boutiques sur les Champs Elysées

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Permalink Reply by Frank on July 21, 2009 at 9:26am

"Mode" (as in fashion/fad) is always singular.

Il y a une nouvelle mode : porter ses t-shirts à l'envers.
Les talons hauts sont à la mode.

If you want to talk about shops, just say "shops" or what they are actually selling (or to be generic, say "produits" -products- or "les boutiques de mode").

Les vêtements vendus dans les boutiques sur les Champs Élysées sont coûteux

Cependant, les vêtements vendus dans les boutiques en allant vers l'Avenue Victor Hugo, la rue adjacente, sont moins chers.

Les boutiques de mode sur les Champs Élysées sont chères.

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Liu on July 21, 2009 at 3:24pm

Hi Frank,

Il y a une nouvelle mode : porter ses t-shirts à l'envers.
There is a new mode : bring its t-shirts in reverse ?

Les talons hauts sont à la mode.
The high heels are with the fashion ?

Whether it means the style of "high heels" catches up (is inline with) the latest fashion ?

Cependant, les vêtements vendus dans les boutiques en allant vers l'Avenue Victor Hugo, la rue adjacente, sont moins chers.

en allant vers=in going toward ?

What I was going to say is "the shops along both sides of Ave Victor Hugo". i.e. shops on both sides along Ave Victor Hugo"


What is the difference in meaning btw "Cependant" and "Toutefois" and btw "coûteux" and "cher" ?

Merci

Cordialement
SL

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Permalink Reply by Frank on July 21, 2009 at 3:49pm

Hello Stephen,

Yes, "mode" means fashion, fad, trend, craze.

Il y a une nouvelle mode : porter ses t-shirts à l'envers.
There's a new fad: wearing shirts in reverse.

(yeah, this is a stupid example)


Les talons hauts sont à la mode.
High heels are trendy.

Yes, it means that wearing high heels is fashionable, up to date in fashion.

en allant vers=in going toward ?

Exactly.

What I was going to say is "the shops along both sides of Ave Victor Hugo". i.e. shops on both sides along Ave Victor Hugo"

So it'd be: Les boutiques des deux côtés de l'avenue Victor Hugo.

What is the difference in meaning btw "Cependant" and "Toutefois" and btw "coûteux" and "cher" ?

Cependant, Toutefois, Pourtant and Néanmoins are completely interchangeable. Knowing all of them is handy in order to avoid repetition.

Coûteux and Cher also have exactly the same meaning.

If it's very, very, very expensive, say "hors de prix":
Ce manteau est hors de prix.

If it's a bit steep, say "abusif":
Le prix des places du concert d'Eminem est un peu abusif

If it's a bargain, say "une affaire":
Ce sac était une affaire.

If it's really cheap, say "donné" or "presque donné" or "pratiquement donné":
Ces boucles d'oreilles sont (presque/pratiquement) données.

If it's a scam, say "une arnaque"
Ce téléphone est une arnaque

If it's a rip off, say "une escroquerie"
Ces places de concert étaient une arnaque.

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Liu on July 21, 2009 at 5:48pm

Hi Frank,


So it'd be: Les boutiques des deux côtés de l'avenue Victor Hugo.

Actually "shops along X street" means "shops on both sides of X street"

I'm searching an exact French to be used on the sentence. I found;

le long de
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/le_long_de

Can I arrange the sentence as;
Les boutiques du long de l'avenue Victor Hugo ?

Le prix des places du concert d'Eminem est un peu abusif
The price of the seats in the concert d'Eminem is a little abusive ?

What does it meam ?


The food is too expensive to me
La nourriture est trop chère à moi ?
Le aliment est trop chère à moi ?

B.R.
SL

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Permalink Reply by Frank on July 21, 2009 at 7:56pm

Hey Stephen,

You're absolutely right, "le long de" can also apply here.

"Les boutiques du long de l'avenue Victor Hugo" is perfectly correct.

I'd tend to favor "des deux côtés de" over "le long de" if the street (or whatever you walk along) is wide, as in an avenue.

J'aime marcher le long de la rivière => I like to walk along the river, regardless of the side, what matters is the river itself

J'aime marcher des deux côtés de la rivière => There are interesting (possibly different) things to see on both sides

"Le prix des places du concert d'Eminem est un peu abusif"
As stated before, it means that the price is a bit steep. I don't know if "abusive" is the right word in English, but it means that it's overpriced. Not too much, it's still affordable and it doesn't sound like a rip-off, but it's still more expensive that it should.

Young people sometimes say "abusé" instead of "abusif". "abusé" means "too much", but it's a bit vulgar. Don't write this, don't say this either unless you're with young friends, but don't be surprised either if you hear "un peu abusé" instead of "un peu abusif".

The food is too expensive to me
La nourriture est trop chère pour moi.

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