Collins Gem

Copyright

HarperCollins Publishers

Westerhill Road

Bishopbriggs

Glasgow G64 2QT

Fourth Edition 2016

© HarperCollins Publishers 1993, 2007, 2010, 2016

Source ISBN: 9780008135881

Ebook Edition © March 2016 ISBN: 9780008163464

Version: 2016-03-01

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank those authors and publishers who kindly gave permission for copyright material to be used in the Collins Corpus. We would also like to thank Times Newspapers Ltd for providing valuable data.

If you would like to comment on any aspect of this book, please contact us at the given address or online.

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Editor

Holly Tarbet

Contributors

Marie Ollivier-Caudray

Anna Stevenson

David White

For the Publisher

Gerry Breslin

Janice McNeillie

Helen Newstead

Using your phrasebook

Whether you’re on holiday or on business, your Collins Gem Phrasebook and Dictionary is designed to help you locate the exact phrase you need, when you need it. You’ll also gain the confidence to go beyond what is in the book, as you can adapt the phrases by using the dictionary section to substitute your own words.

The Gem Phrasebook and Dictionary includes:

• Over 60 topics arranged thematically, so that you can easily find an expression to suit the situation

• Simple pronunciation which accompanies each word and phrase, to make sure you are understood when speaking aloud

• Tips to safeguard against any cultural faux pas, providing the essential dos and don’ts of local customs or etiquette

• A basic grammar section which will help you to build on your phrases

• FACE TO FACE dialogue sections to give you a flavour of what to expect from a real conversation

• A handy map of the country which shows the major cities and how to pronounce them

• YOU MAY HEAR sections for common announcements and messages, so that you don’t miss important information when out and about

• A user-friendly 3000 word dictionary to ensure you’ll never be stuck for something to say

• A short chapter of LIFELINE phrases for quick reference. These basic words and phrases will be essential to your time abroad

Before you jet off, it’s worth spending time looking through the topics to see what is covered and becoming familiar with pronunciation.

Contents

Copyright

Acknowledgements

Using your phrasebook

Pronouncing French

Top ten tips

Talking to people

Hello/goodbye, yes/no

Key phrases

Signs and notices

Polite expressions

Celebrations

Making friends

Work

Weather

Getting around

Asking the way

Bus and coach

Metro

Train

Taxi

Boat and ferry

Air travel

Customs control

Car hire

Driving

Petrol

Breakdown

Car parts

Road signs

Staying somewhere

Hotel (booking)

Hotel desk

Camping

Self-catering

Shopping

Shopping phrases

Shops

Food (general)

Food (fruit and veg)

Clothes

Clothes (articles)

Maps and guides

Post office

Technology

Leisure

Sightseeing and tourist office

Entertainment

Nightlife

Out and about

Music

Sport

Walking

Communications

Telephone and mobile

Text messaging

E-mail

Internet

Practicalities

Money

Paying

Luggage

Laundry

Complaints

Problems

Emergencies

Health

Pharmacy

Doctor

Dentist

Eating out

Eating places

In a bar/café

Reading the menu

In a restaurant

Dietary requirements

Wines and spirits

Menu reader

Reference

Alphabet

Measurements and quantities

Numbers

Days and months

Time

Time phrases

Public holidays

Phonetic map

Grammar

Dictionary

LIFELINE words and phrases

About the Publisher

Pronouncing French

In this book we have used a simple system to help you pronounce the phrases. We have designed the book so that as you read the pronunciation of the phrases you can follow the French. This will help you to recognize the different sounds and enable you to read French without relying on the guide. Here are a few rules you should know:

e is sometimes weak and sounds like uh. This happens either in very short words (je zhuh, le luh, se suh, etc.) or when the e falls at the end of a syllable: retard ruh-tar, depuis duh-pwee.

h is not pronounced: hôtel oh-tel, haricot a-ree-koh.

There are nasal vowels in French (represented by ñ):

un uñ

fin/bain fañ/bañ

on oñ

dans/en dahñ/ahñ

Word endings are often silent: Paris pa-ree, Londres loñdr, parlent parl. However, the ending is sometimes pronounced if it is followed by a word which begins with a vowel:

avez-vous a-vay voo but vous avez voo za-vay.

In French, unlike English, there is normally no strong accent on any syllable, but instead a slight emphasis on the final syllable of each word, phrase and sentence, which takes the form of a rising intonation rather than an increase in volume.

Top ten tips

1 Use vous instead of tu until you are asked to use the familiar form. Do not use first names until you are invited.

2 If you visit French people at their home, your hosts will appreciate a small gift of something typically British, such as tea, jam or biscuits.

3 Do not forget to stamp your train ticket before getting on the train – otherwise it will not be valid.

4 By law, French people must carry their ID cards all the time, and there could be ID inspections in the street (especially in big cities). The police will ask ‘Vos papiers, s’il vous plaît’.

5 If giving someone flowers, you should avoid chrysanthemums (they are funeral flowers) and red roses (they have romantic connotations).

6 Keep your hands on the table at all times during a meal – do not place them on your lap. Elbows, however, should be kept off the table!

7 If you are travelling by car in France, you should always be aware not to leave valuables in plain sight when parking in tourist sites and villages.

8 When addressing a stranger, always add Monsieur or Madame, even if you are only asking for directions.

9 In some areas (especially the countryside) people do not speak a word of English, so have your phrasebook ready!

10 If you are travelling and have a medical issue, you can call SOS Médecins (dial 3624). They will come to your hotel or home at any time, 24/7. You will usually be charged around 50–70 euros for this service.

Talking to people

Hello/goodbye, yes/no

You will find the French quite formal in their greetings, shaking hands both on meeting and on parting. French people, when they know each other well, greet each other with a kiss on each cheek. Bonjour, madame or bonjour, monsieur are the politest ways to greet someone. Mademoiselle is becoming less frequently used. Salut is more informal than bonjour. If someone offers you something, perhaps an extra serving of food, and you simply reply merci, they will take this to mean ‘no’. You must say oui, merci or you will go hungry!

Key phrases

You don’t need to say complicated things to get what you want. Often simply naming the thing and adding s’il vous plaît will do the trick, even when asking for directions.

Signs and notices

Polite expressions

There are two forms of address in French, formal (vous) and informal (tu). You should always stick to the formal until you are invited to tutoyer (use the informal tu).

Celebrations

Christmas celebrations revolve around food as much as they do presents. They start on Christmas Eve (réveillon de Noël) with a lavish meal lasting many hours. The main course is usually goose, turkey, capon or white pudding followed by the traditional dessert, a bûche de Noël (Christmas log). Families start the celebrations with an apéritif before the meal accompanied by foie gras and elaborate amuse-bouche (nibbles). Champagne sometimes replaces the usual apéritif drinks.

Making friends

In this section we have used the informal tu for the questions.

Work

Weather