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COPYRIGHT DEPOSEE
PRACTICAL
FRENCH COURSE
IN FIFTY LESSONS
THIRD EDITION
NEW YORK
1917
."Jta
By RAPHAL D'AMOUR
All Rights Reserved
OCT 26 1317
The Aster Press
New York
CLA476754
PREFACE
This radically new method of learning the French language
embodies in concrete form the working principle of the
author, namely: "To teach Americans how to say in French the
very things they are daily saying in English," thus doing away
with the useless phraseology of the old grammars so humor-
ously ridiculed by Mark Twain. The fact is, that in this
practical age of ours a speaking knowledge of modern lan-
guages, of French especially, has become a matter of necessity,
the time being long past when a foreign tongue was studied,
like L,atin and Greek, for the mere sake of general culture and
polish.
Originally written for those students who wish to master
French rapidly, either for pleasure or business, the present
grammar is now used with great success in colleges and
schools, also by the best private teachers, here and abroad.
The ever-increasing popularity of this book, which has already
reached the third edition, is the most convincing proof of its
practical value.
In the two preliminary lessons of this grammar the pupil
is how to pronounce, read and write French;
taught: First,
second, how to distinguish, by a very simple rule, the gender
of French nouns, and to form the plural of the same; third,
how to acquire an extensive French vocabulary by mere
observation.
In the subsequent practical lessons the student is led,
gradually and logically, through the intricacies of the lan-
guage, from those conventional phrases in current daily use, to
the fluent form of conversation and the mastery of idiomatic
French.
Each one is followed by a
of the first twenty-five lessons
practical exercise, inwhich the pupil has to complete a
certain number of sentences by supplying missing words, an
excellent system for learning to write in French.
An important innovation will be found in the following
lessons, in the practical exercises to be translated into French:
By indicating the strict literal structure of each French sen-
tence in English, the author feels confident to have not only
greatly simplified the task of the student, but also to have
paved the way toward learning to think in French.
Special attention is called to the following features: 1.
Table of the French sounds with their nearest equivalents in
English. 2. Three introductory lessons containing set
phrases in current daily use. 3. Unity of subject for each
grammatical lesson. 4. A brief, yet comprehensive tabulation
of the irregular verbs. 5. The most commonly used idiomatic
expressions. 6. Literary quotations. 7. French proverbs.
8. Short anecdotes. 9. Classical definitions.
The author now presents this new, thoroughly revised and
considerably improved edition, with the hope that it may meet
with the kind approval of those teachers and students who wish
to leave the long-beaten path, and use, for teaching and learn-
ing French, a common-sense method.
RAPHAKIy D'AMOUR.
New York, September, 1917.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
LESSON I. page;
PRONUNCIATION.
1 How to Call the Letters of the French Alphabet 15
2 Table of the French Sounds with their nearest equivalents
in English 15
3 Miscellaneous Rules 21
LESSON II.
GENERAI, NOTIONS.
I How to Accent the Vowels 22
,2 How to Read French 24
3 How to Distinguish the Gender of French Noun s 26
4 How to Form the Plural of French Nouns 27
5 How to See at a Glance the Similarity between a great many
English and French Words 28
6 Exercise 29
LESSONS III - V.
USUAI, PHRASES.
i The Salutation 30
2 The Days 31
3 The Months 34
4 The Seasons 34
5 The Weather 35
6 The Time of Day 37
7 The Present, Past and Future 38
LESSON VI. page
THE INDEFINITE) ARTICLE.
1 Grammatical Rules. 39
2 Practice 39
3 Exercise 43
LESSON VII.
LESSON VIII.
LESSON IX.
LESSON X.
LESSON XII.
DEMONSTRATIVE AND POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES.
1 Grammatical Rules 73
2 Practice 76
3 Exercise 78
LESSON XIII.
QUALIFYING ADJECTIVES.
i How to Form the Feminine of Adjectives 79
2 How to Form the Plural of Adjectives 80
3 Place of Adjectives 80
4 Irregular Adjectives 82
5 Practice 84
6 Exercise 85
LESSON XIV.
COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES.
1 How to Form the Comparative of Adjectives 87
2 How to Form the Superlative of Adjectives 89
3 Comparative Expressions ., 92
4 Exercise 92
LESSON XV.
INDEFINITE ADJECTIVES.
1 Different Meanings of the word flme 94
2 Different Meanings of the word Tout 96
3 Practical Expressions formed with the Adjectives Tout
and Mme 97
4 Other Indefinite Adjectives 98
5 Exercise 99
LESSON XVI. page
PERSONAL PRONOUNS.
1 Personal Pronouns used as Subject of the Verb 101
2 Personal Pronouns used Objectively 103
3 Place of Personal Pronouns 103
4 Practice 104
5 Important Remarks 106
6 Exercise 108
LESSON XVII.
INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS.
i How to Render in French the Interrogative Pronoun Who. 109
2 How to Render in French the Interrogative Pronoun Whom. no
3 How to Render in French the Interrogative Pronouns What,
Which 112
4 Practice 113
5 Exercise < 114
LESSON XVIII.
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS.
1 How to Render in French the Demonstrative Pronouns
This, That, These, Those 115
2 Demonstrative Pronouns used Absolutely 117
3 Important Remarks on the Pronoun It... 117
4 Practical Expressions formed with C'est, (it is or that is) 119
5 How to Render in French the Demonstrative form Here is,
Here are, There is, There are 120
6 Exercise 120
LESSON XIX.
RELATIVE AND POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS.
1 How to Render in French the Pronouns Who, Whom, To
Whom 122
2 How to Render in French the Pronouns Which, Of Which,
To Which 123
3 Demonstrative and Relative Pronouns Combined 125
4 Possessive Pronouns 126
5 Practice 127
6 Exercise 127
LESSON XX. * PAGE
INVARIABLE PRONOUNS.
LESSON XXI.
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS.
LESSON XXII.
THE ADVERB.
1 How to form Adverbs 141
2 Place of Adverbs 142
3 List of Adverbial Expressions 142
4 Important Remark on the Adverbs of Quantity 144
5 Practice 145
6 Exercise 146
LESSON XXIII. PAGE
INVARIABLE WORDS.
1 The Preposition .
147
2 The Conjunction 148
3 The Interjection 148
4 Practice 149
5 Exercise 153
LESSON XXIV.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE ON SOME INVARIABLE WORDS
HAVING SEVERAL MEANINGS.
1 A En De Que Bien SiPourPar Ou O Jusque. 155
LESSON XXV.
REMARKS ON THE RIGHT USE OE SOME PRACTICAL
WORDS.
1 Day, Morning, Evening 164
2 Year, Parents, Relatives, Father-in-Law, etc 165
3 Piece, Lecture, Office 166
4 End, Ticket, Note
Bill, 167
5 Present, Gift, Mouth, Fire 168
6 Word, Linen, Next 169
7 Audience, Sensible, Wages, Rivers 170
8 Exercise 171
LESSON XXVI.
AUXILIARY VERBS.
1 Conjugation of the Verbs Avoir, to have, and Etre, to be.... 172
2 Negative form 177
3 Interrogative form 178
LESSON XXVII.
VERB ETRE, TO BE.
LESSON XXVIII.
VERB AVOIR, TO HAVE-
1 Practical Exercise on that Verb.... 185
2 Idiomatic Expressions formed with the Verb Avoir 191
3 Exercise for Translation 191
LESSON XXIX.
REGULAR VERBS.
i General Notions 192
2 Hints for Conjugating the Regular Verbs 193
3 Table of Conjugation 195
4 Exercise for Translation ,
199
LESSON XXX.
WST OE THE MOST PRACTICAL VERBS.
1 Verbs of the first Conjugation 201
2 Remarks on the Spelling of some Verbs of the first Conju-
gation 206
3 Verbs of the second Conjugation 207
4 Verbs of the third Conjugation 207
5 Exercise for Translation 208
LESSON XXXI. page
THE USE OF THE TENSES.
i Grammatical Rules. 2 Practice. 3 Exercise for Translation.. 210
LESSON XXXII.
THE PRESENT PARTICIPLE.
i Grammatical Rules. 2 Practice 216
LESSON XXXIII.
THE PRESENT OP THE INDICATIVE.
Grammatical Rules. 2 Practice
LESSON XXXIV.
THE PAST INDEFINITE.
i Grammatical Rules. 2 Practice. 3 Exercise for Translation.. 228
LESSON XXXV.
THE PAST DEFINITE.
i Grammatical Rules. 2 Practice. 3 Exercise for Translation.. 234
LESSON XXXVI.
THE FUTURE.
I Grammatical Rules. 2 Practice 238
THE CONDITIONAL.
1 Grammatical Rules. 2 Practice. 3 Exercise for Translation.. 240
LESSON XXXVII.
THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
i Grammatical Rules. 2 Practice. 3 Exercise for Translation.. 244
LESSON XXXVIII.
THE IMPERATIVE MOOD.
I Grammatical Rules. 2 Practice. 3 Exercise for Translation.. 252
LESSON XXXIX. PAGE
Miscellaneous Rules 257
LESSONS XIv.-XI.II.
1 Practical Exercise on some Important Verbs of the first Conju-
gation. 2 Exercise for Translation 264
LESSON XLIII.
1 Practical Exercise on some Important Verbs of the second and
third Conjugations. 2 Exercise for Translation 283
LESSON XLIV.
1 How to form the Compound Tenses of the Verbs of Motion.
2 Practice... 290
IMPERSONAL VERBS.
"
LESSON XLVII.
REFLEXIVE VERBS.
1 Model of Conjugation. 2 Practical Exercise on some Important
Reflexive Verbs 316
LESSON XLVIII.
French Proverbs 326
LESSON XLIX.
Reading and Memory Exercises. Short Anecdotes 330
LESSON L.
Definitions
334
Practical French Course 15
PREMIRE LEON.
LESSON I.
PRONUNCIATION.
A B c D E F G H I
ah bay say day ay eff zhay ash ee
J K L M N P Q R
zhee kah ell emm enn oh pay kid air
S T U V X Y z
ess tay vay eeks ee greek, zedd
VOWELS.
DIPHTHONGS.
COMBINED VOWELS.
A vowel surmounted by a diaeresis (""), trrna, does not
form a diphthong with another vowel, but either vowel is
to be pronounced separately. Thus, for instance, the
word naif, naive, must be pronounced as if written nah-if.
Likewise, the following are not diphthongs, but com-
bined vowels to be pronounced separately :
NASAL SOUNDS.
The combination of a vowel or diphthong with the con-
sonant m or n produces what we call in French, le son
nasal, (the nasal sound).
The nasal sounds are represented by the following com-
binations :
AN -j
r maman mah-mng marna
AM pronounced nearly like 1 lampe lmp lamp
EN ng (final g silent). |
encore ng-core yet,again
EM I empire om-peer empire
IN r vin vng wine
IM limpide lm-peed limpid
pronounced nearly like J
AIN pain png bread
&ng (final g silent).
AIM faim J fng hunger
EIN J I sein sang bosom
18 Practical French Course
OBSERVATION.
If the consonant m or n is immediately
is doubled, or
followed by a vowel, thesound is not given,
nasal
but the initial vowel must be pronounced separately.
Thus, for instance, the words innocent, immense, image, vinaigre,
must be pronounced as if written ee-noh-sahng, ee-mongs, ee-mahzh,
:
vee-neg-ger.
LIQUID SOUNDS.
CONSONANTS.
The consonants not mentioned in the following table are
pronounced as in English.
generally called
mute.
When called aspi- la harpe lah-ahrp the harp
rate, itonly pre- le hameau ler-ah-moh the hamlet
vents the con- les hameaux lay-ah-moh the hamlets
nection with the les haricots lay-ah-ree-koh the beans
last consonant of
the preceding
word, and also
the elision of the
vowels a, e, be-
fore it.
MISCELLANEOUS RULES.
1. At the end of a word the syllables et, ez, ed, er, are
pronounced ay.
Poulet (poo-lay), chicken ; parler (par-lay), to speak.
Allez (ah-lay), go ; pied (pee-ay), foot.
However, the words amer, bitter ; enfer, hell; fier, proud, are pro-
nounced ah-mair, ng-fair, fee-air.
DEUXIEME LEON.
LESSON IL
GENERAL NOTIONS.
A ), V accent circonflexe.
(
letter which was formerly used after the vowel over which
it is placed.
That letter generally an s has been pre-
served in a number of English words coming from the
French, as :
ELISION.
The vowels a, e, and replaced by
are generally cut off
an apostrophe before words beginning with a vowel or an
h mute. Thus, we write and pronounce for the sake of
euphony :
HYPHEN.
A hyphen, called in French trait d'union, is placed
between the two parts of a compound noun or number.
Porte-monnaie, pocket-book.
Dix-sept, seventeen.
DOERESIS.
A French trma, is placed over the
diaeresis, called in
vowels which are to be pronounced separately.
Thus, for instance, the word hair, to hate, must be pro-
nounced ah-eer, Without the trema, or two dots over the
i, it would be pronounced air.
24 Practical French Course
CEDILLA.
A cedilla ( s ),
called in French cdille (say-dee-yur), is
SYLLABIC ACCENT.
As a rule, the stress is laid, in French, upon the last
IMPORTANT RULES
ABOUT THE FINAI, CONSONANTS.
carry.
Il est mort Paris ( ee-lay moh-rah Pah-ree), he died
in Paris.
IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS
ABOUT THE LETTER E.
EXCEPTIONS.
OBSERVATION.
EXERCISE.
TROISIEME LEON.
LESSON III.
USUAL PHRASES.
QUATRIEME LEON.
LESSON IV.
USUAL PHRASES.
se porte votre
: sur ? How is your sister ?
" " votre fille? How is your daughter?
<< < <
votre belle -sur? How is your sister-in-law?
< (<
votre belle-fille? How is your daughter-in-law
<< votre tante ? How is your aunt ?
(C (
votre nice ? How is your niece ?
(C (<
votre cousine? How is your (lady) cousin ?
Il
votre amie ? How is your (lady) friend ?
Venez. Come.
Venez ici. Come here.
Venez avec moi. Come with me.
Venez encore. Come again.
Venez bientt. Come soon.
Allez. Go.
Allez-vous-en. Go away.
Tout de suite. At once.
Dpchez- vous. Hurry up.
34 Practical French Course
Ecoutez. Listen.
Ecoutez-inoi. Listen to we.
Attendez. Wait.
Attendez-moi. Wait for me.
Attendez une minute. Wait a minute.
(*) In French the names of the days, months and seasons are written
with a small initial, only the proper names being written with a
capital.
Practical French Course; 35
CINQUIEME LEON,
LESSON V.
Le Temps (1er tong) The weather.
Il gle. It freezes.
Il dgle. It thaws.
INTERROGATIVE FORM.
The interrogation is formed in French, either by placing
the pronoun after the verb with a hyphen connecting them
or by prefixing the expression est=ce que, is it that, to the
affirmative form.
The form est-ce que, is generally used in conversation
and familiar writing.
Examples :
Fait-il chaud ? or
FvSt-ce qu'il fait chaud ?
Is it warm ?
Pleut-il? or
Is it raining ?
Est-ce qu'il pleut?
NEGATIVE FORM.
To render a sentence negative in French, the particle
ne is placed before the verb and pas after it.
Examples :
(*) Douze heures is never used except in the sense of twelve hours.
"
' ' '
' '
{
moins dix. " ten (minutes) of two.
" " " " moins cinq. " five (minutes) of two.
<sm!&?s>
Practical French Course 39
SIXIEME LEON.
LESSON VI.
PRACTICE.
Qu'avez-vous fait aujourd'hui? What have you done to-day ?
collective nouns.
COMPOUND NOUNS.
J'ai achet aussi: I have also bought:
Un lit-pliant. A folding-bed.
Un timbre-poste. A postage-stamp.
Un tire-bouchon. A cork-screw.
Practical French Course 41
Un tourne-vis. A screw-driver.
Un coupe-papier. A paper-knife.
Un gratte-papier. An eraser.
Un presse-papier. A paper-weight.
Un porte-plume. A pen-holder.
Un porte-monnaie. A pocket-book.
Une chaise-berante. A rocking-chair.
Une machine coudre. A sewing-machine.
Quoi encore ? (or) Quoi de plus ? What else ?
Rien de plus, (or) Plus rien. Nothing else.
C'est tout. That is all.
C'est assez. That is enough.
OBSERVATIONS.
I. The un (m), une (f), is not used in French be-
article
tween the verb to be and a noun denoting a profession or
a nationality.
EXERCISE.
kerchiefs.
SEPTIEME LEON.
LESSON VII.
PRACTICE.
Que dsirez-vous ? What do you wish ?
Passez-moi, s'il vous plat. Pass me, ifyou please.
Voulez- vous me passer ? Will you pass me ?
REMARK.
After the verb aimer, to like, the substantive or adjective
used substantively must be preceded in French by the
article le, la, les, according to the gender and number of
the noun:
Les Etats-Unis, the United States. Le nord, the North ; l'est, the East.
L'Amrique du Sud, South Le sud, the South ; l'ouest,
{America. [the West.
EXERCISE.
Let the pupil replace each dash by the requisite article,
adjective or adjective used substantively.
4S Practical French Course
He is Irish. Il est
He is an Irishman. C'est
He is Spanish. Il est
He is a Spaniard. C'est
HUITIME LEON.
LESSON VIII.
Singular.
Pujrai,.
REMARK.
From the is rendered, as of the, by du, de la, des, accord-
ing to the gender and number of the noun to which it
refers.
Singular.
Plural.
Before a plural noun of either gender to the is rendered
by aux, which is a contraction of les.
PRACTICE.
O allez- vous? Where are you going f
REMARKS
ABOUT THE PREPOSITION To.
r. After the verb aller, to go, the preposition to is reir
dered by :
IMPORTANT REMARK
on the word Home.
In French there no word corresponding to the Eng-
-
is
EXERCISE,
O vas-tu ? (familiar) 1. Where art thou going f
Je vais (m. ) I am going
O allez- vous ? Where are you going ?
Nous allons (f.) We are going
O va-t-il ? Where is he going
Il va (verb) He is going
54 Practical French Course
NEUVIEME LEON.
LESSON IX.
THE PARTITIVE ARTICLE.
IMPORTANT REMARK.
When the English word some is used, not in a partitive
sense, but as an indefinite adjective, it is translated into
French by quelque for the singular and quelques for the
plural.
PRACTICE.
EXERCISE,
DIXIEME LEON.
LESSON X.
tween the verb and the pronoun when the verb, in the
third person singular, ends with a vowel.
Votre ami a-t-il crit ? Lit.: Yottr friend, has he written ?
Votre mari parle-t-il franais ? Lit.: Your husband, speaks he
[French ?
Votre dame parle-t-elle anglais ? Lit. : Your wife, speaks she
[English ?
Practicai, French Course 61
Vous tes franais, n'est-ce pas ? You are Frejnch, are you not ?
Vous comprenez, n'est-ce pas? You understand, do you not?
Vous avez compris, n'est-ce pas ? You have understood, have you not?
Il faitchaud, n'est-ce pas? It is warm, is it not?
Il est riche, n'est-ce pas ? He is rich, is he not ?
Elle est jolie, n'est-ce pas ? She is pretty, is she not ?
Vous viendrez, n'est-ce pas? You will come, will you not?
C'est entendu, n'est-ce pas? It is understood, is it not ?
Ces deux garons sont-ils frres ? Are those two boys brothers ?
Oui, ils le sont. Yes, they are.
IMPORTANT REMARK.
The word si is often used as an adverb of affirmation in
the sense of yes. Si must be used in answers to a negative
question or assertion ; oui in plain answers.
Etes-vous fatigu ? Are you tired ?
Oui, je le suis. Yes }
I am.
N'tes- vous pas fatigu ? Are you not tired ?
Si, je le suis. Yes, I am.
Je comprends. / understand.
Je ne comprends pas. I do not understand.
OBSERVATION.
After the verbs savoir, to know ; pouvoir, to be able ;
oser, to dare, and cesser, to cease, the negative (pas) is
EXERCISE.
Let the pupil replace each dash by the requisite word
1. Voulez-vous? Will you? /. 1 Will you not?
2. Je veux. / will. 2. .
/ will not.
ONZIEME LEON
LESSON XI.
NUMERAL ADJECTIVES.
There are two kinds of numeral adjectives, the cardinal
and the ordinal.
I. Cardinal Numbers.
Soixante-dix (60 +
10) for 70.
Soixante et-onze (60 +
11) for 71, and so on.
Quatre-vingt-dix (80 +
10) for 90.
Quatre-vingt-onze (80 +
11) for 91, and so on.
68 Practical French Course
REMARKS.
I. When the cardinal number ends with a mute e, that
letter is omitted before the termination ime.
Quatre, four. Quatrime, fourth.
Onze, eleven. Onzime, eleventh.
Trente, thirty. Trentime, thirtieth.
premire (f.).
Last is rendered in French by dernier (m.) dernire (f.).
After the numbers 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100 and
5.
REMARK.
The word demi {half) remains invariable when it pre-
cedes the substantive, but takes the gender of the noun
when it is placed after it.
EXERCISE.
i. O demeurez-vous? 1. Where do you live ?
Je demeure . I live in .
DOUZIEME LEON.
LESSON XII.
. Demonstrative Adjectives.
REMARKS.
I. Before a masculine word beginning with a vowel or
an h mute, a euphonic t is added to ce (cet).
my mon ma mes
thy ton ta tes
his, her, its son sa ses
IMPORTANT REMARKS.
I. In French the possessive adjectives ton, ta, tes {thy)
are always used to denote intimacy, instead of votre {your).
OBSERVATION.
He is, she is, they are, are rendered in French by il est,
(m.) elle est (f.), ils sont (m.), elles sont (f.), when they re-
76 Practicai, French Course
PRACTICE
Comment trouvez- vous ce vin? How do you like {find) this wine ?
Il est trs bon. (m.) It is {he is) very good.
Comment trouvez- vous ces pois ? How do you like these peas ?
Ils sont dlicieux, (m. pi.) They are delicious.
Comment trouvez- vous ces fraises? How do you like these strawberries?
Biles sont exquises, (f. pi.) They are exquisite.
J'ai vu son frre, sa femme et I have seen his brother, wife and
ses enfants. children.
J'ai vu son mari, sa sur et I have seen her husband, sister and
ses enfants. children.
J'ai vu leur pre, leur mre et I have seen theirfather, mother and
leurs amis. friends.
3. Do you know that young man ? 7. Do you know that young man?
Yes, he is the doctor's son. Yes, he is the janitor's son.
He is my friend.
Who is that gentleman ?
She is my niece.
9. Who is that lady ?
5. Do you know those gentlemen ? Sheis my husband's mother.
TREIZIEME LEON,
LESSON XIII.
QUALIFYING ADJECTIVES.
GENERAL RULE.
The French adjective always agrees in gender and num-
ber with the noun to which it refers.
Ces filles sont trs grandes. Those girls are very tall.
Elles sont trs polies. They are very polite.
grands.
Ils sont trs polis. They are very polite.
lows it.
Euphony is the best rule to go by.
Un bon garon. A good boy.
Un mauvais garon. A bad boy.
Une jolie fille. A pretty girl.
Un enfant paresseux. A lazy child.
Un homme laborieux. An industrious man.
Un lve studieux. A studious pupil.
Un homme charmant. A charming man.
IMPORTANT REMARKS
ON THE FEMININE OF CERTAIN ADJECTIVES.
Neuf (m.), neuve (f.), (brand)new. Vif (m.), vive (f.), lively.
attentive.
Cher (m), chre (f), dear. Fier (m), fire (f), proud.
Amer, am re, bitter, Lger (lay-zhay), lgre, light.
6. Adjectives ending in as, os, ot, et, el, eil, il, en, on,
double the last consonant before taking the feminine
termination.
Gras (m), grasse (),fat. Ancien (m), ancienne (f), ancient.
OBSERVATIONS.
I. Before a masculine word beginning with a vowel or h
mute, the adjectives beau, nouveau, fou, vieux, are changed,
for the sake of euphony, into bel, nouvel, fol, vieil
(vee-ay-ye).
IMPORTANT REMARKS
ON THK PUJRAI, OF CERTAIN ADJKCTIVES.
EXCEPTIONS.
The following adjectives do not change their termina-
tion into aux, but take an s in the plural, according to the
general rule :
PRACTICE.
J'en suis fch(e) pour vous. I am very sorry for you.
Je suis fch (e) contre vous. I a?n angry with you.
Je suis trs fatigu(e) I am very tired.
Je suis trs surpris(e). I am very much surprised.
Je suis trs embarrass(e). I am very much embarrassed.
Je suis trs occup(e). I am very busy.
Je suis trs press(e). I am in a great hurry.
Je suis prt(e). I am ready.
Je suis malade. I am sick.
EXERCISE.
A new (different) hat. Un chapeau.
A new gown. Une robe.
A new (brand new) suit Un costume .
16. You are vety lazy. (/.) 16. Vous tes trs .
J'ai Je suis
Tu as Tu es
II a II est
QUATORZIME LEON.
LESSON XIV.
I. How to form the Comparative of Adjectives.
Paris est plus beau que New York. Paris is more beautiful than New
York.
La langue anglaise est plus facile The English language is easier
que la langue franaise. than the French langttage.
Il fait plus chaud qu'hier. It is warmer than yesterday.
moins (less) before the adjective and que (than) after it.
Je suis moins habile que vous. I am less skilful than you.
Je suis moins grand que vous. / am not as tall as you.
Il fait moins chaud aujourd'hui It is not as warm to-day as it was
qu'hier. yesterday.
Je ne suis pas
* aussi gros
que vous (or)}
J
. .
v
t Ir dtn , . .
not as stout as you.
Je ne suis pas si gros que vous. >
88 Practical French Course
IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS.
I. More than, for nouns, is rendered into French
by plus de que de.
6. At
the end of a sentence more is rendered by davan=
tage, and by de plus after a number.
En avez-vous assez ? Have you enough (of if) ?
Je n'en ai pas assez. I have not enough (of if).
Donnez-m'en davantage. Give me more (of if).
Donnez-m'en un de plus. Give me one more (of them).
REMARK.
Adjectives in the superlative degree may be placed
either before or after the noun :
)
^ , ^
90 Practical French Course
IRREGULARITIES.
I. The comparative and superlative of the adjective bon,
good, are irregular, to wit :
Le vin franais est meilleur que le French wine is better than Amer-
vin amricain. ican wine.
La bire allemande est meilleure German beer is better than French
que la bire franaise. beer.
Les cigares amricains sont meil- American cigars are better than
leurs que les cigares franais. French cigars.
C'est le mieux que je puisse faire. It is the best that I can do.
C'est le plus mauvais cigare que It is the worst cigar that I have
j'aie jamais fum. ever smoked.
C'est le pire de tous les cigares. It is the worst of all cigars.
Plus mal (or) pis, worse, L,e plus mal (or) le pis, the worst.
OBSERVATION.
For a better understanding of the above rules, we will
say that an adjective is a word which modifies a noun, while
an adverb is a word which modifies a verb.
92 Practical French Course
COMPARATIVE EXPRESSIONS,
De plus en plus. More and more.
De moins en moins. Less and less.
EXERCISE,
I am older than you. i. Je suis g vous.
You are than I.
taller 2. Vous tes moi.
grand
I am less rich than you. 3. Je suis riche vous.
Is it colder than yesterday ? 4. Fait-il froid hier?
It is colder than yesterday. 5. Il fait froid hier.
More bread than butter. 6. Plus pain beurre.
Less water than wine. 7. Moins eau vin.
As many boys as girls. 8. Autant garons filles.
15- The American ladies are the 15- I^es Amricaines sont
most beautiful women in the belles femmes monde.
world.
16, The best book. 16. livre, (m.)
17- The best method. 17- mthode, (f.)
QUINZIEME LEON,
LESSON XV.
INDEFINITE ADJECTIVE.
PRACTICAL EXPRESSIONS
formed with the word Heme.
Tout autre (m.), toute autre (f.), are used in the sense of
any other.
Tout autre aurait pleur. Any other would have cried.
Toute autre aurait ri. Any other would have laughed.
PRACTICAL EXPRESSIONS
FORMED WITH THE WORD * Tout."
En tout. In all.
Tout ensemble. Altogether.
Tout vous. All yours (yotirs very truly).
98 Practical French Course
Tout-puissant. Almighty.
Tout d'un coup. All at once.
Tout coup. All of a sudden.
Surtout (or) par dessus tout. Above all.
Tout de bon. For good, in earnest (honest /)
Pas tout--fait. Not quite.
Tout--1' heure. Within one hour (just now).
Tous les deux. Both of them.
C'est tout un. It is all the same.
Tout au plus. At the most.
Tout au moins. At the least.
De tout mon cur. With all my heart.
Tout est bien qui finit bien. All is well that ends well.
Plusieurs, several.
OBSERVATION
When quelque chose is followed by an adjective, it
J'aurai Je serai
Tu auras Tu seras
Il aura Il sera
SEIZIEME LEON,
LESSON XVI.
IMPORTANT REMARKS.
I. The pronoun they is rendered in French by on {one,
someone, somebody) when it does not refer to anybody in
particular.
102 Practical French Course
toi, lui, eux (m.), elles (f.), when they are preceded by
c'est, it is, and also in comparative sentences.
Vous tes plus riche que moi. You are richer than I.
Le
I (V before a vowel),
htm Lui, to him.
\
La her Lui, to her.
Les, them. Leur, to them.
PRACTICE.
He connaissez-vous? Do you know me ?
Ne me connaissez-vous pas ? Do you not know me?
Je VOUS connais. I know you.
Je ne vous connais pas. I do not know you.
Que lui avez- vous dit ? What did you tell him or her
Que leur avez- vous dit ? What did you tell them ?
Cela (or a) m'est gal. (idiom.J // is all the same (equal) to me.
Cela nous est gal. It is all the same to us.
Cela lui est gal. It is all the same to him.
Cela leur est gal. It is all the same to them.
IMPORTANT REMARKS.
I. In the imperative used affirmatively the pronouns fol-
low the verb, as in English. Me and to me are then ren-
dered by moi.
Practical French Course 107
EXCEPTION.
In the imperative used negatively the personal pronouns
me and nous precede the objective pronouns le, la, les {it,
them) .
108 Practical French Course
Ne me le donnez pas. |
Do not give it (m.~) to me.
Ne nous le donnez pas. \ Do not give it to us.
OBSERVATION.
After a preposition the pronouns him, her, them, are ren-
dered by lui, elle, eux (m.), elles (f.).
NOTE.
This lesson being one of the most important, it should be
made the object of very serious sttidy.
EXERCISE.
I. He is younger than I. 1. 11 est jeune .
friend ?
8. I have written to him. 8. Je ai crit.
DIX-SEPTIEME LEON,
LESSON XVII.
INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS,
OBSERVATION.
The interrogative forms qui est=ce qui and qui est-ce que
are less elegant than qui, but they are nevertheless frequently
employed by French people in ordinary conversation.
When, however, who and whom are used absolutely,
they are always rendered by qui.
Que lui avez-vous dit? (or) What have you told him or her?
Qu'est-ce que vous lui avez dit?
Je lui ai dit bonjour. I bade him ' '
good morning. '
'
Que leur avez-vous dit ? (or) What have you told them ?
Qu'est-ce que vous leur avez dit ?
Que vous a-t-elle dit ? (or) What did she tell you ?
Qu'est-ce qu'elle vous a dit?
Elle m'a dit She told me
Que vous ont-ils dit ? (or) What did they tell you ?
Qu'est-ce qu'ils vous ont dit?
Ils m'ont dit They told me
112 Practical French Course
Qu'est=ce qui.
IMPORTANT REMARKS
on the word What.
1. What {between two verbs) is ce que when it is used as
an object, and ce qui when it is used as a subject.
Savez- vous ce que je pense? Do you know what I think ?
Savez- vous ce que je crois ? Do you know what I believe ?
Savez- vous ce que j'ai fait? Do you know what I have done?
Savez- vous ce que j'aime? Do you know what I like ?
Savez-vous ce que j'aimerais ? Do you know what I would like?
Quoi ! What!
De quoi parlez- vous ? Of what do you speak ?
De quoi riez- vous ? What are you laughing at ?
De quoi est-il question? What ij the discussion about 9
EXERCISE.
/. Who has tola you that ? 1. Qui vous a dit cela ? (or)
Qui est-ce qui ?
2. Who has broken that window f 2. Qui a cass cette vitre? (or)
?
(/)
_ ?
J'aurais Je serais
Tu aurais Tu serais
Il aurait Il serait
DIX-HUITIEME LEON.
LESSON XVIII.
SING! JI,AR.
Masculine Feminine
That, the one Celui Celle
This Celui-ci Celle-ci
That Celui-l Celle-l
PUJRAI,.
Masculine Feminine
Those, the ones Ceux Celles
These Ceux-ci Celles-ci
Those Ceux-l Celles-l
PRACTICE.
Quel livre avez- vous? Which book have you?
J'ai celui de mon frre. I have my brother's (that of my
brother).
Mes gants sont noirs ; ceux de mon My gloves are black ; my friend's
amie sont blancs. {those of my friend) are white.
Vos cheveux (*) sont plus noirs que Your hair is blacker than your sis-
ceux de votre sur. ter's (that of your sister).
Vos robeo oont plus jolies que Your dresses are prettier than your
celles de votre sur. sister's (those ofyour sister).
(*) The hair of persons is in French les cheveux, the hairs (pi.)
The hair other than that of the head, and also the hair of animals is
called poils.
Practical French Course 117
Ceci and cela are never used before a noun. They are
indefinite or absolute pronouns serving only to point out
objects.
IMPORTANT REMARKS
on the; pronoun It.
PRACTICAL EXPRESSIONS.
C'est bon, It is good. C'est assez, It is enough.
C'est mauvais, bad. C'est trop, too much.
C'est facile, easy. C'est trop petit, too small.
C'est difficile, difficult. C'est trop grand, too large.
C'est joli, pretty. C'est trop haut, too high.
C'est laid, ugty- C'est trop bas, too low.
C'est gentil, nice. C'est trop gros, too big.
C'est simple, simple. C'est trop mince, too thin.
C'est parfait, perfect. C'est trop lourd, too heavy.
C'est correct, correct. C'est trop lger, too light.
C'est absurde, absurd. C'est trop court, too short.
C'est ridicule, ridiculous. C'est trop long, too long.
C'est intressant, interesting C'est trop clair, too light.
C'est amusant, amusing. C'est trop fonc, too dark.
C'est drle, funny. C'est trop loin, too far.
C'est doux, sweet. C'est trop prs, too near.
C'est amer, bitter. C'est trop bte, too foolish.
C'est certain, certain. C'est trop tt, too soon.
C'est sr, sure. C'est trop tard, too late.
C'est douteux, doubtful. C'est trop cher, too dear.
C'est possible, possible. C'est trop froid, too cold.
C'est impossible, impossible. C'est trop serr, too tight.
C'est terrible, terrible. C'est trop sec, too dry.
C'est affreux, dreadful. C'est trop mouill, too wet.
C'est pouvantable, frightful.
C'est dangereux, dangerous. C'est It is, that is
C'est pratique, practical. Ce n'est pas It is not
C'est ncessaire, necessary. C'tait It was
C'est bien well done.
fait, Ce sera It will be
C'est mal fait, badly done. Ce serait It would be
Here he is,
}
Le voici. There he is,
}
Le voil.
> (Here it is.) y (There it is.)
Here she is, ) La voici. There she is, ) La voil.
Here they are, Les voici. There they are, Les voil.
EXERCISE.
i. Whose hat is this ? A qui
. est ? (m.)
It is my brother's (that of). C'est .
Here it is.
There it is.
It is correct.
It is not correct.
DIX-NEUVIEME LEON,
LESSON XIX.
I. Relative or Conjunctive Pronouns.
PRACTICE.
L'homme qui demeure au premier The man who lives on the first
tage est un vieux garon. floor is an old bachelor.
Le monsieur que j'ai salu est mon The gentleman (whom) I have
professeur de franais. saluted is my French teacher.
J'ai lu avec un trs grand plaisir I have read with (a) very great
la charmante lettre que vous pleasure the charming letter
m'avez crite. {which) you have written {to) me.
Voici le livre que vous m' Here is the book {which) you lent
prt la semaine passe. me last week.
Je l'ai trouv trs intressant. Ifound it very interesting.
Je vous remercie beaucoup. I thank you very much.
Practical French Course 123
Avec qui avez-vous t au parc ? With whom have you been to the
park ?
Avec mon ami. With my friend.
Je pense que vous avez raison. I think {that) you are right.
Je pense que vous avez tort. I think you are wrong.
SlNGUIyAR.
Masculine. Feminine.
Which or whom. Lequel. Laquelle.
Of which, of whom. Duquel. De laquelle.
To which, to whom. Auquel. A laquelle.
124 Practical French Course
PU7RAI,.
Masculine. Feminine.
Which or whom. Lesquels. Lesquelles.
Of which, of whom. Desquels. Desquelles.
To which, to whom. Auxquels. Auxquelles.
PRACTICE.
A qui appartient l'htel dans To whom does the hotel in which
lequel vous demeurez? you live belong ?
La dame laquelle j'ai parl est The lady to whom I spoke (I have
franaise. spoken) is French.
REMARK.
aise. French.
Les personnes dont je parle sont The persons of whom I speak are
riches. rich.
Practical French Course 125
NpMINATlVE.
Celui qui, he who, the one which. I Ceux qui, they who, the ones which
Celle qui, she who, the one which. I Celles qui, they whoJJie ones which
ACCUSATIVE.
Celui que, the one whom or which. I Ceux que, the ones whom or which.
Celle que, the one whom or which. j
Celles que, the ones whom or which
INDIRECT OBJECT.
Celui dont, that of which. Ceux dont, the ones of which.
Celle dont, that of which. Celles dont, the ones of which.
Ce dont (neuter), that of which.
PRACTICE,
Celui qui est riche n'est pas tou- He who is rich is not always
jours heureux. happy.
Avez- vous remarqu cette dame ? Have you noticed that lady f
Laquelle ? Which (one) ?
Celle qui m'a salu. The one who (has) saluted me.
Celle que j'ai salue. The one whom I have saluted.
Ceux qui sont sur la commode. Those which are on the bureau.
Ceux que j'ai achets ce matin. Those which I bought this -morning.
L'homme dont vous parlez est The man of whom you speak is
petit ; celui dont je parle est whom I speak
small ; the one of
grand. is tall.
I,a dame dont vous parlez est The lady of whom you speak is
brune ; celle dont je parle est dark ; the one of whom I speak
blonde. is fair.
SINGULAR.
Masculine. Feminine.
Mine. Le mien. La mienne.
Thine. Le tien. La tienne.
His or hers. Le sien. La sienne.
Ours. Le ntre. La ntre.
Yours. Le vtre. La vtre.
Theirs. Le leur. La leur.
PIJJRAI,.
Masculine. Feminine.
Mine. Les miens Les miennes.
Thine. Les tiens. Les tiennes.
His or hers. Les siens. Les siennes.
c
PRACTICE.
Votre chapeau est l ; le mien est I Your hat is there ; mine is here.
Practical French Coursk 127
Votre canne est l ; la mienne est Your cane is there ; mine is here.
ici.
Vos mains sont trs petites ; les Your hands are very small ; mine
miennes sont grandes. are large.
OBSERVATIONS.
I. When used without the prefixed article, the above
possessive pronouns become possessive adjectives.
EXERCISE.
/. Do you know the gentleman who i. Connaissez- vous le monsieur
on the third floor ?
lives demeure ?
He is a jeweler. bijoutier.
He is a druggist. pharmacien.
He is a clock-maker. horloger.
He is a grocer. picier.
He is a butcher. boucher.
He is a banker. banquier.
4. Is the lady French to whom you 4. L,a dame vous avez parl
have spoken ? est-elle ?
Mr. Vanderbilt.
It belongs to Elle .
VINGTIEME LEON.
LESSON XX.
INVARIABLE PRONOUNS.
Encore, ^ more
some more.
Ne plus,
not any more.
PRACTICE.
Ayez- vous du tabac? Have you any tobacco?
J'en ai (zhah-nay). I (of it) have.
Je n'.en ai pas. I (of it) have not.
OBSERVATION.
The word en is also used as an adverb in the sense of
from there.
Etes- vous de Paris? Are youfrom Paris?
J'en suis. I (from there) am.
Venez- vous de Paris ? Do you come from Paris ?
J'en viens. I do. (Ifrom there come.)
Practical Frknch Course 133
Y.
Votre pre est-il chez lui (or) la Ls yourfather at home (or) in the
maison ? house ?
Il y est. He (there) is.
Votre mre est-elle chez elle (or) Ls your mother at home (or) in the
la maison? house ?
Elle y est. She is.
Vos parents sont-ils chez eux Cor) Are your parents at home (or) in
la maison ? the house ?
Ils y sont. They are.
Ils n'y sont pas. They are not.
Vos surs sont-elles chez elles Are your sisters at home (or) in the
(or) la maison ? house ?
Elles y sont. They are.
Elles n'y sont pas. They are not.
Allez-y !
J'y vais ! Go there ! I go there !
Allons-y ! Let us go there !
134 Practical French Course
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
FORMED WITH THE WORD Y.
Y a-t=il ? (or)
Is there (or) are there ?
Est=ce qu'il y a?
Y avait-il ? (or) )
Wa$ there ,^ were theye ?
v
Est-ce qu'il y avait?)
Yaura-t=il?(^) ,
EXERCISE.
/. Is your brother married ? 1. Votre frre mari?
2. Has he any children ? 2. A-t-il ?
4. He has two. 4. Il a .
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS.
ON.
The pronoun on is used very often in the French
language.
It stands for the English words one, somebody, people -,
body in particular.
The pronoun on enables the French to use the verb in
the active form, which they always prefer to the passive.
Quelques=uns (m.))
Quelques-unes (f.) ; bome Jew
a f
<-.
'
'
138 Practical French Course
Chacun (m.))
} ^ 7
Chacune Each
(f.) \
Quiconque flatte ses matres, les Whoever flatters his masters be-
trahit. trays them.
L'un est blanc, l'autre est noir. One is white, the other is black.
Ivesuns sont bons, les autres sont Some are good, the others are bad.
mauvais.
Les uns disent oui, les autres Some say yes, the others say no.
disent non.
L'un est aussi bon que l'autre (or) One is as good as the other.
L'un vaut l'autre.
Il faut s'aimer les uns les autres, We must love one another.
(idiom.)
Il faut respecter le bien d' autrui. We must respect other 's property.
Ne faitespas autrui ce que vous Do not unto others that whtCh you
ne voudriez pas qu'on vous ft. would not to be done unto you.
140 Practical French Course
Je dsire
,
22. One is red, the other is pink. 22. 1/ est rouge, est rose.
1'
23. One is blue, the other is yellow. 23,. 1/ est bleu, 1' est jaune.
Practical French Course: 141
VINGT-DEUXIEME LEON,
LESSON XXII.
THE ADVERB.
PRACTICE.
Je dsire parler franais / desire to speak French
couramment et correctement fluently and correctly.
EXERCISE.
I. You work too much. 1. Vous travaillez
2. Yes, I work too much. 2. Oui, je travaille
3- He is doing very well. 3- Il fait
4- He has done very well. 4- Il a fait.
m&p?
Practical French Course 147
VINGT-TROISIEME LEON.
LESSON XXIII.
[. The Preposition.
(2.;
'
COMPOUND CONJUNCT ions (followed by a verb).
PRACTICE.
Avec moi. With me.
Avec nous. With us.
Avec lui. With him.
Avec elle. With her.
Avec eux. (m.) With them.
Avec elles, (f ) With them.
Avec plaisir. With pleasure.
Pourquoi ? Why?
Pourquoi pas ? Why not ?
Pourquoi pleurez- vous ? Why do you cry ?
Porquoi n'tes- vous pas venu? Why did you not come ?
C'est pourquoi (or) voil pourquoi. Therefore, that is why.
Ds from, beginning.
,
A partir de, from, starting from.
Je viendrai vers cinq heures (or) I shall come around five o 'clock.
Je viendrai vers les cinq heures.
Il faut tre poli envers les dames. One must be polite towards the ladies
EXERCISE.
/. With much difficulty. lm difficult.
2. With great pleasure. 2. un plaisir.
j. With the greatest pleasure. 3. le plaisir.
154 Practical French Course
4. After my lesson. 4 ma .
VINGT-QUATRIEME LEON.
LESSON XX IV.
A bord. On board.
A cheval. On horseback.
A pied. On foot.
A bicyclette. On a bicycle.
A ce soir. Till this evening, K
IMPORTANT REMARK.
The preposition is often used idiomatically between
two nouns in the sense of used for, propelled by, made with.
EN
Corresponds generally to the English preposition in, but
it is used idiomatically and maybe rendered in English by
at, to, from there, of it, of them, as or like, on, by.
En hiver en t en automne.
; ;
hi winter; in summer; in autumn.
En Europe en France en prison.
: ; I?i Europe; in France; in jail.
En traneau. In a sleigh.
En voiture. In a carriage. {All aboard!)
En partant. On leaving.
En arrivant. On arriving.
En dbarquant. On landing.
DE
Corresponds generally to the English prepositions of
and from.
Le cheval de mon oncle. My uncle's horse, {The horse of)
L'automobile de mon ami. My friend' s automobile
La bicyclette de ma femme. My wife's bicycle.
IMPORTANT REMARK.
The name of the material of which an object is com-
posed always follows, in French, the name of the object
itself, the two words being connected either by the prepo-
sition en or de.
QUE
Corresponds generally to what and that, but it has
several other meanings, being rendered into English,
according to the sense of the phrase, by than, as, but or
only, how, how much or how many, till, when, whether,
why (exclamatory).
Que pensez-vous de Paris ? What do you think of Paris f
Je pense que c'est la plus belle I think (that} it is the most beauti-
ville du monde. fui city in the (of the) world.
Il n'y a pas d'erreur ! (popular.) There is no mistake about that.
Avez-vous de l'argent sur vous ? Have you a?iy money about you ?
Je n'ai que cinq francs. I have but five francs.
Combien de cigares avez-vous ? How many cigars have you f
Je n'en ai qu'un. I have but one.
BIEN
Corresponds generally to the English adverb well, but
in many instances it is used idiomatically, and maybe ren-
dered into English by very, quite, right, very much or very
many and indeed.
REMARK.
The word bien is also used as a substantive in the sense
of good, blessing, property, estate.
160 Practical French Course;
SI
chaud
Il fait si ! It is so warm !
C'est bon
si ! It is so good !
C'est une si bonne location . It is so good a location.
Je ne suis pas si bte (pop. ) ! I am not so foolish !
POUR.
The word pour, as already seen, corresponds to the
English preposition for, but it is also used in the sense of
to, in order to and per.
Pour qui est ceci ? For whom is this ?
C'est pour vous. It is for you.
Les caisses d'pargne paient le The savings banks pay three and
trois et demi pour cent. a half per cent, (interest).
PAR
Corresponds to the English prepositions by, per, through.
It serves also to form many idiomatic expressions.
Combien payez-vous par jour ? How much do you pay per day ?
Combien payez-vous par semaine ? How much do you pay per week ?
OU.
The word ou (unaccented) corresponds to the English
conjunction or.
162 Practical French Course
OU (accented)
when.
O demeurez- vous ? Where do you live f
O avez- vous t ? Where have you been ?
Le danger o vous tes. The danger in which you are.
Le sicle o nous vivons. The century in which we live.
Le jour o je suis venu. The day (when) I came.
JUSQUE.
The word jusque an adverb which denotes both time
is
EXERCISE.
i. To my great regret. 1. mon regret.
2. Turn to your right. 2. Tournez votre
3. I shall come at one o'clock. 3. Je viendrai
Practical French Course 163
her right.
28. It serves 28. C'est bien fait .
VINGT-CINQUIEME LEON.
LESSON XXV.
REMARKS ON THE RIGHT USE OF SOME
PRACTICAL WORDS.
YEAR.
The word year is translated in French by an (m.) for a
definite number of years, and by anne (f.) for an indefinite
number, for interrogative sentences and after an ordinal
number.
Il y a deux ans. Two years ago.
Deux ans aprs. Two years after.
J'ai vingt ans. I am twenty years old.
PARENTS. RELATIVES.
The French word parents (pah-rahng) means both
parents and relatives.
The word relations means only social or commercial
acquaintances.
Comment se portent vos parents ? How are your parents ?
Nous sommes parents. We are related.
Un proche parent. A near relative.
Un parent paternel (or) du ct de A relation on my father' s side.
mon pre.
PIECE.
The English word piece is translated in French by
morceau, for a material portion of something-, and for
music. The. French word pice is used for coins, theatri-
cal plays, rooms, and (speaking of price) a piece, each.
LECTURE.
The English word lecture is translated in French by
confrence. The French word lecture means reading.
Je vais entendre une confrence. I am going to hear a lecture.
Un confrencier. A lecturer.
Un livre de lecture. A (reading) book.
Un cabinet de lecture. A reading room.
OFFICE.
The word office is translated in French as follows :
Practical French Cours k 167
END.
The word end is translated by fin (f.) for the end of a
period of time and for the end of a book. It is rendered
by bout (m.) for the extremity of an object.
La du livre.
fin The end of the book.
A du mois.
la fin At the end of the month.
Au bout du corridor. At the end of the hall.
Un bout de ruban. A bit of ribbon.
D'un bout l'autre. From beginning to end.
Le bout des doigts. The finger-ends.
Le bout de la langue. The tip of the tongue.
Au bout du compte. After all ; upon-the whole.
PRESENT. GIFT.
The word present or gift is rendered in French by-
prsent for valuable presents, and by cadeau tor small
presents.
MOUTH.
The word mouth is translated by bouche for men, horses
and cannon by gueule for animals (except horses), and
;
FIRE.
WORD.
Is translated in French by mot (m.) or parole (f.).
LINEN.
NEXT.
The word next is rendered in French as follows :
AUDIENCE.
The word audience is translated in French by l'auditoire
(m.) or les auditeurs.
The French word audience means the hearing, the re-
ception (sovereigns, the Pope, etc).
Un nombreux auditoire. A large audience.
L'audience du tribunal. The hearing of the tribunal.
Jour d'audience. Court day.
SENSIBLE.
The word sensible is translated into French by sens.
The French word sensible means sensitive.
Il est trs sens. He is a very sensible man.
I
WAGES.
The word wages is, in French, les gages for servants,
le salaire or la paie (pay-yur) for workmen, le traitement
for officials
4
RIVERS.
The word river is, in French, rivire (f.) for a river flow-
EXERCISE.
/. It has snowed all day. 1. Il a neig .
8. He is my step-son. 8. C'est .
m&t?
172 PbacticaIv French Course
VINGT-SIXIEME LEON.
LESSON XXVI.
Auxiliary Verbs.
I. Simple Tenses.
INFINITIVE PRESENT (Infinitif prsent).
A
Avoir (ah-voo-ahr), to have.
I
|
Etre (ay-tr), to be.
I /
Ayant (ay-yng), having. |
Etant (ay-tng), being.
IMPERFECT (Imparfait).
Tu tais (tii-ay-tay).
Il avait (ill-ah-vay). Il tait (ill-ay-tay).
FUTURE (Futur).
CONDITIONAL (Conditionnel).
SUBJUNCTIVE (Subjonctif).
Present.
That I may have, etc. That I may be, etc.
IMPERFECT (imparfait).
IMPERATIVE (Impratif).
OBSERVATION.
The imperative in French has no third person. The
English forms let him, let her, let them
are rendered by
176 Practical French Course
Qu'il ait (kill-ay). That he may have (or) let him have.
Qu'elle ait (kell-ay). That she may have (or) let her have.
Qu'ils aient (kill-zay). That they may have (or) let them
{have.
Qu'il soit (kill-swah). That he may be (or) let him be.
Qu'elle soit (kell-swah). That she may be (or) let her be.
Qu'ils soient (kill-swah). That they may be (or) let them be.
PLUPERFECT (Plus-que-parfait).
That I may have had, etc. That I may have been, etc.
That I might have had, etc. That I might have been, etc.
VINGT-SEPTIEME LEON.
LESSON XXVII.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
on the verb Etre, to be.
PRELIMINARY OBSERVATION.
The two parts of the French negative (ne pas) are used
conjointly before a verb in the infinitive, or before the
objective pronoun, which may precede the verb in the
infinitive.
question. question.
A propos, o tiez-vous hier soir ? By the way, where were you last
night ?
182 Practical French Course
Je serai bien aise de vous voir. I shall be very glad to see you.
Je serai bien aise de le voir. I shall be very glad to see him. .
Il sera bien aise de vous voir. He will be very glad to see you.
Elle sera bien aise de vous voir. She will be very glad to see you.
Ils seront bien aise de vous voir. They will be very glad to see you.
Nous serons trs heureux de vous We will be very happy to see you.
voir.
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
FORMED WITH THE VERB Etre.
VINGT-HUITIEME LEON.
LESSON XXVIII.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
on The verb Avoir, to have.
E SAY IN FRENCH :
PRACTICE.
J'ai faim. I am hungry. (7 have hunger.)
J'ai soif. I am thirsty. (I have thirst.)
J'ai sommeil. I am sleepy. (I have sleep.)
J'ai chaud. I am warm. (I have warmth.)
J'ai froid. I am cold. (I have cold.)
J'ai peur. I am afraid. (I have fear.)
J'ai honte. I am ashamed. (I have shame.)
J'ai raison. I am right. (I have right.)
J'ai tort. I am wrong. (I have wrong.)
Avez-vous tout ce dont vous avez Have you all you need?
besoin ?
Oui, j'ai tout ce dont j'ai besoin. Yes, I have all I need.
La runion aura lieu demain soir. The meeting will take place to-mor-
row evening.
La crmonie aura lieu ce soir. The ceremony will take place this
evening.
Le mariage (or la noce) aura lieu The wedding will take place to-
demain matin. morrow morning.
Le baptme aura lieu dimanche The christening will take place on
aprs la messe. Sunday after mass.
L'enterrement aura lieu cette The interment will take place this
aprs midi au cimetire afternoon at cemetery.
Les funrailles (or les obsques) The funeral will take place to-mor-
auront lieu demain matin. row morning.
La runion n'a pas eu lieu elle a ; The meeting did not take place ; it
t renvoye dimanche pro- was postponed until Sunday
chain. next.
IMPORTANT REMARKS.
I. The English expressions to be good tempered, to be
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
FORMED WITH THE VERB Avoir.
Je n'ai pas de quoi. / have not the means.
Il a de quoi satisfaire ses gots. He has the means to satisfy his
tastes.
Il n'y a pas de quoi. Don't mention it. {There is noth-
ing to it.)
J'ai beau faire. I try in vain.
Vous avez beau dire. You speak in vain.
Vous avez beau pleurer. You cry in vain.
Vous auriez beau pleurer. You would cry in vain.
15. That boy is bad tempered. 15. That boy has a bad temper.
16. That girl is good tempered. 16. That girl has a good temper.
17. How old is your boy? 17. What age has your boy?
VINGT-NEUVIME LEON
LESSON XXIX.
REGULAR VERBS.
I. General Notions.
IMPORTANT REMARK.
For the purpose of simplification, in our table of conju-
gations,some tenses and persons of the verb finir are
formed by prefixing finiss, from the present participle
finissant, finishing.
Practical French Course 193
OBSERVATION
Old grammars contain a fourth conjugation comprising
the verbs ending in
oir, as recevoir, to receive. But inas-
much as these verbs are only five in number, namely:
apercevoir; to perceive ; dcevoir, to deceive ; concevoir,
to conceive ; devoir, to owe ; we have followed the ex-
ample set by modern grammarians, and placed them
among the irregular verbs.
REMARK,
The following table has been so arranged that the
student can see at a glance how, in fact, the three regular
MODEL VERBS.
INFINITIF PRESENT.
Pari er, to speak, |
Fin ir, to finish. |
Vend re, to sell.
PARTICIPE PRESENT.
Pari ant, speaking. |
Finiss ant, finishing. |
Vqnd ant, selling.
PARTICIPE PASSE.
Pari , spoken I
Fin i, finished. |
Vend u, sold.
[NDICATIF PRSENT 1
I speak, I finish ,
/ sell,
I am speaking. / am finishing I am selling.
Tu es. Tu is. Tu s.
Il e. Il it. Il
IMPARFAIT.
PASSE DEFINI.
This tense is only narrative, and therefore not used in
ordinary conversation.
Il a. 11 it. 11 it.
CONDITIONNEL.
SUBJONCTIF PRESENT.
IMPARFAIT DU SUBJONCTIF.
This tense is always formed from the past definite.
IMPRATIF.
Pari e, speak {thou) Fin is, finish (s.) Vend s, sell {s.)
Pari ez, speak {you). Finiss ez, finish {pi.) Vend ez, sell {pi.)
Pari ons, let us speak. Finiss ons,let us finish Vend ons, let us sell.
PASS INDFINI.
This tense being the most used (it always replaces the
past definite in ordinary conversation), we will conjugate
it in full, but will give only the first person singular of the
other tenses, as from that the other persons can easily be
formed.
PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT.
J'avais parl, etc. |
I had spoken or been speaking.
Practical French Course 199
PASS ANTRIEUR.
J'eus parl, etc. |
I had spoken.
FUTUR ANTERIEUR.
J'aurai parl, etc. |
I shall have s
CONDITIONNEL PASSE.
J'aurais parl, etc. |
/ would have spoken.
SUBJONCTIF PASS.
Que j'aie parl, etc. |
That I may have spoken.
INFINITIF PASSE.
Avoir parl. |
To have spoken.
PARTICIPE COMPOSE.
Ayant parl. |
Having spoken.
25. Did she speak to you ? 25. (To) you has she spoken ?
ms&v
Practical French Course 20I
TRENTIEME LEON,
LESSON XXX.
\ 3
i
j B
0.
1
1 i
Jeter, to throw. 1
Juger, to judge.
Jouer, to play. 1 Jurer (de), to swear.
1
L
M
Mcher, to masticate. Marquer, to mark.
Manuvrer, to maneuver. Mler, to mix up.
Manger, to eat. Mener, to lead, to take to.
Manier, to handle. Mriter (de), to deserve.
Manifester, to manifest. Modifier, to modify.
Manquer, to miss, to fail. Monter, to go up, to mount.
Marteler, to hammer. Montrer, to show.
Maugrer to curse and swear Mouiller, to wet, to moisten.
Marcher, to walk. Murmurer, to murmur, to grumble.
o
Objecter, to object. Opposer, to oppose.
Obliger ( or de), to oblige. Ordonner, (de), to order.
Observer, to observe. Oser, to dare, to venture.
Offenser, to offend. Oter, to take off.
Oprer, to operate. Oublier (de), to forget.
V
Veiller, to watch, to sit up. Viser, to aim.
Venger, to avenge. Visiter, to visit.
Verser, to pour, to shed (tears). Voler, to fly, or to steal.
Vider, to empty. Voyager, to travel.
II.
4. He punish you.
will He you will punish.
5. She would punish me. She me would punish.
6. Why do you blush? Why blush you?
Practical French Course 209
III.
1. What are you waiting for ? What is it that you wait (for)?
MAXIMES ET REFLEXIONS.
1. I^a conscience est la voix de l'me; les passions sont la voix
du corps, (J. J. Rousseau)
2. L,a conscience est un juge plac dans l'intrieur de notre tre.
(Sgur)
3. I/es conseils agrables sont rarement des conseils utiles.
(Massillon)
Ceux qui donnent des conseils sans les accompagner d'exemples,
4.
ressemblent ces poteaux de la campagne qui indiquent les chemins
sans les parcourir. (Rivarol)
5. sommes loigns de notre pays, que nous
C'est lorsque nous
sentons surtout l'instinct qui nous y attache. (Chateatibriand)
6. Ceux qui gouvernent sont comme les corps clestes qui ont
beaucoup d'clat et n'ont point de repos.
7. L,a nature nous a donn deux oreilles et une bouche, afin que
nous coutions beaucoup et que nous parlions peu.
210 Practical French Course
THE INFINITIVE.
PRACTICE.
Je ne sais que dire. / do not know what to say.
Voulez-vous sortir et faire une Will you go out and take a walk
promenade avec moi ? with me ?
Je le voudrais, mais je ne puis ;
I should like to y
but I cannot ; 1
j'attends du monde. expect company.
Avez- vous apport votre livre ? Have you brought your book?
J'ai oubli de l'apporter. I have forgotten to bring it.
(*) The personal pronoun il in "il me tarde " means it, the verb be-
ing used impersonally.
1. Has your husband ever been to 1. Your husband, has he ever been
Europe ? in Europe ?
2. Never but he hopes
; to go there 2. Never but he hopes there
; to
soon. go soon.
Practical French Course 215
MEMORY EXERCISE.
Aucun chemin de fleurs ne conduit la gloire. (La Fontaine)
Qui veut parler sur tout, souvent parle au hasard. {Andrieux)
translation:
No flowery path leads to glory.
Who (he who) wishes to speak on every subject, speaks often at
random.
216 Practical French Course
TRENTE-DEUXIEME LEON.
LESSON XXXII.
[. The Present Participle.
PRACTICE,
Etant trs press, je ne puis rester Being in a great hurry, I cannot
plus longtemps. stay any longer.
Vous avez dj une bonne con- You have already a good knowl-
naissance de la langue franaise. edge of the French language.
Vous vous perfectionnerez en You will perfect yourself by read-
lisant, en crivant, en allant ing, by writing, by going among
parmi les Franais, en convers= the French, by conversing with
ant avec eux, en faisant des ex- them, by (making) exercises, by
ercices, en traduisant, en un mot, translating, in a word, by prac-
en pratiquant autant que pos- ticing as much as possible.
sible.
Donnez-moi bientt de vos nou- Let me hear from you very soon,
velles, et en attendant, croyez- and in the meantime, believe me,
moi, je vous prie,
Bien vous, (or) Yours truly,
Votre tout dvou (m.), Yours very truly,
Votre toute dvoue (f.).
La lune est comme une lampe d'or The moon is like a golden lamp
dans l'azur suspendue. suspended in the azure vault.
Practical French Course 219
Iv a lune est comme une pice d'or The moon is like a piece of gold
jete dans l'espace par des thrown into space by some lovers
amoureux pour acheter le silence to buy the silence of the night.
de la nuit.
Avez vous vu le tombeau dans Have you seen the tomb in which
lequel sont enfermes les cen- the remains of Napoleon I. are
dres de Napolon I ? inclosed ?
220 Practical French Course
5. Did you receive the book which Have you received the book
I sent you ? which I (to) you have sent ?
6. Did you receive the letter Have you received the letter
which I sent you ? which I (to) you have sent ?
7. Did you receive the books Have you received the books
which I sent you ? which I (to) you have sent ?
8. Did you receive the flowers Have you received the flowers
which I sent you ? wmich I (to) you have sent ?
9. The book you sent me is very The book which you (to) me
interesting. have sent is very interesting.
10. The method you lent me is The method (f.) which you (to)
very interesting. me have lent is very inter-
esting.
11. Did I show you the bracelet (To) you have I shown the
which my husband gave me bracelet that my husband
for my birthday ? (to) me has given for my
fte of birth ?
12. Did I show you the gold watch (To) you have I shown the
which my brother gave me watch of gold which my
for my birthday ? brother (to) me has given
for my birthday ?
13 Have you seen the rings which 13- Have you seen the rings which
my husband brought me my husband (to) me has
from Paris ? brought from Paris ?
MEMORY EXERCISE.
Ce que l'on comprend bien s'nonce clairement. {Boileau)
L'homme le plus obscur aime la libert. (Chateaubriand)
Le bonheur des mchants comme un torrent s'coule. (Racine)
translation:
TRENTE-TROISIEME LEON.
LESSON XXXIII.
PRACTICE.
O es-tu ? Where art thou ?
O tes- vous? Where are you ?
Je suis ici. I am here.
(I was speaking.
Je parlais <I used to speak.
v
(/ spoke.
PRACTICE.
Etiez-vous Paris lors de la Were you in Paris at the time of
dernire Exposition ? the last exposition ?
Oui, j'y tais. Yes, I was there.
O alliez-vous ce matin, vers les Where were you going this morn-
dix heures ? ing about ten o 'clock.
J'allais la gare. I was going to the station.
Vous marchiez trs vite. You were walking very fast.
J'tais press ;
j'avais peur de I was in a hurry ; I was afraid I
manquer mon train. would miss my train.
N'avez- vous pas vu mon frre ? Have you not seen my brother?
Si, je l'ai vu il y a peu prs une Yes, I saw him about one hour
heure. ago.
Etait-il seul ? Was he alone ?
Non. il tait avec un monsieur. No, he was with a gentleman.
226 Practical French Cours ic
Il portait un paletot bleu,un pan- He wore (he had on) a blue coat,
talon clair et un chapeau de trousers and a straw hat.
paille.
13. What was your brother doing? 13. What did your brother?
14. He was smoking. 14. He smoked.
15. What was your sister doing? 15. What did your sister ?
16. She was working. 16. She worked.
17. Where did you live in Paris ? 17. Where lived you at Paris?
18. Formerly, I used to smoke a 18. Formerly, I smoked much.
great deal.
19. Did you see your friend? 19. Have you seen your friend ?
MEMORY EXERCISE.
I/honnte homme est discret; il remarque les dfauts d'autrui,
mais il n'en parle jamais. {St. Evremond)
Les limites des sciences sont comme l'horizon; plus on en approche,
plus elles reculent. {Mme. Necker)
Quiconque est capable de mentir est indigne d'tre compt au nom-
bre des hommes. (Fnelon)
Fn toute chose il faut considrer la fin. {La Fontaine)
Iva moiti des humains vit aux dpens de l'autre. (Destouches)
translation:
TRENTE-QUATRIEME LEON.
LESSON XXXIV.
IMPORTANT OBSERVATION.
I. The auxiliary tre, to be, is used to form the past in-
examples:
Je suis all. / went. (I am gone. )
Il est venu. He came. (He is come.)
Bile est sortie. She went out. {She is gone out.)
Nous sommes arrivs. We arrived. ( We are arrived.)
Il est tomb. He fell. {He is fallen.)
Je suis n en i860. I was(I am) born in i860.
Qu' est-il devenu ? What has (is he) become (of hitn ?)
Il est mort la semaine passe. He died (he is dead) last week.
PRACTICE,
Avez- vous tudi votre leon ? Have you studied your lesson ?
Oui, je l'ai tudie. Yes, I have studied it.
La savez-vous ? Do you know it?
Je pense que oui. I think I do.
Qu' avez-vous fait ce matin? What have you done this morning ?
J'ai fait une promenade. I have taken a walk.
J'ai fait une promenade en voiture. I have taken a carriage ride.
J'ai fait une promenade cheval. I have taken a ride on horseback.
J'ai fait une promenade I have taken a bicycle ride.
bicyclette.
Vos amis vous ont-ils crit ? Have your friends written to you,
Oui,ils m'ont crit. Yes, they have.
Leur avez-vous rpondu ? Have you answered them ?
Oui, je leur ai rpondu. Yes, I have.
Chez qui avez-vous achet votre At whose store did you buy your
chapeau ? hat?
Je l'ai achet chez Dunlap. I bought it at Dunlap''s.
A quelle heure tes- vous parti ? At what time did you leave ?
Je suis parti huit heures. I left at eight o'clock.
26. Did you see your friend ? 26. Have you seen your friend ?
27. Yes, I did. 27. Yes, Ihim have seen.
28. When did you see him ? 28. When him have you seen ?
29. I saw him yesterday. 29. I him have seen yesterday.
30. At what time did you see him ? 30. At what hour him have you
seen?
31. Isaw him at 4 o'clock. 31- I him have seen at 4 hours.
32. Did you speak to him ? 32. To him have you spoken ?
33. Yes, I did. 33- Yes, I to him have spoken.
34. No, I did not. 34- No, I to him have not spoken.
35. Did you see your friends ?(m.) 35- Have you seen your friends ?
36. Yes, I did. 36. Yes, Ithem have seen.
37. When did you see them ? 37- When them have you seen ?
38. I saw them last week ? 38. I them have seen the week
past.
39 What day
did you see them ? 39- What day them have you seen ?
40. I saw them on Tuesday. 40. I them have seen Tuesday.
41. Did you speak to them ? 41. To them have you spoken ?
MEMORY EXERCISE.
Il est plus glorieux de se vaincre soi-mme que de vaincre les
autres. [Scudery)
Ives choses de la terre ne valent pas qu'on s'y attache. {Nicholas)
L,a meilleure leon est celle des exemples. {La Harpe)
translation:
TRENTE-CINQUIEME LEON.
LESSON XXXV.
The Past Definite.
(*) A palatial shelter for old and invalid soldiers founded by Louis
XIV. in 1674.
236 Practical, French Course
II. After what battle did he sign After what battle signed he
his second abdication ? his second abdication ?
12. In what year, and where did In what year, and where died
he die ? he?
238 Practical French Course
TRENTE-SIXIEME LEON,
LESSON XXXVI.
I. The Future.
must be translated :
IMPORTANT REMARK.
When the action depends on the will of the person, or
has not yet been settled, the indicative of vouloir, to be
willing, to wish, followed by an infinitive, must be em-
ployed.
Practical French Course 239
PRACTICE.
Serez-vous chez vous demain ? Will you be at home to-morrow
Oui, je serai chez moi toute la Yes, I shall be athome all day
journe. long.
Non, elle n'y sera pas. No, she will not {be there).
O demain?
irez- vous Where will you go to-morrow ?
J'irai la campagne. I shall go to the country.
A quelle heure partirez- vous ? At what time will you leave?
Je partirai six heures du matin. I shall leave at six o'clock in the
morning (or a.m.).
A quelle heure retournerez-vous ? At what time will you return ?
Je retournerai sept heures du I shall return at seven o'clock in
the evening (or p.m.').
must be translated :
both languages.
PRACTICE.
Si vous aviez assez d'argent ache- If you had enough money would
teriez-vous cette maison ? you buy that house ?
Oui, si j'avais assez d'argent je Yes, if I had money enough I would
l'achterais. buy it.
242 Practical French Coursk
S'il faisait beau temps sortiriez- If it were fine weather zvould you
vous ? go out ?
Oui, si le temps tait beau je Yes, if the weather were fine I
sortirais. would go out.
Si vous preniez une leon chaque If you would take a lesson every
jour, vos progrs seraient beau- day, your progress would be
coup plus rapides ;
vous parle- much more rapid ; you would
riez bientt couramment et cor- soon speak fluently and correctly.
rectement.
Pourquoi n'avez- vous pas amen Why didyou not bring yourfriend?
votre amie ?
J'aurais t trs heureux de faire I should have been very glad to
3. At what time will your sister 3. At what hour your sister will
be at home ? be she chez elle f
4. At what time will your parents 4. At what hour your parents will
be at home ? be they chez eux ?
TRENTE-SEPTIEME LEON.
LESSON XXXVII.
The Subjunctive Mood.
That I may go, etc. That I may come, etc. That I may be able, etc.
Que j'aille. Que je vienne. Que je puisse.
Que tu ailles. Que tu viennes. Que tu puisses.
Qu'il aille. Qu'il vienne. Qu'il puisse.
Que nous allions. Que nous venions. Que nous puissions.
Que vous alliez. Que vous veniez. Que vous puissiez.
Qu'ils aillent. Qu'ils viennent. Qu'ils puissent.
That I may take, etc. That I may say, etc. That I may do, etc.
GENERAL RULE.
When two verbs are united by the conjunction que, that,
the second must be put in the subjunctive mood, unless the
first expresses something certain, positive, evident, in
which case the second verb is always used in the indica-
tive mood.
To be more explicit, we will specify and say :
IMPORTANT REMARK.
Verbs expressing fear, apprehension, such as : craindre,
to fear ; avoir peur, to be afraid ; apprhender, to appre-
hend ; trembler, to tremble, when used in the affirmative,
take the particle ne before the subjunctive.
The subjunctive preceded by ne must also be employed
after the expressions moins que, unless ; de peur que, de
crainte que, for fear that.
lest,
ne pleuve.
Examples :
La plus jolie femme que j'aie ja- The prettiest woman I ever saw in
mais vue de ma vie. my life.
La seule chose que vous ayez The only thing you have to do.
faire.
C'est le mieux que vous puissiez It is the best that you can do.
faire.
C'est le meilleur que nous ayons. It is the very best zve have.
faire.
Il n'y a que mon frre qui puisse There is only my brother who can
parler anglais chez nous. speak English at home.
Examples
Avant vienne.
qu'il Before he comes.
Afin qu'elle vienne. In order that she may come.
Pourvu qu'il ne pleuve pas. Provided it does not rain.
Jusqu' ce que je vienne. Until I come.
Attendez qu'il vienne. Wait till he comes.
Soit qu'elle vienne ou non. Whether she conies or not.
En cas qu'il pleuve. In case it rains.
Qui que ce soit. Whoever it jnay be.
Quoi que ce soit. Whatever it may be.
Quel que soit le prix. Whatever may be the price.
Quelque bons amis qu'ils soient. However goodfriends they be.
OBSERVATION
In conversation the imperfect of the subjunctive is gen-
erally replacedby the present, the imperfect of the indica-
tive, by the conditional. This change has been re-
or
cently authorized by an official decision of the French
Minister of Public Instruction.
PRACTICE.
PRESENT OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE. IMPERFECT OF THE SUBJUNCTIVE.
Que voulez- vous que je fasse ? Que vouliez- vous que je fisse ?
Que voulez- vous qu'il fasse ? Que vouliez-vous qu'il ft ?
Que voulez- vous que nous fassions? Que ' '
'
'
que nous fissions ?
Que voulez- vous qu'ils fassent ? Que vouliez-vous qu'ils fissent ?
Je ne pense pas qu'il soit mari. Je ne pensais pas qu'il ft (ou tait)
mari.
Je ne pense pas qu'elle ait des Je ne pensais pas qu'elle et des
enfants. enfants.
Je ne crois pas que ce soit possible. Je ne croyais pas que ce ft
possible.
Je ne crois pas que vous puissiez Je ne croyais pas que vous pussiez
le faire. (ou pourriez) le faire.
Je ne crois pas qu'il vienne. Je ne croyais pas qu'il vnt (ou
viendrait).
250 Practical French Course
C'est le mieux que vous puissiez C'tait le mieux que vous pussiez
faire. faire.
10. I want you to speak French. 10. I will that you may speak
French.
11. I want you to study. 11. I will that you may study.
Practical French Course 251
12. I want you to sing. 12. I will that you may sing.
13. I want you to tell me the 13. I will that you me may say
truth. la vrit.
14. Do you think he will come ? 14. Think you that he may come ?
15. Do you think he will go to 15. Think you that he may go to
Paris ? Paris ?
16. Do you think she will come ? 16. Think you that she may come?
17. I do not think she is rich. 17. I think not that she may be
rich.
20. I did not think that he was so 20. I thought not that he might
rich. be so rich.
21. I did not think she was 21. I thought not that she might
married. be married.
OBSERVATION.
The subjunctive mood being of very great importance in
French, the pupil should study the above lesson most at-
tentively and familiarize himself thoroughly with the same.
MEMORY EXERCISE.
vaut mieux hasarder de sauver un coupable que de condamner
Il
un innocent. Voltaire)(
translation:
TRENTE-HUITIEME LEON.
LESSON XXXVIII.
The Imperative Mood.
EXCEPTIONS.
The verbs tre, to be ; avoir, to have ; aller, to go ;
pouvoir, to be able, and vouloir, to be willing, make in the
imperative :
Va, go thou.
Veuillez, be willing {kindly).
Puissiez-vous , may you .
3. The English forms let him, let her, let them, are ren-
Examples :
PRACTICE.
Que voulez- vous que je fasse? What do yoti want me to do ?
Faites ce que vous voudrez. Do what you please
Mettez le couvert. Lay the table-cloth.
Mettez la table. Set the table.
Otez le couvert. Clear the table.
Balayez le salon. Sweep the parlor.
Lavez le plancher et les escaliers. Wash the floor and stairs.
Lavez la vaisselle. Wash the dishes.
Essuyez la vaisselle. Wipe {or dry) the dishes.
Epoussetez les meubles. Dust the furniture.
Allumez le feu. Kindle the fire.
Repassez ma chemise. Iron my shirt
Etudiez votre leon. Study your lesson.
Portez cette lettre la poste. Go and mart this letter.
Quand voulez- vous qu'il vienne ? When do you wish him to come ?
Qu'il viennequand il voudra. Let him come when he will.
Qu'il vienne quand bon lui fera Let him. come when
plaisir.
3. What do you want her to buy ? 3. What will you that she may
buy ?
4. Iyet her buy a theatre ticket. 4. That she may buy a " billet de
thtre."
7. When do you want her to I 7. When will you that she may
come ? come ?
8. Let her come to-morrow. 8. That she may come to-morrow.
9. What do you wish her to do ? 9. What wish you that she may
do?
10. Let her wash the floor. 10. That she may wash the floor ?
11. What do you wish them to 11. What wish you that they may
sing ? sing?
12. Let them sing a song. 12. That they may sing a song.
13. What do you wish them to do ? 13. What wish you that they may
do?
14. Let them dance. 14. That they may dance.
MEMORY EXERCISE.
Il est plus ais d'tre sage pour les autres que pour soi-mme.
{La Rochefoucauld)
Le moment du pril est celui du courage. {La Harpe)
Jamais nous ne gotons de parfaite allgresse. {Corneille)
Le monde est une figure trompeuse qui passe. {Buffon)
L'harmonie la plus douce est la voix de celle que l'on aime.
{La Bruyre)
Les meilleures harangues sont celles que le cur a dictes.
{Marmonte)
L'arbrisseau le pins sain a besoin de culture. {Fabre d' Eglantine)
La colre et la prcipitation sont deux choses fort opposes la
prudence. (Fnelon)
translation:
TRENTE-NEUVIEME LEON.
LESSON XXXIX.
MISCELLANEOUS RULES
Je devrais. J'aurais d.
Tu devrais. Tu aurais d.
Il devrait. Il aurait d.
Nous devrions. Nous aurions d.
Vous devriez. Vous auriez d.
Ils devraient. Ils auraient d.
Je pourrais venir
r (or) )
\ IT might come.
,
.
J ,
. \ >
Il se pourrait que je vinsse.)
AM I NOT TO BE PITIED?
Ne suis- je pas plaindre ?
I WISH I COUI,D.
PRACTICE.
Vous devriez prendre une leon You should take a lesson every day.
tous les jours.
Vous auriez d amener votre ami. You should have brought your
friend.
Vous n'auriez pas d l'oublier. You should not have forgotten it.
Vous n'auriez pas d y aller. You should not have gone there.
1. You should study the verbs. i. You ought to study the verbs.
2. You should take exercise. 2. You ought to make some
exercise.
3. He should take more exercise. 3. He ought to make more of
exercise.
4. She should take three lessons 4. She ought to take three lessons
a week. per week.
11. How kind you are ! 11. How you are amiable !
13. How pretty you are ! 13. How you are pretty !
QUARANTIEME LEON,
LESSON XL.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
ON SOME IMPORTANT VERBS OF THE FIRST CONJUGATION.
Comment avez- vous trouv Paris ? How did you like {find) Paris?
Je l'ai trouv trs beau. Ifound it very beautiful.
FELICITER, to congratulate.
DIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS,
Penser mal. To think wrong.
Penser tout haut. To think aloud.
C'est ma
manire de penser. Thai is my way of thinking.
A ce que pense.
je To my mind ; in my opinion.
Pendant que j'y pense. While I think of it.
Sans y penser. Unintentionally.
Practical French Course 267
Vous ne pouvez pas passer par l You cannot go that way ; go this
passez par ici. way.
O avez- vous pass la soire ? Where did you spend the evening ?
Je l'ai passe chez madame N. I spentit at Mrs. JV's.
Avez- vous pass chez le docteur? Did you call upon the doctor ?
Oui, j'ai pass chez lui, mais il Yes, I called on him, but he was
n'y tait pas. not at home.
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
Cette fleur est passe. That flower is faded.
Mes beaux jours sont passs. My best days are over.
Cela m'a pass de l'esprit. That has slipped my memory.
Il a t pass par les armes. He was shot militarily.
Il a t pass au fil de l'pe. He was put to sword.
J'ai pass par de rudes preuves. I have gone through severe trials.
Cela me passe. That is beyond my comprehension.
Passez votre chemin. Pass on ; go your way.
Passez par dessus ce mur. Pass over this wall.
C'est pass de mode. It is now out offashion
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
Cela demande du temps et de la That requires time and patience.
patience.
Cela demande une explication. That requires an explanation.
Il demande l'aumne. He seeks alms {charity).
On vous demande. You are wanted.
On demande une femme de A chamber-maid is wanted.
chambre.
On demande un commis sachant A clerk familiar with French is
bien le franais. wanted.
Je ne demande pas mieux. I ask for nothing better.
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
Allez chercher un mdecin. Go for a physician.
Envoyez chercher le docteur. Sendfor the doctor.
Il cherche noise tout le He tries to pick up a quarrel with
monde (or) everybody.
Il cherche querelle tout le He tries to pick up a quarrel with
monde. everybody.
Il cherche midi quatorze He looks for difficulties where
heures. there are none.
Cherchez la femme ! Find the woman !
5. Did you find your gloves ? 5. Have you found your gloves ?
6. Where did you find them ? 6. Where them have you found ?
7. How do you like New York ? 7. How find you New York ?
8. How did you like Paris ? 8. How have you found Paris ?
13. Ithink of you all the time. 13. I think to you all the time.
14. Ihave thought of you. 14. I have thought to you.
15. Do you think of me ? 15. Think you to me ?
16. I will think of you. 16. I will think to you.
LESSON XLI
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
ON SOME IMPORTANT VERBS OF THE FIRST CONJUGATION.
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
SOUHAITER, to wish.
The verbs mener, amener and emmener are used for per-
sons and animals.
The verb porter is also used in the sense of to wear, to
have on (clothes.)
L,e vent a emport mon chapeau. The wind has blown my hat off.
1/ amour l'emporte souvent sur la Love often gets the better of reason.
raison.
Cette considration l'emporte sur That consideration outweighs every
toutes les autres. other.
TRAVAILLER, to work.
PESER, to weigh.
Voulez- vous peser cette lettre ? Will you please weigh this letter ?
Elle fait plus que le poids. It is over-weight.
Iv'un n'empche pas l'autre. The one does not preclude the other.
Practical French Course; 275
ESPERER, to hope.
DESESPRER, to despair.
l'espoir.
Why did she leave her home ? 1. Why has she left her house ?
Where did you leave your um- 2. Where have you left your um-
brella ? brella ?
Why did you not bring your 5. Why have you not brought your
friend ? friend ?
Have you furnished rooms to 16. Have you some rooms furnished
let? to let ?
QUARANTE-DEUXIEME LEON.
LESSON XLII
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
ON SOME IMPORTANT VERBS OE THE EIRST CONJUGATION.
JOUER, to play.
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
Touchez- vous du piano ? Do you play the piano ?
Je joue de la mandoline. Iplay the mandoline.
Ilpince de la guitare. He plays the guitar.
Jouons aux ds. Let us throw dice.
Jouez-nous un air. Play us a tune.
Il m'a jou un tour. He played 711e a trick.
Il joue la hausse. He is a bull. (Broker's term.)
Il joue la baisse. He is a bear. " '*
DERANGER, to disturb.
TAQUINER, to tease.
l'Allemagne. Germany.
Cette maison est bien habite. That house has good tenants.
Cette maison est mal habite. That house has bad tenants.
Combien de temps tes- vous rest How long did you remain in
Paris ? Paris ?
J'y suis rest prs de deux ans. I remained nearly two years.
PAYER, to pay.
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
Payer de belles paroles. To pay with fine words.
Payer d' audace , To face it out.
Payer en mme monnaie. To pay in like.
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
Fermez la porte clef. Lock the door.
Il a ferm boutique. He closed up his shop.
Je lui ai ferm la porte au nez. I shut the door in his face.
CHANTER, to sing.
DIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
L'argent me manque / have not the money.
II manque de tout. He is destitute.
II me manque cinq francs. I am five francs short.
J'ai manqu de mourir. I came near dying.
Vous l'avez manqu belle. You had a narrow escape.
Il l'a chapp belle. He had a narrow escape.
Il ne manque pas d'intelligence. He is not deficient in intelligence,
282 Practical French Course
Vous avez manqu votre devoir. You have failed in your duty.
Manquer l'occasion. To miss an occasion.
Manquer du ncessaire. To want for necessaries.
Un peintre manqu. A would-be painter.
C'est une affaire manque. It is a failure.
Il manque deux pages. There are two pages missing.
4. Did you try on your dress ? Have you tried your dress?
5. Why did you close the door ? Why have you closed the door ?
6. Why do you not close the Why close you not the win-
window ? dow ?
7. Did you count your change ? Have you counted your
change ?
8. Did you pay him? Him have you paid ?
9. I will introduce you to her. 9- I you will present to her.
10. What did he steal ? 10. What has he stolen?
11. He stole a horse. II. He has stolen a horse.
12. I am afraid to disturb you. 12. I have fear of you to disturb.
13. I am afraid to disturb him. 13. I have fear of him to disturb.
14. Why do you tease me ? 14. Why me tease you ?
15. He always teases me. 15. He me teases always.
16. Where does your friend live? l6. Where lives your friend ?
17. Where did you live before ? 17- Where lived you before ?
18. Did he remain in Paris ? 18. Is he remained at Paris ?
19. She sang very well. 19- She has very well sung.
20. He sings out of tune. 20. He sings faux.
Practical French Course 283
QUARANTE-TROISIEME LEON.
LESSON XLIII.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
ON SOME IMPORTANT VERBS OF THE SECOND AND THIRD CONJUGATIONS
CHOISIR, to choose.
ROUGIR, to blush.
Un bon enfant obit toujours ses A good child always obeys his pa-
parents. rents.
Il ne dsobit jamais ses matres. He never disobeys his masters.
PUNIR, to punish.
Si vous n'tes pas sage, je vous Ifyou are not good {wise) I shall
punirai. punish you.
S'il n'est pas sage, punissez-le. If he is not good, punish him
Il a t puni. He was punished.
REUSSIR, to succeed.
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS,
Y a-t-il longtemps que vous atten- Have you been waiting long ?
dez ?
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
ENTENDRE, to hear.
ENTENDRE DIRE or OUR DIRE, to hear something said.
ENTENDRE PARLER, to hear spoken of.
RECEVOIR DES NOUVELLES, to hearfrom.
Practical French Course 287
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
REPONDRE, to answer.
8. That boy disobeys his parents. 8. That boy disobeys to his pa-
rents.
9. I shall punish you. 9. you shall punish.
I
10. Did you punish him ? 10. Him have you punished ?
17. What did she answer ? 17. What has she answered ?
18. I shall defend you. 18. I you shall defend.
19. Why did you not defend me ? 19. Why me have you not defen-
ded?
20. I was forbidden. . 20. One me has forbidden...
21. Did you answer ? 21. Have you answered ?
22. Will you answer him ? 22. To him will answer you ?
23. Do not answer him. 23. To him answer not.
24. How long did you wait ? 24. How much of time have you
waited ?
MEMORY EXERCISE.
Nul n'est content de sa fortune, ni mcontent de son esprit.
{Mme. Deshoulires)
Iv'ignorance toujours est prte s'admirer. {Boileai)
Il dpend toujours de soi d'agir honorablement.
( Girault-Duvivier)
Ici-bas, tout passe, tout casse, tout lasse.
translation:
No one is pleased with his fortune, nor displeased with his wit.
QUARANTE-QUATRIEME LEON.
LESSON XLIY.
PRACTICE.
Votre ami est-il retourn (or de Has yourfriend returned from his
retour) de son voyage ? trip ?
Il n'est pas encore retourn. He has not yet returned.
raining, etc.
Il faut. It is necessary.
Il fallait. It was (being) necessary.
Il fallut. It was necessary.
Il faudra. It will be necessary.
Il faudrait. It would be necessary.
Qu'il faille. That it may be necessary.
SEflBLER, to seem.
IMPORTER, to matter.
II est temps. It is
Il tait temps. It was time.
Il serait temps. It would be time.
Practical French Course 295
1. I went... I am gone...
2. He went... He is gone...
3. We went... We are gone...
4. I arrived yesterday. I am arrived yesterday.
5. We arrived last night. We are arrived yesterday eve-
ning.
6. When did he leave ? When is he departed ?
7. When did your friend leave ? When your friend is he de-
parted ?
8. When did she return ? When is she returned ?
9. Would you have come ? Would you be come ?
10. Why
did not your sister come ? Why your sister is she not come?
n. Did he not fall ? Is he not fallen ?
12. I entered. Iam entered.
13. How is the weather ? What weather makes it ?
14. It is fine weather. It makes fine weather.
15. Is it raining? Is it that it rains ?
17. Do you think it will rain? Think you that may rain ?
it
QUARANTE-CINQUIEME lEON.
LESSON XLY.
IRREGULAR VERBS.
PRACTICE.
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
Allez au devant de lui. Go and meet him.
Allez chercher un mdecin. Go for a physician.
Il va venir. He will come presently.
Il y va de la vie. Life is at stake.
Cela me va. That suits me.
Ce chapeau vous va bien. That hat is very becoming to you.
Aller reculons. To go backwards.
Aller ttons. To grope along.
Aller de l'avant. To go forward.
Aller au trot. To trot.
Allez toujours. Go on ; do not stop.
Va pour du vin. (pop.) All right ; let us have wine.
Allez-y ! Go there !
Allons donc ! Nonsense !
PRACTICE,
Let the pupil answer the following questions
Venez- vous ? Are you coming?
Viendrez- vous ? Will you come?
Viendra-t-il ? Will he come ?
Est-il venu ? Did he come ?
Voulez- vous que je vienne ? Do you wishme to come ?
Reviendra-t-elle ? Will shecome back ?
Qu'est devenu votre ami ? What has become ofyour friend?
Qu'est-elle devenue? What has become of her ?
Tiendrez- vous votre parole ? Will you keep your word?
A qui appartient cette maison ? To whom does this house belong ?
A qui appartiennent ces chevaux ? To whom do these horses belong ?
Est-ce que ceci vous appartient ? Does this belong to you?
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
Cela venir Peau la bouche.
fait That makes one's mouth water.
I,e voil qui vient. There he comes.
Faites venir le mdecin. Send for the physician.
Je viens de dner. I have just had my dinner.
Il vient de sortir. He has just gone out.
O voulez- vous en venir ? What are you driving at?
Je n'en reviens pas. I am astounded at it.
Son nom ne me revient pas. I do not recollect his ?iame.
Practical, Frknch Course: 299
Rouvrir, To reopen. |
Souffrir, To suffer.
PRACTICE.
Combien vous dois-je ? How much do I owe you ?
Combien vous doit-il ? How much does he owe you ?
Combien vous doivent-ils ? How much do they owe you ?
Combien lui devez- vous ? How much do you owe him f
Combien leur devons-nous ? How much do we owe them ?
PRACTICE.
Puis-je vous demander une faveur ? May I ask you a favor ?
Que puis-je faire pour vous ? What can I do for you ?
Pouvez- vous venir? Can you come ?
Pourrez- vous y aller ? Will you be able to go there ?
Avez- vous pu lire ma lettre ? Have you been able to read my
letter ?
Pensez- vous qu'il le puisse ? Do you think he can do it ?
Pourriez- vous me dire... Could you tell me...
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
Je n'en puis plus. I am tired out.
Je n'en peux mais. I am not the cause of it.
Je n'y puis rien. I cannot help it.
Cela se peut. It may be.
Cela se pourrait. It might be.
PRACTICE.
Que voulez- vous ? What do you want ?
Que veut-il ? What does he want ?
Que veut-elle ? What does she want ?
Que veulent-ils ? What do they want ?
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
Que voulez- vous dire ? What do you mean f
Qu'est-ce que a veut dire ? What does that mean ?
Si vous voulez bien. Ifyou consent to it.
M'en voulez- vous ? Are you angry with me ?
Je vous en veux. I am angry with you.
Veuillez-vous asseoir. Kindly be seated.
PRACTICE.
Savez- vous nager ? Do you know how to swim ?
Savez- vous le latin ? Do y ou know Latin ?
Je ne sais que faire. I do not know what to do.
Je le savais. I knew it.
Que sais- je ? What do I know ?
Qu'en savez- vous ? What do you know about it ?
Je n'en sais rien. I don't know anything about it.
Je vous en saurai gr. I will be grateful to you for it.
Pas que je sache. Not that I know.
Faites-le moi savoir. Let me know it.
Je vous le ferai savoir. I shall let you know it.
A savoir. Namely.
Savoir-faire, savoir vivre, (subst.) Good manners, tact.
3<>4 Practical French Course
PRACTICE.
Que vois- je ? What do I see ?
Venez nous voir. Come and see us.
J'irai vous voir. I will go and see you.
Je vous verrai demain. I will see you to-morrow.
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
Il ne voit personne. He receives no company.
Ils ne se voient pas. They do not visit each other.
Nous ne nous voyons pas. We do not visit each other.
C'est pour se faire voir. It is to show off.
MEMORY EXERCISE.
1. Les hommes ne sont constants ni dans l'amour, ni dans la haine;
ils ne sont constants que dans l'inconstance.
2. La vertu est prfrable aux richesses, l'amiti l'argent et l'u-
tilit aux plaisirs.
QUARANTE-SIXIEME LEON.
LESSON XLVI
IRREGULAR VERBS.
(CONTINUED.)
PRACTICE.
Que prenez-vous ? What do you take ?
Qu'avez- vous pris ? What have you taken ?
Que prendrez- vous ? What will you take ?
Qu'avez- vous appris? What did you learn ?
M 'avez- vous compris ? Did you understand me ?
306 Practical French Course;
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
Prendre l'air. To take an airing.
Prendre la mouche. To take offense easily.
Prendre la fuite. To run away.
Prendre en flagrant dlit. To be caught in the act.
Prendre cong. To take leave.
Prendre les devants. To set out before.
Prendre lechemin de l'cole. To take the longest way.
Prendre son mal en patience. To bear one'' s misfortune patiently
PRACTICE.
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.
Cela ne dit rien. That is nothing to the purpose.
PRACTICE.
Que faites-vous ? What are you doing ?
Que f ait-il ? What is he doing f
Qu'est-ce qu'elle fait ? What is she doing ?
Que font-ils ? What are they doing ?
Qu'avez- vous fait ? What have you done ?
Que voulez- vous que je fasse ? What do you want me to do
Que ferez- vous ? What will you do ?
Que feriez- vous ? What would you do ?
Qu'allez- vous faire ? What are you going to do ?
Qu'avez- vous faire? What have you to do ?
IDIOMS.
Faire savoir, one know
to let Faire cuire, to cook (something).
Faire voir, to show. Faire bouillir, to boil.
Faire payer, to charge for. Faire rtir, to roast.
Faire penser, to remind. Faire la cuisine, to cook.
Faire attention, to pay attention Faire griller, to broil.
Faire une visite. to pay a visit. Faire du feu, to make afire.
Faire des emplettes, to make pur- Faire du bruit, to make a noise.
chases. Faire du tapage, to make a noise.
Faire plaisir, to give pleasure. Faire la moue, to pout.
Faire des progrs, to improve. Faire prsent de., to present with..
Faire semblant, to feign. Faire le malin, to try to be cun-
Faire faillite, to fail in business. ning.
Faire l'aumne, to give alms. Faire le malade, to feign to be ill.
Faire la sourde oreille, turn ato Faire une bvue, to make a blunder.
deaf ear. Faire face (), to face.
Faire faire un costume, to have a Faire la planche, to float (swim).
suit made. Faire faire, to order (garments).
CONDUIT, conducted.
QUARANTE-SEPTIEME LEON.
LESSON XLVII.
REFLEXIVE VERBS.
GENERAL RULES.
I. Reflexive verbs are conjugated after the model verb
of the conjugation to which they belong.
MODEL VERB.
FIRST CONJUGATION.
SIMPLE TENSES.
COMPOUND TENSES.
PAST INDEFINITE.
OBSERVATION.
From the first person of the above tenses the others can
easily be found.
318 Practical French Course
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
ON THE REFLEXIVE VERBS MORE COMMONLY USED IN CONVERSATION.
SE COUCHER, to go to bed.
vous ?
Allez vous coucher. Go to bed.
Je vais me coucher. I am going to bed.
Rappelez-vous. Remember.
SE TROMPER, to be mistaken.
Je me trompe. / am mistaken.
Il se trompe. He is mistaken.
Vous vous trompez. You are mistaken.
Je me suis tromp. I was mistaken.
Il s'est tromp. He was mistaken.
Nous nous sommes tromps. We have made a mistake.
Ne vous tes- vous pas tromp ? Have you not made a mistake
Je ne me suis pas tromp. I have not made a mistake.
Ne vous trompez pas. Do not make a mistake.
Je ne me tromperai pas. I will not be mistaken.
320 Practical French Course
m'en servir?
Puis- je May I use it ?
Vous pouvez vous en servir. You can use it.
Vous allez vous faire mal. You are going to hurt yourself
Vous vous ferez mal. You will hurt yourself.
Vous tes-vous fait mal ? Did you hurt yourself ?
Je me suis fait mal. I hurt myself.
S'est-il fait mal ? Did he hurt himself?
Il ne s'est pas fait mal. He did not hurt himself.
Ne voulez- vous pas vous asseoir ? Will you not sit down ?
Veuillez vous asseoir. Please be seated.
Je neveux pas m'asseoir. I do not want to sit down.
Asseyez-vous sur le gazon. Sit down on the grass.
Elle s'est assise. She sat down.
Il ne s'est pas assis. He did not take a seat.
OBSERVATION.
To avoid ambiguity, for the above examples might
be translated we love ourselves, you love yourself they love
: ,
themselves,
we add the pronouns l'un l'autre, or les uns
les autres, when the action is reciprocal, and the pronouns
Examples :
QUARANTE-HUITIEME LEON
LESSON XLVIIL
FRENCH PROVERBS.
QUARANTE-NEUVIME LEON
LESSON LXIX.
SHORT ANECDOTES.
II
III
IV
tomb de cheval en entrant dans l'Afrique o il
Jules Csar tant
tait allpour la conqurir: C'est bon signe, dit-il, que l'Afrique soit
sous moi; ce n'est point une chute, c'est une prise de possession.
V
fille du grand Scipion et femme du consul Sempronius,
Cornlie,
tait dans une compagnie de dames romaines qui talaient leurs pier-
reries, leurs bijoux et leurs ajustements. On demanda Cornlie de
montrer aussi les siens. Cette sage romaine fit aussitt approcher ses
enfants qu'elle avait levs avec soin pour la gloire de la patrie, et dit,
en les montrant: "Voici ma parure, voici mes ornements."
VI
Monsieur le rgent,^ par ordre duquel Voltaire tait la Bastille
lorsqu'on reprsentait l'dipe de ce clbre auteur, en fut si content,
qu'il rendit la libert au prisonnier. Voltaire alla sur-le-champ re-
mercier son Altesse qui lui dit: "Soyez sage, et j'aurai soin de vous."
"Je vous suis infiniment oblig, rpondit le pote, mais je supplie
votre Altesse de ne plus se charger de mon logement."
VII
VIII
IX
1/ empereur Titus 2 disait : Si quelqu'un parle mal de moi, il faut
bien se garder de le punir: s'il a parl par lgret, il faut le mpriser;
si c'est par folie, il faut avoir piti de lui; si c'est une injure, il faut lui
pardonner.
l'interrogea sur cette bibliothque. Elle est trs belle, lui dit-il, mais
Votre Majest devrait donner celui qui en a le soin l'administration
de ses finances. Et pourquoi? dit le roi. C'est, rpondit Bautru, que
cet homme ne touche pas au dpt qui lui est confi.
XI
Quelqu'un demandait Caton? pourquoi, ayant si bien mrit de
la rpublique, on ne lui avait point lev de statues: J'aime mieux,
rpondit-il, qu'on me fasse cette question, que si on me demandait
pourquoi l'on m'en a rig.
XII
XIII
Ivouis XIII., 3 auparavant duc d'Orlans, tant sollicit de venger
les injures qu'on lui avait faites avant qu'il montt sur le trne,
rpondit que le roi de France ne devait pas venger les injures du duc
d'Orlans.
XIV
On demandait un boiteux qui allait l'arme comme fantassin
pourquoi il ne s'tait pas mis dans la cavalerie. "C'est, rpondit-il, que
je ne vais pas l'arme pour fuir."
1588, mort Paris en 1665. Il dut sa fortune son esprit satirique et vif qui
amusa Richelieu et Mazarin.
2Caton, clbre censeur romain. Il voulait la destruction de Carthage et
ne terminait jamais un discours sans ajouter: "En outre, je pense qu'il faut
dtruire Carthage. Delenda est Carthago."
3 Louis XIII, fils de Henri IV, roi de France de 1610 1643, eut pour ministre
le cardinal de Richelieu.
Practical French Course 333
XV
Un gnral franais, jaloux et flatteur, disait au duc d'Enghien,
qui venait de remporter la clbre bataille de Rocroi en 1643: "Que
pourront dire maintenant les envieux de votre gloire?" "Je n'en
sais rien, rpondit-il; je pourrais vous le demander."
XVI
Waller, pote anglais, fit en trs beaux vers latins un excellent
pangyrique de Cromwell, tandis qu'il tait Protecteur. Charles II.
ayant t rtabli en 1660, Waller lui prsenta des vers qu'il avait faits
sa louange. Le roi, les ayant lus, lui reprocha qu'il en avait fait de
meilleurs pour Olivier. Waller lui rpondit: Sire, nous autres potes,
nous russissons mieux en fictions qu'en vrits.
XVII
Le duc du Maine, 2 encore enfant, faisait beaucoup de bruit. Le
grand Cond qui tait dans le mme appartement, se plaignit de ce
bruit: Plt Dieu, monsieur, lui dit l'enfant, que j'en fisse autant
que vous.
XVIII
fils Alexandre, en lui donnant Aristote pour pr-
Philippe dit son
cepteur: "Apprenez, sous un si bon matre, viter les fautes dans
lesquelles je suis tomb."
XIX
Les Franais assigeaient une place: l 'officier qui les commandait
fitproposer aux grenadiers une somme considrable pour celui qui, le
premier, planterait une fascine dans le foss expos tout le feu des
ennemis. Aucun des grenadiers ne se prsente. Le gnral tonn
leur en fait des reproches. Nous nous serions tous offerts, lui rpondit
un de ces braves soldats, si l'on n'avait pas mis cette action
prix d'argent.
XX
Un paysan coupait un arbre au bord d'une rivire; par malheur, sa
cogne tomba dans l'eau et il ne put la retrouver. Mercure lui apparut:
Est-ce l ta cogne, brave homme? en lui en montrant une d'or
Non, cette cogne n'est pas la mienne C'est peut-tre celle-ci? en lui
en prsentant une autre d'argent Non, ce n'est point encore celle qui
m'appartient C'est donc celle-ci? en lui en prsentant une de fer, qui
tait rellement celle qu'il avait perdue
Voici vraiment la cogne
dont la perte m'afflige Prends celle-ci, et encore les deux premires
que je t'ai montres reois-les pour prix de ta bonne foi.
;
CINQUANTIEME LEON
LESSON L.
Le verbe est un mot qui exprime une action ou un tat sous une
forme variable, suivant les dispositions du sujet parlant.
La physique est une science qui a pour objet l'tude des pro-
prits des corpset des lois qui tendent modifier leur tat
ou leur mouvement sans modifier leur nature.
L'histoire naturelle est l'tude des divers tres qui sont dans la
nature.
Iva gographie est une science qui a pour but la description rai-
sonne de la terre, l'explication des formes du sol et des dif-
frents aspects de la vie la surface du globe.
Iva rhtorique est un art qui donne les rgles pour bien dire,
pour parler loquemment; c'est la thorie de l'loquence.
L,a vie est un combat dont la palme est aux cieux. {Corneille)
{Dt Maurier)