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Flashcards in Lesson 20 Deck (62)
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1
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Je vais me faire à manger plus tard

A

J’vais m’faire à manger plus tard

In informal French, all monosyllabic words that end in “e” – like je, me, ne, se, etc. – are usually shortened to just the sound of the consonant in front of other consonants.

2
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Je suis au courant, mais je ne sais pas si elle va partir

A

J’suis au courant, mais j’sais pas si elle va partir

Note the informal pronunciation of both j’suis and j’sais pas, including how the ne has disappeared completely.

3
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Tu ne veux pas sortir, mais je t’assure, je ne vois personne! Il n’y a rien à craindre

A

Tu veux pas sortir, mais je t’assure, je vois personne! Y’a rien à craindre

In informal, spoken French, the ne in negative sentences is usually dropped, but the second negative word (pas, personne, rien, etc.) is retained. Also note how il y a is pronounced y’a.

4
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Tu as raison mais tu es quand même coupable

A

T’as raison mais t’es quand même coupable

In colloquial French, when tu is in front of a vowel, it usually contracts just like te. Keep in mind that this is grammatically incorrect but very common in everyday speech.

5
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Quand est le prochain film? Où est le cinéma? Qui est le protagoniste du film?

A

C’est quand le prochain film? C’est où le cinéma? C’est qui le protagoniste du film?

In everyday spoken French, it is common to ask questions with the formula c’est + question word + noun.

6
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

It’s the guy I saw last night!

A

C’est le mec que j’ai vu hier soir!

a guy, a man - un mec. This is a slang word that is very commonly used. When paired with a possessive adjective, as in mon mec or son mec, it usually means “boyfriend.”

7
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Don’t invite her! I can’t stand that girl

A

L’invite pas! Je peux pas supporter cette meuf

a girl, a woman - une meuf. This is the commonly used, informal word for a girl or woman, although it can be viewed as derogatory depending on context. When paired with a possessive adjective, as in ma meuf or sa meuf, it usually means “girlfriend.” Note how ne has been dropped from the two negative sentences.

8
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

That guy over there is a friend of my brother’s

A

Le mec là-bas est un pote de mon frère

a friend, a pal - un pote. This informal word is usually reserved for one’s close friends.

9
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

This book is really interesting!

A

Il est vachement intéressant, ce bouquin!

really, very - vachement. This is an informal adverb. Notice the tendency to use a pronoun in the beginning of the sentence and then mention the actual noun at the end. Also note that bouquin is slang for “book.”

10
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Your girlfriend is super nice

A

Elle est hyper sympa, ta meuf

very, super - hyper. This is a slang word. Also note how the pronoun is used at the beginning of the sentence, then how the actual noun is used at the end.

11
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

What are you talking about?!

A

Qu’est-ce que tu racontes?!

What are you talking about? - Qu’est-ce que tu racontes?. Notice that this is not the regular verb for “to talk.” Raconter usually means “to tell,” “to recount,” or “to narrate.”

12
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

You really annoy me! Shut up!

A

Qu’est-ce que tu m’énerves! Ta gueule!

shut up - ta gueule. This common informal expression is shortened from ferme ta gueule – “shut your face/mouth.”

13
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

I don’t care (about) what you think

A

Je m’en fiche de ce que tu penses

to not care - s’en ficher. Note how de is used to mean “about.” A more vulgar version of this expression is s’en foutre.

14
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Wow, you bought that car? No way!

A

Waouh, t’as acheté cette voiture-là? La vache!

no way - la vache. This expression is comparable to “holy cow” in English. Also note the informal contraction of tu here.

15
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

I don’t like this restaurant. Let’s leave!

A

J’aime pas trop ce resto. On se casse!

to leave - se casser. This verb should only be used colloquially. It is often considered rude in the imperative form, casse-toi, which is like “scram” in English. Also note that resto is slang for “restaurant.”

16
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

He has put on so much weight, you can tell

A

Il a tellement grossi, ça se voit

you can tell, it’s obvious - ça se voit

17
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Did you enjoy the film?

A

Et le film, t’as kiffé?

to love, to enjoy - kiffer. This is an informal term.

18
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

I love/like your new car

A

Je kiffe ta nouvelle caisse

a car - une caisse, une bagnole. These are slang terms.

19
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

That guy is really weird

A

Ce mec est vraiment chelou

weird, sketchy - chelou. Note that this word is the verlan of louche. Verlan is a French backward-slang whereby the syllables of words are reversed.

20
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Doing homework on Sunday – that sucks!

A

Faire les devoirs le dimanche – ça craint!

that sucks - ça craint. This is an informal expression.

21
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

He was so drunk, he couldn’t even manage to speak

A

Il était tellement bourré, il arrivait même pas à parler

drunk - bourré. Note that this is a colloquial term.

22
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

They freaked out when they saw me

A

Ils ont flippé quand ils m’ont vu

to freak out - flipper. Keep in mind that this is a slang term.

23
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

You got kicked out of the club? That’s embarrassing!

A

Tu t’es fait virer de la boîte? La honte!

that’s/how embarrassing - la honte. The “h” in honte is aspirated so it does not contract.

24
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

He wrote her a love poem? That’s crazy

A

Il lui a écrit un poème d’amour? C’est ouf

crazy, absurd - ouf. Note that this term is the verlan of fou.

25
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Don’t you find Sophie’s boyfriend annoying?

A

Tu le trouves pas relou, le mec de Sophie?

annoying - relou. This word is technically the verlan of lourd, but takes on meanings like “annoying,” “difficult,” or “lame.”

26
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

I am fed up with this class

A

J’en ai marre de ce cours

to be fed up with something - en avoir marre de quelque chose

27
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

I’m sick of seeing the same clothes everywhere

A

J’en ai marre de voir les mêmes fringues partout

clothes - des fringues. This is a feminine plural slang word.

28
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

He dumped his girlfriend by text? That’s crazy!

A

Il a largué sa copine par texto? C’est dingue!

mad, crazy, nuts - dingue. Note the informal term for “text message,” texto. Meanwhile, larguer (quelqu’un) is the slang alternative to rompre avec (quelqu’un), “to break up with/dump (someone).”

29
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

I don’t like to eat pizza with my hands, I think that’s disgusting

A

J’aime pas manger la pizza avec les mains, je trouve ça dégueu

dirty, gross, disgusting - dégueu. This is a shortened form of the adjective dégueulasse.

30
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

You should go home, you’re totally drunk

A

Tu devrais rentrer, t’es vachement défoncé

drunk, wasted - défoncé. Alternatives include déchiré and bourré.

31
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

I really like Moroccan food

A

Je kiffe trop la bouffe marocaine

food - la bouffe. Note that bouffer is the slang verb for “to eat.”

32
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

If I had money, I would gladly go out with you guys

A

Si j’avais du blé, je sortirais volontiers avec vous

money - le blé. This is an informal term. Also note the adverb volontiers, which means “gladly” or “willingly.”

33
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

I don’t have any money, I need to work this weekend

A

J’ai pas de blé, j’ai besoin de bosser ce week-end

to work - bosser. Keep in mind that this is a slang term.

34
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

If only you knew how mad I am right now!

A

Si tu savais comme j’ai les boules là!

to be mad/annoyed - avoir les boules. This is an informal expression. Avoir les glandes means “to be scared.”

35
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

They broke my cell phone last week

A

Ils ont pété mon portable la semaine dernière

to break - péter. Note that the literal meaning of this verb is “to fart,” so be careful how and when you use it.

36
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

You want us to break up? Are you kidding me?

A

Tu veux qu’on rompe? Mais tu te fous de ma gueule?

to kid/mock/mess with someone - se foutre de la gueule de quelqu’un. A shorter alternative is se foutre de quelqu’un. Foutre is a common slang term that can also mean “to do”: Qu’est-ce que tu fous dehors? – “What (the heck) are you doing outside?”

37
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

We should clean the house today. I’m kidding!

A

Nous devrions faire le ménage aujourd’hui. Je rigole!

to be kidding - rigoler. Note that this verb also means “to laugh.”

38
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

It’s not worth it, just forget it

A

Ça vaut pas le coup, laisse tomber

forget it - laisse tomber. This is a common colloquial expression. Note how the negative ne has been dropped.

39
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Never mind

A

T’inquiète

never mind, don’t worry - c’est pas grave, t’inquiète. Note that these common expressions are shortened from ce n’est pas grave and ne t’inquiète pas, respectively.

40
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

We need to find a restaurant, I am starving!

A

Il faut qu’on trouve un resto, j’ai la dalle!

to be starving - avoir la dalle. This is an informal expression.

41
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

See you next time!

A

À la prochaine!

see you next time - à la prochaine (fois)

42
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

See you later!

A

À plus!

see you later - à plus (tard). Note how when tard is dropped from this expression, the “s” in plus is pronounced.

43
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

That’s completely brilliant!

A

C’est carrément génial!

completely, real - carrément. This is an informal use of this adverb, which technically means “squarely.”

44
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Which one do you want? Either one. It doesn’t matter to me

A

Tu veux lequel? Ça m’est égal

It doesn’t matter to me - Ça m’est égal

45
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

It’s OK it doesn’t matter

A

Ça fait rien

It’s OK it doesn’t matter - Ça (ne) fait rien. Note that in spoken French, the ne is dropped.

46
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

That isn’t done

A

Ça se fait pas

That isn’t done - Ça (ne) se fait pas. Another way of translating this expression is “We don’t do that/One doesn’t do that.” Also recall that in spoken French, the ne is dropped.

47
Q

Rewrite in INFORMAL French:

Watch out!

A

Fais gaffe!

Watch out! - Fais gaffe! This is an informal expression.

48
Q

Translate to French:

Let me see

A

Fais voir

Let me see - Fais voir

49
Q

Translate to French:

Sophie is fooling herself

A

Sophie se fait des illusions

to be fooling oneself - se faire des illusions

50
Q

Translate to French:

That will do him some good

A

Ça lui fera du bien

That will do him/her some good - Ça lui fera du bien

51
Q

Translate to French:

Make yourself at home

A

Faites comme chez vous

Make yourself at home - Faites comme chez vous. This is a common, polite expression that is used formally.

52
Q

Translate to French:

Don’t hesitate (feel free) to ask me questions

A

N’hésitez pas à me poser des questions

to hesitate - hésiter

53
Q

Translate to French:

Paul is acting like a child

A

Paul fait l’enfant

to act immature/like a child - faire l’enfant

54
Q

Translate to French:

Well, I don’t know anything about that

A

Alors là, je n’en sais rien

Well, I don’t know anything about that - Alors là, je n’en sais rien

55
Q

Translate to French:

That’s another thing

A

Ça, c’est autre chose

That’s another thing - Ça, c’est autre chose

56
Q

Translate to French:

It’s hopeless

A

Rien à faire

It’s hopeless - Rien à faire

57
Q

Translate to French:

Isaac was sulking after his birthday

A

Isaac faisait la tête après son anniversaire

to pout, to sulk - faire la tête

58
Q

Translate to French:

No problem

A

Pas de souci

no problem - pas de souci. This is a shortened way of saying il n’y a pas de souci. Souci is a masculine noun meaning “worry.”

59
Q

Translate to French:

As a result, they had to leave

A

Du coup, ils ont dû partir

as a result, thus, then - du coup. This construction is very common in everyday spoken French.

60
Q

Translate to French:

Well, there it is

A

Et bien, le voilà. / Tiens, le voilà

well - et bien, tiens. These are used as interjections, often at the beginning of sentences. Tiens is often used to mean “Hey!”

61
Q

Translate to French:

Don’t hold it against me

A

Ne m’en veux pas

to hold something against someone - en vouloir à quelqu’un

62
Q

Translate to French:

There’s no point in repeating his name several times

A

Ce n’est pas la peine de répéter son nom plusieurs fois

it’s not worth it to, it’s pointless to, there’s no point in - ce n’est pas la peine de