10 French expressions to know
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Hello english speakers who want to learn French 🙂 !
In this article I share with you 10 French expressions to know and 10 sentences to train.
Here is the 10 French expressions :
1)…et du coup… → …and so…
To express the consequence.
Example :
Il a raté son train et du coup il n’est pas arrivé à l’heure à son rendez-vous. → He missed his train and so he did not arrive on time for his appointment.
2) On dirait = cela ressembla à / ça ressemble à → it seems / it looks like
To express the resemblance.
Example :
Eh regarde, on dirait Sophie là-bas. → Look, it looks like Sophie over there.
3) Prendre mal quelque chose → take something wrong/badly
Example :
Je lui ai dit que sa voiture n’était pas belle et il l’a mal pris. → I told him that his car was not beautiful and he took it badly.
4) Se débrouiller → to get by, to manage
- Find some way, arrange for
Example :
Fais comme tu veux mais débrouille-toi pour arriver à l’heure ! → Do what you want but get by on time!
- Getting out of your own hands
Example :
-Tu vas réussir à porter toutes ces valises ? → Will you manage to carry all these suitcases ?
T’inquiète pas, je vais me débrouiller. → Do not worry, I'll manage.
-Mais tu vas faire comment dans cette ville tout seul ? → But how are you doing in this city alone ?
Ne t’en fais pas, je me débrouillerai ! → Do not worry, I'll manage!
5) Cela (ça) ne te regarde pas → this does not concern you
= It's not your business, you do not have to know that
Example :
-Tu vas voter pour qui aux prochaines élections ? → You will vote for whom in the next elections ?
Ça ne te regarde pas ! → It does not concern you!
6) Tu (n’)as qu’à… / t’as qu’à… → you only have to, you just
To introduce an action
Example :
-Je n’arrive pas à utiliser ce programme informatique ! → I cannot use this computer program!
Tu n’as qu’as parler avec Étienne, il connait parfaitement ce programme ! → You only have to speak with Stephen, he knows this program perfectly!
-Je ne veux pas donner ce paquet à Jean ! → I do not want to give this package to Jean !
Tu n’as qu’à pas le lui donner ! → You just have not to give it to him !
7) C’est à qui ? → Who is it to ?
- To ask who owns an object
Example :
C’est à qui le téléphone sur la table ? → Who's the phone on the table?
- To ask who should do the action now
Example :
-C’est à qui de jouer ? → Who's to play ?
C’est à moi, c’est mon tour ! → It's mine, it's my turn !
8) Tu en es où ? (t’en es où ?) → Where are you ?
When are you in the realization of an action, a project?
Example :
-Tu as fini ta thèse ? → You finished your thesis ?
Non ! → No !
Tu en es où ? → Where are you ?
À la fin. → At the end.
9) Cela (ça) me tarde → I am impatient of
= I really want, I cannot wait for something to happen.
Example :
-Elle arrive quand Marie ? → When does Mary arrive ?
Demain. → Tomorrow.
Ça me tarde de la voir ! → I cannot wait to see her!
10) S'entendre bien/mal avec quelqu’un → Get along well/badly with someone
Have a good / bad relationship with someone.
Example :
-Tu t’entends bien avec ton frère ? → You get along well with your brother?
Non, avec mon frère, on s’est toujours très mal entendus ! → No, with my brother, we always got along badly!
Exercises
1 - Je suis impatient de revoir ma famille. ………………………………………...............………..de retourner en France.
2 - Julie déménage à Paris…………………………………………...…………....……., on ne la verra plus beaucoup.
3 -Tu n’as toujours pas fini le film! Mais………………………………………..……………..…………….………….?
4 - Christophe et Robert se disputent toujours ! …………………………………………………................………………..!
5 - Je viens de jouer. Et maintenant, ……………………………………………………………..……………..de jouer ?
6 - Tu crois que si je lui dis qu’on ne peut pas aller au mariage, ……………………………….…….......…..……?
7 - Jacques m’a demandé combien je gagne mais moi, je trouve que ………………………………......………… !
8 - Ne t’inquiète pas, ce n’est pas utile que tu m’accompagnes, ………………………………………….........…. !
9 - Si tu penses que Catherine a besoin de toi, ………………………………………...…….lui proposer ton aide !
10 - Eh regarde ! ………………………………........………que cette leçon plaît beaucoup aux étudiants, c’est super !
Answers
1 - Je suis impatient de revoir ma famille. Ça me tarde de retourner en France.
I cannot wait to see my family again I cannot wait to go back to France.
2 - Julie déménage à Paris et du coup, on ne la verra plus beaucoup.
Julie moved to Paris and so, we will not see much.
3 -Tu n’as toujours pas fini le film! Mais tu en es où ?
You still have not finished the movie! Where are you ?
4 - Christophe et Robert se disputent toujours ! Ils s’entendent mal !
Christophe and Robert are still arguing! They get along badly!
5 - Je viens de jouer. Et maintenant, c’est à qui de jouer ?
I just played. And now, who's playing?
6 - Tu crois que si je lui dis qu’on ne peut pas aller au mariage, il va le prendre mal ?
Do you think that if I tell him that we cannot go to the marriage, he will take it badly?
7 - Jacques m’a demandé combien je gagne mais moi, je trouve que ça ne le regarde pas !
Jacques asked me how much I win but I think it does not concern him!
8 - Ne t’inquiète pas, ce n’est pas utile que tu m’accompagnes, je vais me débrouiller !
Do not worry, it's not useful for you to go with me, I'll manage!
9 - Si tu penses que Catherine a besoin de toi, tu n’as qu’à lui proposer ton aide !
If you think Catherine needs you, just offer her help!
10 - Eh regarde ! On dirait que cette leçon plaît beaucoup aux étudiants, c’est super !
Eh look! It looks like this lesson is very popular with students, it's great!
You can find others French expressions in this article, enjoy it !
Thanks for reading this article 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
Thomas Ricomard
Thomas Ricomard specializes in teaching French as a foreign language. He has been providing private lessons since 2015, both in-person and online (via Skype). He taught at the Popular University of the Canton of Geneva (Switzerland) from 2015 to 2018, instructing several groups of 20 students from around the world (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Spain, Brazil, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mexico, etc.), ranging from beginner to intermediate levels (A1 to B2). With a Master’s degree in clinical and cognitive psychology from the University of Geneva, his knowledge of psychology allows him to tailor his teaching methods for optimal learning, taking into account factors such as visual memory versus auditory memory. He expresses his passion for the French language through writing texts, including poetry and songs, which he presents publicly at numerous music and slam events.
J‘ aime bien les exercise. Merci!
Correction : J’aime bien les exercices.
“Exercises” est le mot anglais.
Je suis content que cela te plaise. Merci beaucoup Béatrice !
débrouiller- débrouillerai , why does the words change a lot when you put in a different sentenses if the translations r the same,like in this word for example,how do we know how & where to change them?
“Débrouiller” is the infinitive (not conjugated), ex : to get by, to manage. And “débrouillerai” is the future, ex : i will manage to do something. The verb “Se débrouiller” in the future tense is : je me débrouillerai, tu te débrouilleras, il/elle se débrouillera, nous nous débrouillerons, vous vous débrouillerez, ils/elles se débrouilleront.