Category Archives: Vocabulary

Actions et tube

Posted on 30 August 2011 by Tournesol

Les actions (nfpl): As well as English ‘actions’, ‘les actions’ also mean ‘shares’ as in stocks and shares. Now where did I put my Swiss bank account… Le tube: ‘Un tube’ or ‘le tube’ has many meanings but the (London) … Continue reading →

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Pavement et chauffeur

Posted on 29 August 2011 by Tournesol

Le pavement: I am always happily surprised when I discover a new ‘false friend’, and this, I think, is a good one. ‘Le pavement’ is ‘ornamental tiling’, and the English ‘pavement’ is ‘le trottoir’. Simples.  Un chauffeur: I was also surprised … Continue reading →

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Photograph(er)

Posted on 27 August 2011 by Tournesol

This is a good example of a “false friend”: ‘Un photographe’ is ‘a photographer’ and ‘une photographie’ is ‘a photograph’.

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‘Passer un savon’ and ‘bribe’

Posted on 26 August 2011 by Tournesol

‘Passer un savon à quelqu’un’ does not mean to pass the soap to somebody but ‘to give somebody a telling off ‘! And ‘une bribe de musique’ is not to bribe somebody with music but ‘a snatch of music’.

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Balzac, Honoré de

Posted on 26 August 2011 by Tournesol

To avoid French titters, pronounce the ‘Bal’ in Balzac to rhyme with ‘Hal’ and not ‘hall’.

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A budding singer

Posted on 24 August 2011 by Tournesol

‘Un chanteur/une chanteuse en herbe‘ translates literally as: ‘A male singer/a female singer in grass.’ But we would say, more aptly, of course: ‘a budding singer.’

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Pas mal (de)

Posted on 23 August 2011 by Tournesol

Although ‘pas mal’ translates as ‘not bad’, ‘pas mal de…’ translates as ‘a lot of…’: Pas mal de chats  : a lot of cats/Pas mal de gens confus, personnes confuses  : many confused people. Yes, quite…

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Potable

Posted on 22 August 2011 by Tournesol

A half-way decent hotel is described as ‘potable’ (drinkable). But beware of l’Hôtel de Ville: this is the Town Hall. Do not try to book in or stay there.

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Flippant

Posted on 21 August 2011 by Tournesol

I’ve just discovered a ‘false friend’ new to me: flippant. Looking in my Robert-Collins dictionary I find that the French version of the word means ‘grim/depressing’ in English. Having a weird sense of humour, I often aim to be flippant but I … Continue reading →

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Fitness training

Posted on 20 August 2011 by Tournesol

Good to know Henry de Montherlant is appreciated…!

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