Collins Gem
Collins Dictionaries
You will never be lost for words in your travels around France again! Your ideal travel companion will ensure that you can say what you need in French with ease and confidence.Reliable and easy-to-use, this phrasebook is an indispensable travel companion as you deal with the situations that crop up every day on holiday; from finding a chic hotel, or hiring a car to explore the countryside, to choosing a local delicacy from the menu, and, of course, setting up your wifi.With helpful travel information and cultural tips, plus a 3000-word dictionary, make sure you don’t go anywhere without this little ebook – an essential guide to speaking and understanding French when travelling in France and French-speaking countries.
Copyright (#ulink_6743adbf-b8ee-535a-bbea-c4f4e7b281f7)
HarperCollins Publishers
Westerhill Road
Bishopbriggs
Glasgow G64 2QT
Fourth Edition 2016
© HarperCollins Publishers 1993, 2007, 2010, 2016
Source ISBN: 9780008135881
Ebook Edition © March 2016 ISBN: 9780008163464
Version: 2016-03-01
Collins® and Collins Gem® are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers Limited
www.collinsdictionary.com (http://www.collinsdictionary.com)
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Acknowledgements (#ulink_b2cd33be-11c5-5e04-849d-e5c45ab2bc5c)
We would like to thank those authors and publishers who kindly gave permission for copyright material to be used in the Collins Corpus. We would also like to thank Times Newspapers Ltd for providing valuable data.
If you would like to comment on any aspect of this book, please contact us at the given address or online.
E-mail: dictionaries@harpercollins.co.uk (mailto:dictionaries@harpercollins.co.uk)
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Editor
Holly Tarbet
Contributors
Marie Ollivier-Caudray
Anna Stevenson
David White
For the Publisher
Gerry Breslin
Janice McNeillie
Helen Newstead
Using your phrasebook (#ulink_af3244bf-b940-5770-98dc-3913d4cc7be2)
Whether you’re on holiday or on business, your Collins Gem Phrasebook and Dictionary is designed to help you locate the exact phrase you need, when you need it. You’ll also gain the confidence to go beyond what is in the book, as you can adapt the phrases by using the dictionary section to substitute your own words.
The Gem Phrasebook and Dictionary includes:
• Over 60 topics arranged thematically, so that you can easily find an expression to suit the situation
• Simple pronunciation which accompanies each word and phrase, to make sure you are understood when speaking aloud
• Tips to safeguard against any cultural faux pas, providing the essential dos and don’ts of local customs or etiquette
• A basic grammar section which will help you to build on your phrases
•FACE TO FACE dialogue sections to give you a flavour of what to expect from a real conversation
• A handy map of the country which shows the major cities and how to pronounce them
•YOU MAY HEAR sections for common announcements and messages, so that you don’t miss important information when out and about
• A user-friendly 3000 word dictionary to ensure you’ll never be stuck for something to say
• A short chapter of LIFELINE phrases for quick reference. These basic words and phrases will be essential to your time abroad
Before you jet off, it’s worth spending time looking through the topics to see what is covered and becoming familiar with pronunciation.
Contents
Copyright (#ulink_e20a314a-b2f5-551f-8df7-32baa6440e43)
Acknowledgements (#ulink_0e360819-73da-56c1-ae26-3092e397c028)
Using your phrasebook (#ulink_04929390-a740-59a1-a4b8-fa398e095797)
Pronouncing French (#ulink_a5600a19-51bb-5f01-8b5e-5c17d6ac0453)
Top ten tips (#ulink_6f2f380f-850e-54cb-8186-795eb5755603)
Talking to people (#ulink_7427d703-a80a-5977-a204-5184720b39b6)
Hello/goodbye, yes/no (#ulink_a828ae6a-d39f-52fe-8002-4035282b776c)
Key phrases (#ulink_64b9609e-1a0f-5dab-8753-bb66836554b7)
Signs and notices (#ulink_60494f10-62a4-595e-b96d-160ddcdcda3d)
Polite expressions (#ulink_bb753300-cca4-5efb-85a9-8f1f87cb03e5)
Celebrations (#ulink_739c008f-a119-5744-8cfd-2c623e300f76)
Making friends (#ulink_4e738a9e-7457-57ca-ba9b-aa2558dfc19d)
Work (#ulink_0a79c7fa-3283-5c0e-9e48-1cbf0d5ef0e3)
Weather (#ulink_5d0c8f85-4bad-5952-a926-b73d49387b88)
Getting around (#ulink_f5adda87-85b4-539d-a48e-f7aca1406f50)
Asking the way (#ulink_7d9d38fc-a68e-57a5-afe9-8fa967cf84d7)
Bus and coach (#ulink_47eaa0cb-cf65-5f31-872d-bd726a44de5d)
Metro (#ulink_d3f5da24-13a4-5f79-b39d-a3df3f45dc71)
Train (#ulink_f597929c-5dc9-51d2-a4eb-68d7d01e7617)
Taxi (#ulink_0f9ec22c-bde5-5406-92c1-7875ec7f7c08)
Boat and ferry (#ulink_b74ed664-c37a-5d81-aba9-da628c499ab5)
Air travel (#ulink_018bfe3a-e9b6-5e6d-9e41-8d5598fd416c)
Customs control (#ulink_88ab56c9-1cbe-57d7-a443-0482df1ded72)
Car hire (#ulink_c548ef8e-00df-57dc-87fe-5a24b7f84d52)
Driving (#ulink_fe364197-4433-5ab6-b869-350d66d56223)
Petrol (#ulink_75f2e1d6-9041-55fd-bc3a-1fd0b1bcf0c1)
Breakdown (#ulink_3206afeb-53b0-5d98-8fe4-fe0d6ea8c682)
Car parts (#ulink_b582403b-09a2-5d51-a116-2cb44be4cb3d)
Road signs (#ulink_57c5f0d6-094e-5252-b30d-6fea7c3df110)
Staying somewhere (#ulink_65544abc-fc64-5911-b7fc-c94d831415f1)
Hotel (booking) (#ulink_5dad2bdb-ff00-559a-b67d-e61362a4b2c5)
Hotel desk (#ulink_c58cda4e-fb92-541e-996b-5cf37a53d091)
Camping (#ulink_ae104706-0ea9-5115-83da-5f45e452130d)
Self-catering (#ulink_f71eac63-4aeb-5aa4-b108-0b95701dd45b)
Shopping (#ulink_6633511e-8342-5c13-aa37-38481a956352)
Shopping phrases (#ulink_c1c3baab-e2fe-5151-8139-dfce26184d15)
Shops (#ulink_4fb5a85e-73ac-5057-add5-70a9f1401963)
Food (general) (#ulink_a8f3a11c-7e53-5526-a0b7-df55db478535)
Food (fruit and veg) (#ulink_33ccd263-18ad-50c1-970f-c57dca931fcd)
Clothes (#ulink_97e61009-fb10-542e-bdc0-45e75157bc2f)
Clothes (articles) (#ulink_da71ae0c-e422-5c69-bc68-f530012b5940)
Maps and guides (#litres_trial_promo)
Post office (#litres_trial_promo)
Technology (#litres_trial_promo)
Leisure (#litres_trial_promo)
Sightseeing and tourist office (#litres_trial_promo)
Entertainment (#litres_trial_promo)
Nightlife (#litres_trial_promo)
Out and about (#litres_trial_promo)
Music (#litres_trial_promo)
Sport (#litres_trial_promo)
Walking (#litres_trial_promo)
Communications (#litres_trial_promo)
Telephone and mobile (#litres_trial_promo)
Text messaging (#litres_trial_promo)
E-mail (#litres_trial_promo)
Internet (#litres_trial_promo)
Practicalities (#litres_trial_promo)
Money (#litres_trial_promo)
Paying (#litres_trial_promo)
Luggage (#litres_trial_promo)
Laundry (#litres_trial_promo)
Complaints (#litres_trial_promo)
Problems (#litres_trial_promo)
Emergencies (#litres_trial_promo)
Health (#litres_trial_promo)
Pharmacy (#litres_trial_promo)
Doctor (#litres_trial_promo)
Dentist (#litres_trial_promo)
Eating out (#litres_trial_promo)
Eating places (#litres_trial_promo)
In a bar/café (#litres_trial_promo)
Reading the menu (#litres_trial_promo)
In a restaurant (#litres_trial_promo)
Dietary requirements (#litres_trial_promo)
Wines and spirits (#litres_trial_promo)
Menu reader (#litres_trial_promo)
Reference (#litres_trial_promo)
Alphabet (#litres_trial_promo)
Measurements and quantities (#litres_trial_promo)
Numbers (#litres_trial_promo)
Days and months (#litres_trial_promo)
Time (#litres_trial_promo)
Time phrases (#litres_trial_promo)
Public holidays (#litres_trial_promo)
Phonetic map (#litres_trial_promo)
Grammar (#litres_trial_promo)
Dictionary (#litres_trial_promo)
LIFELINE words and phrases (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Pronouncing French (#ulink_3108eaa0-1d20-5e50-8e31-19482d01bd96)
In this book we have used a simple system to help you pronounce the phrases. We have designed the book so that as you read the pronunciation of the phrases you can follow the French. This will help you to recognize the different sounds and enable you to read French without relying on the guide. Here are a few rules you should know:
e is sometimes weak and sounds like uh. This happens either in very short words (je zhuh, le luh, se suh, etc.) or when the e falls at the end of a syllable: retard ruh-tar, depuis duh-pwee.
h is not pronounced: hôtel oh-tel, haricot a-ree-koh.
There are nasal vowels in French (represented by ñ):
un uñ
fin/bain fañ/bañ
on oñ
dans/en dahñ/ahñ
Word endings are often silent: Paris pa-ree, Londres loñdr, parlent parl. However, the ending is sometimes pronounced if it is followed by a word which begins with a vowel:
avez-vous a-vay voo but vous avez voo za-vay.
In French, unlike English, there is normally no strong accent on any syllable, but instead a slight emphasis on the final syllable of each word, phrase and sentence, which takes the form of a rising intonation rather than an increase in volume.
Top ten tips (#ulink_d07b3beb-6484-59d3-9fbd-79ad3767bde6)
1 Use vous instead of tu until you are asked to use the familiar form. Do not use first names until you are invited.
2 If you visit French people at their home, your hosts will appreciate a small gift of something typically British, such as tea, jam or biscuits.
3 Do not forget to stamp your train ticket before getting on the train – otherwise it will not be valid.
4 By law, French people must carry their ID cards all the time, and there could be ID inspections in the street (especially in big cities). The police will ask ‘Vos papiers, s’il vous plaît’.
5 If giving someone flowers, you should avoid chrysanthemums (they are funeral flowers) and red roses (they have romantic connotations).
6 Keep your hands on the table at all times during a meal – do not place them on your lap. Elbows, however, should be kept off the table!
7 If you are travelling by car in France, you should always be aware not to leave valuables in plain sight when parking in tourist sites and villages.
8 When addressing a stranger, always add Monsieur or Madame, even if you are only asking for directions.
9 In some areas (especially the countryside) people do not speak a word of English, so have your phrasebook ready!
10 If you are travelling and have a medical issue, you can call SOS Médecins (dial 3624). They will come to your hotel or home at any time, 24/7. You will usually be charged around 50–70 euros for this service.
Talking to people (#ulink_051d0e01-5069-5383-abd5-47060c9e2f5b)
Hello/goodbye, yes/no (#ulink_7a0092b8-2b12-583f-bba8-002cf01100b1)
You will find the French quite formal in their greetings, shaking hands both on meeting and on parting. French people, when they know each other well, greet each other with a kiss on each cheek. Bonjour, madame or bonjour, monsieur are the politest ways to greet someone. Mademoiselle is becoming less frequently used. Salut is more informal than bonjour. If someone offers you something, perhaps an extra serving of food, and you simply reply merci, they will take this to mean ‘no’. You must say oui, merci or you will go hungry!
Key phrases (#ulink_0c39de11-ce86-55cf-9993-bc70857117a1)
You don’t need to say complicated things to get what you want. Often simply naming the thing and adding s’il vous plaît will do the trick, even when asking for directions.
Signs and notices (#ulink_79a7c568-fb12-50a1-982c-c6defdc7cbd6)
Polite expressions (#ulink_2ad1b793-691e-527c-8a42-e7c23de23f47)
There are two forms of address in French, formal (vous) and informal (tu). You should always stick to the formal until you are invited to tutoyer (use the informal tu).
Celebrations (#ulink_97140acc-eafb-5a6e-a2c3-d49847762657)
Christmas celebrations revolve around food as much as they do presents. They start on Christmas Eve (réveillon de Noël) with a lavish meal lasting many hours. The main course is usually goose, turkey, capon or white pudding followed by the traditional dessert, a bûche de Noël (Christmas log). Families start the celebrations with an apéritif before the meal accompanied by foie gras and elaborate amuse-bouche (nibbles). Champagne sometimes replaces the usual apéritif drinks.
Making friends (#ulink_02052cd7-43a9-50d4-81b9-40ff00b2f96e)
In this section we have used the informal tu for the questions.
Work (#ulink_4226a153-2d39-57d5-97d4-1b6bdd21113c)
Weather (#ulink_9d720bca-32ce-5d1c-a569-3a016017990b)
Getting around (#ulink_2e16723d-c15e-5910-bf77-2597b8745c31)
Asking the way (#ulink_458784f6-9b48-5d38-a3ba-3210eb449ac9)
Bus and coach (#ulink_e2a6ac56-6b9b-5f47-bcd3-2ccd84d3203c)
Public transport is free for children under four. Children between four and eleven pay half price.
Metro (#ulink_442c6c7e-bb06-5205-b663-37da5d210965)
There are metro services in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Toulouse and Rennes. In Paris, ticket options include un carnet de dix tickets (a book of ten tickets), which can be used on the metro, bus and RER (a network of high-speed trains connecting Paris and the suburbs). You can also buy a PARIS VISITE, a ticket lasting 1–5 days that allows unlimited travel on all forms of public transport as well as discounts for certain tourist attractions.
Train (#ulink_273f9002-72fe-5a34-bb85-fb699b113c0d)
Before you catch your train, you must validate your ticket in one of the machines situated on the platforms, which carry the warning n’oubliez pas de composter votre billet. Failing to do so could result in a fine. The TGV (train à grande vitesse) is a high-speed train network that runs between major French towns/cities and into neighbouring countries. It is expensive, but reduced-price tickets called TGV PREM’S are available if booked several weeks in advance. Other services that use TGV trains include the Eurostar (connecting Paris with London), the Thalys (connecting Paris with Lille, Brussels and Amsterdam) and the TGV Lyria (connecting Paris with the main Swiss cities).
Taxi (#ulink_a67d7ef6-442a-5734-afdd-9bdbfc8d0b63)
The main taxi companies in Paris are Les Taxis bleus, Alphataxi and G7. A French taxi is available for hire when the taxi sign is lit up in white or green. If a taxi is occupied, the sign is switched off or lit up in red.
Boat and ferry (#ulink_d2fd2136-edeb-576d-beda-a5de39db29e5)
Air travel (#ulink_2e21761e-1bc3-5255-9298-ae2009c2cb07)
The three main airports in Paris are Paris Charles-de-Gaulle (also called Roissy), Paris Orly and Beauvais-Tillé. The latter is the airport used by most budget airlines for flights to Paris. Despite being referred to as Paris-Beauvais, this airport is actually more than 50 miles outside the city.
Customs control (#ulink_f90ca017-39d6-5752-a7b1-e3b925f467fe)
With the Single European Market, European Union (EU) citizens are subject only to spot checks and can go through the blue customs channel (unless they have goods to declare). There is no restriction, in either quantity or value, on goods purchased by EU travellers in another EU country provided that they are for personal use.
Car hire (#ulink_76457133-2d8b-51b0-a83d-036df446dc1b)
To hire a car in France, you must be at least 21 years old and have held a driving licence for a year or more.
Driving (#ulink_5c1dbc04-ac88-517d-b79b-cdf55a8bb7d6)
When driving in Paris, try not to let yourself get stressed by the discourteous driving you may encounter! If you visit in August, you will find that many Parisians have left the city and it will be easier to get around.
Petrol (#ulink_6bd3ebd7-6788-53b5-9620-0f821b638566)
Breakdown (#ulink_76e07e78-e72f-5a54-aa26-7f61142c4e5f)
Car parts (#ulink_95d524c9-fdad-594d-9d14-0a03facd2f2f)
Road signs (#ulink_34ae0abc-e3ca-5d96-808e-9ae967797cd4)
customs
toll station for motorway
give way
slow down
one way
diversion
priority road
spaces
full
no parking
switch on your lights
speeds are in kilometres per hour
motorway
Staying somewhere (#ulink_f4b6747f-5fb0-5420-a588-e791b5001322)
Hotel (booking) (#ulink_59a8207f-c3f4-5742-8625-5734c490a5c0)
You can book accommodation over the internet using the French Tourist Office website, www.franceguide.fr.
Hotel desk (#ulink_3319faaa-4087-52da-959c-9fbeeeb230d8)
You generally have to fill in a registration form (fiche d’hôtel) and give your passport number on arrival.
Camping (#ulink_73712027-7afa-5129-a8a3-027d7383af4b)
Self-catering (#ulink_15b7c5fe-dc6d-53c8-8c02-aeb38b6fd943)
You can find a variety of self-catering accommodation on www.gites-de-france.com, the website of the national Gîtes de France federation. Another popular website for private accommodation is www.airbnb.fr.
Shopping (#ulink_9135317d-e21c-5b31-b0e9-765ab15926ea)
Shopping phrases (#ulink_bae7766d-9505-5c9b-9446-4b1afb24bf0b)
French shop opening hours are approximately 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., but many shops (except those in Paris) close between 12 and 2 p.m. Most are closed on Sundays and some also on Mondays.
Shops (#ulink_096a1b95-1915-574f-a6c1-c593d3194f7a)
Food (general) (#ulink_b101595c-8af8-501f-8049-b0bf2381e650)
Food (fruit and veg) (#ulink_ff8fc8a0-5d0f-5c41-960f-ac7888261d40)
Fruit
Vegetables
Clothes (#ulink_c6a295d7-7d8a-52b7-856d-854a8bc99ce6)
Size for clothes is la taille (ta-yuh); for shoes it is la pointure (pwañ-tewr).
Clothes (articles) (#ulink_62b7b109-3e5d-5f3c-b77d-ae52b47acdb0)
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
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