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-   -   French Translation needed (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/french-translation-needed-403335/)

Ziana Feb 25th, 2004 04:09 AM

French Translation needed
 
I need your help to write in french:
"My friends will arrive to your hotel on April,8. Their Names are:""
Would you be that kind and pass this envelope to them ? It contains usefull
information on how to get around Paris. Thank you"

I am livng Paris on 6th, so hotel will have to hold my package for 2 days.
I want to live all usefull info for my first-time visiting 3 friends.

Thanks for your help

mrwunrfl Feb 25th, 2004 04:23 AM


According to freetranslation.com

1) My friends ...
Mes amis arriveront à votre hôtel sur l'avril, 8. Leurs Noms sont:

2) Would you be that kind ...
Seriez-vous ce genre et passez cette enveloppe à les? Il contient l'information utile sur comment contourner Paris. Merci

3) Would you please pass ...
Plairiez-vous la passe cette enveloppe à les? Il contient l'information utile sur comment contourner Paris. Merci

cailin Feb 25th, 2004 04:31 AM

My friends will arrive to your hotel on April,8.

Mes amis vont arriver a votre hotel le huit avril. Leurs noms sont
Est-ce que vous pouvez leur donner cette enveloppe? Elle contient d'information utile au sujet de Paris. Merci beaucoup.

(if you want to say "would you be that kind and pass this envelope to them" - you should say "est-ce que vous seriez si gentil et leur passer cette enveloppe" but it's not typically French to say it that way. The way I translated it above is better.

Bonne chance!

Ziana Feb 25th, 2004 04:40 AM

G_d forbidd I will never SAY it in French.
I was hoping you will post that whole thing for me and I will write it and pass it to whoever will be there at front desk and slowly move away:)

baldrick Feb 25th, 2004 04:45 AM

Just copy this Ziana.
"Mes amis arriveront ici à votre hôtel le 8 avril. Ils s'appèlent: ...
Puis-je vous demander de leur transmettre cette enveloppe s'il vous plaît? Elle contient des informations utiles pour leur séjour à Paris. Merci beaucoup!"
Don't worry, I'm frenchspeaking.
Good luck and say hello to Paris for me!

jenifer Feb 25th, 2004 04:47 AM

What cailin typed is the whole thing. Just put your friends' names after "Leurs noms sont"

Then again, you may find that the person at the front desk speaks beautiful English. :)

hanl Feb 25th, 2004 04:48 AM

Agree with Baldrick, except that "ils s'appèlent" should be spelled "ils s'appellent"

Ziana Feb 25th, 2004 04:50 AM

THANKS a LOT everyone!
I haven't thought of it, jennnifer.
I am having pre-trip nervous break down I think :(

baldrick Feb 25th, 2004 04:55 AM

Unforgivable, hanl.
I shrink away behind my computer!

cailin Feb 25th, 2004 05:01 AM

oh silly me...of course it's "ils s'appellent" rather than "leurs noms sont"

*feels silly now* LOL

Joelle Feb 25th, 2004 05:31 AM

Cailin: you don't have to feel silly.
Le Français n'est pas une langue facile!!!

cailin Feb 25th, 2004 05:34 AM

I know...but I do have a degree in it!! I learnt it for 6 years at school, then 3 at university (including a term in Grenoble!). That was a while ago though!! maybe I should do a refresher course!

easytraveler Feb 25th, 2004 05:49 AM

Cailin:

It really, really is OK. I do straight translations from one language to another without thinking and it's only when people do a doubletake that I realize it's my gaffe! Lo!

"Shut the light!"

"SHUT the light? You mean 'Turn off the light'"

"yeah, yeah, shut the light!"


Or this conversation with my handyman yesterday:

"The drain is stuck..."

"Stuck? How can it be stuck? Oh, you mean plugged up!"

"Yeah, plugged up...[well, jeepers, I didn't mean it was plugged down!]

So, it's perfectly OK to translate "Their names are..." directly into French. Don't sweat it! :)

laverendrye Feb 25th, 2004 06:43 AM

The gibberish resulting from the freetranslation site is one reason why one should never trust computer-generated translations.

ira Feb 25th, 2004 06:56 AM

Hi Ziana,

You could just leave an envelope with their names on it and a 1E tip at the desk.

Ziana Feb 25th, 2004 07:00 AM

I woudn't be Ziana if I thought of it, I would be ira then :)


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