French made simple, p.1
French Made Simple, page 1
FRENCH
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FRENCH
Eugene Jackson and
Antonio Rubio, Ph.D.
Advisory editor
Jacqueline Janvier,
L. ès. L., Dip. d’Et. Sup. (Sorbonne)
First published 1967 by
Made Simple Books
Published 2013 by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
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© Reed Educational and Professional Publishing Ltd 1977
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright holder except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London, England, W1P 0LP. Applications for the copyright holder’s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Jackson, Eugene
French made simple – 2nd ed (Made Simple books)
1. French language – grammar – 1950
I. Title II. Rubio, Antonio III. Janvier, Jacqueline IV. Series
448.2’421 PC2112
ISBN 13: 978-0-750-60254-9 (pbk)
Preface
French Made Simple is a pleasant, practical course designed especially for the student who wants to gain a working knowledge of the language in the shortest possible time. Bilingual texts and dialogues make it very easy for the reader to learn phrases and colloquial expressions, while also acquiring some information about France and French customs.
Although the book is ideal for self-study, it is equally recommended for use by teachers in evening institutes or in secondary schools. Students working for GCSE will also find the book invaluable as an introductory course.
The best way of acquiring a good pronunciation in any language is, of course, to hear it spoken by natives of the country; but this is not always possible, and the student should take every opportunity of listening to French films, television, radio broadcasts, tapes and records.
In French Made Simple the best form of pronunciation guide employed in present-day language teaching is used: the International Phonetic Alphabet. All the signs are fully explained in Chapter 2, and once they have been learned, the student will not only be able to master the accurate pronunciation of the French language; he will also be able to apply his knowledge to any other language he chooses to study.
JACQUELINE JANVIER
Contents
CHAPTER 1
MEET THE FRENCH LANGUAGE
French is no stranger—French and English pronunciation differ greatly—French is spoken by many people.
CHAPTER 2
FRENCH PRONUNCIATION
French sounds illustrated in familiar words—French nasal vowel sounds—Summary of French vowel sounds—Summary of French nasals—Summary of French consonants—Some useful words and expressions for the traveller—Linking—Elision—The stress in French words and sentences—Three easy dialogues.
CHAPTER 3
WHO IS MR. DAVIS?
Qui est Monsieur Davis?
Members of the family—Rooms of the house—Definite article—Gender of nouns—Plural of nouns—Indefinite article—Some common verbs.
CHAPTER 4
WHY IS MR. DAVIS STUDYING FRENCH?
Pourquoi est-ce que M. Davis étudie le français
Some European languages—Expressions of greeting and farewell—Use of des—Some common verbs—Omission of the indefinite article.
CHAPTER 5
IN THE LIVING-ROOM
Dans le salon de Monsieur Davis
Objects in the living-room—Some common prepositions—Contractions du, des, au, aux—Possession indicated by a phrase with de or à.
REVISION 1
REVISION OF CHAPTERS 1-5
Vocabulary revision—Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises—Dialogues: Où est la rue Scribe? … Où s’arrête l’autobus?—Reading Selection: Monsieur Davis apprend le français.
CHAPTER 6
THE VERBS ARE IMPORTANT, SIR
Les verbes sont importants, monsieur
Countries of Europe and North America—About verb endings—Present tense of parler to speak, regular -er verb—Imperative or command forms of parler—Interrogative—Negative—Some regular verbs like parler.
CHAPTER 7
THE FAMILY
La famille de M. Davis
The French endings -tion and -sion equal the English endings -tion and -sion—French ending -ment equals the English ending -ly—Present tense of avoir to have, aller to go, être to be.
CHAPTER 8
IN THE OFFICE
Au bureau de M. Davis
Some common adjectives—Agreement of adjectives—Position of adjectives—Some irregular adjectives.
CHAPTER 9
MR. DAVIS GREETS A FRIEND IN HIS OFFICE
M. Davis salue un ami à son bureau
Present tense of vendre to sell, regular -re verb—Present tense of prendre to take, lire to read, écrire to write.
REVISION 2
REVISION OF CHAPTERS 6-9
Vocabulary revision—Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises—Dialogues: Quel autobus faut-il prendre? … Quel autobus va à …?—Reading Selections: Deux amis de M. Davis … M. Davis est malade.
CHAPTER 10
IN THE DINING-ROOM
Dans la salle à manger
Furniture and other objects in the dining-room—Verbs dire to say, voir to see—Demonstrative adjective ce this, that—Use of c’est this is, it is, instead of il est, elle est.
CHAPTER 11
NUMBERS, ALWAYS NUMBERS
Les nombres, toujours les nombres
Present tense of the verbs vouloir to wish, want, pouvoir to be able—Numbers 1 to 69—Arithmetical terms.
CHAPTER 12
THE MONETARY SYSTEM OF FRANCE
Le système monétaire de la France
Present tense of faire to make, to do; croire to believe, to think—Numbers 70 to 100—Table for converting sterling to francs and vice versa.
CHAPTER 13
PROBLEMS IN ARITHMETIC IN THE RESTAURANT, AT THE STATION, IN A SHOP
Les problèmes d’arithmétique, au restaurant, à la gare, dans une boutique
Weights and measures—Present tense of savoir to know (how); connaître to know, to be acquainted with—Possessive adjectives.
CHAPTER 14
WHAT TIME IS IT?
Quelle heure est-il?
Words of approval and praise—Words dealing with railway travel—Present tense of partir to leave, and sortir to go out—Expressions of time of day.
REVISION 3
REVISION OF CHAPTERS 10-14
Vocabulary revision—Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises—Dialogue: Un touriste prend des renseignements sur la poterie française—Reading Selections: La famille Davis rend une petite visite à papa … Le percheron et l’automobile (Une fable moderne)—Present Tense of boire, to drink.
CHAPTER 15
THE CINEMA
Le cinéma
Words dealing with films—Present tense venir to come—Direct object pronouns—Use of y (there).
CHAPTER 16
SOME DATES IN THE HISTORY OF FRANCE
Quelques dates de l’histoire de la France
Months of the year—Present tense of finir to finish, regular -ir verb—Ordinal numbers—Dates.
CHAPTER 17
A FEW QUESTIONS ON THE GEOGRAPHY OF FRANCE
Quelques questions sur la géographie de la France
Present tense of mettre to put—Comparison of adjectives and adverbs—Expressions of comparison—Some irregular comparisons.
CHAPTER 18
MR. DAVIS’ DAY
La journée de M. Davis
Meals—Foods—Present tense of the reflexive verb se laver to wash oneself—Some common reflexive verbs.
CHAPTER 19
LIFE IN THE SUBURBS
La vie en banlieue
Fruits and vegetables—The partitive—Omission of the definite article with the partitive—The partitive pronoun en (some of it, any of it, etc.).
REVISION 4
REVISION OF CHAPTERS 15-19
Vocabulary revision—Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises—Dialogue: Au Marché aux Puces—Reading Selection: Une visite au paquebot ‘Île de France’.
C HAPTER 20
WHAT NASTY WEATHER!
Quel sale temps!
The weather—For various kinds of weather—Present tense of ouvrir to open—Indirect object pronouns—Some common verbs which may take indirect objects.
CHAPTER 21
THE CLIMATE OF FRANCE
Le climat de la France
The four seasons—Present tense of devoir must, to owe, to be obliged to, to have to; recevoir to receive—Some negative expressions.
CHAPTER 22
THE CLIMATE OF FRANCE (CONTINUED)
Le climat de la France (suite)
Demonstrative pronouns—Uses of ceci this, cela (ça) that.
CHAPTER 23
THAT GOOD FRENCH COOKING
La bonne cuisine française
Some French cooking expressions adopted in English—Some tasty French dishes not difficult to prepare—Present tense of envoyer to send—Independent or disjunctive pronouns with prepositions—Other uses of the independent or disjunctive pronouns.
REVISION 5
REVISION OF CHAPTERS 20-23
Vocabulary revision—Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises—Dialogue: Au restaurant—Reading Selection: Philippe n’aime pas étudier l’arithmétique.
CHAPTER 24
THE FRENCH PEOPLE
Les Français
Points of the compass—Smoking terms—Working men and working women—Reflexive verbs with reciprocal meaning—Verbs after prepositions—Formation of the present participle.
CHAPTER 25
ART AND FASHION
L’art et la mode
Noun combinations—Clothes—Verbs with spelling changes: acheter, préférer, appeler.
CHAPTER 26
FRENCH HOLIDAYS
Les jours de fête de la France
Present tense of tenir to hold, to keep—More verbs with spelling changes: commencer, manger—on one, people, they, you—ne … personne no one, not anybody, and ne … rien nothing, not anything.
CHAPTER 27
WHICH PLACES DO YOU WISH TO VISIT, MR. DAVIS?
Quels endroits voulez-vous visiter, M. Davis?
Expressions indicating future time—Future tense of parler, vendre, finir—Some verbs with an irregular future.
REVISION 6
REVISION OF CHAPTERS 24-27
Vocabulary revision—Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises—Dialogues: Dans l’autobus … le courrier—Reading Selection: L’anniversaire de Mme Davis.
CHAPTER 28
MR. DAVIS WRITES A LETTER TO HIS AGENT
M. Davis écrit une lettre à son représentant
Present tense of suivre to follow, traduire to translate—More verbs with an irregular future—Uses of depuis, depuis quand, depuis combien de temps, pendant.
CHAPTER 29
MR. DAVIS RECEIVES A LETTER
M. Davis reçoit une lettre
Expressions referring to past time—Salutations and conclusions of business letters—Conversational past tense of parler, finir, vendre—How to form the regular past participle—Some irregular past participles.
CHAPTER 30
MR. PICARD’S FINAL WORDS OF ADVICE
Les derniers conseils de M. Picard
Words whose appearance deceives—More irregular past participles—Agreement of the past participle.
CHAPTER 31
MR. DAVIS LEAVES FOR FRANCE
M. Davis part pour la France
Tickets—Passport—More irregular past participles—Past participles used as adjectives.
REVISION 7
REVISION OF CHAPTERS 28-31
Vocabulary revision—Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises—Dialogues: A l’aéroport … Bienvenu en France—Reading Selection Un programme exceptionnel au cinéma.
CHAPTER 32
ARRIVAL IN PARIS
L’arrivée à Paris
Introductions—Salutations and conclusions of letters to friends—Verbs with the auxiliary être—List of être verbs.
CHAPTER 33
MR. DAVIS VISITS THE PARMENTIER FAMILY
M. Davis rend visite à la famille Parmentier
Some professions—The conversational past of reflexive verbs—Present and conversational past of reflexive verbs—Present and conversational past of s’asseoir to seat oneself, to sit down—Some reflexive verbs you have met.
CHAPTER 34
A PLEASANT STROLL
Une belle promenade
La place de la Concorde—Les Champs-Élysées—La place de I’Étoile—Relative pronouns.
CHAPTER 35
THE MONT-SAINT-MICHEL
Le Mont-Saint-Michel
Visit to the Abbey—Imperfect tense.
CHAPTER 36
GUTGNOL (FRENCH PUPPET CHARACTER)
Guignol
rire to laugh, vivre to live (present, imperfect, conversational past)—The past infinitive.
REVISION 8
REVISION OF CHAPTERS 32-36
Vocabulary revision—Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises—Dialogue: À la station-service—Reading Selections: Une excursion à Versailles … L’avenue de l’Opéra.
CHAPTER 37
THE MAIN STREET OF THE VILLAGE
La grand-rue du village
Shops and shopkeepers—Summary of single object pronouns—Two object pronouns.
CHAPTER 38
A TRIP TO CHARTRES
Une excursion à Chartres
Motoring expressions: tyre, jack, flat, etc.—Past perfect tense—Possessive pronouns.
CHAPTER 39
MR. DAVIS BUYS A LOTTERY TICKET
M. Davis achète un billet de loterie
Lottery expressions—Present conditional—Irregular present conditional.
CHAPTER 40
MR. DAVIS GOES AWAY
M. Davis s’en va
Mr. Davis loves French culture, French art, history, politeness, sense of humour, passion for discussion, and French food—Past conditional—Conditional sentences—s’en aller.
REVISION 9
REVISION OF CHAPTERS 37-40
Vocabulary revision—Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises—Reading Selection: Nice, la capitate de la Côte D’Azur.
VOCABULARY—ENGLISH-FRENCH
VOCABULARY—FRENCH-ENGLISH
ANSWER SECTION
SUMMARY OF VERBS
INDEX
CHAPITRE 1 (UN)—CHAPTER 1
MEET THE FRENCH LANGUAGE
1 French is no Stranger
In beginning your study of the French language you will be surprised to learn that you already know, or can make a good guess at, the meaning of thousands of French words. For there are some 4,000 words which are of the same spelling and meaning in French and English, and thousands more of the same meaning which differ only slightly in spelling. Of course the pronunciation of the French words differs greatly from that of the corresponding English words.
There are also many words borrowed directly from the French without any change in spelling and with little or no change at all in pronunciation.
Here are a few examples of words alike or very similar in French and English:
(a) Words spelt alike and having the same meaning but different in pronunciation:
(b) Words of the same meaning, slightly different in spelling and different in pronunciation:
riche
oncle
balle
objet
rich
uncle
ball
object
salade
madame
touriste
sévère
salad
madam
tourist
severe
difficile
famille
qualité
liberté
difficult
family
quality
liberty
visiter
excuser
arriver
entrer
to visit
to excuse
to arrive
to enter
scène
hôtel
brun
bleu
scene
hotel
brown
blue
rivière
parfum
mètre
poste
river
perfume
metre
post
docteur
acteur
enveloppe
signe
doctor
actor
envelope
sign
désirer
commencer
dîner
inviter
