Starting phrases in French. Rules for reading French

French-Russian and Russian-French online dictionary ABBYY Lingvo
Online version of the ABBYY Lingvo dictionary.
Enter the word in the field, select a pair of languages, from which language to translate and into which, and click "Translate". To enter letters that are not on the standard keyboard, you can open the virtual keyboard by clicking on the corresponding icon.

French-Russian and Russian-French Dictionary Multitran

French-Russian and Russian-French dictionary and translation of short texts
service of the PROMT company, it is possible to select the subject of the translated text to improve the quality of automatic translation.

Translation of words and short texts
REVERSO, translation of words and short texts from French into Russian, English, German, from English into Russian, French, Spanish, from German into French and English, from Spanish into English.

Online dictionary - translation from/to 67 languages ​​- translation from/to 67 languages, including from French to others and vice versa, search in several dictionary databases.

Explanatory dictionaries of the French language, encyclopedias

Large terminological dictionary
Enter a word in the field and click on the button with the “magnifying glass” symbol. The definition of the word, synonyms and translation into English and Latin will be displayed.

Explanatory dictionary of the French language
enter the word and click "OK". After obtaining the meaning of the word, you can click on one of the inscriptions under the input field to obtain additional information: SYNONYMES - synonyms, CONJUGAISONS - conjugations, FRANCAIS/ANGLAIS - translation from French to English.

To select a word, click on a letter in the alphabetical index. A page with dictionary entries for that letter will open.

Official names of countries of the world in French. Next to the name is the gender (feminine or masculine) and the article. If you click on the name of a country, a page with brief data on the country will open - the official languages ​​of the country, the full and short name of the country in the official language and in English, French and Spanish.

Type a word or phrase and press Enter on your keyboard. When you enter a word, lowercase and uppercase letters have meaning, for example, you will get different synonyms if you enter Dieu or dieu.

Dictionary of male and female names
In addition to the fact that here you can see spelling options for names, you can also type a name and find out its etymology, how common it is, as well as the name day.

Dictionary of names
On the left side of the menu, click on the desired initial letter of the name. The names and their interpretation are displayed in alphabetical order, as well as the day on which the name day is celebrated.

Dictionaries of French abbreviations

search in the most complete and constantly updated dictionary of abbreviations and abbreviations in many languages ​​of the world.

Search for abbreviations
another online dictionary of abbreviations.

Chemistry abbreviations
reduction of chemical compounds; I bet that a person with a high school knowledge of chemistry would never guess that DMSO is dimethyl sulfoxide and THF is tetrahydrofuran.

For regular use, for learning French or performing translations from French, a dictionary is simply necessary. You can buy it online with delivery to your home or pick-up point.

Buy a French-Russian or Russian-French dictionary
here are general, school, technical, military, medical, economic French-Russian and Russian-French dictionaries that you can buy without leaving your computer.

Buy a French phrasebook
Are you planning a trip to France but don't speak a word of French? A phrasebook with transcription in Russian will help you. For those who want to know more, accelerated self-study French courses are suitable, preferably with audio applications.

Buy an audio French course
audio courses for both beginners and those improving their knowledge of French.

French spelling, difficulties

Difficulties of French spelling
Online check of words that are difficult to spell (for an entered noun in the singular, the plural will be given, for a verb in the indefinite form - a table of the conjugation of this verb in different tenses). Here (in the "Games" section) you can test your knowledge of the French language.

Interactive French Grammar
You can use it to test your knowledge or for learning.

A variety of games aimed at improving your knowledge of the French language. 35 games on spelling, grammar, syntax, to improve your vocabulary.

Interactive French language tests
you can choose from several possible tests. The tests are small, about 15-20 questions. Select the correct answer from the list and when finished, click on the “Show results” button. All test questions will be displayed, correct answers will be shown in green, incorrect answers will be shown in red (the correct answer to this question will be given).

Popular game in French
An exciting online flash game gallows: the computer will offer you one of 2855 words from its dictionary to guess. A good workout for French language learners.

The French language is deservedly considered the most sensual language in the world - it uses several hundred verbs denoting emotions and feelings of various kinds. The lyrical melody of the throat sound “r” and the exquisite precision of “le” give a special charm to the language.

Gallicisms

The French words used in the Russian language are called Gallicisms; they have firmly entered Russian-language conversation with a large number of words and derivatives from them, similar in meaning or, conversely, only in sound.

The pronunciation of French words differs from Slavic ones in the presence of throat and nasal sounds, for example, “an” and “on” are pronounced by passing the sound through the nasal cavity, and the sound “en” through the lower part of the front wall of the throat. This language is also characterized by an emphasis on the last syllable of a word and soft sibilant sounds, as in the words “brochure” and “jelly”. Another indicator of Gallicism is the presence in the word of the suffixes -azh, -ar, -ism (plume, massage, boudoir, monarchism). These subtleties alone make it clear how unique and diverse the state language of France is.

Abundance of French words in Slavic languages

Few people realize that “metro”, “baggage”, “balance” and “politics” are native French words borrowed from other languages, the beautiful “veil” and “nuance” too. According to some data, about two thousand Gallicisms are used every day in the post-Soviet space. Items of clothing (knickers, cuffs, vest, pleated, overalls), military themes (dugout, patrol, trench), trading (advance, credit, kiosk and regime) and, of course. words associated with beauty (manicure, cologne, boa, pince-nez) are all Gallicisms.

Moreover, some words are similar to the ear, but have a distant or different meaning. For example:

• A frock coat is an item of men's wardrobe, and literally means “on top of everything.”
• A buffet table is a festive table for us, but for the French it’s just a fork.
• A dude is a dapper young man, and a dude in France is a pigeon.
• Solitaire means “patience” in French, but in our country it is a card game.
• Meringue (a type of fluffy cake) is a beautiful French word meaning kiss.
• Vinaigrette (vegetable salad), vinaigrette is just vinegar among the French.
• Dessert - initially this word in France meant clearing the table, and much later - the last dish after which they clean up.

Language of love

Tete-a-tete (one-on-one meeting), rendezvous (date), vis-a-vis (opposite) - these are also words that originate from France. Amor (love) is a beautiful French word that has excited the minds of lovers so many times. A stunning language of romance, tenderness and adoration, the melodic murmur of which will not leave any woman indifferent.

The classic “zhe tem” is used to denote strong, all-consuming love, and if you add “bian” to these words, the meaning will change: it will mean “I like you.”

Peak of popularity

French words first began to appear in the Russian language during the time of Peter the Great, and since the end of the eighteenth century they have significantly moved their native speech aside. French became the leading language of high society. All correspondence (especially love) was conducted exclusively in French, beautiful long tirades filled banquet halls and meeting rooms. At the court of Emperor Alexander III, it was considered shameful (bad manners) not to know the Frankish language; a person was immediately labeled as an ignoramus, so French teachers were in great demand.

The situation changed thanks to the novel in verse “Eugene Onegin”, in which the author Alexander Sergeevich acted very subtly by writing a monologue-letter from Tatiana to Onegin in Russian (although he thought in French, being Russian, as historians say.) With this he returned the former glory of the native language.

Popular phrases in French right now

Come il faut translated from French means “as it should”, that is, something made comme il faut - made according to all the rules and wishes.

• C'est la vie! is a very famous phrase meaning “such is life.”
• Je tem - singer Lara Fabian brought worldwide fame to these words in the song of the same name “Je t’aime!” - I love you.
• Cherche la femme - also the well-known “look for a woman”
• ger, com a la ger - “in war, as in war.” Words from the song that Boyarsky sang in the popular film of all time, “The Three Musketeers.”
• Bon mo is a sharp word.
• Faison de parle is a way of speaking.
• Ki famm ve - die le ve - “what a woman wants, God wants.”
• Antr well sau di - it’s said between us.

The history of several words

The well-known word “marmalade” is a distorted version of “Marie est malade” - Marie is sick.

In the Middle Ages, Stewart suffered from seasickness during her travels and refused to eat. Her personal doctor prescribed her slices of peeled oranges, thickly sprinkled with sugar, and the French cook prepared quince decoctions to stimulate her appetite. If these two dishes were ordered in the kitchen, the courtiers would immediately whisper: “Marie is sick!” (mari e malad).

Shantrapa - a word meaning idle people, homeless children, also came from France. Children who did not have an ear for music and good vocal abilities were not accepted into the church choir as singers (“chantra pas” - does not sing), so they wandered around the streets, mischievous and having fun. They were asked: “Why are you idle?” In response: "Shatrapa."

Podsofe - (chauffe - heating, heater) with the prefix under-, that is, heated, under the influence of heat, taken for “warming”. A beautiful French word, but the meaning is exactly the opposite.

By the way, everyone knows why it was called that? But this is a French name, and her handbag is also from there - a reticule. Shapo is translated as “hat”, and “klyak” is akin to a slap. The slap-folding hat is a folding top hat, just like the mischievous old lady wore.

Silhouette is the surname of the controller of finances at the court of Louis the Fifteenth, who was famous for his craving for luxury and various expenses. The treasury was empty too quickly and, in order to rectify the situation, the king appointed the young incorruptible Etienne Silhouette to the post, who immediately banned all festivities, balls and feasts. Everything became gray and dull, and the fashion that arose at the same time for depicting the outline of an object of a dark color on a white background was in honor of the miser minister.

Beautiful French words will diversify your speech

Recently, word tattoos have ceased to be only English and Japanese (as fashion dictated), but have increasingly begun to appear in French, some of them with interesting meanings.

The French language is considered quite complex, with many nuances and details. To know it well, you need to painstakingly study for more than one year, but this is not necessary to use several popular and beautiful phrases. Two or three words inserted at the right time into a conversation will diversify your vocabulary and make speaking French emotional and lively.

Summer has come to an end, but I really want to prolong the charm... Especially for us, St. Petersburgers and Muscovites, who haven’t even had a summer... And since we didn’t have it, then we can still go for it! To Paris, for example, or better – to Nice! The French are sensitive people when it comes to their culture and language, and even if they speak English, they will try to hide it to the last minute so that you speak their language. That is why we have prepared this useful article - useful expressions in French that are important in everyday life. These expressions mean short but succinct formulas of speech etiquette that are used in everyday communication (colloquial clichés). This “active minimum” gives you a feeling of confidence when communicating with Francophones. Knowing these expressions, you definitely won’t get lost in France!

So let's take a look

50 useful expressions in French for everyday speech.

NB! Note: to save effort, you can first learn one expression for each typical situation. Sometimes you may need expressions that seem to be devoid of any meaning, but in fact they can be very meaningful and will help keep the conversation going. For example: oui(Yes),quais(yeah)…

Magnificent France is a country of romance and hearts in love. Traveling to France is the dream of every couple in love. There is everything for a romantic getaway.

Nice cozy cafes, wonderful hotels, lots of entertainment and nightclubs. Holidays in France will appeal to anyone, no matter what their tastes. This is a unique, very diverse country. And if you also communicate with its inhabitants, you will completely fall in love with this wonderful corner of the Earth.

But in order to communicate with the local population, you need to know at least the basics of the French language, or have our Russian-French phrasebook at hand, which consists of important sections.

Common phrases

Appeals

At the station

At customs

In a hotel, hotel

Walking around the city

In transport

In public places

Emergencies

Numerals

In the shop

At the restaurant

Tourism

Greetings - a list of words with which you can greet or say hello to the people of France.

Standard phrases are all you need to maintain or develop a conversation. Common words used in conversation every day.

Station – questions frequently asked at train stations and general words and phrases that will be useful both at the railway station and at any other station.

Passport control - upon arriving in France, you will have to go through passport and customs control, this procedure will be easier and faster if you use this section.

Orientation in the city - if you don’t want to get lost in one of the big French cities, keep this section from our Russian-French phrasebook handy. With its help you will always find your way.

Transport – when traveling around France, you will often have to use public transport. We have collected translations of words and phrases that will be useful to you in public transport, taxis, etc.

Hotel – translation of phrases that will be very useful to you during registration at the hotel and throughout your stay.

Public places – using this section you can ask passers-by what interesting things you can see in the city.

Emergencies are a topic that should not be neglected. With its help, you can call an ambulance, the police, call passers-by for help, report that you are feeling unwell, etc.

Shopping – when going shopping, don’t forget to take a phrasebook with you, or rather this topic from it. Everything in it will help you make any purchases, from vegetables at the market to branded clothing and shoes.

Restaurant – French cuisine is famous for its sophistication and you will most likely want to try its dishes. But in order to order a meal, you need to know at least minimal French in order to be able to read the menu or call the waiter. In this regard, this section will serve you as a good assistant.

Numbers and figures - a list of numbers, starting from zero to a million, their spelling and correct pronunciation in French.

Tours - translation, spelling and correct pronunciation of words and questions that will be useful to every tourist more than once on their trip.

The rules for reading French are quite complex and varied, so you don’t need to try to learn them all at once. It is enough to periodically glance at the table during the process of learning and consolidating the material. The main thing is to remember that reading rules exist, which means that once you master them, you will be able to read any unfamiliar word. This is why the French language does not require transcription (except for rare phonetic cases).

Where to begin?

There are 5 important rules of the French alphabet that are unchanged and should definitely be remembered:

1. the stress ALWAYS falls on the last syllable of the word (examples: argent, festival, venir);
2. the letters -s, -t, -d, -z, -x, -p, -g, e, c (and their combinations) are NOT READABLE in words if they appear at the end (examples: mais, agent, fond, nez, époux, morse, banc);
3. the ending of verbs in the present tense “-ent” (3l. unit h) is never read (example: ils parlent);
4. the letter “l” is always softened, reminiscent of the Russian [l];
5. double consonants are read as one sound in French, for example: pomme.

The French alphabet is in many ways similar to the English alphabet. If you already speak English, then the learning process will go much faster, if not, then that’s also great. It will be very interesting for you to master another language besides your native one!

In addition to the letters of the alphabet, letters with icons (superscript and subscript), presented in the table below, are used in writing.

Vowels and letter combinations in French

French vowels are pronounced according to clear rules of pronunciation, but there are many exceptions related to both analogy and the influence of neighboring sounds.

*If the letter combination “ou” is followed by a pronounced vowel, then the sound is read as [w]. For example, in the word jouer [Ʒwe].

*Located between consonants, the letter “y” is read as [i]. For example, in the word stylo.

*In the flow of speech, the fluent sound [ǝ] may be barely audible or completely dropped out of pronunciation. But there are also cases when a sound, on the contrary, can appear where it is not pronounced in an isolated word. Examples: acheter, les cheveux.

*Exceptions are the words tranquille, ville, mille, Lille, as well as their derivatives.

Correct pronunciation of consonants and letter combinations

*Exception words: amitié, pitié.

*The letter is not pronounced at the end of a word after nasal vowels. For example: banc. And also in words such as (porc, tabac, estomac [ɛstoma]).

*Exceptions are some nouns and adjectives: hiver, fer, cher [ʃɛ:r], ver, mer, hier.

*In French, the letter “h” plays a specific role in pronunciation:

1. when h is in the middle of a word between vowels, they are read separately, for example: Sahara, cahier, trahir;
2. with the silent h at the beginning of the word, a connection is made and the vowel is dropped, for example: l‘hectare, ilshabitent;
3. before the aspirative h, no binding is made and the vowel sound is not dropped, for example: la harpe, le hamac, les hamacs, les harpes.

In dictionaries, words with an aspirated h are indicated by an asterisk, for example: *haut.

Cohesion, binding and other features of French phonetics

Voiced consonants should always be pronounced clearly, without deafening them at the end of the word. Unstressed vowels should also be pronounced clearly, without reducing them.

Before such consonant sounds as [r], [z], [Ʒ], [v], stressed vowels become long or acquire longitude, which is indicated in transcription by a colon. Example: base.

French words tend to lose their stress in the speech stream, since they are combined into groups that have a common semantic meaning and a common stress that falls on the last vowel. In this way, rhythmic groups are formed.

When reading a rhythmic group, be sure to follow two important rules: cohesion (French enchainement) and binding (French liaison). Without knowledge of these two phenomena, learning to hear, distinguish and understand words in a stream of French speech will be extremely difficult.

Concatenation is the phenomenon when a pronounced consonant at the end of one word forms one syllable with a vowel at the beginning of the next word. Examples: elle aime, j'habite, la salle est claire.

Linking is when the final unpronounceable consonant is pronounced by linking it with the vowel at the beginning of the next word. Examples: c'est elle or à neuf heures.

Test yourself (exercise for consolidation)

Having carefully read all the rules and exceptions, now try to read the words given in the exercises below without looking at the theoretical material.

Exercise 1

sale, date, vaste, père, mère, valse, sûr, crème, rate, tête, traverse, appeler, vite, pièce, fête, bête, crêpe, marcher, répéter, pomme, tu, armée, les, mes, pénétrer, le, je, me, ce, monopole, chat, photo, regarder, pianiste, ciel, miel, donner, minute, une, bicyclette, théâtre, paragraphe, thé, marche, physicien, espagnol.

Exercise 2

titane, attire, tissage, titi, type, tirade, active, bicyclette, gypse, myrte, cycliste, Egypte;

naïf, maïs, laïcité, naïve, haïr, laïque, abïme;

fière, bière, ciel, carrière, piège, miel, pièce, panier;

pareil, abeille, vermeil, veille, merveille;

ail, médaille, bail, travail, détail, émail, vaille, détailler;

fille, bille, grille, billet, quille, ville;

habiter, trahi, géhenne, habiller, malhabile, hériter, inhabile, Sahara;

l’herbe – les herbes, l’habit – les habits, l’haltère – les haltères;

la harpe - les harpes, la hache - les haches, la halte - les haltes, la haie - les haies.

Now you know the rules of reading French, which means you can read any text in French.