D. Allan Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 la pomme, noun: apple falling into the apples (tomber dans les pommes) = the French expression for "fainting" la pomme de terre (earth-apple) = potato Aux pommes (with apples) = first rate, A1 Pomme d'Adam = Adam's apple (anat.) pomme de pin = pine cone Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelia Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 How in the world did they get "falling into apples" to mean fainting? Quote <p><span style="color:#0000FF;"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">"Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you."</span></span> Eph 4:29</span><br><br><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/gizmotimetemp_both/US/OR/Fairview.gif" alt="Fairview.gif"> Fairview Or</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 good question! are we to imagine standing in an orchard and being overcome by the fragrance of fallen fermenting apples? Notre amis Francais, aidions nous, s'il vous plait! (and excuse my french if my spelling or grammar is off) Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Gail Posted January 29, 2008 Administrators Share Posted January 29, 2008 How in the world did they get "falling into apples" to mean fainting? Probably the same way that feeling sick to one's stomach is to have "mal au coeur" (lit-sick to the heart) Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 le chat m., la chatte f. noun cat Le chat tombe dans les pommes. The cat is fainting .) Ma petite chatte (literally - "my little cat" (f.), for "darling" ). Or if speaking to a man say: Mon petit chat. Ma petite chatte, tu tombes dans les pommes. (Darling, you're fainting! ) The following text is from the book: The Complete French for Cats When I meow, it means . . . Hello . I am hungry . I want food in my bowl . I want food in my bowl right now . I am not dying-do not put that goo on my food . Here comes a furball . I want to go out . I want to come in . I just put a mouse in the bureau drawer . I did not break that vase . Why did you get out the cat carrier? . I do not want to go to the vet . Please kill the dog next door. . . . Bonjour . J'ai faim . Je veux qu'on remplisse mon bol . Je veux qu'on remplisse mon bol tout de suite . Je ne suis pas en train de mourir-ne mettez pas cette chose gluante sur ma nourriture . Voici une boule de poils . Je veux sortir . Je veux rentrer . Je viens de mettre une souris dans le tiroir de la commode . Je n'ai pas cassé ce vase . Pourquoi avez-vous sorti le porte-chat? . Je ne veux pas aller chez la vétérinaire . Je vous en prie, tuez le chien de la maison d'à côté. . . . Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 fuguer (feuh-gay), verbe intransitif to run away, to run off Sens Faire une fugue. Anglais to run away An easy verb for musicians to remember! Think of a fugue. One of Bach's or Shostakovich's. The theme/subject is stated simply in the tonic key and then it runs off, flees, absconds through the dominant key, and other keys like jumping over so many fences all the while being chased or accompanied by episodes and countersubjects! Présent: je fugue .tu fugues il fugue nous fuguons vous fuguez ils fuguent PARTICIPE: Présent Passé fuguant fugué There is also the French word fugue. la fugue, nom féminin 1. flight, the act of fleeing 2. a musical form Sens 1 Fait de fuir de son domicile familial. Synonyme escapade Anglais flight, (faire une fugue) to run away Sens 2 Forme musicale où différentes parties reprennent le même motif [Musique]. Anglais fugue Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 le fruit (frwee) mas. fruit too easy? then have another: la graine (grehn) fem. seed (of plants) Dans la graine, la vie est cachée dans la mort ; dans le fruit, la mort est cachée dans la vie. - Claude de SAINT-MARTIN, Le Ministère de l'Homme-Esprit In the seed, life is hidden in death; in the fruit, death is hidden in life. To memorize nice sayings like this would be a good way to strengthen your French if you already know some. Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 1, 2008 Author Share Posted February 1, 2008 grand (grahng) .mas. adj.; pl. grands grande(grahnd) fem. adj.; pl. grandes english= big, large, tall, grown-up, great the word is also used as a noun meaning - a person of size, a grown-up, an adult, or an important personage. C'est dans les grands dangers qu'on voit un grand courage. - Jean-François REGNARD, Le Légataire universel, acte IV, scène 1 It's in the great dangers that one sees great courage. ********************* "Ce sont les grandes occasions qui font les grands hommes." - Jean-Jacques Rousseau Great occasions (or circumstances, causes, opportunities) make great men. ********************* Aux grands maux, les grands remèdes." Caton d'Utique With great maladies, great remedies. Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 2, 2008 Author Share Posted February 2, 2008 manteau (mahn-toh), noun, mas. sing.; manteaux, plural coat J'aime beaucoup la capuche de ton manteau. I love the hood of your coat. 1. Vêtement à manches que l'on porte par dessus les autres vêtements pour sortir [Couture]. Synonyme: caban; Anglais: coat 2. Partie en saillie construite au-dessus du foyer d'une cheminée. Synonymes: burnous, caban, cache-misère, cagoule, cape, capote, chape, chasuble, douillette, gabardine, houppelande, imperméable, raglan, redingote Check out the French Audio Word of the Day. Click on the speakers to hear French pronounced. Trés cool! Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 3, 2008 Author Share Posted February 3, 2008 fermer (fehr-meh), verb to close fermant, closing; fermé, closed intransitive (without an object): example: Le magasin ferme à demain. The store (shop, warehouse) closes tomorrow. transitive (with an object): example: Ils ont fermé la route. They have closed the road. "Le secret du bonheur en amour, ce n'est pas d'être aveugle mais de savoir fermer les yeux quand il le faut." Simone Signoret Translation: "The secret of happiness in love, is not to be blind but to know how to close your eyes when necessary." promo photo of Simone Signoret,(March 25, 1921 - September 30, 1985), was an Academy Award-winning Jewish-French actress. Her memoirs, Nostalgia Isn't What It Used To Be, were published in 1978. She also wrote a novel, Adieu Volodya, published in 1985, the year of her death. Notable films: Room at the Top, 1959, won academy award for Best Actress;Ship of Fools, 1965, nominated for academy award Best Actress. Check out the French Audio Word of the Day à demain! Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 soi (swah) the third person indefinite stressed pronoun. It is used only for unspecified persons; i.e., with an indefinite pronoun or impersonal verb. It is the equivalent of one or oneself. On va chez soi. Everyone is going (to his or her respective) home. Chacun pour soi. Every man for himself. Il faut avoir confiance en soi. One should have confidence in oneself (in him/herself). Tout le monde doit le faire soi-même. Everyone has to do it him/herself. Some French students get confused between soi-même and lui-même. If you remember that soi can only be used for unspecified persons, you should be ok. Il va le faire lui-même. He's going to do it himself. On va le faire soi-même. We/You/They are going to do it our/your/themselves. Check out the French Audio Word of the Day! S'il vous plait. à demain! Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 5, 2008 Author Share Posted February 5, 2008 Le Mot est "désolé" ,adjectif, participe passé du verb désoler. 1.describing a feeling of being 'upset,' or saddened 2.describing a place as being deserted, desolated. Je suis désolé I'm sorry désolé is the masc. form of the adj. the fem. is désolée. Il est désolé. He is sorry (saddened.) Elle est désolée. She is sorry (saddened.) Related: désolant present participle of désoler désoler infintive, to sadden, to upset Pres. Ind. conj. of the verb désoler . je désole .tu désoles .il/elle désole .nous désolons .vous désolez .ils/elles désolent Basic French Surivival Phrases You may hear these (and more) pronounced by a French speaker at This Site. Oui. Yes. Non. No. S'il vous plaît. Please. Merci. Thank you. Je vous en prie. You're welcome. Excusez-moi. Excuse me. Je suis désolé(e). I'm sorry. Bonjour. Good morning. Bonsoir. Good evening. Bonne nuit. Good night. Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 8, 2008 Author Share Posted February 8, 2008 joie (zhwah) feminine noun (French is so beautiful: la zhwah!!) Joie is in English, joy. But it sounds much more zesty in french. "Le silence est l’interprète le plus éloquent de la joie." William Shakespeare - Beaucoup de briut pour rien There is one idiom, or expression which the french use and you need to be sure to know it - so that you do not embarrase yourself (nor anyone else)!! Here it is: Fille de joie Une fille de joie, my friends, is a prostitute. So be careful! If one were to say, 'Ah, ma petite, fille de joie!' it would be saying 'Ah, my little prostitute!' No, no that would not do at all. So, remember, OK? One more expression is: S'en donner à coeur joie to do something with a heart of joy; to do something gladly, with pleasure. Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 10, 2008 Author Share Posted February 10, 2008 épater, (eh-pat-TAY) verbe, inf., transitif to astonish "épater les bourgeois" (eh-pat-TAY lay boor-JWAH) to deliberately shock people who have conventional values. Literally, "to astonish the middle class." Teenagers love to do this! If your teen daugher shaves her head and tatoos a pink rat thereon, don't act shocked. That would only be fufilling her expectations. Act blasé! Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 11, 2008 Author Share Posted February 11, 2008 la moue (mu), noun, feminine The French pout is a classic French facial gesture which expresses discontent, disdain, disgust... just about any negative emotion beginning with "dis." To faire la moue (to pout), push your lips out and bring them back in, kind of like a quick pucker up to a kiss. A bored expression on the face is a common accompaniment. Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Gail Posted February 11, 2008 Administrators Share Posted February 11, 2008 Dave, an interesting point concerning another moût... The word "moût" is the French word that describes grape "must". This is the fresh grape juice as it is in the grape. This is interesting because in English the Bible uses the word "wine" to describe both fermented and fresh grape juice. This has led to some confusion at times about which wine was being referred to. The French makes it clearer. Now I forget which verse I discovered this in, but I came upon it by chance when using my French bible for study one day. Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 11, 2008 Author Share Posted February 11, 2008 So, le moût (grape juice) sounds just like la moue (pout)? Also if la moue is made masculine, le mou, it means softness! moût moue mou do three mus make a herd? btw I think it is amusing that in French 'raisin' means grape as in jus de raisin non fermenté. :) Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Gail Posted February 11, 2008 Administrators Share Posted February 11, 2008 And that's not all! A cluster of grapes is called une "grappe"! So instead of a bunch of grapes you have "une grappe de raisins"!!! Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 11, 2008 Author Share Posted February 11, 2008 Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 12, 2008 Author Share Posted February 12, 2008 poil (pwal), masculine noun hair, fur Expressions: à poil (familiar) stark naked Au poil Très bien, very well, just fine! Avoir un poil dans la main , to be lazy. (lit. to have a hair on the hand.) There is a geste, gesture which can go with that expression. To say that someone is lazy, hold out your hand, pull on an imaginary hair growing out of it, and say, "Il a un poil dans la main." Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Gail Posted February 12, 2008 Administrators Share Posted February 12, 2008 Cool actions! You know in Latin languages, hand signals are very important!! Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 12, 2008 Author Share Posted February 12, 2008 poil (pwal), masculine noun hair, fur Expressions: à poil (familiar) stark naked Au poil Très bien, very well, just fine! Avoir un poil dans la main , to be lazy. (lit. to have a hair on the hand.) There is a geste, gesture which can go with that expression. To say that someone is lazy, hold out your hand, pull on an imaginary hair growing out of it, and say, "Il a un poil dans la main." I like that one! :) Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 13, 2008 Author Share Posted February 13, 2008 "Etre de bon poil" literally "to be of good hair" meaning "Etre de bonne humeur." To be in a good mood. -de mauvais poil, (of bad hair) ; -de méchant poil (of nasty hair) to be in a bad mood, a nasty mood 1 il n'a pas l'air de bon poil, ce matin - 1969 2 Elle était revenue, mais pas de bon poil, je vous l'assure. Elle n'a pas arrêté de râler - 1985 [1946] 3 Le fait d'être tiré du lit à cette heure incongrue l'avait mis de fort méchant poil - 1968 Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Gail Posted February 13, 2008 Administrators Share Posted February 13, 2008 Yeah, their bad hair days are one level up from ours, I reckon! Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted February 14, 2008 Author Share Posted February 14, 2008 The origin of the expression is in the XVI Century. They used to say "avoir la queue marquée de mauvais poil" (to have a tail with very bad hair) meaning "to be in a bad mood." They would also say at that time "changer de poil" meaning a change of attitude. Today "etre de bon poil" means to be in a good mood. Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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