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Hi<BR><BR>I agree with most of the above.<BR><BR>Just a couple of points :<BR><BR>Don't believe "most poeple speak English". Even if they speak a little, many will be too embarassed to risk speaking too much.<BR><BR>Otherwise, always remember at the table that farting and picking your nose are seen to be impolite !<BR><BR>Peter<BR>
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Just make sure you're ready for the answer in French. Speaking it and being able to respond to the answer are two different things. It took me quite a while to be able to think in French, although I could ask questions, etc. <BR><BR>And don't forget that although the French are patient, it will take much less of their time if they speak English. In other words, save the attempts at French for stores that are not crowded, servers who are not too busy, etc. But ALWAYS ask if they speak English -- in French. If they say "a little" (which they are likely to do), you could respond in French that between your French and their English everything should be ok.
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"ca va" does not mean "whatever you want it to mean" and most certainly doesn't mean "excuse me," "is that right?" or "over there?" You'd sound like an idiot if you used it that way. <BR>It means "I'm fine," or "that's fine" or "it's ok," or "things are going well." As a question it means "how's everything?"<BR><BR>To ask for the restroom, just say "Ou sont les toilettes?" Asking "ici" is also peculiar. If someone walked up to you in English and said "here?" would you know what they meant?
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Can any one tell me at what point a mademoiselle beomes a madame? I always think it sounds more polite to reply to a bonjour with a mademoiselle or madame attached, but I often find myself omitting it for fear of giving offence.
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I agree with last few comments by francophone on ici and ça va. "Ici?" is bizarre as a way to ask where the toilets are, don't do it. That must have been some misunderstanding of another word or something.<BR><BR>As a tourist to France, I don't think there's any occasion you would need to use the familiar form (except children and dogs, as someone said, but the odds are you won't be talking to them). I have noticed some French guys (age 20s-30s) being rather casual with that nowadays and occasionally one will sometimes "tutoie" me right away when I don't know him, we've just met, but I don't like it. They also use it a lot on the internet, such as in IMs, when they don't know me, but I think that has become a casual medium.
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Wow - so many replies! Based on what I've learned here, I will focus on only the vous form of everything at this point and I'll remember that greetings/salutions are very important. <BR>I do realize that learning French word by word or by phrase is a far cry from the language, but I figure any words I can pick up will be good. <BR>Call me a nerd, but I have even started watching some of my DVDs in French with English subtitles so I can get a handle on the tempo and speed of the language. It's a lot to follow!<BR>I am a very fast learner and I have a lot of time on my hands to do this so I'm determined to get the most out of it. My goal is to have the ability to effectively communicate and understand the basics, and things that are going on around me - not carry on a casual conversation. <BR>I thank you all for your input.<BR>P.S. I am going in February, not 2006!
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Quinty -<BR><BR>I watch French movies with English subtitles, too. Another thing that I think has been even more helpful for me is watching English language DVDs with French subtitles turned on.
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Multilingual DVD's are a blessing indeed.<BR>It is a fact that in countries where foreign movies have always been subtitled (cheaper than dubbing), people have a disctinct advantage. Dutch and Belgian kids, f.ex. have heard thousands of hours of English spoken even before learning it in school.<BR>Since most DVD's in the US also have a French sound track for the Canadian market, take full advantage of it.<BR>It sounds a bit weird at first to hear Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts in French, but you get used to it.<BR>Bon voyage !
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I would also like to know when mademoiselle becomes madame. <BR>When students or sales clerks address me as Miss, I always say that only young people (under 18) merit that title. I prefer Madam which seems more respectful to me. (I'm a senior).<BR>Have not really figured out how the mademoiselle/madame thing works here in French Canada.<BR>I'd like to know what Parisians think.
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Nobody to clarify the madame/mademoiselle dilemma?
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Francophone and others wrote<BR>"ca va" does not mean "whatever you want it to mean" ...You'd sound like an idiot if you used it that way. ...<BR><BR>Asking "ici" is also peculiar. If someone walked up to you in English and said "here?" would you know what they meant?<BR><BR> I am only reporting what we found to be common useage on the streets of Paris in April, 2000. <BR><BR>
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I always thought that Madam was for married women and madamoiselle was for single women. When we go to stores or restaurants in France I always start out with "Parlez vous Englese sil vous plait?" And always Merci and Bon Jour. Enjoy!!
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Well, Ira,<BR><BR>I think what you "found to be common usage" in Paris was either a total miscomprehension on your part (you managed to communicate something but did so other than by using the correct words), or you heard other non-French-speaking people using totally incorrect French. I cannot believe that you can have experienced enough instances of the misuse of these phrases to conclude they were "common usage" in the space of one trip to Paris. If you don't speak a language, it's easy to think you stumbled on the right way of saying something when the locals figure out through other means what you are trying to say. At any rate,it's a disservice to pass on incorrect information to others, and your information was so wrong as to make any other visitor to Paris look downright nuts when trying to use simple phrases.
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Hi Francophone, just to clarify, 1) I know the ending of ggentilleh is not pronounced like that of gvilleh. 2) gentil and gentille. When not well articulated, maybe you donft hear the difference of gentil and gentille especially when you are not aware that there IS a differnce. But that does exist clear enough which I think "begginers" better learn with. 3) I quoted gcfest getilh as an neutral alternative. I knew gCfesth makes vague but if you are francophone, you can imagine many situations where gcfest gentil g works instead of saying gvous etes gentil OR gentilleh. It could mean you/he/her/them or whoever is kind, all depending on the contexte. My point was this way at least you wouldnft need to worry about masculine/feminine form too much. <BR><BR>>"ca va" (sah vah) is very useful. It means whatever you want it to mean - "excuse me", "is that right?", "over there?h<BR>There Francophone is basically right. It should not mean, gexcuse-me ", "is that right?", "over there?hby itsellf. However, I can imagine a situation where Irafs wife said it meaning gExcuse-meh. She could have stepped on someonefs feet. She should have said gExcusez-moih but instead she said gca va?h meaning, are you alright? Did I hurt you? This may be a limit case but not impossible. At least the other person knew that she was worried and cared though she doesnft speak good French. I could imagine other situations for "is that right?", "over there?h too. gIci = Toiletsh? Well, thatfs a hard one :-)<BR><BR><BR>
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Another messing-up! Sorry everyone. I must have done something wrong writing on WORD, then pasted. It looks alright on WORD screen. I re-write.<BR><BR>Hi Francophone, just to clarify, 1) I know the ending of "gentille" is not pronounced like that of "ville". 2) gentil and gentille. When not well articulated, maybe you don't hear the differennt ending especially when you are not aware that there IS a differnce. But that does exist clear enough which I think "begginers" better learn with. 3) I quoted "C'est getil" as an neutral alternative. I knew "C'est"form makes vague but if you are francophone, you can imagine many situations where "C'est gentil"works well to mean "vous etes gentil OR gentille". It could mean you/he/her/ them or whoever is kind, all depending on the contexte. My point was this way at least you wouldn't need to worry about masculine/feminine form too much. <BR><BR>>"ca va" (sah vah) is very useful. It means whatever you want it to mean - "excuse me", "is that right?", "over there?"<BR>There Francophone is basically right. It should not mean, "excuse-me ", "is that right?", "over there?" by itsellf. I can imagine a situation, however, where Ira's wife said ca va meaning "Excuse-me". She could have stepped on someone's feet. She should have said "Excusez-moi" but instead she said "ca va?" meaning, are you alright? Did I hurt you? This may be a limit case but not impossible. At least the other person knew that this American lady was worried and cared though she didn't speak good French. I could imagine other situations for "is that right?", "over there?"too. Ici = Toilets? Well, that's a hard one :-)<BR><BR>Quinty, I hope you are not too bored with my posts. What French words/expressions did you learn today ? You have only 1,5 months left. Hurry ! Kidding ;-)<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>
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Lewis wrote,<BR>>....I always start out with "Parlez vous Englese sil vous plait?" <<BR><BR> Did you mean "Parlez vous Anglais, svp"?
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Re: Madame ou Mademoiselle?<BR><BR>According to Polly Platt in her wonderfiul book Savoir Flair, you should use Madame except when addressing VERY young women. She points out that "Ma Dame" technically translates as "my lady"; it does not mean that the addressee is married. So no one will be offended to be addressed this way.<BR><BR>Hope that helps!<BR><BR>PS For help in learning French, I recommend the set of 8 CDs by Michel Thomas. He gets you formulating your own sentences very quickly. On my trip to Paris I was able to say everything I had to say in French, and I credit Michel Thomas. <BR><BR>A set of 2 audio cassettes called "French on the Go" helped me learn to comprehend simple expressions frequently used in tourist situations. It almost seems odd when you actually hear the very expressions from the tape used in real life! But that is exactly what happened, so I was ready! Bonne chance!
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Hey Ira, <BR>I don't have to write it, I just need to try and speak the language.
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Quinty- In my experience, the most important thing is to use a French accent. I do speak reasonable (not fluent) French. Arriving alone on one trip to Paris, after a harrowing plane ride from Franfurt, I sank into a cab exhausted and asked for Le Grand Hotel using basically an English accent. The driver insisted over & over he didn't understand. Finally, infrustration I said Le Gran Otel (with accent & feeling!) Ah oui he replied!<BR><BR>Whatever time you're spending learning, you must say it out loud, even if you're alone. Just reading will only help you read.<BR><BR>One of my biggest frustrations was with prices. When the French tell you how much something is, they often speak so quickly & there's so much calculating (ie. cinq cent soixante douze=500 +60 + 12= 572) Take a small pad & ask them to write it down.<BR><BR>Bonne chance, joyeux noel et bonnee annee!
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Lewis, no offense intended. It's just that Englese is Spanish, Anglais i s French.
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