French Help
 

I did really well last month using my French in Paris. My sisters and daughter were totally impressed. I was able to get directions (and understand them), ask questions about the menu (and make reservations), as well as ask for food and wine recommendations, and carry on basic conversations. The French were so lovely. I was even able to ask an older lady with a cane at Versailles if she needed help getting down the stairs. She grabbed my arm and was very grateful.

I used the Pimsleur cd's (all three sets). Occasionally I get phrases stuck in my head and can't remember what they mean. Sometimes I have them mixed up and thus the problem. Now I have one running through my head which I cannot remember or figure out using babelfish so ... here goes.

Sounds like: on sue momo

I believe momo is moment but...

It's ok to laugh at me if it is something stupid. When I was tired, I made a mistake at the bakery. I wanted to ask for a sac for the goodies I just bought but I think I said I am a sac. The sales girls just laughed and my daughter made a gun with her fingers and pointed it at her head.

Merci bien.

Hi Rhonda.

I believe you are thinking of <<en ce moment>>.

Have a good day.

Ross :-)

Thanks, Ross. <<in the moment>>

Now if I can just remember the context.

Ronda

The context of the expression might be "at the time" or "at that time." It could also be "at this time," possibly meaning "right now." Maybe that will help you recall the occasion when it was used.

Probably won't help without going back and listening to all my Pimsleur cd's which I really don't have time to do. I had thought it meant just a moment.

While looking at the website a few minutes ago: www.jeff-de-bruges.com

I was surprised to see the phrase. From the context I surmise it to mean (our offerings) at the moment.

It's pretty literal, those are unidiomatic phrasings of regular words. It can mean right now, which is pretty literal (at this moment). There are various usages of moment in phrases that are slightly different (pour un bon moment, a un certain moment).

I've never heard it used as meaning just a moment in the sense of "wait" or "hold on", unless there was an entirely different sentence with the verbs patientez or attendez, perhaps (patientez un moment?)

It could mean just as something occurred in another sense (au moment où ...)

It can also mean Currently, Presently.

Ginny

I would translate it to mean: at this time..for example at a restaurant: en ce moment nous avons seulement qu'une table...at this time, we only have one table

En ce Moment - Right Now (similar to maintenant)