French Word of the Day

an extra driver

Combien coûte-t-il pour ajouter un conducteur supplémentaire?
How much does it cost to add an extra driver?

TODAY
We always enjoy covering vocabulary topics about travel, because they contain essential words and phrases for French language learners who want to visit a French-speaking country. Today, we’re looking at a useful French word for a conversation about renting a car.

to hurt

Ça m’a fait mal.
That hurt me.

there

1. With future and conditional tenses of aller (to go)
Avoid using the pronoun y with the future and conditional tenses of the verb aller, to go. It’s perfectly acceptable to use y with the near-future tense of aller (je vais y aller) — but not the future tense (j’irai) or the conditional tense (j’irais). The French do not say j’y irai. Instead, they would say j’irai or j’irai là-bas. Consider the following:

• Je vais y aller. J’irai. J’irais.
  I am going to go there. I will go (there). I would go (there).

2. With people
In the example below, note the correct way to replace a prepositional phrase that includes a person. In general, y is not used to replace people.

• Je pense à Paul. Je pense à lui.
  I’m thinking of Paul. I’m thinking of him.
• Marc pense à Marie. Il pense à elle.
  Marc is thinking of Marie. He is thinking of her.
• Jean pense à Marc et Marie. Il pense à eux.
  Jean is thinking of Marc and Marie. He is thinking of them.

3. Y can be used to replace things
Remember that, even though y is generally not used to replace people, above, it is the right choice to replace things in sentences constructed the same way.

• Je pense à mes devoirs. J’y pense.
  I’m thinking about my homework. I’m thinking about it.

TODAY
We’re focusing on the adverbial pronoun y.

to get in the car

Je suis monté en voiture, et j’ai mis ma ceinture de sécurité.
I got in the car, and I put on my seat belt.

TODAY
When you learn the word for car, la voiture, in French class, the vocabulary sometimes doesn’t go too far beyond that. But there is, of course, so much vocabulary related to cars and driving. Today’s phrase was selected to help you get beyond la voiture and get you moving.

(the) babbling

C’est seulement le babillage ou un vrai langage que les bébés partagent?
Is it just babbling or a true language the babies share?

a flexible schedule

Les employés cherchent de plus en plus des horaires flexibles.
Employees are increasingly looking for flexible schedules.

TODAY
Our word is inspired by the workplace and working.

to wind a watch

Si vous avez une montre à remontage manuel, il faut la remonter.
If you have a manually winding watch, you have to wind it.

ALSO
le remontoir = winder, stem
Il faut tourner le remontoir. (It’s necessary to turn the stem.)

n.m.pl., income

Il faut payer des impôts sur les revenus.
We have to pay taxes on income.

TODAY
Note how the French often use the plural les revenus instead of the singular form of the word as we do with income in English. It’s one example of singular and plural differences between the two languages.

Take your time!

Prenez votre temps! C’est samedi.
Take your time! It’s Saturday.

As you can see, this is what we did today.

You can, of course, also say this in the informal form: Prends ton temps!