Useful French Phrases
#136
Re: Useful French Phrases
Think that it might only work if you have a separate numeric keypad.
I always buy computers with a numeric keypad for this reason.
If I use the numbers at the top of the keyboard, it doesn't work.
In Word you can use a character set (Insert a character) to access accented letters but it is a bit slow and cumbersome.
Alternatively you can buy a french external keyboard and plug it in when you want to write something in french. My daughter did that when she was studying in France.
Hope that helps
I always buy computers with a numeric keypad for this reason.
If I use the numbers at the top of the keyboard, it doesn't work.
In Word you can use a character set (Insert a character) to access accented letters but it is a bit slow and cumbersome.
Alternatively you can buy a french external keyboard and plug it in when you want to write something in french. My daughter did that when she was studying in France.
Hope that helps
#137
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: South Charente
Posts: 546
Re: Useful French Phrases
This is a useful one:
Ne cherchez pas midi à deux heures /or/
Ne cherchez pas midi à quatorze heures
meaning
don't complicate matters
don't make things more difficult
Blackie
Ne cherchez pas midi à deux heures /or/
Ne cherchez pas midi à quatorze heures
meaning
don't complicate matters
don't make things more difficult
Blackie
#138
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: South Charente
Posts: 546
Re: Useful French Phrases
Here's one that's useful for the current Euro crisis:
Ils ne sont pas encore sorti de l'auberge
meaning
It's not over yet
or
They're not out of the woods yet
In this slightly aged expression 'l'auberge' used to mean prison so it could also be expressed as
They're not out of jail yet.
Blackie
Ils ne sont pas encore sorti de l'auberge
meaning
It's not over yet
or
They're not out of the woods yet
In this slightly aged expression 'l'auberge' used to mean prison so it could also be expressed as
They're not out of jail yet.
Blackie
#139
Re: Useful French Phrases
Je ne conduis jamais bourré. Enfin pas à ma connaissance en tout cas!
- Coluche
I never drink (when I'm) drunk. At least, not to my knowledge anyway (in any case).
- Coluche
I never drink (when I'm) drunk. At least, not to my knowledge anyway (in any case).
#144
Re: Useful French Phrases
Suggest this may be a regional expression - but from where exactly I have no idea. Any takers.....?
#145
Re: Useful French Phrases
Voler c'est quand on a trouvé un object avant qu'il soit perdu.
-
-
-
-
-
Stealing is finding an object before it's been lost.......
(Ok I admit, not really a useful phrase, but one which my zany nature appreciates).
-
-
-
-
-
Stealing is finding an object before it's been lost.......
(Ok I admit, not really a useful phrase, but one which my zany nature appreciates).
Last edited by Tweedpipe; Feb 8th 2012 at 1:08 pm.
#146
Re: Useful French Phrases
Talking of Lyon and regional expressions:
'Il ne trouverait pas de l'eau dans le Rhône' = 'he wouldn't be able to find water in the Rhône river'. Meaning someone is really quite amazingly stupid. Or, could be said when looking for something and eventually finding it was right under one's nose all along...
#147
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,551
Re: Useful French Phrases
Talking of Lyon and regional expressions:
'Il ne trouverait pas de l'eau dans le Rhône' = 'he wouldn't be able to find water in the Rhône river'. Meaning someone is really quite amazingly stupid. Or, could be said when looking for something and eventually finding it was right under one's nose all along...
'Il ne trouverait pas de l'eau dans le Rhône' = 'he wouldn't be able to find water in the Rhône river'. Meaning someone is really quite amazingly stupid. Or, could be said when looking for something and eventually finding it was right under one's nose all along...
#149
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: South Charente
Posts: 546
Re: Useful French Phrases
The Back of Beyond:
'Tripatouille-les-Oies'
I wonder if there are any Spanish speakers here who could verify these absolute blinders from the Hispanic world:
from Spain itself for the Back of Beyond:
'Donde a Cristo se le cayó el merchero'
translated as
'where Christ dropped his lighter'
and from Cuba:
'Donde Dios pintó a Perico y no alcanzó bicicleta'
meaning
'Where God painted St Peter and didn't get round to the bicycle'
(if ever I buy a house in a spanish speaking country, that would have to be its name)
Blackie
'Tripatouille-les-Oies'
I wonder if there are any Spanish speakers here who could verify these absolute blinders from the Hispanic world:
from Spain itself for the Back of Beyond:
'Donde a Cristo se le cayó el merchero'
translated as
'where Christ dropped his lighter'
and from Cuba:
'Donde Dios pintó a Perico y no alcanzó bicicleta'
meaning
'Where God painted St Peter and didn't get round to the bicycle'
(if ever I buy a house in a spanish speaking country, that would have to be its name)
Blackie
#150
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: South Charente
Posts: 546
Re: Useful French Phrases
Never heard of this one before:
'refais-le-me-le' = 'you don't say' or 'say that again' (or similar)
How about
'Prendre le train 11' = walk
Blackie
seemingly no Spanish takers for those earlier ones, shame
'refais-le-me-le' = 'you don't say' or 'say that again' (or similar)
How about
'Prendre le train 11' = walk
Blackie
seemingly no Spanish takers for those earlier ones, shame