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1 Usage note : not
When not is used without a verb before an adjective, an adverb, a verb or a noun, it is translated by pas:it’s a cat not a dog= c’est un chat pas un chiennot at all= pas du toutnot bad= pas malFor examples and particular usages see the entry not.When not is used to make the verb be negative (it’s not a cat) it is translated by ne…pas in French ; ne comes before the verb or the auxiliary in compound tenses and pas comes after the verb or auxiliary: ce n’est pas un chat ;she hasn’t been ill= elle n’a pas été malade.When not is used with the auxiliary do to make a verb negative (he doesn’t like oranges) do + not is translated by ne…pas in French: il n’aime pas les oranges.When not is used in the present perfect tense (I haven’ t seen him, she hasn’t arrived yet), ne…pas is again used in French on either side of the appropriate auxiliary ( avoir or être): je ne l’ai pas vu, elle n’est pas encore arrivée.When not is used with will to make a verb negative (will not, won’t), ne…pas is used with the future tense in French:she won’t come by car= elle ne viendra pas en voitureWhen used with a verb in the infinitive, ne…pas are placed together before the verb:he decided not to go= il a décidé de ne pas y alleryou were wrong not to tell her= tu as eu tort de ne pas le lui direWhen not is used in question tags, the whole tag can usually be translated by the French n’est-ce pas, e.g.she bought it, didn’t she?= elle l’a acheté, n’est-ce pas?For usages not covered in this note see the entry not. -
2 Usage note : be
I am tired= je suis fatiguéCaroline is French= Caroline est françaisethe children are in the garden= les enfants sont dans le jardinIt 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 médecinClaudie is still a student= Claudie est toujours étudianteThis is true of any noun used in apposition when the subject is a person:he’s a widower= il est veufButLyons is a beautiful city= Lyon est une belle villeFor 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 functionsThe passiveêtre 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 renardthe window had been broken= la fenêtre avait été casséetheir books will be sold= leurs livres seront vendusour doors have been repainted red= nos portes ont été repeintes en rougeIn 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 tensesIn 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 presentFrench uses simply the present tense where English uses the progressive form with to be:I am working= je travailleBen is reading a book= Ben lit un livreIn order to accentuate duration être en train de is used: je suis en train de travailler ; Ben est en train de lire un livre.The futureFrench also uses the present tense where English uses the progressive form with to be:we are going to London tomorrow= nous allons à Londres demainI’m (just) coming!= j’arrive!I’m (just) going!= j’y vais!The pastTo 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 mèrehe was writing to his mother= il écrivait à sa mèreHowever, 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 pastCompound past tenses in the progressive form in English are generally translated by the imperfect in French:I’ve been looking for you= je te cherchaisFor 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.ObligationWhen 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 suitewhat am I to do?= qu’est-ce que je dois faire?he was to arrive last Monday= il devait arriver lundi derniershe was never to see him again= elle ne devait plus le revoir.In tag questionsFrench 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 answersAgain, 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’ProbabilityFor expressions of probability and supposition ( if I were you etc.) see the entry be.Other functionsExpressing sensations and feelingsIn expressing physical and mental sensations, the verb used in French is avoir:to be cold= avoir froidto be hot= avoir chaudI’m cold= j’ai froidto be thirsty= avoir soifto be hungry= avoir faimto be ashamed= avoir hontemy hands are cold= j’ai froid aux mainsIf, 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 areIn expressions of health and polite enquiries about how people are, aller is used:how are you?= comment allez-vous?( more informally) comment vas-tu?( very informally as a greeting) ça va?are you well?= vous allez bien?how is your daughter?= comment va votre fille?my father is better today= mon père va mieux aujourd’huiDiscussing weather and temperatureIn expressions of weather and temperature faire is generally used:it’s cold= il fait froidit’s windy= il fait du ventIf in doubt, consult the appropriate adjective entry.Visiting somewhereWhen 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 Suèdehave 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 foisNote too:has the postman been?= est-ce que le facteur est passé?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. -
3 Usage note : it
When it is used as a subject pronoun to refer to a specific object (or animal) il or elle is used in French according to the gender of the object referred to:‘where is the book/chair?’ ‘it’s in the kitchen’= ‘où est le livre/la chaise?’ ‘il/elle est dans la cuisine’‘do you like my skirt?’ ‘it’s lovely’= ‘est-ce que tu aimes ma jupe?’ ‘elle est très jolie’However, if the object referred to is named in the same sentence, it is translated by ce (c’ before a vowel):it’s a good film= c’est un bon filmWhen it is used as an object pronoun it is translated by le or la (l’ before a vowel) according to the gender of the object referred to:it’s my book/my chair and I want it= c’est mon livre/ma chaise et je le/la veuxNote that the object pronoun normally comes before the verb in French and that in compound tenses like the perfect and the past perfect, the past participle agrees with it:I liked his shirt - did you notice it?= j’ai aimé sa chemise - est-ce que tu l’as remarquée? or l’as-tu remarquée?In imperatives only, the pronoun comes after the verb:it’s my book - give it to me= c’est mon livre - donne-le-moi (note the hyphens)When it is used vaguely or impersonally followed by an adjective the translation is ce (c’ before a vowel):it’s difficult= c’est difficileit’s sad= c’est tristeBut when it is used impersonally followed by an adjective + verb the translation is il:it’s difficult to understand how…= il est difficile de comprendre comment …If in doubt consult the entry for the adjective in question.For translations for impersonal verb uses (it’s raining, it’s snowing) consult the entry for the verb in question.it is used in expressions of days of the week (it’s Friday) and clock time (it’s 5 o’clock). This dictionary contains usage notes on these and many other topics. For other impersonal and idiomatic uses see the entry it.When it is used after a preposition in English the two words (prep + it) are often translated by one word in French. If the preposition would normally be translated by de in French (e.g. of, about, from etc.) the prep + it = en:I’ve heard about it= j’en ai entendu parlerIf the preposition would normally be translated by à in French (e.g. to, in, at etc.) the prep + it = y:they went to it= ils y sont allésFor translations of it following prepositions not normally translated by de or à (e.g. above, under, over etc.) consult the entry for the preposition. -
4 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 venirimplies 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 pashowever, 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 graveThis 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 blesséFor 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. -
5 Usage note : will
When will is used to express the future in French, the future tense of the French verb is generally used:he’ll come= il viendraIn spoken and more informal French or when the very near future is implied, the present tense of aller + infinitive can be used:I’ll do it now= je vais le faire tout de suiteIf the subject of the modal auxiliary will is I or we, shall is sometimes used instead of will to talk about the future. For further information, consult the entry shall in the dictionary.Tag questionsFrench has no direct equivalent of tag questions like won’t he? or will they? There is a general tag question n’est-ce pas? which will work in many cases:you’ll do it tomorrow, won’t you?= tu le feras demain, n’est-ce pas?In cases where an opinion is being sought, non? meaning is that not so? can be useful:that will be easier, won’t it?= ce sera plus facile, non?In many other cases the tag question is simply not translated at all and the speaker’s intonation will convey the implied question.Short answersAgain, there is no direct equivalent for short answers like no she won’t, yes they will etc. Where the answer yes is given to contradict a negative question or statement, the most useful translation is si:‘they won’t forget’ ‘yes they will’= ‘ils n’oublieront pas’ ‘si’ or (for more emphasis) bien sûr que siWhere the answer no is given to contradict a positive question or statement, the most useful translation is bien sûr que non:‘she’ll post the letter, won’t she?’ ‘no she won’t’= ‘elle va poster la lettre?’ ‘bien sûr que non’In reply to a standard enquiry the tag will not be translated:‘you’ll be ready at midday then?’ ‘yes I will’= ‘tu seras prêt à midi?’ ‘oui’For more examples and other uses, see the entry will. -
6 Usage note : as
When as is used as a preposition or a conjunction to mean like it is translatedby comme:dressed as a sailor= habillé comme un marinas usual= comme d’habitudeas often happens= comme c’est souvent le casas she was coming down the stairs= comme elle descendait l’escalierHowever, where a gradual process is involved, as is translated by au fur et à mesure que:as the day went on, he became more anxious= au fur et à mesure que la journée avançait il devenait plus inquietas he is ill, he can’t go out= comme il est malade or puisqu’il est malade, il ne peut pas sortirWhen used as an adverb in comparisons, as…as is translated by aussi…que:he is as intelligent as his brother= il est aussi intelligent que son frèreBut see category J in the entry as for as muchas and as many as.Note also the standard translation used for fixed similes:as strong as an ox= fort comme un bœufas rich as Croesus= riche comme CrésusSuch similes often have a cultural equivalent rather than a direct translation. To find translations for English similes, consult the entry for the second element.When as is used as a preposition to indicate a person’s profession or position, it is translated by comme:he works as an engineer= il travaille comme ingénieurNote that the article a/an is not translated.When as is used with a preposition to mean in my/his capacity as, it is translated by en tant que:as a teacher I believe that…= en tant qu’enseignant je crois que… -
7 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-êtrewe may never know what happened= nous ne saurons peut-être jamais ce qui s’est passéhe may have got lost= il s’est peut-être perduAlternatively, 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 bêteyou may think I’m crazy but …= tu penses peut-être que je suis fou mais…you may close the door= vous pouvez fermer la porteNote 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 sachemay 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 ailleursBut 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. -
8 Usage note : which
In questionsWhen which is used as a pronoun in questions it is translated by lequel, laquelle, lesquels or lesquelles according to the gender and number of the noun it is referring to:there are three peaches, which do you want?= il y a trois pêches, laquelle veux-tu?‘Lucy’s borrowed three of your books’ ‘which did she take?’= ‘Lucy t’a emprunté trois livres’ ‘lesquels a-t-elle pris?’The exception to this is when which is followed by a superlative adjective, when the translation is quel, quelle, quels or quelles:which is the biggest (apple)?= quelle est la plus grande?which are the least expensive (books)?= quels sont les moins chers?In relative clauses as subject or objectthe book which is on the table= le livre qui est sur la tablethe books which are on the table= les livres qui sont sur la tablethe book which Tina is reading= le livre que lit TinaNote the inversion of subject and verb ; this is the case where the subject is a noun but not where the subject is a pronoun:the book which I am reading= le livre que je lisIn compound tenses such as the present perfect and past perfect, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the noun que is referring to:the books which I gave you= les livres que je t’ai donnésthe dresses which she bought yesterday= les robes qu’elle a achetées hierIn relative clauses after a prepositionHere the translation is lequel, laquelle, lesquels or lesquelles according to the gender and number of the noun referred to:the road by which we came or the road which we came by= la route par laquelle nous sommes venusthe expressions for which we have translations= les expressions pour lesquelles nous avons une traductionRemember that if the preposition would normally be translated by à in French (to, at etc.), the preposition + which is translated by auquel, à laquelle, auxquels or auxquelles:the addresses to which we sent letters= les adresses auxquelles nous avons envoyé des lettresWith prepositions normally translated by de (of, from etc.) the translation of the preposition which becomes dont:a blue book, the title of which I’ve forgotten= un livre bleu dont j’ai oublié le titreHowever, if de is part of a prepositional group, as for example in the case of près de meaning near, the translation becomes duquel, de laquelle, desquels or desquelles:the village near which they live= le village près duquel ils habitentthe houses near which she was waiting= les maisons près desquelles elle attendaita hill at the top of which there is a house= une colline au sommet de laquelle il y a une maisonAs a determinerIn questionsWhen which is used as a determiner in questions it is translated by quel, quelle, quels or quelles according to the gender and number of the noun that follows:which car is yours?= quelle voiture est la vôtre?which books did he borrow?= quels livres a-t-il empruntés?Note that in the second example the object precedes the verb so that the past participle agrees in gender and number with the object. -
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 toiAs 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 connaîtIn 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 samediWhen 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 icithese mushrooms can make you ill= ces champignons peuvent vous rendre malade or ces champignons peuvent te rendre maladeyou could easily lose your bag here= on pourrait facilement perdre son sac iciNote 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. -
10 Usage note : do
she’s doing her homework= elle fait ses devoirswhat 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 functionsIn questionsIn 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 negativesEqually, auxiliaries are not used in negatives in French:I don’t like Mozart= je n’aime pas Mozartyou didn’t feed the cat= tu n’as pas donné à manger au chatdon’t do that!= ne fais pas ça!In emphatic usesThere 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 robeI DO hope she remembers= j’espère qu’elle n’oubliera pasI DO think you should see a doctor= je crois vraiment que tu devrais voir un médecinWhen referring back to another verbIn 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 toiI live in Oxford and so does Lily= j’habite à Oxford et Lily aussishe gets paid more than I do= elle est payée plus que moiI 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 requestsIn 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 priedo 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 imperativesIn French there is no use of an auxiliary verb in imperatives:don’t shut the door= ne ferme pas la portedon’t tell her anything= ne lui dis riendo be quiet!= tais-toi!In tag questionsFrench 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 answersAgain, 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. -
11 Usage note : at
When at is used as a straightforward preposition it is translated by à:at the airport= à l’aéroportat midnight= à minuitat the age of 50= à l’âge de 50 ansRemember that à + le always becomes au andà + 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 Amandaat the hairdresser’s= chez le coiffeurIf 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. -
12 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 sièclethe 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. -
13 Usage note : go
go as a simple intransitive verb is translated by aller:we’re going to Paris= nous allons à Pariswhere are you going?= où vas-tu?Sasha went to London last week= Sasha est allée à Londres la semaine dernièreNote that aller conjugates with être in compound tenses. For the conjugation of aller see the French verb tables. For more examples and particular usages see the entry go. The verb go produces a great many phrasal verbs in English (go up, go down, go out, go back etc.). Many of these are translated by a single verb in French (monter, descendre, sortir, retourner etc.). The phrasal verbs are listed separately at the end of the entry go.As an auxiliary verbWhen go is used as an auxiliary to show intention, it is also translated by aller:I’m going to buy a car tomorrow= je vais acheter une voiture demainI was going to talk to you about it= j’allais t’en parlerhe’s not going to ask for a rise= il ne va pas demander d’augmentationFor more examples and particular usages see A23 in the entry go.For all other uses see the entry go. -
14 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 piedFor 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.). -
15 Usage note : before
When before is used as a preposition in expressions of time or order of sequence or importance, it is translated by avant:before the meeting= avant la réunionshe left before me= elle est partie avant moiFor more examples and particular usages, see A1, 2, 3 in the entry before.When before is used as a preposition meaning in front of (when you are talking about physical space) or in the presence of, it is translated by devant:before our eyes= devant nos yeuxhe declared before his mother that …= il a déclaré devant sa mère que …When before is used as an adjective after a noun, it is translated by précédent/-e:the time before= la fois précédentethe one before is translated by le précédent or la précédente:no, I’m not talking about that meeting but the one before= non, je ne parle pas de cette réunion-là mais de la précédenteFor particular usages see B in the entry before.When before is used as an adverb meaning beforehand, it is translated by avant in statements about the present or future:I’ll try to talk to her before= j’essaierai de lui en parler avantyou could have told me before= tu aurais pu me le dire avantI had met her two or three times before= je l’avais rencontrée deux ou trois fois auparavantI’ve met her before= je l’ai déjà rencontréeyou’ve asked me that question before= tu m’as déjà posé cette questionIn negative sentences before is often used in English simply to reinforce the negative. In such cases it is not translated at all:I’d never eaten snails before= je n’avais jamais mangé d’escargotsyou’ve never told me that before= tu ne m’as jamais dit çaFor particular usages see C in the entry before.When before is used as a conjunction, it is translated by avant de + infinitive where the two verbs have the same subject:before he saw her he recognized her voice= il a reconnu sa voix avant de la voirbefore I cook dinner I’m going to phone my mother= avant de préparer le dîner je vais appeler ma mèreWhere the two verbs have different subjects, the translation is avant que + subjunctive:Tom wants to see her before she leaves= Tom veut la voir avant qu’elle parteSome speakers and writers add ne before the verb: Tom veut la voir avant qu’elle ne parte, but this is simply a slightly precious effect of style and is never obligatory. For particular usages see D in the entry before. -
16 Usage note : can
can and could are usually translated by the verb pouvoir. For the conjugation of pouvoir, see the French verb tables.he can wait until tomorrow= il peut attendre jusqu’à demainyou can go out now= vous pouvez sortir maintenantThe two notable exceptions to this are as follows:she can speak French= elle sait parler françaishe could read at the age of four= à l’âge de quatre ans il savait lireWhen can or could is used with a verb of perception such as see, hear or feel it is not translated at all:I can’t see her= je ne la vois passhe couldn’t feel anything= elle ne sentait rienIn requests can is translated by the present tense of pouvoir and the more polite could by the conditional tense of pouvoir:can you help me?= peux-tu m’aider?could you help me?= pourrais-tu m’aider?For particular usages of could when it is not simply the preterite or conditional of can see 13, 15, 16 in the entry can1.See also the entry able. -
17 Usage note : a
The determiner or indefinite article a or an is translated by un + masculine noun and by une + feminine noun:a tree= un arbrea chair= une chaiseThere are, however, some cases where the article is not translated:with professions and trades:her mother is a teacher= sa mère est professeurwith other nouns used in apposition:he’s a widower= il est veufwith what a:what a pretty house!= quelle jolie maison!For translations of a few, a little, a lot, a great many see the entries few, little, lot, many.When expressing prices in relation to weight, the definite article le/la is used in French:ten euros a kilo= dix euros le kiloIn other expressions where a/an means per, the French translation is usually par:twice a day= deux fois par jourFor translations of all other expressions using the indefinite article such as to make a noise, to make a fortune, at a blow etc. consult the appropriate noun entry (noise, fortune, blow etc.). -
18 Usage note : have
When used as an auxiliary in present perfect, future perfect and past perfect tenses, have is normally translated by avoir:I have seen= j’ai vuI had seen= j’avais vuHowever, some verbs in French, especially verbs of movement and change of state (e.g. aller, venir, descendre, mourir), take être rather than avoir in these tenses:he has left= il est partiIn this case, remember the past participle agrees with the subject of the verb:she has gone= elle est alléeReflexive verbs (e.g. se lever, se coucher) always conjugate with être:she has fainted= elle s’est évanouieFor translations of time expressions using for or since (he has been in London for six months, he has been in London since June), see the entries for and since.For translations of time expressions using just (I have just finished my essay, he has just gone), see the entry just1.to have to meaning must is translated by either devoir or the impersonal construction il faut que + subjunctive:I have to leave now= il faut que je parte maintenant or je dois partir maintenantIn negative sentences, not to have to is generally translated by ne pas être obligé de e.g.you don’t have to go= tu n’es pas obligé d’y allerFor examples and particular usages see the entry have.When have is used as a straightforward transitive verb meaning possess, have (or have got) can generally be translated by avoir, e.g.I have (got) a car= j’ai une voitureshe has a good memory= elle a une bonne mémoirethey have (got) problems= ils ont des problèmesFor examples and particular usages see entry ; see also got.have is also used with certain noun objects where the whole expression is equivalent to a verb:to have dinner = to dineto have a try = to tryto have a walk = to walkIn such cases the phrase is very often translated by the equivalent verb in French (dîner, essayer, se promener). For translations consult the appropriate noun entry (dinner, try, walk).had is used in English at the beginning of a clause to replace an expression with if. Such expressions are generally translated by si + past perfect tense, e.g.had I taken the train, this would never have happened= si j’avais pris le train, ce ne serait jamais arrivéhad there been a fire, we would all have been killed= s’il y avait eu un incendie, nous serions tous mortsFor examples of the above and all other uses of have see the entry. -
19 Usage note : nothing
‘what are you doing?’ ‘nothing’= ‘que fais-tu?’ ‘rien’nothing as a pronoun when it is the subject of a verb is translated by rien ne in French:nothing changes= rien ne changenothing has changed= rien n’a changénothing as a pronoun when it is the object of a verb is translated by ne rien ; ne comes before the verb, and before the auxiliary in compound tenses, and rien comes after the verb or auxiliary:I see nothing= je ne vois rienI saw nothing= je n’ai rien vuWhen ne rien is used with an infinitive the two words are not separated:I prefer to say nothing= je préfère ne rien direFor examples and particular usages, see A in the entry nothing. -
20 not
A adv1 ( negating verb) ne…pas ; she isn't at home elle n'est pas chez elle ; they didn't like it ils ne l'ont pas aimé ; we won't need a car nous n'aurons pas besoin d'une voiture ; has he not seen it? il ne l'a pas vu alors? ;2 (replacing word, clause, sentence etc) ‘is he angry?’-‘I hope not’ ‘est-il en colère?’-‘j'espère que non’ ; ‘is she married?’-‘I believe ou think not’ ‘est-ce qu'elle est mariée?’-‘je ne crois pas, je crois que non’ ; I'm afraid not je crains que non ; certainly/probably not sûrement/probablement pas ; not only ou simply ou merely ou just pas seulement ; tired or not, you're going to bed fatigué ou non, tu vas te coucher ; do you know whether he's coming or not? est-ce que tu sais s'il vient ou pas? ; whether it rains or not, I'm going qu'il pleuve ou non, j'y vais ; why not? pourquoi pas? ;3 ( contrasting) non pas ; they live in caves, not in houses, they live not in houses, but in caves ils habitent non pas dans des maisons, mais dans des grottes ; I laughed, not because I was amused but from nervousness je n'ai pas ri parce que je trouvais ça drôle, c'était nerveux ; he's not so much aggressive as assertive il est plutôt sûr de lui qu'agressif ;4 ( to emphasize opposite) it's not impossible/cheap ce n'est pas impossible/bon marché ; she's not a dishonest/an aggressive woman elle n'est pas malhonnête/agressive ; not without problems/some reservations non sans problèmes/quelques réserves ; you're not wrong tu n'as pas tort ; a not ou not an (entirely) unexpected response une réponse prévisible ;5 ( less than) moins de ; not three miles/hours from here à moins de trois miles/heures d'ici ; not five minutes ago il y a moins de cinq minutes ;6 ( in suggestions) hadn't we better pay the bill? est-ce qu'on ne ferait pas mieux de payer l'addition? ; couldn't we tell them later? est-ce qu'on ne pourrait pas le leur dire plus tard? ; why not do it now?, why don't we do it now? pourquoi ne pas le faire tout de suite? ;7 (with all, every) not all doctors agree, not every doctor agrees tous les docteurs ne sont pas d'accord ; not everyone likes it tout le monde ne l'aime pas ; it's not everyone that can speak several foreign languages tout le monde n'est pas capable de parler plusieurs langues ; it's not every day that ce n'est pas tous les jours que ;8 (with a, one) not a ou one pas un/-e, pas un/-e seul/-e ; not one ou a (single) chair/letter pas une seule chaise/lettre ; not a sound was heard on n'entendait pas un bruit ; not one ou a single person knew personne ne le savait.C † not but what ⇒ not that.D not that conj phr (it's) not that he hasn't been helpful/friendly non pas qu'il n'ait pas été serviable/aimable, ce n'est pas qu'il n'ait pas été serviable/aimable ; not that I know of pas (autant) que je sache ; if she refuses, not that she will… si elle refuse, je ne dis pas qu'elle le fera… Dans la langue parlée ou familière, not utilisé avec un auxiliaire ou un modal prend parfois la forme n't qui est alors accolée au verbe (eg you can't go, he hasn't finished).
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