[Oaktree]

Hi TSR

Im starting A Level French in september and I was wondering if anybody had any good phrases/subjunctives with meanings?. The topics im studying are:

• media
• popular culture
• healthy living
• family and relationships
• the environment

also, does anyone know the meanings of these?

• je sois
• je croie
• je voie
• j'ailles
• j'aie
• je vienne
• je boive

thankyou so much

[JessaminePoppy]

Random sentences:

Le média:
>La télévision est la média qui influence les jeunes d'aujourd'hui le plus
= Television is the media that influences the young people of today the most.

>Le radio l'était auparavant, mais n'a pas completement perdu son utilité dans les vies de plusieurs milliers de personnes.
= Before, it was radio, but it hasn't completely lost its usefullness in the lives of thousands of people.

>Il faut que l'importance du rôle des médias dans la vie du publique ne soit pas négligée. On peut presque dire que l'Internet, la télévision et le radio gouvernent nos pensées, parfois d'une façon subtile et effrayante.
= It is necessary that the importance of the role of media in the life of the public is not neglected. (Subjunctive: "que ne soit pas" > that is not) We can almost say/assert that the Internet, television and radio govern/control our thoughts, sometimes by very subtle and frightening ways.

Popular culture (Be careful "populaire" has very political connotations and is a faux-ami ) :

>Ce n'est pas le fait que (no subjunctive; it is a statement)la musique évolue qui me dérange, mais la notion que la musique dégénère.
=It's not the fact that musique is evolving (English gerondif replaces the French present "évolue") that bothers me, but the idea/notion that it is degenerating.

>Jean Dujardin est l'acteur qui va rappeler au monde la place de la France dans la scène internationale du film. La festivale de Cannes sera plus reconnue et suivie si c'était lui qui faisait le commentaire des stars.
=Jean Dujardin is the actor who will remind the world of France's place in the international film scene (sorry if this doesn't make sense: it's not quitethe same but it would be better to translate with "industry" than "scene" I think). The Cannes festival would be better recognized and watched if it was him commentating on the celebrities (present English gerondif translating the "if it were" idea from the French past imperfect)

>Si Hollywood faisait plus attention à la qualité de leurs films, que je serais heureuse! Que ce soit que 50% de leurs films, ils verront leur popularité et leurs revenues triplés.
=If Hollywood paid more attention to the quality of their film, how I would be happy! (subjunctive future). If it were but 50% of their filmd, they would find their popularity and their profits triple.

Healthy Living:

>Même si leslégumes ne plaisent pas à tout le monde, ils sont rempli de vitamines et nutriments essentiels au corps humain.
=Even if vegetables are not universally liked(direct translation= "do not please everyone"), they are full of vitamins and nutrients essential to the human body.

>L'activité physique n'est pas obligé d'être ennuyant! Jouer aux sports d'équipes, comme le volleyball ou le football, peut t'apporter de nouveux amis. Participer à des competions de natation, de danse ou de tennis peut aussi être une source de confiance personnel.
=Exercise doesn't have to be boring! Playing (English present gerondif replaces the French infinitive "jouer")team sports, like volleyball or football, can give you new friends. Taking part in swimming or dance or tennis competitions can be a source of self-confidence.

> Que l'alcool et le tabac nuisent à la santé est un fait, mais il ne faut pas oublier les désavantages des vices plus doux, comme trop de bonbons ou les heures passées devant la télévision.
=That alcohol and tobacco damage health is a fact, but we must not forget the disadvantages of softer vices such as too many sweets or the hours passed in front of a television.

Family; relationships

>D'avoir certaines tensions dans une famille est tout à fait naturel. Une famille sans problèmes n'existe pas. Zola, auteur de nombreux romans naturalistes, croyait que certaines problèmes, comme l'alcolisme ou l'addiction aux jeux de hasard, étaient héréditaires.
=To have certain tensions is a family is absolutely natural. A family without problems does not exist. Zola, author or many naturalist stories, believed that some problems, such as alcoholism or gambling addiction, were hereditary.

>C'était nécessaire de parler pour éviter le divorce. Ils ont visité un conseiller matrimoniale pendant plusieurs mois mais les enfants sentaient encore de lourdes émotions venant de leurs parents. Ils ésperaient juste que aucun des deux adultes ne tomberont pas amoureux de quelqu'un d'autre.
=It was necessary to talk to avoid divorce. They had visited a marriage consultant for several months but the children still felt heavy feelings coming from their parents. They only hoped that neither parent would fall in love with someone else.

> C'est souvent impossible de comprendre le point de vue de quelqu'un d'autre. Mais, si cette personne vous est chère, vous ferez tout pour oublier ou passer à côté des sujets où vous n'avez pas les mêmes avis.
=It is often impossible to understand the point of view of someone else. But, if this person is dear to you, you will do all you can to forget ou bypass subjects about which you do not have the same opinions.

I'll do the rest when I'm not so fricking tired. I hope some of this is useful!

[qwertyuiop1993]

I applaud the above poster for the effort that's gone into her post but I think OP that it would be better if you learnt the the fundamentals of grammar behind phrases along with vocab for specific topics - otherwise you'll just be memorising certain phrases instead of creating your own spontaneously.

As such, along with using the phrases above, think about why they are the way they are. If you get an AS grammar book that should give you a good introduction to the subjunctive. I also recommend the book "Mot à Mot" which is a godsend for A level vocab.

As for:
je sois
• je croie
• je voie
• j'aille (There is no s on the end of this one)
• j'aie
• je vienne
• je boive

These are all verbs in the subjunctive mood. They can have a variety of nuances of meaning depending on the context - it's much too big a topic to cover here but you'll start to cover it at A level (and still be grappling with it if you go on to study French at university!)

[qwertyuiop1993]

(Original post by JessaminePoppy)
Random sentences:

Les médias:
>La télévision est la média qui influence les jeunes d'aujourd'hui le plus
= Television is the media that influences the young people of today the most.

>Le radio l'était auparavant, mais n'a pas completèment perdu son utilité dans la vie de plusieurs milliers de personnes.
= Before, it was radio, but it hasn't completely lost its usefullness in the lives of thousands of people.

>Il ne faut pas que l'importance du rôle des médias dans la vie du publique soit négligée. On peut presque dire que l'Internet, la télévision et le radio gouvernent nos pensées, parfois d'une façon subtile et effrayante.
= It is necessary that the importance of the role of media in the life of the public is not neglected. (Subjunctive: "que ne soit pas" > that is not) We can almost say/assert that the Internet, television and radio govern/control our thoughts, sometimes by very subtle and frightening ways.

Popular culture (Be careful "populaire" has very political connotations and is a faux-ami ) :

>Ce n'est pas le fait que (no subjunctive; it is a statement)la musique évolue qui me dérange, mais la notion que la musique dégénère.
=It's not the fact that musique is evolving (English gerondif replaces the French present "évolue") that bothers me, but the idea/notion that it is degenerating.

>Jean Dujardin est l'acteur qui va rappeler au monde la place de la France dans la scène internationale du film. La festivale de Cannes sera plus reconnue et suivie si c'était lui qui faisait le commentaire des stars.
=Jean Dujardin is the actor who will remind the world of France's place in the international film scene (sorry if this doesn't make sense: it's not quitethe same but it would be better to translate with "industry" than "scene" I think). The Cannes festival would be better recognized and watched if it was him commentating on the celebrities (present English gerondif translating the "if it were" idea from the French past imperfect)

>Si Hollywood faisait plus attention à la qualité de leurs films, que je serais heureuse! Que ce soit que 50% de leurs films, ils verront leur popularité et leurs revenues triplés.
=If Hollywood paid more attention to the quality of their film, how I would be happy! (subjunctive future). If it were but 50% of their filmd, they would find their popularity and their profits triple.

Healthy Living:

>Même si les légumes ne plaisent pas à tout le monde, ils sont remplis de vitamines et nutriments essentiels au corps humain.
=Even if vegetables are not universally liked(direct translation= "do not please everyone"), they are full of vitamins and nutrients essential to the human body.

>L'activité physique n'est pas forcément ennuyante! Jouer aux sports d'équipes, comme le volleyball ou le football, peut te donner l'occasion de se faire de nouveux amis. Participer à des competions de natation, de danse ou de tennis peut aussi être une source de confiance personnel.
=Exercise doesn't have to be boring! Playing (English present gerondif replaces the French infinitive "jouer")team sports, like volleyball or football, can give you new friends. Taking part in swimming or dance or tennis competitions can be a source of self-confidence.

> Que l'alcool et le tabac nuisent à la santé est un fait, mais il ne faut pas oublier les désavantages des vices plus doux, comme trop de bonbons ou les heures passées devant la télévision.
=That alcohol and tobacco damage health is a fact, but we must not forget the disadvantages of softer vices such as too many sweets or the hours passed in front of a television.

Family; relationships

>Avoir certaines tensions dans une famille, c'est tout à fait naturel. Une famille sans problèmes n'existe pas. Zola, auteur de nombreux romans naturalistes, croyait que certaines problèmes, comme l'alcolisme ou l'addiction aux jeux de hasard, étaient héréditaires.
=To have certain tensions is a family is absolutely natural. A family without problems does not exist. Zola, author or many naturalist stories, believed that some problems, such as alcoholism or gambling addiction, were hereditary.

>Il était nécessaire de parler pour éviter le divorce. Ils ont visité un conseiller matrimoniale pendant plusieurs mois mais les enfants se sentaient encore de lourdes émotions venant de leurs parents. Ils ésperaient juste qu'aucun des deux adultes ne tomberaient pas amoureux de quelqu'un d'autre.
=It was necessary to talk to avoid divorce. They had visited a marriage consultant for several months but the children still felt heavy feelings coming from their parents. They only hoped that neither parent would fall in love with someone else.

> Il est souvent impossible de comprendre le point de vue de quelqu'un d'autre. Mais, si cette personne vous est chère, vous ferez tout pour oublier ou passer à côté des sujets où vous n'avez pas les mêmes avis.
=It is often impossible to understand the point of view of someone else. But, if this person is dear to you, you will do all you can to forget ou bypass subjects about which you do not have the same opinions.

I'll do the rest when I'm not so fricking tired. I hope some of this is useful!

Just a few suggestions! (Most of which are really quite picky and you said you were tired!)

The phrase "que je serais heureuse" is not a subjunctive phrase (technically the subjunctive future does not exist); here 'que' is being used as an intensifier in the conditional tense.

Are you an A level student?

[JessaminePoppy]

(Original post by qwertyuiop1993)
Just a few suggestions! (Most of which are really quite picky and you said you were tired!)

The phrase "que je serais heureuse" is not a subjunctive phrase (technically the subjunctive future does not exist); here 'que' is being used as an intensifier in the conditional tense.

Are you an A level student?

No, I've been living in France since I was ten, so I'm fluent. Thank you for correcting me, I must admit I'm not the best at grammar and a lot of the other mistakes are how you would express yourself orally, not written.

I also agree that learning basic grammar and vocabulary is the best way to prepare for learning a language

[Above.The.Empyrean]

All I can recollect from 3 years of French from Year 7-9 is: putain de poulet.

[metro2610]

My favourite in French was always 'je ne comprends pas...' and other variations

[qwertyuiop1993]

(Original post by JessaminePoppy)
No, I've been living in France since I was ten, so I'm fluent. Thank you for correcting me, I must admit I'm not the best at grammar and a lot of the other mistakes are how you would express yourself orally, not written.

I also agree that learning basic grammar and vocabulary is the best way to prepare for learning a language

Haha I had a feeling you weren't just a student! As you say pretty much all I pointed out were stylistic things. I would be perfectly fine saying 'C'est important de...' etc but my grammar tutor at university is very picky lol. Several people in my grammar group are native French speakers who are obviously fluent but sometime found it frustrating when they had to do it the formal way instead of the more natural way.

I feel very silly 'correcting' you now! (Also very jealous that you live in France!)

[JessaminePoppy]

(Original post by Above.The.Empyrean)
All I can recollect from 3 years of French from Year 7-9 is: putain de poulet.

Bastard chicken? What didi it do to you? You're sure you don't mean "putain de boulet" as in getting something absolutely wrong?

(Original post by qwertyuiop1993)
Several people in my grammar group are native French speakers who are obviously fluent but sometime found it frustrating when they had to do it the formal way instead of the more natural way.

I feel very silly 'correcting' you now! (Also very jealous that you live in France!)

Dude, you've improved whatever it was I wrote. Everyone makes mistakes, especially the French people I know. A lot of English speakers don't write proper English, but because French grammar is so complex, the kids here have a lot of difficulty mastering it.

And right now, the weather is very boring and awful and grey. And I live in the countryside, where the "sophistication" of the French is, for the most part, absent

[the bear]

(Original post by JessaminePoppy)

And right now, the weather is very boring and awful and grey. And I live in the countryside, where the "sophistication" of the French is, for the most part, absent

Alors vous habitez chez les ploucs

[qwertyuiop1993]

(Original post by JessaminePoppy)
Bastard chicken? What didi it do to you? You're sure you don't mean "putain de boulet" as in getting something absolutely wrong?





Dude, you've improved whatever it was I wrote. Everyone makes mistakes, especially the French people I know. A lot of English speakers don't write proper English, but because French grammar is so complex, the kids here have a lot of difficulty mastering it.

And right now, the weather is very boring and awful and grey. And I live in the countryside, where the "sophistication" of the French is, for the most part, absent

Mmm I have a friend who teaches English in France in a pretty rough school and she says it's a nightmare getting them to get their own language right first...I guess it's like that in a lot of countries, which is a shame.

Haha I love the French countryside (at least from my own limited experience). Every summer I work on a farm in Brittany where nobody speaks English and yes there is little 'sophistication', but it's lovely anyway.

To the OP, I would recommend this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/French-Gramm.../dp/0340760753

It has all the grammar you need to know for A level (and more)

[JessaminePoppy]

(Original post by the bear)
Alors vous habitez chez les ploucs

Ouais, j'habites dans une maison sur une colline entourée de pécors plutôt que des ploucs. Des vaches, des vaches partout! Quelle joie de sentir leur haleine pur et fraîche! Ainsi que leurs excréments, tant attendus par les paysans.

Je te jure, je voudrais tellement sauter ces 4/5 semaines pour pouvoir retourner en Angleterre

[Whostolemycookie]

Is there a good website for A level French? I'm really scared of French AS : (


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[qwertyuiop1993]

(Original post by Whostolemycookie)
Is there a good website for A level French? I'm really scared of French AS : (


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

There are loads of useful articles on this site, as well as grammar tests that show you where you went wrong afterwards.

http://french.about.com/od/francopho...rtlearning.htm

For aural comprehension I used this site to get used to hearing French.

http://www.rfi.fr/lffr/pages/001/acc...ice_ecoute.asp

There are listening exercises to do with current events, which is helpful for the sorts of things covered in A level.

[the bear]

(Original post by JessaminePoppy)
Ouais, j'habites dans une maison sur une colline entourée de pécors plutôt que des ploucs. Des vaches, des vaches partout! Quelle joie de sentir leur haleine pur et fraîche! Ainsi que leurs excréments, tant attendus par les paysans.

Je te jure, je voudrais tellement sauter ces 4/5 semaines pour pouvoir retourner en Angleterre

Les crottes de vache, c'est bien pour se chauffer

[JessaminePoppy]

(Original post by the bear)
Les crottes de vache, c'est bien pour se chauffer

Bof. Le plupart de gens viennent en France pour se chauffer au soleil --' Mais bientôt, bientôt cesera derrière moi

Tu y vas des fois au pays du vin, fromage et vache?

[the bear]

(Original post by JessaminePoppy)
Bof. Le plupart de gens viennent en France pour se chauffer au soleil --' Mais bientôt, bientôt cesera derrière moi

Tu y vas des fois au pays du vin, fromage et vache?

Ouais je vais passer le mois d'âout en Languedoc-Rousillon ...pas tellement de vaches

[JessaminePoppy]

(Original post by the bear)
Ouais je vais passer le mois d'âout en Languedoc-Rousillon ...pas tellement de vaches

Pas mal...en effet on m'a jamais parlé de la population bovine de ce région..Tu seras près de la mer?

[the bear]

(Original post by JessaminePoppy)
Pas mal...en effet on m'a jamais parlé de la population bovine de ce région..Tu seras près de la mer?

Je vais passer quelques semaines près de Nîmes et après à Carcassonne. Peut-être un petit séjour à Narbonne...
Tu aimes faire des chateaux de sable ?

[JessaminePoppy]

(Original post by the bear)
Je vais passer quelques semaines près de Nîmes et après à Carcassonne. Peut-être un petit séjour à Narbonne...
Tu aimes faire des chateaux de sable ?

Mes châteaux de sable sont légendaires. J'ai pu perfectionner mon art grâce aux nombreux matériels je trouve autour de moi; des bouses, de l'argile, de la chair française...le monde est merveilleux, malgré la mer qui mange mes modèles miniscules et minutieux.