French for Dummies
If you buy into the Pepé Le Pew stereotype of the French – arrogant, stuffy, overly amorous, and rather odiferous (Pepé Le Pew was a skunk. Talk about stereotypical!) – then think again. Not only are the French people some of the most relaxed, pleasant people you'll ever meet, but their society is one of the oldest, most culturally rich societies in the world. So it's no surprise that French is known as perhaps the most beautiful of all languages. Listen to someone speak...
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If you buy into the Pepé Le Pew stereotype of the French – arrogant, stuffy, overly amorous, and rather odiferous (Pepé Le Pew was a skunk. Talk about stereotypical!) – then think again. Not only are the French people some of the most relaxed, pleasant people you'll ever meet, but their society is one of the oldest, most culturally rich societies in the world. So it's no surprise that French is known as perhaps the most beautiful of all languages. Listen to someone speak French – sure, you don't have a clue what she's saying, but aren't you enraptured by the sound of it? Unfortunately, just because a language is beautiful doesn't mean that it's easy to learn. Although French has many things in common with English, French has had many, many centuries to evolve into the language it is today, which means it's had all that time to become more complex. That's where French For Dummies can help. Written in partnership with the language experts at Berlitz, this book can give you what you need for basic communication in French. French For Dummies covers the following topics and more: Basic pronunciation and gestures The nuts and bolts of French grammar Meeting and greeting in French Situations in which you can use French: Making small talk, dining out, shopping, and talking on the phone Traveling to France: Dealing with French currency, staying at a hotel, and getting around town Top Ten lists on ways to pick up French quickly, things you should never say in French, favorite French expressions, and important French holidays to remember. Appendixes with verbconjugation tables, as well as a French mini-dictionary French For Dummies also comes with a CD that has audio transcriptions of all the exercises in the book, so that you can actually hear the French pronunciations. So whether you're taking a business trip and need to pick up a little French quickly; you're cramming for your high school French final; or you've always wanted to learn a new language but don't have the time to drag yourself to a class once a week, French For Dummies can get you well on your way to becoming fluent in no time.
Introduction1About This Book2Conventions Used in This Book2Foolish Assumptions3How This Book Is Organized3Icons Used in This Book4Where to Go from Here5Part IGetting Started7Chapter 1You Already Know a Little French9The French You Know9Friendly allies - bons allies (bohN-zah-lyay)9Kissing cousins11False friends - faux amis12Idioms and Popular Expressions14Mouthing Off: Basic Pronunciation16The French alphabet16Vowel sounds18The accent19The mute e19The nasal sounds19Consonants19The liaison20The elision21Stress21Using Gestures22Chapter 2The Nitty Gritty: Basic French Grammar23Simple Sentence Construction24Nouns24Adjectives24Verbs25Adverbs25Things That Are Easier in French26Regular and Irregular verbs26Regular verbs27Irregular verbs27The Simple Tenses: Past, Present, and Future28The Gender Question29It's "You" You Know: The Tu/Vous Issue31Numbers32Chapter 3Bonjour! Hello! Greetings and Introductions33Saying Hello and Good-Bye33Getting Formal or Informal34Asking "How are you?"35Replying to "How are you?"35Introducing Yourself and Others38Being There: Etre (To Be)41Describing Cities45Speaking the Language46Part IIFrench in Action53Chapter 4Getting to Know You: Making Small Talk55Asking Key Questions55Posing Simple Questions59Chatting about the Family59Making Small Talk on the Job61Going to Town with the Verb Aller63Talking about the Weather64Doing the Numbers66Talking about Where You Live68Chapter 5Bon Appetit! Dining Out and Going to the Market75All About Meals75The meals76Eating at home: Setting the table78Going Out to a Restaurant79Perusing the menu82Talking with the waiter83Understanding what's on the menu84Eating and drinking89Finishing the meal90Finding the restrooms93An Article on Articles93Buying Food at the Market94Talking about weights and measures96Making comparisons97Getting to know a few useful verbs for the market98Going to the Supermarket and the Food Stores99Chapter 6Shopping Made Easy103Going to Stores103Just browsing105Getting around the store105Getting assistance106Shopping for Clothes109Finding the right fit109Clothing materials112Getting dressed113Using Superlatives118When the adjective precedes the noun118When the adjective follows the noun118Chapter 7Going Out on the Town121Telling Time in French122Visiting Museums125Going to the Theater128Going to the Movies132Going to a Concert134Going to a Nightclub137Chapter 8Enjoying Yourself: Recreation141Playing Sports142Going Skiing145Going to the Beach149Setting Up Camp152Chapter 9Talking on the Phone159Making a Phone Call159Leaving a Message162Livin' in the past: Using the past tense163Using the past tense with etre165Chapter 10At the Office and around the House169Making an Appointment170Business hours170Lunch hour170Business around the holidays171Conducting Business173Using the Internet176Visiting a Private Home179Part IIIFrench on the Go183Chapter 11Money, Money, Money185At the Bank186Entering a bank186Cashing checks and checking your cash189Staying Current with French Currency192The franc (Le franc) (luh frahN)192French money (L'argent francais) (lahr-zhahN frahN-seh)193Using Credit Cards and ATMs193Using your credit card at an ATM193Getting to know ATM language194Currency Wisdom200Chapter 12Where Is the Louvre? Asking Directions203Asking "Where" Questions203Answering "Where" Questions204Getting Direction about Directions206Using commands209Expressing distances (time and space)210Discovering ordinal numbers210Going north, south, east, and west213Asking Questions When You're Lost215It's Necessary to Know about "Il Faut"216Chapter 13Staying at a Hotel219Arriving at the Hotel220Asking inverted questions226Losing your objection to object pronouns226Checking In to a Hotel227Checking Out of a Hotel229Chapter 14Transportation235Getting Through the Airport235Leaving the Airport: Finding a Taxi238Getting a Taxi240Getting Around in Major Cities241Buying a Train Ticket242Taking the Bus245Taking the Subway247Renting a Car249Getting Gas252Chapter 15Travel Abroad255Where Do You Want to Go?256Passports and Visas258Buying Tickets260Getting Your Dates Straight260Specific dates261Less specific dates261Timing phrases262Choosing Accommodations266Packing Your Suitcases269Chapter 16Handling Emergencies273Getting Medical Help273Talking with Doctors278Getting Legal Help285Accidents286Robbery, theft, aggression287Part IVThe Part of Tens291Chapter 17Ten Ways to Pick Up French Quickly293Look stuff up in the dictionary293Write shopping lists293Celebrate French day!293Use language tapes294Listen to French music294Try a CD294Watch French movies294Read French publications294Surf the 'Net295Chat295Chapter 18Ten Things Never to Say297Chapter 19Ten Favorite French Expressions299C'est un fait accompli299Quel faux pas!299Comme il faut299Bon appetit!299Quelle horreur!300Oh la la! La catastrophe!300A toute a l'heure!300C'est la vie!300Comme ci, comme ca300C'est le ton qui fait la musique!301Chapter 20Ten Holidays to Remember303L'Epiphanie303La Chandeleur303Mardi gras303Le Poisson d'Avril304La Fete du Travail304L'Ascension304La Pentecote304Fete de la Musique305La Prise de la Bastille305La Sainte Catherine305Chapter 21Ten Phrases That Make You Sound French307Ca m'a fait tres plaisir! or C'etait genial!307Passez-moi un coup de fil!307Passez-nous un coup de fil!307Je vais vous/lui/leur passer un coup de fil308On y va! or Allons-y!308Je n'en sais rien308Mais je reve!308Quel amour de petit garcon!308Vous n'avez pas le droit309Tu cherches midi a 14h309Je veux acheter une bricole309Prenons un pot!309Part VAppendixes311Appendix AVerb Tables313Appendix BMini-Dictionary323Appendix CAbout the CD337Index339Book Registration Information
