèvre
    ( literally the stone split to him the lip)
    Describing people
    For ways of saying how tall someone is ⇒ Length measurement ; of stating someone’s weight ⇒ Weight measurement ; and of talking about the colour of hair and eyes ⇒ Colours.
    Here are some ways of describing people in French:
    his hair is long
    = il a les cheveux longs
    he has long hair
    = il a les cheveux longs
    a boy with long hair
    = un garçon aux cheveux longs
    a long-haired boy
    = un garçon aux cheveux longs
    the boy with long hair
    = le garçon aux cheveux longs
    her eyes are blue
    = elle a les yeux bleus
    she has blue eyes
    = elle a les yeux bleus
    she is blue-eyed
    = elle a les yeux bleus
    the girl with blue eyes
    = la fille aux yeux bleus
    a blue-eyed girl
    = une fille aux yeux bleus
    his nose is red
    = il a le nez rouge
    he has a red nose
    = il a le nez rouge
    a man with a red nose
    = un homme au nez rouge
    a red-nosed man
    = un homme au nez rouge
    When referring to a temporary state, the following phrases are useful:
    his leg is broken
    = il a la jambe cassée
    the man with the broken leg
    = l’homme à la jambe cassée
    but note
    a man with a broken leg
    = un homme avec une jambe cassée

    Big English-French dictionary > The human body

  • 4 The months of the year

    Don’t use capitals for the names of the months in French, and note that there are no common abbreviations in French as there are in English (Jan, Feb and so on). The French only abbreviate in printed calendars etc.
    January = janvier
    February = février
    March = mars
    April = avril
    May = mai
    June = juin
    July = juillet
    August = août
    September = septembre
    October = octobre
    November = novembre
    December = décembre
    Which month?
    (May in this note stands for any month ; they all work the same way ; for more information on dates in French ⇒ Date.)
    what month is it?
    = quel mois sommes-nous? or (very informally) on est quel mois?
    it was May
    = nous étions en mai
    what month was he born?
    = de quel mois est-il?
    When?
    in May
    = en mai or au mois de mai
    they’re getting married this May
    = ils se marient en mai
    that May
    = cette année-là en mai
    next May
    = en mai prochain
    in May next year
    = l’an prochain en mai
    last May
    = l’année dernière en mai
    the May after next
    = dans deux ans en mai
    the May before last
    = il y deux ans en mai
    Which part of the month?
    at the beginning of May
    = au début de mai
    in early May
    = début mai
    at the end of May
    = à la fin de mai
    in late May
    = fin mai
    in mid-May
    = à la mi-mai
    for the whole of May
    = pendant tout le mois de mai
    throughout May
    = tout au long du mois de mai
    Regular events
    every May
    = tous les ans en mai
    every other May
    = tous les deux ans en mai
    most Mays
    = presque tous les ans en mai
    Uses with other nouns
    one May morning
    = par un matin de mai
    one May night
    = par une nuit de mai or (if evening) par un soir de mai
    For other uses, it is always safe to use du mois de:
    May classes
    = les cours du mois de mai
    May flights
    = les vols du mois de mai
    the May sales
    = les soldes du mois de mai
    Uses with adjectives
    the warmest May
    = le mois de mai le plus chaud
    a rainy May
    = un mois de mai pluvieux
    a lovely May
    = un beau mois de mai

    Big English-French dictionary > The months of the year

  • 5 Usage note : do

    The direct French equivalent of the verb to do in subject + to do + object sentences is faire:
    she’s doing her homework
    = elle fait ses devoirs
    what are you doing?
    = qu’est-ce que tu fais?
    what has he done with the newspaper?
    = qu’est-ce qu’il a fait du journal?
    faire functions in very much the same way as to do does in English and it is safe to assume it will work in the great majority of cases. For the conjugation of the verb faire, see the French verb tables.
    Grammatical functions
    In questions
    In French there is no use of an auxiliary verb in questions equivalent to the use of do in English.
    When the subject is a pronoun, the question is formed in French either by inverting the subject and verb and putting a hyphen between the two ( veux-tu?) or by prefacing the subject + verb by est-ce que (literally is it that):
    do you like Mozart?
    = aimes-tu Mozart? or est-ce que tu aimes Mozart?
    did you put the glasses in the cupboard?
    = as-tu mis les verres dans le placard? or est-ce que tu as mis les verres dans le placard?
    When the subject is a noun there are again two possibilities:
    did your sister ring?
    = est-ce que ta sœur a téléphoné? or ta sœur a-t-elle téléphoné?
    did Max find his keys?
    = est-ce que Max a trouvé ses clés? or Max a-t-il trouvé ses clés?
    In negatives
    Equally, auxiliaries are not used in negatives in French:
    I don’t like Mozart
    = je n’aime pas Mozart
    you didn’t feed the cat
    = tu n’as pas donné à manger au chat
    don’t do that!
    = ne fais pas ça!
    In emphatic uses
    There is no verbal equivalent for the use of do in such expressions as I DO like your dress. A French speaker will find another way, according to the context, of expressing the force of the English do. Here are a few useful examples:
    I DO like your dress
    = j’aime beaucoup ta robe
    I DO hope she remembers
    = j’espère qu’elle n’oubliera pas
    I DO think you should see a doctor
    = je crois vraiment que tu devrais voir un médecin
    When referring back to another verb
    In this case the verb to do is not translated at all:
    I don’t like him any more than you do
    = je ne l’aime pas plus que toi
    I live in Oxford and so does Lily
    = j’habite à Oxford et Lily aussi
    she gets paid more than I do
    = elle est payée plus que moi
    I haven’t written as much as I ought to have done
    = je n’ai pas écrit autant que j’aurais dû
    ‘I love strawberries’ ‘so do I’
    = ‘j’adore les fraises’ ‘moi aussi’
    In polite requests
    In polite requests the phrase je vous en prie can often be used to render the meaning of do:
    do sit down
    = asseyez-vous, je vous en prie
    do have a piece of cake
    = prenez un morceau de gâteau, je vous en prie
    ‘may I take a peach?’ ‘yes, do’
    = ‘puis-je prendre une pêche?’ ‘je vous en prie’
    In imperatives
    In French there is no use of an auxiliary verb in imperatives:
    don’t shut the door
    = ne ferme pas la porte
    don’t tell her anything
    = ne lui dis rien
    do be quiet!
    = tais-toi!
    In tag questions
    French has no direct equivalent of tag questions like doesn’t he? or didn’t it? There is a general tag question n’est-ce pas? (literally isn’t it so?) which will work in many cases:
    you like fish, don’t you?
    = tu aimes le poisson, n’est-ce pas?
    he lives in London, doesn’t he?
    = il habite à Londres, n’est-ce pas?
    However, n’est-ce pas can very rarely be used for positive tag questions and some other way will be found to express the meaning contained in the tag: par hasard can often be useful as a translation:
    Lola didn’t phone, did she?
    = Lola n’a pas téléphoné par hasard?
    Paul doesn’t work here, does he?
    = Paul ne travaille pas ici par hasard?
    In many cases the tag is not translated at all and the speaker’s intonation will convey what is implied:
    you didn’t tidy your room, did you? (i.e. you ought to have done)
    = tu n’as pas rangé ta chambre?
    In short answers
    Again, there is no direct French equivalent for short answers like yes I do, no he doesn’t etc. Where the answer yes is given to contradict a negative question or statement, the most useful translation is si:
    ‘Marion didn’t say that’ ‘yes she did’
    = ‘Marion n’a pas dit ça’ ‘si’
    ‘they don’t sell vegetables at the baker’s’ ‘yes they do’
    = ‘ils ne vendent pas les légumes à la boulangerie’ ‘si’
    In response to a standard enquiry the tag will not be translated:
    ‘do you like strawberries?’ ‘yes I do’
    = ‘aimez-vous les fraises?’ ‘oui ’
    For more examples and particular usages, see the entry do.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : do

  • 6 Usage note : your

    For a full note on the use of the vous and tu forms in French, see the entry you.
    In French, determiners agree in gender and number with the noun they qualify. So your, when addressing one person, is translated by votre, or more familiarly ton, + masculine singular noun ( votre chien or ton chien), by votre or ta + feminine singular noun ( votre maison or ta maison) and by vos or tes + plural noun ( vos enfants or tes enfants). Note that ton is used with a feminine noun beginnning with a vowel or mute ‘h’ ( ton adresse).
    When addressing more than one person, the translation is votre + singular noun and vos + plural noun. When your is stressed, à vous or à toi is added after the noun:
    your house
    = votre maison à vous
    When used impersonally to mean one’s, your is translated by son, sa or ses when you is translated by on:
    you buy your tickets at the door
    = on prend ses billets à l’entrée
    The translation after an impersonal verb in French is son, sa, ses:
    you have to buy your tickets at the door
    = il faut prendre ses billets à l’entrée
    Note, however, the following:
    sweets are bad for your teeth
    = les bonbons sont mauvais pour les dents
    your average student
    = l’étudiant moyen
    For your used with parts of the body ⇒ The human body.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : your

  • 7 Usage note : might

    Although usage shows that may and might are interchangeable in many contexts, might indicates a more remote possibility than may. French generally translates this element of possibility using peut-être with the appropriate verb tense:
    it might snow
    = il va peut-être neiger
    (It is also possible to translate this more formally using il se peut + subjunctive: il se peut qu’il neige). For particular examples see might1 1.
    It is possible to translate might differently depending on the nature of the context and the speaker’s point of view:
    he might not come
    = il risque de ne pas venir
    implies that this is not a desirable outcome for the speaker ;
    he might not come
    = il pourrait ne pas venir or il se peut qu’il ne vienne pas
    however, is neutral in tone. Where there is the idea of a possibility in the past which has not in fact occurred (see might1 2), French uses the past conditional of the verb (which is often pouvoir):
    it might have been serious (but wasn’t in fact)
    = ça aurait pu être grave
    This is also the case where something which could have taken place did not, thus causing annoyance:
    you might have said thanks!
    = tu aurais pu dire merci!
    (see might1 7).
    might, as the past tense of may, will automatically occur in instances of reported speech:
    he said you might be hurt
    = il a dit que tu serais peut-être blessé
    For more examples see the entry might1 and bear in mind the rules for the agreement of tenses.
    Where there is a choice between may and might in making requests, might is more formal and even rather dated. French uses inversion (je peux = puis-je?) in this context and puis-je me permettre de…? (= might I…?) is extremely formal.
    Might can be used to polite effect - to soften direct statements: you might imagine that…or to offer advice tactfully: it might be wise to…In both cases, French uses the conditional tense of the verb: on pourrait penser que… ; ce serait peut-être une bonne idée de… The use of well in phrases such as he might well be right etc. implies a greater degree of likelihood.
    For translations of might well, may well, see B2 in the entry well1.
    For translations of the phrase might as well ( we might as well go home), see well1 B2.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : might

  • 8 Usage note : be

    The direct French equivalent of the verb to be in subject + to be + predicate sentences is être:
    I am tired
    = je suis fatigué
    Caroline is French
    = Caroline est française
    the children are in the garden
    = les enfants sont dans le jardin
    It functions in very much the same way as to be does in English and it is safe to assume it will work as a translation in the great majority of cases.
    Note, however, that when you are specifying a person’s profession or trade, a/an is not translated:
    she’s a doctor
    = elle est médecin
    Claudie is still a student
    = Claudie est toujours étudiante
    This is true of any noun used in apposition when the subject is a person:
    he’s a widower
    = il est veuf
    But
    Lyons is a beautiful city
    = Lyon est une belle ville
    For more information or expressions involving professions and trades consult the usage note Shops, Trades and Professions.
    For the conjugation of the verb être see the French verb tables.
    Grammatical functions
    The passive
    être is used to form the passive in French just as to be is used in English. Note, however, that the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject:
    the rabbit was killed by a fox
    = le lapin a été tué par un renard
    the window had been broken
    = la fenêtre avait été cassée
    their books will be sold
    = leurs livres seront vendus
    our doors have been repainted red
    = nos portes ont été repeintes en rouge
    In spoken language, French native speakers find the passive cumbersome and will avoid it where possible by using the impersonal on where a person or people are clearly involved : on a repeint nos portes en rouge.
    Progressive tenses
    In French the idea of something happening over a period of time cannot be expressed using the verb être in the way that to be is used as an auxiliary verb in English.
    The present
    French uses simply the present tense where English uses the progressive form with to be:
    I am working
    = je travaille
    Ben is reading a book
    = Ben lit un livre
    The future
    French also uses the present tense where English uses the progressive form with to be:
    we are going to London tomorrow
    = nous allons à Londres demain
    I’m (just) coming!
    = j’arrive!
    I’m (just) going!
    = j’y vais!
    The past
    To express the distinction between she read a newspaper and she was reading a newspaper French uses the perfect and the imperfect tenses: elle a lu un journal/elle lisait un journal:
    he wrote to his mother
    = il a écrit à sa mère
    he was writing to his mother
    = il écrivait à sa mère
    However, in order to accentuate the notion of describing an activity which went on over a period of time, the phrase être en train de (= to be in the process of) is often used:
    ‘what was he doing when you arrived?’
    ‘he was cooking the dinner’
    = ‘qu’est-ce qu’il faisait quand tu es arrivé?’ ‘il était en train de préparer le dîner’
    she was just finishing her essay when …
    = elle était juste en train de finir sa dissertation quand …
    The compound past
    Compound past tenses in the progressive form in English are generally translated by the imperfect in French:
    I’ve been looking for you
    = je te cherchais
    For progressive forms + for and since (I’ve been waiting for an hour, I had been waiting for an hour, I’ve been waiting since Monday etc.) see the entries for and since.
    Obligation
    When to be is used as an auxiliary verb with another verb in the infinitive ( to be to do) expressing obligation, a fixed arrangement or destiny, devoir is used:
    she’s to do it at once
    = elle doit le faire tout de suite
    what am I to do?
    = qu’est-ce que je dois faire?
    he was to arrive last Monday
    = il devait arriver lundi dernier
    she was never to see him again
    = elle ne devait plus le revoir.
    In tag questions
    French has no direct equivalent of tag questions like isn’t he? or wasn’t it? There is a general tag question n’est-ce pas? (literally isn’t it so?) which will work in many cases:
    their house is lovely, isn’t it?
    = leur maison est très belle, n’est-ce pas?
    he’s a doctor, isn’t he?
    = il est médecin, n’est-ce pas?
    it was a very good meal, wasn’t it?
    = c’était un très bon repas, n’est-ce pas?
    However, n’est-ce pas can very rarely be used for positive tag questions and some other way will be found to express the extra meaning contained in the tag: par hasard ( by any chance) can be very useful as a translation:
    ‘I can’t find my glasses’ ‘they’re not in the kitchen, are they?’
    = ‘je ne trouve pas mes lunettes’ ‘elles ne sont pas dans la cuisine, par hasard?’
    you haven’t seen Gaby, have you?
    = tu n’as pas vu Gaby, par hasard?
    In cases where an opinion is being sought, si? meaning more or less or is it? or was it? etc. can be useful:
    it’s not broken, is it?
    = ce n’est pas cassé, si?
    he wasn’t serious, was he?
    = il n’était pas sérieux, si?
    In many other cases the tag question is simply not translated at all and the speaker’s intonation will convey the implied question.
    In short answers
    Again, there is no direct equivalent for short answers like yes I am, no he’s not etc. Where the answer yes is given to contradict a negative question or statement, the most useful translation is si:
    ‘you’re not going out tonight’ ‘yes I am’
    = ‘tu ne sors pas ce soir’ ‘si’
    In reply to a standard enquiry the tag will not be translated:
    ‘are you a doctor?’ ‘yes I am’
    = ‘êtes-vous médecin?’ ‘oui’
    ‘was it raining?’ ‘yes it was’
    = ‘est-ce qu’il pleuvait?’ ‘oui’
    Probability
    For expressions of probability and supposition ( if I were you etc.) see the entry be.
    Other functions
    Expressing sensations and feelings
    In expressing physical and mental sensations, the verb used in French is avoir:
    to be cold
    = avoir froid
    to be hot
    = avoir chaud
    I’m cold
    = j’ai froid
    to be thirsty
    = avoir soif
    to be hungry
    = avoir faim
    to be ashamed
    = avoir honte
    my hands are cold
    = j’ai froid aux mains
    If, however, you are in doubt as to which verb to use in such expressions, you should consult the entry for the appropriate adjective.
    Discussing health and how people are
    In expressions of health and polite enquiries about how people are, aller is used:
    how are you?
    = comment allez-vous?
    ( more informally) comment vas-tu?
    are you well?
    = vous allez bien?
    how is your daughter?
    = comment va votre fille?
    my father is better today
    = mon père va mieux aujourd’hui
    Discussing weather and temperature
    In expressions of weather and temperature faire is generally used:
    it’s cold
    = il fait froid
    it’s windy
    = il fait du vent
    If in doubt, consult the appropriate adjective entry.
    Visiting somewhere
    When to be is used in the present perfect tense to mean go, visit etc., French will generally use the verbs venir, aller etc. rather than être:
    I’ve never been to Sweden
    = je ne suis jamais allé en Suède
    have you been to the Louvre?
    = est-ce que tu es déjà allé au Louvre?
    or est-ce que tu as déjà visité le Louvre?
    Paul has been to see us three times
    = Paul est venu nous voir trois fois
    Note too:
    has the postman been?
    = est-ce que le facteur est passé?
    For here is, here are, there is, there are see the entries here and there.
    The translation for an expression or idiom containing the verb to be will be found in the dictionary at the entry for another word in the expression: for to be in danger see danger, for it would be best to … see best etc.
    This dictionary contains usage notes on topics such as the clock, time units, age, weight measurement, days of the week, and shops, trades and professions, many of which include translations of particular uses of to be.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : be

  • 9 Usage note : you

    In English you is used to address everybody, whereas French has two forms: tu and vous. The usual word to use when you are speaking to anyone you do not know very well is vous. This is sometimes called the polite form and is used for the subject, object, indirect object and emphatic pronoun:
    would you like some coffee?
    = voulez-vous du café?
    can I help you?
    = est-ce que je peux vous aider?
    what can I do for you?
    = qu’est-ce que je peux faire pour vous?
    The more informal pronoun tu is used between close friends and family members, within groups of children and young people, by adults when talking to children and always when talking to animals ; tu is the subject form, the direct and indirect object form is te (t’ before a vowel) and the form for emphatic use or use after a preposition is toi:
    would you like some coffee?
    = veux-tu du café?
    can I help you?
    = est-ce que je peux t’aider?
    there’s a letter for you
    = il y a une lettre pour toi
    As a general rule, when talking to a French person use vous, wait to see how they address you and follow suit. It is safer to wait for the French person to suggest using tu. The suggestion will usually be phrased as on se tutoie? or on peut se tutoyer?
    Note that tu is only a singular pronoun and vous is the plural form of tu.
    Remember that in French the object and indirect object pronouns are always placed before the verb:
    she knows you
    = elle vous connaît or elle te connaît
    In compound tenses like the present perfect and the past perfect, the past participle agrees in number and gender with the direct object:
    I saw you on Saturday
    (to one male: polite form)
    = je vous ai vu samedi
    (to one female: polite form)
    = je vous ai vue samedi
    (to one male: informal form)
    = je t’ai vu samedi
    (to one female: informal form)
    = je t’ai vue samedi
    (to two or more people, male or mixed)
    = je vous ai vus samedi
    (to two or more females)
    = je vous ai vues samedi
    When you is used impersonally as the more informal form of one, it is translated by on for the subject form and by vous or te for the object form, depending on whether the comment is being made amongst friends or in a more formal context:
    you can do as you like here
    = on peut faire ce qu’on veut ici
    these mushrooms can make you ill
    = ces champignons peuvent vous rendre malade or ces champignons peuvent te rendre malade
    you could easily lose your bag here
    = on pourrait facilement perdre son sac ici
    Note that your used with on is translated by son/sa/ses according to the gender and number of the noun that follows.
    For verb forms with vous, tu and on see the French verb tables.
    For particular usages see the entry you.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : you

  • 10 Usage note : that

    In French, determiners agree in gender and number with the noun they precede ; that is translated by ce + masculine singular noun ( ce monsieur), cet + masculine singular noun beginning with a vowel or mute ‘h’ ( cet homme) and cette + feminine singular noun ( cette femme) ; those is translated by ces.
    Note, however, that the above translations are also used for the English this (plural these). So when it is necessary to insist on that as opposed to another or others of the same sort, the adverbial tag -là is added to the noun:
    I prefer THAT version
    = je préfère cette version-là
    For particular usages, see the entry that.
    As a pronoun meaning that one, those ones
    In French, pronouns reflect the gender and number of the noun they are referring to. So that is translated by celui-là for a masculine noun, celle-là for a feminine noun and those is translated by ceux-là for a masculine noun and celles-là for a feminine noun:
    I think I like that one (dress) best
    = je crois que je préfère celle-là
    For other uses of that, those as pronouns (e.g. who’s that?) and for adverbial use (e.g. that much, that many) there is no straightforward translation, so see the entry that for examples of usage.
    When used as a relative pronoun, that is translated by qui when it is the subject of the verb and by que when it is the object:
    the man that stole the car
    = l’homme qui a volé la voiture
    the film that I saw
    = le film que j’ai vu
    Remember that in the present perfect and past perfect tenses, the past participle will agree
    with the noun to which que as object refers:
    the apples that I bought
    = les pommes que j’ai achetées
    When that is used as a relative pronoun with a preposition, it is translated by lequel when standing for a masculine singular noun, by laquelle when standing for a feminine singular noun, by lesquels when standing for a masculine plural noun and by lesquelles when standing for a feminine plural noun:
    the chair that I was sitting on
    = la chaise sur laquelle j’étais assise
    the children that I bought the books for
    = les enfants pour lesquels j’ai acheté les livres
    Remember that in cases where the English preposition used would normally be translated by à in French (e.g. to, at), the translation of the whole (prep + rel pron) will be auquel, à laquelle, auxquels, auxquelles:
    the girls that I was talking to
    = les filles auxquelles je parlais
    Similarly, where the English preposition used would normally be translated by de in French (e.g. of, from), the translation of the whole (prep + rel pron) will be dont in all cases:
    the Frenchman that I received a letter from
    = le Français dont j’ai reçu une lettre
    When used as a conjunction, that can almost always be translated by que (qu’ before a vowel or mute ‘h’):
    she said that she would do it
    = elle a dit qu’elle le ferait
    In certain verbal constructions, que is followed by a subjunctive in French. If you are in doubt about the construction to use, consult the appropriate verb entry. For particular usages see the entry that.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : that

  • 11 Usage note : may

    When may (or may have) is used with another verb in English to convey possibility, French will generally use the adverb peut-être ( perhaps) with the equivalent verb:
    it may rain
    = il pleuvra peut-être
    we may never know what happened
    = nous ne saurons peut-être jamais ce qui s’est passé
    he may have got lost
    = il s’est peut-être perdu
    Alternatively, and more formally, the construction il se peut que + subjunctive may be used: il se peut qu’il pleuve ; il se peut que nous ne sachions jamais. For particular usages, see 1 in the entry may1.
    peut-être is also used in French to convey concession:
    he may be slow but he’s not stupid
    = il est peut-être lent mais il n’est pas bête
    you may think I’m crazy but …
    = tu penses peut-être que je suis fou mais…
    When may is used to convey permission, the French equivalent is pouvoir:
    you may close the door
    = vous pouvez fermer la porte
    Note that the polite question may I…? is translated by puis-je…?:
    may I make a suggestion?
    = puis-je faire une suggestion?
    For particular usages, see 2 in the entry may1.
    When may is used in rather formal English to convey purpose in the construction in order that + may, the French equivalent is pour que + subjunctive:
    in order that he may know
    = pour qu’il sache
    When may is used with another verb to express a wish, the French uses que + subjunctive:
    may they be happy!
    = qu’ils soient heureux!
    long may it last!
    = que ça dure!
    When may well + verb is used to convey likelihood, the French uses il est fort possible que + subjunctive:
    he may well have gone elsewhere
    = il est fort possible qu’il soit allé ailleurs
    But note:
    that may well be but…
    = c’est possible mais…
    In the phrase may as well, may is used interchangeably with might, which is more frequently used. For translations see the entry might1.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : may

  • 12 Usage note : let

    When let is used in English with another verb in order to make a suggestion (let’s do it at once), the first person plural - ons of the appropriate verb can generally be used to express this in French: faisons-le tout de suite. (Note that the verb alone translates let us do and no pronoun appears in French.)
    In the spoken language, however, which is the usual context for such suggestions, French speakers will use the much more colloquial on + present tense or si on + imperfect tense:
    let’s do it at once
    = on le fait tout de suite? or si on le faisait tout de suite?
    let’s go to the cinema tonight
    = si on allait au cinéma ce soir?
    let’s go!
    = allons-y! or on y va!
    These translations can also be used for negative suggestions:
    let’s not take or don’t let’s take the bus - let’s walk
    = on ne prend pas le bus, on y va à pied or ne prenons pas le bus, allons-y à pied
    For more examples and particular usages see A1 in the entry let1.
    When let is used in English with another verb to express defiance or a command (just let him try!) French uses the structure que + present subjunctive:
    just let him try!
    = qu’il essaie!
    don’t let me see you here again!
    = que je ne te revoie plus ici!
    For more examples and particular usages see A2 in the entry let1.
    When let is used to mean allow, it is generally translated by the verb laisser. For examples and particular usages see A3 in the entry let1.
    For translations of expressions such as let fly, let loose, let slip etc., consult the entry for the second word (fly, loose, slip etc.).

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : let

  • 13 Usage note : of

    In almost all its uses the preposition of is translated by de. Exceptions to this are substances ( made of gold), uses with a personal pronoun (that’s kind of you), proportions (some of us, of the 12 of us…) and time expressions ( of an evening). For translations of these, see the entry of. Remember that de + le always becomes du and that de + les always becomes des.
    To find translations for phrases beginning with of (of course, of all, of interest, of late, of old) you should consult the appropriate noun etc. entry (course, all, interest, late, old etc.).
    of also often appears as the second element of a verb (consist of, deprive of, die of, think of). For translations, consult the appropriate verb entry.
    of is used after certain nouns, pronouns and adjectives in English (a member of, a game of, some of, most of, afraid of, capable of, ashamed of). For translations, consult the appropriate noun, pronoun or adjective entry.
    When of it or of them are used for something already referred to, they are translated by en:
    there’s a lot of it
    = il y en a beaucoup
    there are several of them
    = il y en a plusieurs
    Note, however, the following expressions used when referring to people:
    there are six of them
    = ils sont six
    there were several of them
    = ils étaient plusieurs
    For particular usages see the entry of.
    This dictionary contains usage notes on such topics as Age, Capacity measurement, Dates, Illnesses, Length measurement, Quantities, Towns and cities, and Weight measurement, many of which use of.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : of

  • 14 Usage note : since

    In time expressions
    since is used in English after a verb in the present perfect or progressive present perfect tense to indicate when something that is still going on started. To express this French uses a verb in the present tense + depuis:
    I’ve been waiting since Saturday
    = j’attends depuis samedi
    I’ve lived in Rome since 1988
    = j’habite à Rome depuis 1988
    When since is used after a verb in the past perfect tense, French uses the imperfect + depuis:
    I had been waiting since nine o’clock
    = j’attendais depuis neuf heures
    In negative time expressions
    Again since is translated by depuis, but in negative sentences the verb tenses used in French are the same as those used in English:
    I haven’t seen him since Saturday
    = je ne l’ai pas vu depuis samedi
    I hadn’t seen him since 1978
    = je ne l’avais pas vu depuis 1978
    As a conjunction
    In time expressions
    When since is used as a conjunction, it is translated by depuis que and the tenses used in French parallel exactly those used with the preposition depuis (see above):
    since she’s been living in Oxford
    = depuis qu’elle habite à Oxford
    since he’d been in Paris
    = depuis qu’il était à Paris
    Note that in time expressions with since French native speakers will generally prefer to use a noun where possible when English uses a verb:
    I haven’t seen him since he left
    = je ne l’ai pas vu depuis son départ
    she’s been living in Nice since she got married
    = elle habite à Nice depuis son mariage
    For particular usages see the entry since.
    Meaning because
    When since is used to mean because, it is translated by comme or étant donné que:
    since she was ill, she couldn’t go
    = comme elle était malade or étant donné qu’elle était malade, elle ne pouvait pas y aller
    As an adverb
    When since is used as an adverb it is translated by depuis:
    he hasn’t been seen since
    = on ne l’a pas vu depuis
    For particular usages see C in the entry since.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : since

  • 15 Usage note : to

    This dictionary contains usage notes on such topics as the clock, weight measurement, games and sports etc. Many of these use the preposition to.
    When to is used as a preposition with movement verbs (go, travel etc.) it is often translated by à but remember to use en with feminine countries ( en France) and au with masculine countries ( au Portugal) ; ⇒ Countries and continents.
    Remember when using à in French that à + le always becomes au and à + les always becomes aux.
    When to forms the infinitive of a verb taken alone (by a teacher, for example) it needs no translation:
    to go
    = aller
    to find
    = trouver etc.
    However, when to is used as part of an infinitive giving the meaning in order to, it is translated by pour:
    he’s gone into town to buy a shirt
    = il est parti en ville pour acheter une chemise
    to is also used as part of an infinitive after certain adjectives: difficult to understand, easy to read etc. Here to is usually translated by à: difficile à comprendre, facile à lire:
    it’s easy to read
    = c’est facile à lire
    However, when the infinitive has an object, to is usually translated by de:
    it’s easy to lose one’s way
    = il est facile de perdre son chemin
    To check translations, consult the appropriate adjective entry: difficult, easy etc.
    to is also used as part of an infinitive after certain verbs: she told me to wash my hands, I’ll help him to tidy the room etc. Here the translation, usually either à or de, depends on the verb used in French. To find the correct translation, consult the appropriate verb entry: tell, help etc. For all other uses see the entry to.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : to

  • 16 Usage note : at

    When at is used as a straightforward preposition it is translated by à:
    at the airport
    = à l’aéroport
    at midnight
    = à minuit
    at the age of 50
    = à l’âge de 50 ans
    Remember that à + le always becomes au and
    à + les always becomes aux (au bureau, aux bureaux).
    When at means at the house, shop, etc. of, it is translated by chez:
    at Amanda’s
    = chez Amanda
    at the hairdresser’s
    = chez le coiffeur
    If you have doubts about how to translate a phrase or idiom beginning with at (at the top of, at home, at a guess etc.) you should consult the appropriate noun entry (top, home, guess etc.). This dictionary contains usage notes on such topics as age, the clock, length measurement, games and sports etc. Many of these use the preposition at.
    at also often appears in English as the second element of a phrasal verb (look at, aim at, etc.). For translations, look at the appropriate verb entry (look, aim etc.).
    at is used after certain nouns, adjectives and verbs in English (her surprise at, an attempt at, annoyed at etc.). For translations, consult the appropriate noun, adjective or verb entry (surprise, attempt, annoy etc.).
    In the entry at, you will find particular usages and idiomatic expressions which do not appear elsewhere in the dictionary.

    Big English-French dictionary > Usage note : at

  • 17 Quantities

    Note the use of en (of it or of them) in the following examples. This word must be included when the thing you are talking about is not expressed (the French says literally there is of it a lot, there is of it two kilos, I have of them a lot etc.). However, en is not needed when the commodity is specified e.g. there is a lot of butter = il y a beaucoup de beurre.
    how much is there?
    = combien y en a-t-il?
    there’s a lot
    = il y en a beaucoup*
    there’s not much
    = il n’y en a pas beaucoup
    there’s two kilos
    = il y en a deux kilos
    how much sugar have you got?
    = combien de sucre as-tu?
    I’ve got a lot
    = j’en ai beaucoup
    I’ve not got much
    = je n’en ai pas beaucoup
    I’ve got two kilos
    = j’en ai deux kilos
    how many are there?
    = combien y en a-t-il?
    there are a lot
    = il y en a beaucoup
    there aren’t many
    = il n’y en a pas beaucoup
    there are twenty
    = il y en a vingt
    how many apples have you?
    = combien de pommes as-tu? or tu as combien de pommes?
    I’ve got a lot
    = j’en ai beaucoup
    I haven’t many
    = je n’en ai pas beaucoup
    I’ve got twenty
    = j’en ai vingt
    A has got more than B
    = A en a plus que B
    A has got more money than B
    = A a plus d’argent que B
    much more than
    = beaucoup plus que
    a little more than
    = un peu plus que
    A has got more apples than B
    = A a plus de pommes que B
    many more apples than B
    = beaucoup plus de pommes que B
    a few more apples than B
    = quelques pommes de plus que B
    a few more people than yesterday
    = quelques personnes de plus qu’hier
    B has got less money than A
    = B a moins d’argent que A
    B has got less than A
    = B en a moins que A
    much less than
    = beaucoup moins que
    a little less than
    = un peu moins que
    B has got fewer than A
    = B en a moins que A
    B has got fewer apples than A
    = B a moins de pommes que A
    many fewer than
    = beaucoup moins que
    Relative quantities
    how many are there to the kilo?
    = combien y en a-t-il au kilo?
    there are ten to the kilo
    = il y en a dix au kilo
    you can count six to the kilo
    = il faut en compter six au kilo
    how many do you get for ten francs?
    = combien peut-on en avoir pour dix francs?
    you get five for ten francs
    = il y en a cinq pour dix francs
    how much does it cost a litre?
    = combien coûte le litre?
    it costs £5 a litre
    = ça coûte cinq livres le litre
    how much do apples cost a kilo?
    = combien coûte le kilo de pommes?
    apples cost ten francs a kilo
    = les pommes coûtent dix francs le kilo
    how much does it cost a metre?
    = combien coûte le mètre?
    how much does your car do to the gallon?
    = combien consomme votre voiture?
    it does 28 miles to the gallon
    = elle fait dix litres aux cent
    (Note that the French calculate petrol consumption in litres per 100 km. To convert mpg to litres per 100 km and vice versa, simply divide 280 by the known figure.)
    how many glasses do you get to the bottle?
    = combien y a-t-il de verres par bouteille?
    you get six glasses to the bottle
    = il y a six verres par bouteille
    * Never use très with beaucoup.

    Big English-French dictionary > Quantities

  • 18 Age

    Note that where English says to be X years old, French says avoir X ans (to have X years).
    How old?
    how old are you?
    = quel âge as-tu?
    what age is she?
    = quel âge a-t-elle?
    The word ans (years) is never dropped:
    he is forty years old
    = il a quarante ans
    she’s eighty
    = elle a quatre-vingts ans
    the house is a hundred years old
    = la maison a cent ans
    a man of fifty
    = un homme de cinquante ans
    a child of eight and a half
    = un enfant de huit ans et demi
    I feel sixteen
    = j’ai l’impression d’avoir seize ans
    he looks sixteen
    = on lui donnerait seize ans
    Note the use of de after âgé and à l’âge:
    a woman aged thirty
    = une femme âgée de trente ans
    at the age of forty
    = à l’âge de quarante ans
    Mrs Smith, aged forty
    = Mme Smith, âgée de quarante ans
    Do not confuse que and de used with plus and moins:
    I’m older than you
    = je suis plus âgé que toi
    she’s younger than him
    = elle est plus jeune que lui
    Anne’s two years younger
    = Anne a deux ans de moins
    Margot’s older than Suzanne by five years
    = Margot a cinq ans de plus que Suzanne
    Robert’s younger than Thomas by six years
    = Robert a six ans de moins que Thomas
    X-year-old
    a forty-year-old
    = quelqu’un de quarante ans
    a sixty-year-old woman
    = une femme de soixante ans
    an eighty-year-old pensioner
    = un retraité de quatre-vingts ans
    they’ve got an eight-year-old
    = ils ont un enfant de huit ans
    and a five-year-old
    = et un autre de cinq ans
    Note the various ways of saying these in French:
    he is about fifty
    = il a environ cinquante ans
    or il a une cinquantaine d’années
    or (less formally) il a dans les cinquante ans
    (Other round numbers in -aine used to express age are dizaine (10), vingtaine (20), trentaine (30), quarantaine (40), soixantaine (60) and centaine (100).)
    she’s just over sixty
    = elle vient d’avoir soixante ans
    she’s just under seventy
    = elle aura bientôt soixante-dix ans
    she’s in her sixties
    = elle a entre soixante et soixante-dix ans
    she’s in her early sixties
    = elle a entre soixante et soixante-cinq ans
    she’s in her late sixties
    = elle va avoir soixante-dix ans
    or (less formally) elle va sur ses soixante-dix ans
    she must be seventy
    = elle doit avoir soixante-dix ans
    he’s in his mid forties
    = il a entre quarante et cinquante ans
    or (less formally) il a dans les quarante-cinq ans
    he’s just ten
    = il a tout juste dix ans
    he’s barely twelve
    = il a à peine douze ans
    games for the under twelves
    = jeux pour les moins de douze ans
    only for the over eighties
    = seulement pour les plus de quatre-vingts ans

    Big English-French dictionary > Age

  • 19 Numbers

    0 zéro*
    1 un†
    2 deux
    3 trois
    4 quatre
    5 cinq
    6 six
    7 sept
    8 huit
    9 neuf
    10 dix
    11 onze
    12 douze
    13 treize
    14 quatorze
    15 quinze
    16 seize
    17 dix-sept
    18 dix-huit
    19 dix-neuf
    20 vingt
    21 vingt et un
    22 vingt-deux
    30 trente
    31 trente et un
    32 trente-deux
    40 quarante
    50 cinquante
    60 soixante
    70 soixante-dix
    septante (in Belgium, Canada, Switzerland etc.)
    71 soixante et onze
    septante et un ( etc)
    72 soixante-douze
    73 soixante-treize
    74 soixante-quatorze
    75 soixante-quinze
    76 soixante-seize
    77 soixante-dix-sept
    78 soixante-dix-nuit
    79 soixante-dix-neuf
    80 quatre-vingts‡
    81 quatre-vingt-un§
    82 quatre-vingt-deux
    90 quatre-vingt-dix ; nonante (in Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, etc)
    91 quatre-vingt-onze ; nonante et un
    92 quatre-vingt-douze ; nonante-deux ( etc.)
    99 quatre-vingt-dix-neuf
    100 cent
    101 cent un†
    102 cent deux
    110 cent dix
    111 cent onze
    112 cent douze
    187 cent quatre-vingt-sept
    200 deux cents
    250 deux cent|| cinquante
    300 trois cents
    1000 || mille
    1001 mille un†
    1002 mille deux
    1020 mille vingt
    1200 mille** deux cents
    2000 deux mille††
    10000 dix mille
    10200 dix mille deux cents
    100000 cent mille
    102000 cent deux mille
    1000000 un million‡‡
    1264932 un million deux cent soixante-quatre mille neuf cent trente-deux
    1000000000 un milliard‡‡
    1000000000000 un billion‡‡
    * In English 0 may be called nought, zero or even nothing ; French is always zéro ; a nought = un zéro.
    † Note that one is une in French when it agrees with a feminine noun, so un crayon but une table, une des tables, vingt et une tables, combien de tables? - il y en a une seule etc.
    ‡ Also huitante in Switzerland. Note that when 80 is used as a page number it has no s, e.g. page eighty = page quatre-vingt.
    § Note that vingt has no s when it is in the middle of a number. The only exception to this rule is when quatre-vingts is followed by millions, milliards or billions, e.g. quatre-vingts millions, quatre-vingts billions etc.
    Note that cent does not take an s when it is in the middle of a number. The only exception to this rule is when it is followed by millions, milliards or billions, e.g. trois cents millions, six cents billions etc. It has a normal plural when it modifies other nouns, e.g. 200 inhabitants = deux cents habitants.
    || Note that figures in French are set out differently ; where English would have a comma, French has simply a space. It is also possible in French to use a full stop (period) here, e.g. 1.000. French, like English, writes dates without any separation between thousands and hundreds, e.g. in 1995 = en 1995.
    ** When such a figure refers to a date, the spelling mil is preferred to mille, i.e. en 1200 = en mil deux cents. Note however the exceptions: when the year is a round number of thousands, the spelling is always mille, so en l’an mille, en l’an deux mille etc.
    †† Mille is invariable ; it never takes an s.
    ‡‡ Note that the French words million, milliard and billion are nouns, and when written out in full they take de before another noun, e.g. a million inhabitants is un million d’habitants, a billion francs is un billion de francs. However, when written in figures, 1,000,000 inhabitants is 1000000 habitants, but is still spoken as un million d’habitants. When million etc. is part of a complex number, de is not used before the nouns, e.g. 6,000,210 people = six millions deux cent dix personnes.
    Use of en
    Note the use of en in the following examples:
    there are six
    = il y en a six
    I’ve got a hundred
    = j’en ai cent
    En must be used when the thing you are talking about is not expressed (the French says literally there of them are six, I of them have a hundred etc.). However, en is not needed when the object is specified:
    there are six apples
    = il y a six pommes
    Approximate numbers
    When you want to say about…, remember the French ending -aine:
    about ten
    = une dizaine
    about ten books
    = une dizaine de livres
    about fifteen
    = une quinzaine
    about fifteen people
    = une quinzaine de personnes
    about twenty
    = une vingtaine
    about twenty hours
    = une vingtaine d’heures
    Similarly une trentaine, une quarantaine, une cinquantaine, une soixantaine and une centaine ( and une douzaine means a dozen). For other numbers, use environ (about):
    about thirty-five
    = environ trente-cinq
    about thirty-five francs
    = environ trente-cinq francs
    about four thousand
    = environ quatre mille
    about four thousand pages
    = environ quatre mille pages
    Environ can be used with any number: environ dix, environ quinze etc. are as good as une dizaine, une quinzaine etc.
    Note the use of centaines and milliers to express approximate quantities:
    hundreds of books
    = des centaines de livres
    I’ve got hundreds
    = j’en ai des centaines
    hundreds and hundreds of fish
    = des centaines et des centaines de poissons
    I’ve got thousands
    = j’en ai des milliers
    thousands of books
    = des milliers de livres
    thousands and thousands
    = des milliers et des milliers
    millions and millions
    = des millions et des millions
    Phrases
    numbers up to ten
    = les nombres jusqu’à dix
    to count up to ten
    = compter jusqu’à dix
    almost ten
    = presque dix
    less than ten
    = moins de dix
    more than ten
    = plus de dix
    all ten of them
    = tous les dix
    all ten boys
    = les dix garçons
    Note the French word order:
    my last ten pounds
    = mes dix dernières livres
    the next twelve weeks
    = les douze prochaines semaines
    the other two
    = les deux autres
    the last four
    = les quatre derniers
    Calculations in French
    Note that French uses a comma where English has a decimal point.
    0,25 zéro virgule vingt-cinq
    0,05 zéro virgule zéro cinq
    0,75 zéro virgule soixante-quinze
    3,45 trois virgule quarante-cinq
    8,195 huit virgule cent quatre-vingt-quinze
    9,1567 neuf virgule quinze cent soixante-sept
    or neuf virgule mille cinq cent soixante-sept
    9,3456 neuf virgule trois mille quatre cent cinquante-six
    Percentages in French
    25% vingt-cinq pour cent
    50% cinquante pour cent
    100% cent pour cent
    200% deux cents pour cent
    365% troix cent soixante-cinq pour cent
    4,25% quatre virgule vingt-cinq pour cent
    Fractions in French
    Ordinal numbers in French§
    1st 1er‡ premier ( feminine première)
    2nd 2e second or deuxième
    3rd 3e troisième
    4th 4e quatrième
    5th 5e cinquième
    6th 6e sixième
    7th 7e septième
    8th 8e huitième
    9th 9e neuvième
    10th 10e dixième
    11th 11e onzième
    12th 12e douzième
    13th 13e treizième
    14th 14e quatorzième
    15th 15e quinzième
    16th 16e seizième
    17th 17e dix-septième
    18th 18e dix-huitième
    19th 19e dix-neuvième
    20th 20e vingtième
    21st 21e vingt et unième
    22nd 22e vingt-deuxième
    23rd 23e vingt-troisième
    24th 24e vingt-quatrième
    25th 25e vingt-cinquième
    30th 30e trentième
    31st 31e trente et unième
    40th 40e quarantième
    50th 50e cinquantième
    60th 60e soixantième
    70th 70e soixante-dixième or septantième (in Belgium, Canada, Switzerland etc.)
    71st 71e soixante et onzième or septante et unième (etc.)
    72nd 72e soixante-douzième
    73rd 73e soixante-treizième
    74th 74e soixante-quatorzième
    75th 75e soixante-quinzième
    76th 76e soixante-seizième
    77th 77e soixante-dix-septième
    78th 78e soixante-dix-huitième
    79th 79e soixante-dix-neuvième
    80th 80e quatre-vingtième¶
    81st 81e quatre-vingt-unième
    90th 90e quatre-vingt-dixième or nonantième (in Belgium, Canada, Switzerland etc.)
    91st 91e quatre-vingt-onzième, or nonante et unième (etc.)
    99th 99e quatre-vingt-dix-neuvième
    100th 100e centième
    101st 101e cent et unième
    102nd 102e cent-deuxième
    196th 196e cent quatre-vingt-seizième
    200th 200e deux centième
    300th 300e trois centième
    400th 400e quatre centième
    1,000th 1000e millième
    2,000th 2000e deux millième
    1,000,000th 1000000e millionième
    Like English, French makes nouns by adding the definite article:
    the first
    = le premier (or la première, or les premiers mpl or les premières fpl)
    the second
    = le second (or la seconde etc.)
    the first three
    = les trois premiers or les trois premières
    Note the French word order in:
    the third richest country in the world
    = le troisième pays le plus riche du monde
    * Note that half, when not a fraction, is translated by the noun moitié or the adjective demi ; see the dictionary entry.
    † Note the use of les and d’entre when these fractions are used about a group of people or things: two-thirds of them = les deux tiers d’entre eux.
    ‡ This is the masculine form ; the feminine is 1re and the plural 1ers (m) or 1res (f).
    § All the ordinal numbers in French behave like ordinary adjectives and take normal plural endings where appropriate.
    Also huitantième in Switzerland.

    Big English-French dictionary > Numbers

  • 20 Colours

    Not all English colour terms have a single exact equivalent in French: for instance, in some circumstances brown is marron, in others brun. If in doubt, look the word up in the dictionary.
    Colour terms
    what colour is it?
    = c’est de quelle couleur? or (more formally) de quelle couleur est-il?
    it’s green
    = il est vert or elle est verte
    to paint sth green
    = peindre qch en vert
    to dye sth green
    = teindre qch en vert
    to wear green
    = porter du vert
    dressed in green
    = habillé de vert
    Colour nouns are all masculine in French:
    I like green
    = j’aime le vert
    I prefer blue
    = je préfère le bleu
    red suits her
    = le rouge lui va bien
    it’s a pretty yellow!
    = c’est un joli jaune!
    have you got it in white?
    = est-ce que vous l’avez en blanc?
    a pretty shade of blue
    = un joli ton de bleu
    it was a dreadful green
    = c’était un vert affreux
    a range of greens
    = une gamme de verts
    Most adjectives of colour agree with the noun they modify:
    a blue coat
    = un manteau bleu
    a blue dress
    = une robe bleue
    blue clothes
    = des vêtements bleus
    Some that don’t agree are explained below.
    Words that are not true adjectives
    Some words that translate English adjectives are really nouns in French, and so don’t show agreement:
    a brown shoe
    = une chaussure marron
    orange tablecloths
    = des nappes fpl orange
    hazel eyes
    = des yeux mpl noisette
    Other French words like this include: cerise ( cherry-red), chocolat ( chocolate-brown) and émeraude ( emerald-green).
    Shades of colour
    Expressions like pale blue, dark green or light yellow are also invariable in French and show no agreement:
    a pale blue shirt
    = une chemise bleu pâle
    dark green blankets
    = des couvertures fpl vert foncé
    a light yellow tie
    = une cravate jaune clair
    bright yellow socks
    = des chaussettes fpl jaune vif
    French can also use the colour nouns here: instead of une chemise bleu pâle you could say une chemise d’un bleu pâle ; and similarly des couvertures d’un vert foncé (etc). The nouns in French are normally used to translate English adjectives of this type ending in -er and -est:
    a darker blue
    = un bleu plus foncé
    the dress was a darker blue
    = la robe était d’un bleu plus foncé
    Similarly:
    a lighter blue
    = un bleu plus clair (etc.)
    In the following examples, blue stands for most basic colour terms:
    pale blue
    = bleu pâle
    light blue
    = bleu clair
    bright blue
    = bleu vif
    dark blue
    = bleu foncé
    deep blue
    = bleu profond
    strong blue
    = bleu soutenu
    Other types of compound in French are also invariable, and do not agree with their nouns:
    a navy-blue jacket
    = une veste bleu marine
    These compounds include: bleu ciel ( sky-blue), vert pomme ( apple-green), bleu nuit ( midnight-blue), rouge sang ( blood-red) etc. However, all English compounds do not translate directly into French. If in doubt, check in the dictionary.
    French compounds consisting of two colour terms linked with a hyphen are also invariable:
    a blue-black material
    = une étoffe bleu-noir
    a greenish-blue cup
    = une tasse bleu-vert
    a greeny-yellow dress
    = une robe vert-jaune
    English uses the ending -ish, or sometimes -y, to show that something is approximately a certain colour, e.g. a reddish hat or a greenish paint. The French equivalent is -âtre:
    blue-ish
    = bleuâtre
    greenish or greeny
    = verdâtre
    greyish
    = grisâtre
    reddish
    = rougeâtre
    yellowish or yellowy
    = jaunâtre
    etc.
    Other similar French words are rosâtre, noirâtre and blanchâtre. Note however that these words are often rather negative in French. It is better not to use them if you want to be complimentary about something. Use instead tirant sur le rouge/jaune etc.
    To describe a special colour, English can add -coloured to a noun such as raspberry (framboise) or flesh (chair). Note how this is said in French, where the two-word compound with couleur is invariable, and, unlike English, never has a hyphen:
    a chocolate-coloured skirt
    = une jupe couleur chocolat
    raspberry-coloured fabric
    = du tissu couleur framboise
    flesh-coloured tights
    = un collant couleur chair
    Colour verbs
    English makes some colour verbs by adding -en (e.g. blacken). Similarly French has some verbs in -ir made from colour terms:
    to blacken
    = noircir
    to redden
    = rougir
    to whiten
    = blanchir
    The other French colour terms that behave like this are: bleu (bleuir), jaune (jaunir), rose (rosir) and vert (verdir). It is always safe, however, to use devenir, thus:
    to turn purple
    = devenir violet
    Describing people
    Note the use of the definite article in the following:
    to have black hair
    = avoir les cheveux noirs
    to have blue eyes
    = avoir les yeux bleus
    Note the use of à in the following:
    a girl with blue eyes
    = une jeune fille aux yeux bleus
    the man with black hair
    = l’homme aux cheveux noirs
    Not all colours have direct equivalents in French. The following words are used for describing the colour of someone’s hair (note that les cheveux is plural in French):
    fair
    = blond
    dark
    = brun
    blonde or blond
    = blond
    brown
    = châtain inv
    red
    = roux
    black
    = noir
    grey
    = gris
    white
    = blanc
    Check other terms such as yellow, ginger, auburn, mousey etc. in the dictionary.
    Note these nouns in French:
    a fair-haired man
    = un blond
    a fair-haired woman
    = une blonde
    a dark-haired man
    = un brun
    a dark-haired woman
    = une brune
    The following words are useful for describing the colour of someone’s eyes:
    blue
    = bleu
    light blue
    = bleu clair inv
    light brown
    = marron clair inv
    brown
    = marron inv
    hazel
    = noisette inv
    green
    = vert
    grey
    = gris
    greyish-green
    = gris-vert inv
    dark
    = noir

    Big English-French dictionary > Colours

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