[French] Parlons-nous français?

[EmpanadaRica]

Originally Posted by pixel

Verbs :


3. I had talked to him. (English Past perfect)
Different ways to use this tense :
- action started earlier and is still going on
- action that appened very recently
- something which had been going on for some time.

There is no exact equivalence, but we could use :
Je lui ai parlé (passé composé)

4. I talked to him. (English Past simple)
Je lui ai parlé (passé composé)
Note : l'action est passée
(action is passed)


If anybody thinks I'm wrong or did mistakes please advice.

Not saying you're wrong as French is not my native language.
But just wondering, why not:

3. Je lui avais parlé.(plus-que-parfait- plusquamperfectum)

4. Je lui parlais. (imparfait)

[VivaEspana]

YOUR FESTIVAL PLANNER

The US recession had played havoc with audience numbers at the Stratford and Shaw Festivals, with US tourism to Canada at its lowest level since 1972.

Translation in French:

VOTRE LE PLAN DU FESTIVAL

La recession des Etats-Unis d'Amerique [a joue; Passe Compose], [ jouait; Imperfect] or [avait joue; Pluperfect] les ravages avec les nombres spectateurs a les Stratford et Shaw Festivals, avec le tourisme des Etats-Unis d'Amerique a son niveau meilleur depuis que 1972.

What is Pluperfect? Is it Past perfect or .....What is its equivalent in English?

[EmpanadaRica]

Originally Posted by VivaEspana

What is Pluperfect? Is it Past perfect or .....What is its equivalent in English?

I think it would be the 'past perfect (simple)'.

[VivaEspana]

Originally Posted by EmpanadaRica

Not saying you're wrong as French is not my native language.
But just wondering, why not:

3. Je lui avais parlé.(plus-que-parfait- plusquamperfectum)

4. Je lui parlais. (imparfait)

It is ok, senorita Empanadarica. The way I see it, there's a thin line separating the two. I did not clearly state my original English sentence, that is why. No problem. Thanks so much, Pixel. Good!

[pixel]

@EmpanadaRica

3. Je lui avais parlé.(plus-que-parfait- plusquamperfectum)

4. Je lui parlais. (imparfait)

What I would say is that the sentence "I had talked to him" seems for me as an action completed and nothing else happens.

3. "Plus-que-parfait" is used in some conditions :

- Action accomplished at a specific moment
ex. Le 20 janvier, j'avais terminé (p-q-p) mon travail

- An action which has been accomplished before an other action in the past
ex. Dès qu'il avait terminé (p-q-p) son travail, il partait (imparfait) se promener.

- When you ask a favor to somebody
ex. J'étais venu (p-q-p) vous demander un service.

- For an action which would have happen with a condition
ex. Si j'avais eu (p-q-p) de l'argent, je t'en aurais donné (conditionel passé).


4. "Je lui parlais" is more a continuous action (I was talking to him) also used if you have something else to add :

Je lui parlais quand maman est arrivée (I was talking to him when mom arrived).
Hier je lui parlais (yesterday I was talking to him)

"Je lui ai parlé" is an action completed, finished.


Hope I'm clear enough.

[EmpanadaRica]

Ok

I thought you meant the translation in general of those tenses.. but I see now that you meant to distinguish between 'still ongoing' or 'ended'.

In fact thinking about it, this is how I use these tenses in French also, I hadn't realized the 'ongoing' versus 'ended' emphasis you intended.

Thanx for elaborating a bit.

[VivaEspana]

Brilliant linguists! Merci beacoupe!

[VivaEspana]

So can somebody again give me the difference between Passe compose and Passe simple? Just the two ...And give examples please..

[pixel]

@VivaEspana

YOUR FESTIVAL PLANNER

The US recession had played havoc with audience numbers at the Stratford and Shaw Festivals, with US tourism to Canada at its lowest level since 1972.

Translation in French:

VOTRE LE PLAN DU FESTIVAL

La recession des Etats-Unis d'Amerique [a joue; Passe Compose], [ jouait; Imperfect] or [avait joue; Pluperfect] les ravages avec les nombres spectateurs a les Stratford et Shaw Festivals, avec le tourisme des Etats-Unis d'Amerique a son niveau meilleur depuis que 1972.

As explained yesterday, "votre" and "le" can't be used in the same time beside a nound (or subject). We say : "votre plan du festival" or "le plan du festival".


Votre organisateur de festival

La récession aux État-Unis a été catastrophique sur le nombre de spectateurs au Festival Stratford et Shaw, le tourisme américain au Canada étant à son plus bas niveau depuis 1972.

What is Pluperfect? Is it Past perfect or .....What is its equivalent in English?

There is no equivalent in English for "plus-que-parfait".

That's why we can't translate word by word any languages. It's often matter of feeling. Usually, we translate from a foreign language to our native language. But it is important to practice the other way too.

[pixel]

@VivaEspana

Passé simple : it is used when an action has been accomplished at a particular moment in the past.

ex. Il alla à l'école de 1995 à 2000.
Il fut malade de mars à juin.
Elle fut mariée pendant 15 ans.

It is more used in litterature than in an everyday basis.


Imparfait (in comparison) : when we use imparfait we don't care about the exact moment. It is somewhere in the past. We want to explain something that appened or what a person was doing in the past.

ex. En 1999 elle étudiait à l'université.
Il vivait à New-York avant.
J'allais à l'école à cette époque.


Passé composé : Is used when an action is done, completed, finished. It has been done in the past, even a very near past.

ex. Il est parti à cinq heures.
Elle a fini de déjeuner.
Nous sommes partis avant la nuit.
J'ai traversé le pont.

[VivaEspana]

Originally Posted by pixel

@VivaEspana




As explained yesterday, "votre" and "le" can't be used in the same time beside a nound (or subject). We say : "votre plan du festival" or "le plan du festival".


Votre organisateur de festival

La récession aux État-Unis a été catastrophique sur le nombre de spectateurs au Festival Stratford et Shaw, le tourisme américain au Canada étant à son plus bas niveau depuis 1972.




There is no equivalent in English for "plus-que-parfait".

That's why we can't translate word by word any languages. It's often matter of feeling. Usually, we translate from a foreign language to our native language. But it is important to practice the other way too.

You mentioned 'Canada'. Ya, the French and Quebec economies perform much better than Canada and other provinces.

[VivaEspana]

Now that you have picked up this book, don't put it down! You are in for a treat. The sensitive drawings you see here will encourage you as an aspiring artist. The poetic beauty and softness of these pieces are compelling. I fell in love with each one as it emerged from the artist's pencil, just as I think you will as you leaf through the book.

Translation:

Maintenant que vous [choisir] - choissiez, choississais, choissez ] ce livre, ne mettez le par terre! Vous etes dans le plaisir. Les dessins sensible nous voyez ici encouragerez vous comme une artiste en herbe. La beaute poetique et la mollese des morceaux sont fascinant. Je tombe amoureus de chacune alors que il emergean du crayon de la artiste, juste comme je pense vous tomberez alors que voyez pendant a le livre.


note: Whatever you can come up with this translation is ok with me. I know it is really very very hard translation.

[pixel]

You mentioned 'Canada'. Ya, the French and Quebec economies perform much better than Canada and other provinces.

Canada was in the text !! Quebec is in Canada. And yes the economy is better in Canada that in the rest of the world, and the province of Quebec economy is even better.
: )

[VivaEspana]

Originally Posted by pixel

Canada was in the text !! Quebec is in Canada. And yes the economy is better in Canada that in the rest of the world, and the province of Quebec economy is even better.
: )

Quebeckers and French have good work ethics. They are incorruptible. One reason why Quebec is the envy of other provinces. The streets are neat and clean. Flowers bloom at every corner. Trees are lined up in sidewalks. There is peace and order. Strict rules and regulations behooves every Quebecker to be law-abiding.


QUEBECKERS SHOULD BE GIVEN EQUAL ACCESS OR OPPORTUNITY TO EMPLOYMENT NOTWITHSTANDING THEIR COMMON LANGUAGE. No Person shhall be discriminated on the basis of race, creed, belief....

[pixel]

Ho! I didn't know about this. We are more strict and cleaner? I don't go so often in other provinces since I don't travel a lot these days. But I can say that in Ottawa, canadian capital, it is very clean also.

But often to get a job here in Quebec we have no choice to be bilingual. The majority of tourists are English speaking and a lot of industries (like were I work) use a lot of English. We speak French in the office, but all the work is in English. Other canadians don't like the idea to be forced to learn French (they are not, but since Canada is officialy bilingual, it could happen....) and I consider myself very lucky to be able to talk, write and speak both.

[VivaEspana]

Originally Posted by pixel

Ho! I didn't know about this. We are more strict and cleaner? I don't go so often in other provinces since I don't travel a lot these days. But I can say that in Ottawa, canadian capital, it is very clean also.

But often to get a job here in Quebec we have no choice to be bilingual. The majority of tourists are English speaking and a lot of industries (like were I work) use a lot of English. We speak French in the office, but all the work is in English. Other canadians don't like the idea to be forced to learn French (they are not, but since Canada is officialy bilingual, it could happen....) and I consider myself very lucky to be able to talk, write and speak both.

According to the survey, Quebec has the most of the beautiful ladies in the world, too. I wouldn't mind if French is imposed on me which is not the case for me. I just love the French language! English too is dictated to other people's of the world. For me, French culture is refined, civilized and more advance than other nations.

Oh, I found a machine translator in this forum, pixel. But I still will most always than not patronize your generosities.

[pixel]

@VivaEspana

be really carefull with automatic translators. They often give very funny translations (a lot of word by word). Remember that a language has a lot of feelings and idioms which cannot always be translated. That's why I take time for one of yours.....trying to find the best way to translate "You are in for a treat" !

Were are you from VivaEspana ?

[VivaEspana]

I am here in GTA, Greater Toronto Area. Mississauga, Ontario. I just want to be very proficient in French. Besides, bilingualism is promoted by the government. I want to study Spanish too. But French is my priority. There are night classes offered free but it disrupts my sleeping pattern. I usually wake up in the morning always 'at the wrong side of the bed' meaning feeling sleepy and irritable. I am a day person. I sleep early and wake up early too.

[VivaEspana]

Military officers, especially those who occupy posts at the highest echelons, are only dimly perceived as persons, decision-makers, and political creatures.

French translation:

Les officiers militaires, en particulier ces qui occupent les postes a les plus haut echelons, ont ete vaguement percu comme les personnes, les decideurs, et les creatures politique.

[brute]

Originally Posted by VivaEspana

Military officers, especially those who occupy posts at the highest echelons, are only dimly perceived as persons, decision-makers, and political creatures.

French translation:

Les officiers militaires, en particulier ces qui occupent les postes a les plus haut echelons, ont ete vaguement percu comme les personnes, les decideurs, et les creatures politique.

This is a modified machine translation. The original looked quite good. They sometimes make stupid errors, but are always useful to check things like spelling, accents & adjectival agreement. I hope you find it useful.


Les officiers militaires, en particulier, ceux qui occupent des postes aux échelons les plus élevés, ne sont que vaguement perçus comme des personnes, des décideurs, et des politiques des créatures politiques (ou de politique?)