沪江博客-冬之心-文章分类-Learn French in ABOUT.COM

沪江博客-冬之心-文章分类-Learn French in ABOUT.COMhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/category/40535.html三个字：练，练，练！zh-cnTue, 17 Feb 2009 16:26:24 GMTTue, 17 Feb 2009 16:26:24 GMT60Expression: Heureux au jeu, malheureux en amourhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1294070.htmllislelisleTue, 17 Feb 2009 02:39:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1294070.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1294070.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1294070.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1294070.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1294070.htmlExpression: Heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour

Meaning: lucky at cards, unlucky in love

Literal translation: happy at the game, unhappy in love

Notes: The French proverb heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour is a cute way of saying that you only get so much luck and happiness. If you're good at cards or sports, you've used up your "quota" and have bad luck when it comes to relationships. Like the English equivalent "lucky at cards, unlucky in love," heureux au jeu, malheureux en amour is not necessarily said when someone actually wins a game and loses his girlfriend on the same day, but rather tends to be used as a sort of consolation when someone does really well at cards: "OK, so you won a bunch of money, but you're probably either single or unhappily married." Another way to talk about just the lucky part in English is with "(to have) the luck of the devil," which has two French equivalents:

Informal: avoir une veine de pendu - literally, "to have a hanged person's luck"

Familiar: avoir une veine de cocu - literally, "to have a cuckold's luck"

lisle 2009-02-17 10:39 发表评论

]]>Tu et je - French Mistakehttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254679.htmllislelisleSun, 28 Dec 2008 03:14:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254679.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1254679.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254679.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1254679.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1254679.htmlWrong: Tu et je devons partir.

Right: Toi et moi devons partir.

Explanation: In English, subject pronouns come before verbs - whether or not they are connected by a conjunction. So when you add another person to "I have to leave," it becomes "you and I have to leave." In French, however, the conjunction changes the type of pronoun you need. Je dois partir needs the subject pronoun, but you can't say "tu et je devons partir" - it's just wrong. When adding et, the subject pronouns have to change to stressed pronouns: toi et moi devons partir. Same for any other subjects: "He and she work together" is Lui et elle travaillent ensemble, not "Il et elle travaillent ensemble." The only time you can use subject pronouns in French is when there's just one subject.

lisle 2008-12-28 11:14 发表评论

]]>Expression: Tomber dans les pommeshttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254676.htmllislelisleSun, 28 Dec 2008 03:07:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254676.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1254676.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254676.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1254676.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1254676.htmlExpression: Tomber dans les pommes

Meaning: to faint, pass out

Literal translation: to fall in the apples

Register: informal

Variation: partir dans les pommes (to leave in the apples)

Notes: The French expression tomber dans les pommes is a cute way of saying that someone fainted, but I wish I knew why/how apples are related to a state of unconsciousness.* This strange link continues in the equally informal expression rester dans les pommes - "to (continue to) be out cold, to remain unconscious."

*According to Le Grand Robert, the probable origin is George Sand's être dans les pommes cuites, a play on être cuit (to be exhausted) in Rey et Chantreau, but that still doesn't explain what apples have to do with anything.

Example:
N'ayant rien mangé depuis plus de 12 heures, elle est tombée dans les pommes.
Not having eaten anything for more than 12 hours, she passed out.

lisle 2008-12-28 11:07 发表评论

]]>French Adverbs: Dessus and Dessoushttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254674.htmllislelisleSun, 28 Dec 2008 03:06:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254674.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1254674.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254674.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1254674.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1254674.html阅读全文

lisle 2008-12-28 11:06 发表评论

]]>French Expressions: Invitationshttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254667.htmllislelisleSun, 28 Dec 2008 02:55:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254667.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1254667.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254667.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1254667.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1254667.html阅读全文

lisle 2008-12-28 10:55 发表评论

]]>French Comparative and Superlative Adverbshttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254665.htmllislelisleSun, 28 Dec 2008 02:54:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254665.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1254665.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254665.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1254665.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1254665.html阅读全文

lisle 2008-12-28 10:54 发表评论

]]>Expression: C'est dans la pochehttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254658.htmllislelisleSun, 28 Dec 2008 02:38:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254658.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1254658.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254658.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1254658.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1254658.htmlExpression: C'est dans la poche

Meaning: it's in the bag, a sure thing, a done deal

Literal translation: it's in the pocket

Register: informal

Notes: I like the French expression c'est dans la poche better than its English equivalent "it's in the bag." It seems to me that something in your pocket is more "owned" than something in a bag, and since it's also closer to you it's harder to take away.

Examples:

   Je sais qu'il va gagner - c'est dans la poche !
   I know he's going to win - it's in the bag!

   - Tu n'as pas encore fait tes achats de Noël ?
   - Non, mais Michel va m'aider. C'est dans la poche !
   - You haven't done your Christmas shopping yet?
   - No, but Michel is going to help me. It's a done deal!

Related: avoir quelque chose en poche / dans sa poche - to be assured of success, to have something all sewed up

lisle 2008-12-28 10:38 发表评论

]]>Expression: C'est cadeauhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254652.htmllislelisleSun, 28 Dec 2008 02:26:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254652.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1254652.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1254652.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1254652.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1254652.htmlExpression: C'est cadeau

Meaning: it's free, it's on the house

Literal translation: it's gift

Register: informal

Notes: The French expression c'est cadeau means that something is a gift, but not a personal one. Rather, it's something that a store or restaurant is giving you - what is often redundantly called "a free gift." Note the lack of an article: c'est cadeau and c'est un cadeau have slightly different meanings. C'est cadeau means that a business is giving you something for free, whereas c'est un cadeau means that someone you (probably) know - a friend, a family member - is giving you a gift.

Examples:

   Achetez deux croissants et le café, c'est cadeau !
   Buy two croissants and the coffee's on the house!

   En Californie, voter c'est cadeau (Liberátion, 4 nov 08)
   In California, voting gets you a free gift

lisle 2008-12-28 10:26 发表评论

]]>Semblerhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1234396.htmllislelisleTue, 02 Dec 2008 05:46:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1234396.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1234396.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1234396.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1234396.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1234396.html阅读全文

lisle 2008-12-02 13:46 发表评论

]]>Expression: Avoir un poil dans la mainhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1234382.htmllislelisleTue, 02 Dec 2008 05:16:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1234382.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1234382.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1234382.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1234382.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1234382.htmlExpression: Avoir un poil dans la main

Meaning: to be extremely lazy, bone-idle, a lazybones

Literal translation: to have a hair in the hand

Register: informal

Notes: The French expression avoir un poil dans la main and its accompanying gesture offer a very precise image of a hand that does so little there's actually a hair growing out of it. Or I suppose they could be saying that the person is so lazy s/he can't be bothered to pluck a hair growing in such a ridiculous place, or even to notice it. What do you think?*

Example:
Depuis le déménagement, il ne fait rien - il a un poil dans la main.
Since the move, he hasn't done anything - he's a real lazybones.

To express even greater laziness, you can take it a step further by increasing the size of the hair:
Ce n'est plus un poil (qu'il a dans la main), c'est une canne ! or un bambou !
"It's no longer a hair (that he has in his hand), it's a cane! or a bamboo stick!"

lisle 2008-12-02 13:16 发表评论

]]>A - French Prefixhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1234367.htmllislelisleTue, 02 Dec 2008 04:54:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1234367.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1234367.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1234367.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1234367.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1234367.htmlPrefix: a

Type of prefix: adjectival, nominal

The French prefix a, known as a privatif (privative a), is added to adjectives and nouns to indicate negation or deprivation.

   anormal - abnormal
   (added to normal - normal)

   alogique - alogical
   (added to logique - logical)

   atoxique - non-toxic
   (added to toxique - toxic, poisonous)

   asexualité - asexuality
   (added to sexualité - sexuality)

   asymétrie - asymmetry
   (added to symétrie - symmetry)

When the a privatif precedes a vowel or h, a- changes to an-

   analphabète - illiterate
   (added to alphabète [rare] - literate)

   anhistorique - ahistorical
   (added to historique - historical)

lisle 2008-12-02 12:54 发表评论

]]>Casser / Se Casser - French Expressions (2)http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1218697.htmllislelisleTue, 11 Nov 2008 14:22:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1218697.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1218697.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1218697.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1218697.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1218697.html阅读全文

lisle 2008-11-11 22:22 发表评论

]]>Casser - French Expressions (1)http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1218661.htmllislelisleTue, 11 Nov 2008 14:00:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1218661.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1218661.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1218661.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1218661.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1218661.html阅读全文

lisle 2008-11-11 22:00 发表评论

]]>Expression: Si ce n'est pas indiscrethttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209863.htmllislelisleSat, 01 Nov 2008 03:14:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209863.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1209863.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209863.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1209863.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1209863.htmlExpression: Si ce n'est pas indiscret

Meaning: if it's not too personal, if you don't mind my asking

Literal translation: if it's not indiscreet

Register: normal

Notes: Questions considered too personal to ask of acquaintances vary from culture to culture. Americans, for example, are likely to ask what you do for a living within the first few minutes of meeting, but in the French mind, one's job is considered off-limits, at least for a while. When the French do ask personal questions, they'll soften them with one of these expressions:

   si ce n'est pas indiscret
   serais-ce indiscret de vous demander
   est-il indiscret de vous demander

   sans être indiscret (indiscrète)
   je ne veux pas être indiscret (indiscrète)

(Note that indiscret can only change to feminine to agree with the speaker in the last two expressions. In the first three, the subject, ce or il, is impersonal and so there can't be any agreement.)

Example:
   Si ce n'est pas indiscret, que faites-vous dans la vie ?
   If you don't mind my asking, what you do for a living?

lisle 2008-11-01 11:14 发表评论

]]>Les verbes de sensationhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209154.htmllislelisleFri, 31 Oct 2008 03:40:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209154.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1209154.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209154.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1209154.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1209154.htmlapercevoir   to catch a glimpse of
écouter   to listen to
entendre   to hear
regarder   to watch
sentir   to feel
voir   to see These verbs may be followed by a noun or an infinitive. For example:

J'aperçois un arbre

J'aperçois tomber un arbre

J'écoute les enfants

J'écoute parler les enfants

J'entends les étudiants

J'entends arriver les étudiants

Je regarde l'équipe

Je regarde jouer l'équipe

Je sens le vent

Je sens souffler le vent

Je vois le chien

Je vois courir le chien

lisle 2008-10-31 11:40 发表评论

]]>Expression: Tu m'étonneshttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209152.htmllislelisleFri, 31 Oct 2008 03:38:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209152.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1209152.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209152.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1209152.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1209152.htmlExpression: Tu m'étonnes

Meaning: I know, tell me something I don't know, you don't say

Literal translation: you amaze me

Register: informal

Notes: The French expression tu m'étonnes doesn't mean what it says. Literally "you amaze me," tu m'étonnes actually means just the opposite: "I know, I'm not surprised at all." The first time I ever heard it I was a little offended by the sarcasm, but in fact it's just an example of "opposite speak."*

Example:

   -L'économie globale ne va pas très bien.
   -Tu m'étonnes.

   -The global economy isn't doing very well.
   -Tell me something I don't know.

*Like in the expression "I could care less" when what you really mean is "I don't care at all, so I could not care less." (In French, Ça m'est égal, Je m'en fiche.)

lisle 2008-10-31 11:38 发表评论

]]>Expression: N'importe quoihttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209145.htmllislelisleFri, 31 Oct 2008 03:30:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209145.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1209145.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209145.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1209145.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1209145.htmlExpression: N'importe quoi

Meaning: anything / nonsense, whatever

Literal translation: no matter what

Register: normal / informal

Notes: The French expression n'importe quoi has a few different uses. Normally it means "anything," as in je ferais n'importe quoi pour gagner - "I'd do anything to win."

Informally, N'importe quoi ! or C'est du n'importe quoi ! means "Nonsense!" (US) or "Rubbish!" (UK) Another possible translation is "What the heck are you talking about?!"

Though not a perfect equivalent, n'importe quoi is also the best translation I've found for "whatever!", the (primarily) adolescent expression of dismissal.

Examples:

   Ce magasin vend tout et n'importe quoi.
   This store sells anything and everything.

   N'écoute pas Philippe - il dit n'importe quoi.
   Don't listen to Philippe - he's talking nonsense.

Related: C'est en faisant n'importe quoi, qu'on devient n'importe qui ! (or ...que l'on devient...)

This expression, "It's by doing nonsensical things that you become nonsensical," is the motto of the French prankster and video maker Rémi Gaillard, aka N'importe qui. It's a play on the French proverb C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron (Practice makes perfect, literally "It's by forging that one becomes a blacksmith.")

lisle 2008-10-31 11:30 发表评论

]]>[构词法]-et / -ette - French Suffixhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209129.htmllislelisleFri, 31 Oct 2008 03:15:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209129.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1209129.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1209129.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1209129.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1209129.html阅读全文

lisle 2008-10-31 11:15 发表评论

]]>Wrong: Peut-être il a faimhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167433.htmllislelisleWed, 10 Sep 2008 02:11:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167433.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1167433.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167433.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1167433.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1167433.htmlWrong: Peut-être il a faim

Right: Peut-être qu'il a faim / Peut-être a-t-il faim

Explanation: It's grammatically incorrect to follow peut-être (perhaps, maybe) directly by a subject and verb. You must either add que or invert the subject and verb. So to translate "maybe he's hungry," you can say either peut-être qu'il a faim or peut-être a-t-il faim, but you can't say "peut-être il a faim."

The same rule applies to sans doute:

   Certainly, he's hungry.
   Sans doute qu'il a faim. or Sans doute a-t-il faim.
   Not "sans doute il a faim."

lisle 2008-09-10 10:11 发表评论

]]>Expression: Mettre de l'eau dans son vinhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167420.htmllislelisleWed, 10 Sep 2008 02:05:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167420.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1167420.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167420.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1167420.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1167420.htmlExpression: Mettre de l'eau dans son vin

Meanings: to tone it down, to be more moderate

Literal translation: to put water in one's wine

Register: normal

Notes: The French expression mettre de l'eau dans son vin can be used literally or figuratively. The literal meaning - to water down one's wine - is not often used because adding water to wine in order to lessen the alcohol content is no longer a common practice. Figuratively, mettre de l'eau dans son vin has two somewhat related meanings: to tone it down (show less animosity) and to be more moderate (make concessions).

Example:
Je ne pense pas que les menaces marchent avec lui - il faut mettre de l'eau dans ton vin et essayer une autre tactique.
I don't think threats work on him - you need to tone it down and try another tack.

lisle 2008-09-10 10:05 发表评论

]]>Chercher - French Expressionshttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167413.htmllislelisleWed, 10 Sep 2008 02:01:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167413.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1167413.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167413.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1167413.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1167413.html阅读全文

lisle 2008-09-10 10:01 发表评论

]]>Expression: Jeter la pierrehttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167395.htmllislelisleWed, 10 Sep 2008 01:40:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167395.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1167395.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167395.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1167395.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1167395.htmlExpression: Jeter la pierre

Meaning: to accuse, blame; to criticize, be hard on

Literal translation: to throw the rock

Register: normal

Notes: The French expression jeter la pierre comes from the Bible:

   Que celui qui n'a jamais péché lui jette la première pierre.
   Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

Today, jeter la pierre à quelqu'un can be used for assigning blame as well as for criticizing someone.

Examples:

   Avant de jeter la pierre à Grégoire, demande-lui d'expliquer ce qui s'est passé.
   Before accusing Grégoire, ask him to explain what happened.

   Elle ne comprends pas - ne lui jette pas la pierre.
   She doesn't understand - don't be too hard on her.

lisle 2008-09-10 09:40 发表评论

]]>Wrong: J'ai lui dithttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167391.htmllislelisleWed, 10 Sep 2008 01:34:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167391.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1167391.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1167391.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1167391.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1167391.htmlWrong: J'ai lui dit

Right: Je lui ai dit

Explanation: When you have a direct or indirect object in French, it has to precede the verb: Je lui dis (I'm telling him.) When the verb is in the passé composé or another compound tense, the object has to precede the helping verb (avoir or être). So the correct way to say "I told him" isn't "j'ai lui dit," but rather je lui ai dit. Likewise, "I saw it" is je l'ai vu, not "j'ai le vu."

lisle 2008-09-10 09:34 发表评论

]]>Voir - French Expressionshttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1109891.htmllislelisleWed, 23 Jul 2008 06:25:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1109891.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1109891.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1109891.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1109891.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1109891.html阅读全文

lisle 2008-07-23 14:25 发表评论

]]>Perdre - French Expressionshttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1106539.htmllislelisleSun, 20 Jul 2008 04:22:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1106539.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1106539.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1106539.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1106539.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1106539.html阅读全文

lisle 2008-07-20 12:22 发表评论

]]>Wrong: Je veux que j'aie assez de tempshttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1106540.htmllislelisleSun, 20 Jul 2008 04:22:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1106540.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1106540.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1106540.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1106540.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1106540.htmlWrong: Je veux que j'aie assez de temps

Right: Je veux avoir assez de temps

Explanation: Many French expressions and verbs, such as vouloir (to want) and être content que (to be happy that), require the subjunctive. However, the subjunctive is only used when the two clauses have different subjects, as in je veux que tu aies assez de temps (I want you to have enough time) and je suis content qu'il soit là (I'm happy that he's here). When the two clauses have the same subject, you just use the second verb in the infinitive:

   "Je veux que j'aie assez de temps"
   > Je veux avoir assez de temps.
   I want to have enough time.

   "Je suis content que je sois là"
   > Je suis content d'être là.
   I'm happy to be here.

lisle 2008-07-20 12:22 发表评论

]]>Special Uses of the French Subjunctive:Usages particuliers du subjonctifhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1106532.htmllislelisleSun, 20 Jul 2008 04:14:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1106532.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1106532.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1106532.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1106532.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1106532.html阅读全文

lisle 2008-07-20 12:14 发表评论

]]>Expression: Tu ne manques pas d'airhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1106531.htmllislelisleSun, 20 Jul 2008 04:13:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1106531.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1106531.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1106531.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1106531.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1106531.htmlExpression: Tu ne manques pas d'air

Meaning: You've got some nerve/cheek

Literal translation: You don't lack air

Notes: The French expression manquer d'air means "to lack air," as in On manque d'air - il faut ouvrir la fenêtre (It's stuffy / There's no air in here - we need to open a window).

Informally, ne pas manquer d'air is synonymous with avoir du culot and ne pas manquer du culot - to have nerve/cheek.

Example:
Tu oses revenir après ce que tu as fait ? Tu ne manques pas d'air !
You dare come back after what you did? You've got some nerve!

lisle 2008-07-20 12:13 发表评论

]]>Wrong: Écouter à la radiohttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1102063.htmllislelisleWed, 16 Jul 2008 07:28:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1102063.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1102063.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1102063.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1102063.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1102063.htmlWrong: Écouter à la radio

Right: Écouter la radio

Explanation: The French verb écouter means "to listen to" - the idea of the preposition "to" is included in the verb itself. But beginners often mistakenly add à to it, in effect saying "to listen to to something," which is obviously incorrect.

J'écoute la radio - I'm listening to the radio

Il aime écouter les discours - He likes listening to speeches

Écouter is one of several French verbs that are not followed by a preposition whereas their English equivalents are.

lisle 2008-07-16 15:28 发表评论

]]>Prendre - French Expressionshttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1102062.htmllislelisleWed, 16 Jul 2008 07:27:00 GMThttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1102062.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/1102062.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/articles/1102062.html#Feedback0http://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/comments/commentRss/1102062.htmlhttp://blog.hjenglish.com/lisle/services/trackbacks/1102062.html阅读全文

lisle 2008-07-16 15:27 发表评论

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