What's your bête noire of French grammar?

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Permalink Reply by Frank on September 20, 2009 at 6:20pm

Hi Cesare,

The former is neutral, you can use it in any situation. The later is formal. But both can be said to anyone regardless of age.

In fact, I don't think there's any street lingo way to say "thank you". We just say "merci" :)

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Permalink Reply by Deay on September 21, 2009 at 1:20am

Hello,
Avec beaucoup d'autres problèmes dans la grammaire .Ma bête noire de la français jusqu'ici, c'est prnounes interrogative.
Dommage, comme c'est dommage !
Espérons que tout se passera bien

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Jessica on September 30, 2009 at 1:15pm

Indirect and direct object pronouns! COD and COI to me are hard to grasp in plain terms. I can use them when I am answering questions that directly ask for the COD and COI, but when it comes to actually writing sentences, I find it hard to know what to do/ how to use them.

Also, differences between words like parce que and a cause de. I know they exist and I know they mean because in some form, but how does one know when to use either. I use them interchangably, but I know that it isn't right.

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Permalink Reply by Frank on October 1, 2009 at 6:57am

Hi Jessica,

"parce que" is "because", while "à cause de" is essentially "because of".

Je ne peux pas sortir à cause de la pluie. (because of the rain)
Je ne peux pas sortir parce qu'il pleut. (because it's raining)

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Permalink Reply by Neil Coffey on October 5, 2009 at 9:55am

Re the pronouns: have you had a look at the section on French pronouns already in the grammar section. It would be interesting to know if there are parts of this that you don't think are clear so that they can be improved.

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Permalink Reply by Angelique on October 14, 2009 at 5:09am

Problems include: Sentence Order, {especially with using Pronouns}Subjunctive mood,The use of popular prepositions and conjunctions etc. I'll ask around..Bonne idée!!

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Permalink Reply by ava marie Ramos on October 30, 2009 at 9:43pm

hello have a nice day . i would like to know some simple french words

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Permalink Reply by Frank on November 1, 2009 at 4:29am

Hi and welcome to the forum.

http://www.french-linguistics.co.uk/ is a good starting point, especially its Basic French section that should help you to get started with learning French.

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Permalink Reply by Pamela Kingfisher on November 6, 2009 at 9:24am

I want some ideas on using indefinate and definate demonstrative pronouns, celui, ceux, celle, and celles. I am trying to use these correctly in my term papers.
It is confusing when trying to use these in a sentence, especially when they are in the interior of a sentence and ci or là is not being attached to the pronoun to distinguish between "latter" and "former"
Pam

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Permalink Reply by Cindy W on December 3, 2009 at 11:42pm

I think for most people learning French the most difficult or confusing part is the real french of everyday because if you go to france and listen how people speak its not text book french most french people use a LOT or slang or Argot and younger people use even more of it they incorporate even english based words that have a different meaning in english and when they use them in french they mean something totally different example : Tiens, voilà un gamin avec un slim et des vêtements du style American Apparel or c’est trop stylé etc....

this is very confusing for someone who has learned text book french most french people when talking amongst speak fast and use slang or even curse words its part of their language and culture and when using the curse words they use them as everyday words and they are not viewed as insulting the italians are the same way .

Just rent a new release french movie and listen how they speak its very colorful and can be very confusing as to what they are saying.
To me thats the most difficult part of the language.

Cindy

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Permalink Reply by stu harris on December 4, 2009 at 6:38pm

Many people would like some guidance on "tu" and "vous" -- something we have absolutely no experience of in English. I'm not native French but I think:

People who are automatically "tu":
Close family
Close friends
School or college friends, whether or not you know them well
Kids
These days, anyone in internet chat because you assume you don't owe them respect

People who are automatically "vous":
Old people
Anyone you have a purely commercial relationship with -- shopkeepers, waiters etc.
Anyone to whom you owe respect

People who could go either way:
Work colleagues
People of your own age who you meet informally

The biggest trap is in choosing the moment when a "vous" becomes a "tu". Advice from a native speaker would be welcome here. It can be seen as a Faux pas. Is it ever OK with a waiter or barman who serves you regularly? How about someone of your own age who you have a casual conversation with at a bar?

I noticed something clever in the english sub-titling of the Klapisch film "Paris". The professeur begins an affair with one of his students (a really gorgeous woman, by the way.) Eventually she says "I love you" but she can't get out of the habit of vous-ing him. He replies "Bon, mais dans ce cas tu peus me tutoyer". Literally, this is "Fine, but in that case you can call me tu." The translator came up with something clever -- "Fine, but in that case you can stop calling me Sir."

Another thing I'd like to know from a native is -- is "Je vous aime" ever really logical?

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Permalink Reply by Frank on December 6, 2009 at 5:28pm

Hi Stu,

This is a very interesting question and your list is quite accurate.

Think about how you would greet the person you are talking to. If saying "what's up" would be ok, you can probably go for "tu". If a more formal greeting would be more suitable, "vous" would be a safer pick.

Is it ever OK with a waiter or barman who serves you regularly?

Depends. If other clients might hear your conversation, maybe not, because other clients could consider you as a privileged client, thus feeling uncomfortable. If not, and especially in a bar, if you are a regular client, it might be ok. But as a rule of thumb, you should avoid "tu" with someone you are a client of, when he's on the clock.

How about someone of your own age who you have a casual conversation with at a bar?

Start with "vous" and shift to "tu" after the first beer or after a few jokes :)

At the workplace, at school, etc. it all depends on the local informal pre-established rules. In some companies, coworkers always use "vous", except when they are very close colleagues. In other companies, "tu" is the rule, no matter who you are talking to. In the company I'm currently working for, I always say "tu", even to the boss and to people I have never met before.

If you're not sure about which one to use, use "vous" and eventually the person you are talking to is going to say "hé, on peut se tutoyer".

When talking to kids, "tu" is the rule. But at school, usually starting at the secondary school, teachers use "vous" when talking to pupils.

Some people used to say "vous" to their relatives, especially to their parents and grandparents. But this is a very uncommon thing nowadays.

"Je vous aime" is a juicy mix of going intimate and being distant at the same time. This is something you will only hear in movies, not in the real life.

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