French/Appendices/Hints and common errors

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Appendices
Dates, Time, and Numbers
Exercises
E-F dictionary
F-E dictionary
French authors
Hints and Common Errors
French History
Nations of the World
Phrasebook
Pronunciation Index
Slang
Vocabulary Index
Typing Characters
Verb Dictionary
Web Resources
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Contents 1 Quoi, qui, que, ce que, ce qui, est-ce que, and qu'est-ce que 2 tout, tous, toute, toutes 3 false cognates / faux amis 4 ap/em/porter 5 a/em/mener 6 passer 7 em/s'en aller/vouloir/s'enfuir/s'envoler 8 pronominal verbs with meanings different than regular version 9 plus 10 bon vs bien 11 capitalization 12 an/année, jour/journée 13 negation other that ne..pas in detail 14 c'est vs il est, ce vs il vs one 15 mal, le mal, faire mal, malade, malaise, etc

[edit] Quoi, qui, que, ce que, ce qui, est-ce que, and qu'est-ce que

• "Quoi" is used as the object of a preposition (i.e: à, avec, après), except for variations of "de". Example: Sais-tu à quoi il pense? = Do you know what he's thinking about?

• "Qui" can be most easily translated as "which", or "who". It's used when referring to a specific item or person doing something (La chienne qui aboye), or when asking a question (as in "Qui aimes-tu").

• "Que" can be used to compare something (he eats more than she eats = il mange plus qu'elle mange), or to be used to say "that" ("he thinks that he eats a lot" = "Il pense qu'il mange beaucoup").

• "Ce que", and "ce qui" are indefinite pronouns. Ce que is used to describe something the subject of a sentence is modifying, and ce qui describes the subject of a sentence.

This is what he wants = "C'est ce qu'il veux". This is something that satisfies me = "C'est ce qui me satisfait."

• "Est-ce que" is a phrase placed in front of a statement to make it a question.

"Tu l'aimes" = "You like it." In French, when descibing the subject of a sentence in relation to another object or place, the subject goes first, then the pronoun of the object or place being related to, and then the verb. "Est-ce que tu l'aimes ?" = "(Do) you like it?"

• "Qu'est-ce que" means "what is it that", as in "What is it that he likes to eat" (Qu'est-ce qu'il aime manger ?) Similarly, "Qu'est-ce qui" means "What is it that", however, just like "ce qui", it refers to a subject instead of an object. ("Qu'est-ce qui aboye?" = "What's barking?")

[edit] tout, tous, toute, toutes

"Tout", when used as an adverb, always stays invariant. When used as an adjectives, it agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies (like every adjective in French).

Example:
Ils sont sales means "They are dirty". Adding tout gives a complementary information, different whether tout is employed as an adverb or an adjective:
Ils sont tout sales. (Adverb: invariant). Insists on the adjective sale. In this case tout means "very" or "completely".
Ils sont tous sales. (Adjective: agree with "sales" in gender and in number). Insists on the fact that they are ALL dirty.

[edit] false cognates / faux amis

• Actuel vs. actual: "actuel" in French means "current". e.g. les événements actuels = current events
• Sale vs. sale: in French, sale is an adjective that means "dirty".
• Travailler vs. to travel: "travailler" is a verb meaning to work, not "to travel".
• La librairie vs. library: "librairie" denotes bookstore.
• La figure vs. figure: "figure" in French means face.
• La journée vs. Journey: "journée" in French means day.

[edit] ap/em/porter

apporter - to bring an object (only things you can carry) to a place where you are. J'ai apporté mon livre à la fête.

emporter - to take an object (only things you can carry) to a place different than your current location. J'ai emporté ma boisson à la fête.

Best way to remember is that 'take' has an 'e' so the verb starts with an em.

[edit] a/em/mener

amener - to bring an animal, vehicle or a person with you to a place where you are. Si vous venez nous voir, amenez votre frère.

emmener - to take an animal or a person with you somewhere different than your current location. Il a emmené ses enfants à l'école.

Same formula to remember: 'take' has an 'e' so the verb starts with an em.

[edit] passer

• passer la journée which means to spend the day (doing something. a longer example is needed here)
• se passer which means for something to happen, or to occur.

[edit] em/s'en aller/vouloir/s'enfuir/s'envoler

[edit] pronominal verbs with meanings different than regular version

[edit] plus

[edit] bon vs bien

Bon is usually an adjective. It modifies a noun and means good, suitable, efficient, correct, useful, etc. Bien means good, right, healthy, etc., and can often be used as an adjective with the verb être. It usually it is an adverb, however.

[edit] capitalization

[edit] an/année, jour/journée

[edit] negation other that ne..pas in detail

Pas can be substituted for other words to give a negation new meanings. For instance, ils ne regardent pas - "They are not watching" can become :

• Ils ne regardent plus - They are no longer watching
• Ils ne regardent guère (formal) - They are barely watching
• Ils ne regardent jamais - They are never watching

[edit] c'est vs il est, ce vs il vs one

[edit] mal, le mal, faire mal, malade, malaise, etc

(edit template)	Appendices	(discussion)
Dates, Time, and Numbers • Exercises • E-F dictionary • F-E dictionary • French authors • Hints and Common Errors • French History • Nations of the World • Phrasebook • Pronunciation Index • Slang • Vocabulary Index • Typing Characters • Verb Dictionary • Web Resources

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Grammar • Appendices • Texts • About • Q&A • Planning

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