Note 1

a2
The determiner or indefinite article a or an is translated by un + masculine noun and by une +
feminine noun:
a tree
= un arbre
a chair
= une chaise
There are, however, some cases where the article is not translated:
with professions and trades:
her mother is a teacher
= sa mre est professeur
with other nouns used in apposition:
hes a widower
= il est veuf
with what a:
what a pretty house!
= quelle jolie maison!
For translations of a few, a little, a lot, a great many see the entries few, little, lot, many.
When expressing prices in relation to weight, the definite article le/la is used in French:
ten euros a kilo
= dix euros le kilo
In other expressions where a/an means per, the French translation is usually par:
twice a day
= deux fois par jour
For translations of all other expressions using the indefinite article such as to make a noise, to
make a fortune, at a blow etc. consult the appropriate noun entry (noise, fortune, blow etc.).
Note 2

all
As a pronoun
When all is used to mean everything, it is translated by tout:
is that all?
= cest tout?
all is well

= tout va bien
When all is followed by a that clause, all that is translated by tout ce qui when it is the subject of
the verb and tout ce que when it is the object:
all that remains to be done
= tout ce qui reste faire
that was all (that) he said
= cest tout ce quil a dit
after all (that) weve done
= aprs tout ce que nous avons fait
were doing all (that) we can
= nous faisons tout ce que nous pouvons
all that you need
= tout ce dont tu as besoin
When all is used to refer to a specified group of people or objects, the translation reflects the
number and gender of the people or objects referred to; tous is used for a group of people or
objects of masculine or mixed or unspecified gender and toutes for a group of feminine gender:
we were all delighted
= nous tions tous ravis
where are the cups? theyre all in the kitchen
= o sont les tasses? elles sont toutes dans la cuisine
For more examples and particular usages see the entry all.

As a determiner
In French, determiners agree in gender and number with the noun they precede. So all is
translated by tout + masculine singular noun:
all the time
= tout le temps
by toute + feminine singular noun:
all the family
= toute la famille
by tous + masculine or mixed gender plural noun:
all men
= tous les hommes
all the books
= tous les livres
and by toutes + feminine plural noun:

all women
= toutes les femmes
all the chairs
= toutes les chaises
For more examples and particular usages see the entry all.

As an adverb
When all is used as an adverb meaning completely it is generally translated by tout:
my coats all dirty
= mon manteau est tout sale
he was all alone
= il tait tout seul
they were all alone
= ils taient tout seuls
the girls were all excited
= les filles taient tout excites
However, when the adjective that follows is in the feminine and begins with a consonant the
translation is toute/toutes:
she was all alone
= elle tait toute seule
the bill is all wrong
= la facture est toute fausse
the girls were all alone
= les filles taient toutes seules
For more examples and particular usages see the entry all.
Phrases such as all along, all but, at all, for all and of all are each treated separately in the entry
all
Note 3

as
When as is used as a preposition or a conjunction to mean like it is translated
by comme:
dressed as a sailor
= habill comme un marin
as usual
= comme dhabitude

as often happens
= comme cest souvent le cas
As a conjunction in time expressions, meaning when or while, as is translated by comme:
as she was coming down the stairs
= comme elle descendait lescalier
However, where a gradual process is involved, as is translated by au fur et mesure que:
as the day went on, he became more anxious
= au fur et mesure que la journe avanait il devenait plus inquiet
As a conjunction meaning because, as is translated by comme or puisque:
as he is ill, he cant go out
= comme il est malade or puisquil est malade, il ne peut pas sortir
When used as an adverb in comparisons, asas is translated by aussique:
he is as intelligent as his brother
= il est aussi intelligent que son frre
But see category J in the entry as for as much
as and as many as.
Note also the standard translation used for fixed similes:
as strong as an ox
= fort comme un buf
as rich as Croesus
= riche comme Crsus
Such similes often have a cultural equivalent rather than a direct translation. To find translations
for English similes, consult the entry for the second element.
When as is used as a preposition to indicate a persons profession or position, it is translated by
comme:
he works as an engineer
= il travaille comme ingnieur
Note that the article a/an is not translated.
When as is used with a preposition to mean in my/his capacity as, it is translated by en tant que:
as a teacher I believe that
= en tant quenseignant je crois que
For more examples, particular usages and phrases like as for, as from, as to etc. see the entry
as.
Note 4

at

When at is used as a straightforward preposition it is translated by :

at the airport
= laroport
at midnight
= minuit
at the age of 50
= lge de 50 ans
Remember that + le always becomes au and
+ les always becomes aux (au bureau, aux bureaux).
When at means at the house, shop, etc. of, it is translated by chez:
at Amandas
= chez Amanda
at the hairdressers
= chez le coiffeur
If you have doubts about how to translate a phrase or idiom beginning with at (at the top of, at
home, at a guess etc.) you should consult the appropriate noun entry (top, home, guess etc.).
This dictionary contains usage notes on such topics as age, the clock, length measurement,
games and sports etc. Many of these use the preposition at.
at also often appears in English as the second element of a phrasal verb (look at, aim at, etc.).
For translations, look at the appropriate verb entry (look, aim etc.).
at is used after certain nouns, adjectives and verbs in English (her surprise at, an attempt at,
annoyed at etc.). For translations, consult the appropriate noun, adjective or verb entry (surprise,
attempt, annoy etc.).
In the entry at, you will find particular usages and idiomatic expressions which do not appear
elsewhere in the dictionary.
Note 5

be
The direct French equivalent of the verb to be in subject + to be + predicate sentences is tre:
I am tired
= je suis fatigu
Caroline is French
= Caroline est franaise
the children are in the garden
= les enfants sont dans le jardin
It functions in very much the same way as to be does in English and it is safe to assume it will
work as a translation in the great majority of cases.

Note, however, that when you are specifying a persons profession or trade, a/an is not
translated:
shes a doctor
= elle est mdecin
Claudie is still a student
= Claudie est toujours tudiante
This is true of any noun used in apposition when the subject is a person:
hes a widower
= il est veuf
But
Lyons is a beautiful city
= Lyon est une belle ville
For more information or expressions involving professions and trades consult the usage note
Shops, Trades and Professions.
For the conjugation of the verb tre see the French verb tables.

Grammatical functions
The passive
tre is used to form the passive in French just as to be is used in English. Note, however, that the
past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject:
the rabbit was killed by a fox
= le lapin a t tu par un renard
the window had been broken
= la fentre avait t casse
their books will be sold
= leurs livres seront vendus
our doors have been repainted red
= nos portes ont t repeintes en rouge
In spoken language, French native speakers find the passive cumbersome and will avoid it where
possible by using the impersonal on where a person or people are clearly involved: on a repeint
nos portes en rouge.
Progressive tenses
In French the idea of something happening over a period of time cannot be expressed using the
verb tre in the way that to be is used as an auxiliary verb in English.
The present

French uses simply the present tense where English uses the progressive form with to be:
I am working
= je travaille
Ben is reading a book
= Ben lit un livre
In order to accentuate duration tre en train de is used: je suis en train de travailler; Ben est en
train de lire un livre.
The future
French also uses the present tense where English uses the progressive form with to be:
we are going to London tomorrow
= nous allons Londres demain
Im (just) coming!
= jarrive!
Im (just) going!
= jy vais!
The past
To express the distinction between she read a newspaper and she was reading a newspaper
French uses the perfect and the imperfect tenses: elle a lu un journal/elle lisait un journal:
he wrote to his mother
= il a crit sa mre
he was writing to his mother
= il crivait sa mre
However, in order to accentuate the notion of describing an activity which went on over a period
of time, the phrase tre en train de (= to be in the process of) is often used:
what was he doing when you arrived?
he was cooking the dinner
= quest-ce quil faisait quand tu es arriv? il tait en train de prparer le dner
she was just finishing her essay when
= elle tait juste en train de finir sa dissertation quand
The compound past
Compound past tenses in the progressive form in English are generally translated by the
imperfect in French:
Ive been looking for you
= je te cherchais

For progressive forms + for and since (Ive been waiting for an hour, I had been waiting for an
hour, Ive been waiting since Monday etc.) see the entries for and since.
Obligation
When to be is used as an auxiliary verb with another verb in the infinitive (to be to do) expressing
obligation, a fixed arrangement or destiny, devoir is used:
shes to do it at once
= elle doit le faire tout de suite
what am I to do?
= quest-ce que je dois faire?
he was to arrive last Monday
= il devait arriver lundi dernier
she was never to see him again
= elle ne devait plus le revoir.
In tag questions
French has no direct equivalent of tag questions like isnt he? or wasnt it? There is a general tag
question nest-ce pas? (literally isnt it so?) which will work in many cases:
their house is lovely, isnt it?
= leur maison est trs belle, nest-ce pas?
hes a doctor, isnt he?
= il est mdecin, nest-ce pas?
it was a very good meal, wasnt it?
= ctait un trs bon repas, nest-ce pas?
However, nest-ce pas can very rarely be used for positive tag questions and some other way will
be found to express the extra meaning contained in the tag: par hasard (by any chance) can be
very useful as a translation:
I cant find my glasses theyre not in the kitchen, are they?
= je ne trouve pas mes lunettes elles ne sont pas dans la cuisine, par hasard?
you havent seen Gaby, have you?
= tu nas pas vu Gaby, par hasard?
In cases where an opinion is being sought, si? meaning more or less or is it? or was it? etc. can
be useful:
its not broken, is it?
= ce nest pas cass, si?
he wasnt serious, was he?
= il ntait pas srieux, si?
In many other cases the tag question is simply not translated at all and the speakers intonation
will convey the implied question.

In short answers
Again, there is no direct equivalent for short answers like yes I am, no hes not etc. Where the
answer yes is given to contradict a negative question or statement, the most useful translation is
si:
youre not going out tonight yes I am
= tu ne sors pas ce soir si
In reply to a standard enquiry the tag will not be translated:
are you a doctor? yes I am
= tes-vous mdecin? oui
was it raining? yes it was
= est-ce quil pleuvait? oui
Probability
For expressions of probability and supposition (if I were you etc.) see the entry be.

Other functions
Expressing sensations and feelings
In expressing physical and mental sensations, the verb used in French is avoir:
to be cold
= avoir froid
to be hot
= avoir chaud
Im cold
= jai froid
to be thirsty
= avoir soif
to be hungry
= avoir faim
to be ashamed
= avoir honte
my hands are cold
= jai froid aux mains
If, however, you are in doubt as to which verb to use in such expressions, you should consult the
entry for the appropriate adjective.
Discussing health and how people are

In expressions of health and polite enquiries about how people are, aller is used:
how are you?
= comment allez-vous?
(more informally) comment vas-tu?
(very informally as a greeting) a va?
are you well?
= vous allez bien?
how is your daughter?
= comment va votre fille?
my father is better today
= mon pre va mieux aujourdhui
Discussing weather and temperature
In expressions of weather and temperature faire is generally used:
its cold
= il fait froid
its windy
= il fait du vent
If in doubt, consult the appropriate adjective entry.
Visiting somewhere
When to be is used in the present perfect tense to mean go, visit etc., French will generally use
the verbs venir, aller etc. rather than tre:
Ive never been to Sweden
= je ne suis jamais all en Sude
have you been to the Louvre?
= est-ce que tu es dj all au Louvre?
or est-ce que tu as dj visit le Louvre?
Paul has been to see us three times
= Paul est venu nous voir trois fois
Note too:
has the postman been?
= est-ce que le facteur est pass?
For here is, here are, there is, there are see the entries here and there.
The translation for an expression or idiom containing the verb to be will be found in the dictionary
at the entry for another word in the expression: for to be in danger see danger, for it would be
best to see best etc.
This dictionary contains usage notes on topics such as the clock, time units, age, weight
measurement, days of the week, and shops, trades and professions, many of which include

translations of particular uses of to be.

Note 6

before
When before is used as a preposition in expressions of time or order of sequence or importance,
it is translated by avant:
before the meeting
= avant la runion
she left before me
= elle est partie avant moi
For more examples and particular usages, see A1, 2, 3 in the entry before.
When before is used as a preposition meaning in front of (when you are talking about physical
space) or in the presence of, it is translated by devant:
before our eyes
= devant nos yeux
he declared before his mother that
= il a dclar devant sa mre que
When before is used as an adjective after a noun, it is translated by prcdent/-e:
the time before
= la fois prcdente
the one before is translated by le prcdent or la prcdente:
no, Im not talking about that meeting but the one before
= non, je ne parle pas de cette runion-l mais de la prcdente
For particular usages see B in the entry before.
When before is used as an adverb meaning beforehand, it is translated by avant in statements
about the present or future:
Ill try to talk to her before
= jessaierai de lui en parler avant
you could have told me before
= tu aurais pu me le dire avant
When before means previously in statements about the past, it is translated by auparavant:
I had met her two or three times before
= je lavais rencontre deux ou trois fois auparavant
When before means already it is translated by dj:
Ive met her before

= je lai dj rencontre
youve asked me that question before
= tu mas dj pos cette question
In negative sentences before is often used in English simply to reinforce the negative. In such
cases it is not translated at all:
Id never eaten snails before
= je navais jamais mang descargots
youve never told me that before
= tu ne mas jamais dit a
For particular usages see C in the entry before.
When before is used as a conjunction, it is translated by avant de + infinitive where the two verbs
have the same subject:
before he saw her he recognized her voice
= il a reconnu sa voix avant de la voir
before I cook dinner Im going to phone my mother
= avant de prparer le dner je vais appeler ma mre
Where the two verbs have different subjects, the translation is avant que + subjunctive:
Tom wants to see her before she leaves
= Tom veut la voir avant quelle parte
Some speakers and writers add ne before the verb: Tom veut la voir avant quelle ne parte, but
this is simply a slightly precious effect of style and is never obligatory. For particular usages see D
in the entry before.
Note 7

by
When by is used with a passive verb, it is translated by par:
he was killed by a tiger
= il a t tu par un tigre
she was horrified by the news
= elle a t horrifie par la nouvelle
For particular usages, see the entry by.
When by is used with a present participle to mean by means of, it is translated by en:
she learned French by listening to the radio
= elle a appris le franais en coutant la radio
For particular usages, see the entry by.

When by is used with a noun to mean by means of or using, it is translated by par:

by telephone
= par tlphone
to hold something by the handle
= tenir quelque chose par la poigne
Note, however:
to travel by bus/train/plane
= voyager en bus/train/avion
In time expressions by is translated by avant:
it must be finished by Friday
= il faut que ce soit fini avant vendredi
For particular usages, see the entry by.
by often appears as the second element in phrasal verbs (get by, put by, stand by etc.). For
translations, consult the appropriate verb entry (get, put, stand etc.).
For translations of fixed phrases and expressions such as to learn something by heart, to deliver
something by hand etc. consult the appropriate noun entry (heart, hand etc.).
For all other uses of by see the entry by.
Note 8

can1
can and could are usually translated by the verb pouvoir. For the conjugation of pouvoir, see the
French verb tables.
he can wait until tomorrow
= il peut attendre jusqu demain
you can go out now
= vous pouvez sortir maintenant
The two notable exceptions to this are as follows:
When can or could is used to mean know how to, the verb savoir is used:
she can speak French
= elle sait parler franais
he could read at the age of four
= lge de quatre ans il savait lire
When can or could is used with a verb of perception such as see, hear or feel it is not translated
at all:
I cant see her

= je ne la vois pas
she couldnt feel anything
= elle ne sentait rien
In requests can is translated by the present tense of pouvoir and the more polite could by the
conditional tense of pouvoir:
can you help me?
= peux-tu maider?
could you help me?
= pourrais-tu maider?
For particular usages of could when it is not simply the preterite or conditional of can see 13, 15,
16 in the entry can1.
See also the entry able.
Note 9

do1
The direct French equivalent of the verb to do in subject + to do + object sentences is faire:
shes doing her homework
= elle fait ses devoirs
what are you doing?
= quest-ce que tu fais?
what has he done with the newspaper?
= quest-ce quil a fait du journal?
faire functions in very much the same way as to do does in English and it is safe to assume it will
work in the great majority of cases. For the conjugation of the verb faire, see the French verb
tables.

Grammatical functions
In questions
In French there is no use of an auxiliary verb in questions equivalent to the use of do in English.
When the subject is a pronoun, the question is formed in French either by inverting the subject
and verb and putting a hyphen between the two (veux-tu?) or by prefacing the subject + verb by
est-ce que (literally is it that):
do you like Mozart?
= aimes-tu Mozart? or est-ce que tu aimes Mozart?
did you put the glasses in the cupboard?
= as-tu mis les verres dans le placard? or est-ce que tu as mis les verres dans le placard?
When the subject is a noun there are again two possibilities:

did your sister ring?

= est-ce que ta sur a tlphon? or ta sur a-t-elle tlphon?
did Max find his keys?
= est-ce que Max a trouv ses cls? or Max a-t-il trouv ses cls?
In negatives
Equally, auxiliaries are not used in negatives in French:
I dont like Mozart
= je naime pas Mozart
you didnt feed the cat
= tu nas pas donn manger au chat
dont do that!
= ne fais pas a!
In emphatic uses
There is no verbal equivalent for the use of do in such expressions as I DO like your dress. A
French speaker will find another way, according to the context, of expressing the force of the
English do. Here are a few useful examples:
I DO like your dress
= jaime beaucoup ta robe
I DO hope she remembers
= jespre quelle noubliera pas
I DO think you should see a doctor
= je crois vraiment que tu devrais voir un mdecin
When referring back to another verb
In this case the verb to do is not translated at all:
I dont like him any more than you do
= je ne laime pas plus que toi
I live in Oxford and so does Lily
= jhabite Oxford et Lily aussi
she gets paid more than I do
= elle est paye plus que moi
I havent written as much as I ought to have done
= je nai pas crit autant que jaurais d
I love strawberries so do I
= jadore les fraises moi aussi
In polite requests

In polite requests the phrase je vous en prie can often be used to render the meaning of do:
do sit down
= asseyez-vous, je vous en prie
do have a piece of cake
= prenez un morceau de gteau, je vous en prie
may I take a peach? yes, do
= puis-je prendre une pche? je vous en prie
In imperatives
In French there is no use of an auxiliary verb in imperatives:
dont shut the door
= ne ferme pas la porte
dont tell her anything
= ne lui dis rien
do be quiet!
= tais-toi!
In tag questions
French has no direct equivalent of tag questions like doesnt he? or didnt it? There is a general
tag question nest-ce pas? (literally isnt it so?) which will work in many cases:
you like fish, dont you?
= tu aimes le poisson, nest-ce pas?
he lives in London, doesnt he?
= il habite Londres, nest-ce pas?
However, nest-ce pas can very rarely be used for positive tag questions and some other way will
be found to express the meaning contained in the tag: par hasard can often be useful as a
translation:
Lola didnt phone, did she?
= Lola na pas tlphon par hasard?
Paul doesnt work here, does he?
= Paul ne travaille pas ici par hasard?
In many cases the tag is not translated at all and the speakers intonation will convey what is
implied:
you didnt tidy your room, did you? (i.e. you ought to have done)
= tu nas pas rang ta chambre?
In short answers
Again, there is no direct French equivalent for short answers like yes I do, no he doesnt etc.
Where the answer yes is given to contradict a negative question or statement, the most useful
translation is si:

Marion didnt say that yes she did

= Marion na pas dit a si
they dont sell vegetables at the bakers yes they do
= ils ne vendent pas les lgumes la boulangerie si
In response to a standard enquiry the tag will not be translated:
do you like strawberries? yes I do
= aimez-vous les fraises? oui
For more examples and particular usages, see the entry do1.
Note 10

for
When for is used as a preposition, followed by a noun or pronoun, it is translated by pour:
for my sister
= pour ma sur
for the garden
= pour le jardin
for me
= pour moi
For particular usages see the entry for.
When for is used as a preposition indicating purpose followed by a verb it is translated by pour +
infinitive:
for cleaning windows
= pour nettoyer les vitres
When for is used in the construction to be + adjective + for + pronoun + infinitive the translation in
French is tre + indirect pronoun + adjective + de + infinitive:
its impossible for me to stay
= il mest impossible de rester
it was hard for him to understand that
= il lui tait difficile de comprendre que
it will be difficult for her to accept the changes
= il lui sera difficile daccepter les changements
For the construction to be waiting for sb to do see the entry wait.
For particular usages see the entry for.

In time expressions
for is used in English after a verb in the progressive present perfect tense to express the time

period of something that started in the past and is still going on. To express this French uses a
verb in the present tense + depuis:
I have been waiting for three hours (and I am still waiting)
= jattends depuis trois heures
weve been together for two years (and were still together)
= nous sommes ensemble depuis deux ans
When for is used in English after a verb in the past perfect tense, French uses the imperfect +
depuis:
I had been waiting for two hours (and was still waiting)
= jattendais depuis deux heures
for is used in English negative sentences with the present perfect tense to express the time that
has elapsed since something has happened. To express this, French uses the same tense as
English (the perfect) + depuis:
I havent seen him for ten years (and I still havent seen him)
= je ne lai pas vu depuis dix ans
In spoken French, there is another way of expressing this: a fait or il y a dix ans que je ne lai
pas vu.
When for is used in English in negative sentences after a verb in the past perfect tense, French
uses the past perfect + depuis:
I hadnt seen him for ten years
= je ne lavais pas vu depuis dix ans, or (in spoken French) a faisait or il y avait dix ans que je ne
lavais pas vu
for is used in English after the preterite to express the time period of something that happened in
the past and is no longer going on. Here French uses the present perfect + pendant:
last Sunday I gardened for two hours
= dimanche dernier, jai jardin pendant deux heures
for is used in English after the present progressive tense or the future tense to express an
anticipated time period in the future. Here French uses the present or the future tense + pour:
Im going to Rome for six weeks
= je vais Rome pour six semaines
I will go to Rome for six weeks
= jirai Rome pour six semaines
Note, however, that when the verb to be is used in the future with for to emphasize the period of
time, French uses the future + pendant:
I will be in Rome for six weeks
= je serai Rome pendant six semaines
he will be away for three days
= il sera absent pendant trois jours

For particular usages see A13, 14, 15 and 16 in the entry for.
for is often used in English to form a structure with nouns, adjectives and verbs (weakness for,
eager for, apply for, fend for etc.). For translations, consult the appropriate noun, adjective or verb
entry (weakness, eager, apply, fend etc.).
Note 11

go
As an intransitive verb
go as a simple intransitive verb is translated by aller:
were going to Paris
= nous allons Paris
where are you going?
= o vas-tu?
Sasha went to London last week
= Sasha est alle Londres la semaine dernire
Note that aller conjugates with tre in compound tenses. For the conjugation of aller see the
French verb tables. For more examples and particular usages see the entry go. The verb go
produces a great many phrasal verbs in English (go up, go down, go out, go back etc.). Many of
these are translated by a single verb in French (monter, descendre, sortir, retourner etc.). The
phrasal verbs are listed separately at the end of the entry go.

As an auxiliary verb
When go is used as an auxiliary to show intention, it is also translated by aller:
Im going to buy a car tomorrow
= je vais acheter une voiture demain
I was going to talk to you about it
= jallais ten parler
hes not going to ask for a rise
= il ne va pas demander daugmentation
For more examples and particular usages see A23 in the entry go.
For all other uses see the entry go.
Note 12

have
When used as an auxiliary in present perfect, future perfect and past perfect tenses, have is
normally translated by avoir:
I have seen
= jai vu

I had seen
= javais vu
However, some verbs in French, especially verbs of movement and change of state (e.g. aller,
venir, descendre, mourir), take tre rather than avoir in these tenses:
he has left
= il est parti
In this case, remember the past participle agrees with the subject of the verb:
she has gone
= elle est alle
Reflexive verbs (e.g. se lever, se coucher) always conjugate with tre:
she has fainted
= elle sest vanouie
For translations of time expressions using for or since (he has been in London for six months, he
has been in London since June), see the entries for and since.
For translations of time expressions using just (I have just finished my essay, he has just gone),
see the entry just1.
to have to meaning must is translated by either devoir or the impersonal construction il faut que +
subjunctive:
I have to leave now
= il faut que je parte maintenant or je dois partir maintenant
In negative sentences, not to have to is generally translated by ne pas tre oblig de e.g.
you dont have to go
= tu nes pas oblig dy aller
For examples and particular usages see the entry have.
When have is used as a straightforward transitive verb meaning possess, have (or have got) can
generally be translated by avoir, e.g.
I have (got) a car
= jai une voiture
she has a good memory
= elle a une bonne mmoire
they have (got) problems
= ils ont des problmes
For examples and particular usages see entry; see also got.
have is also used with certain noun objects where the whole expression is equivalent to a verb:
to have dinner = to dine

to have a try = to try

to have a walk = to walk
In such cases the phrase is very often translated by the equivalent verb in French (dner, essayer,
se promener). For translations consult the appropriate noun entry (dinner, try, walk).
had is used in English at the beginning of a clause to replace an expression with if. Such
expressions are generally translated by si + past perfect tense, e.g.
had I taken the train, this would never have happened
= si javais pris le train, ce ne serait jamais arriv
had there been a fire, we would all have been killed
= sil y avait eu un incendie, nous serions tous morts
For examples of the above and all other uses of have see the entry.
Note 13

her
When used as a direct object pronoun, her is translated by la (l before a vowel). Note that the
object pronoun normally comes before the verb in French and that, in compound tenses like
perfect and past perfect, the past participle agrees with the pronoun:
I know her
= je la connais
Ive already seen her
= je lai dj vue
In imperatives, the direct object pronoun is translated by la and comes after the verb:
catch her!
= attrape-la!
(note the hyphen)
When used as an indirect object pronoun, her is translated by lui:
Ive given her the book
= je lui ai donn le livre
Ive given it to her
= je le lui ai donn
In imperatives, the indirect object pronoun is translated by lui and comes after the verb:
phone her
= tlphone-lui
give them to her
= donne-les-lui

(note the hyphens)

After prepositions and after the verb to be the translation is elle:
he did it for her
= il la fait pour elle
its her
= cest elle
When translating her as a determiner (her house etc.) remember that in French possessive
adjectives, like most other adjectives, agree in gender and number with the noun they qualify; her
is translated by son + masculine singular noun (son chien), sa + feminine singular noun (sa
maison) BUT son + feminine noun beginning with a vowel or mute h (son assiette), and ses +
plural noun (ses enfants).
For her used with parts of the body The human body.
Note 14

it
When it is used as a subject pronoun to refer to a specific object (or animal) il or elle is used in
French according to the gender of the object referred to:
where is the book/chair? its in the kitchen
= o est le livre/la chaise? il/elle est dans la cuisine
do you like my skirt? its lovely
= est-ce que tu aimes ma jupe? elle est trs jolie
However, if the object referred to is named in the same sentence, it is translated by ce (c before
a vowel):
its a good film
= cest un bon film
When it is used as an object pronoun it is translated by le or la (l before a vowel) according to the
gender of the object referred to:
its my book/my chair and I want it
= cest mon livre/ma chaise et je le/la veux
Note that the object pronoun normally comes before the verb in French and that in compound
tenses like the perfect and the past perfect, the past participle agrees with it:
I liked his shirt - did you notice it?
= jai aim sa chemise - est-ce que tu las remarque? or las-tu remarque?
In imperatives only, the pronoun comes after the verb:
its my book - give it to me
= cest mon livre - donne-le-moi (note the hyphens)

When it is used vaguely or impersonally followed by an adjective the translation is ce (c before a

vowel):
its difficult
= cest difficile
its sad
= cest triste
But when it is used impersonally followed by an adjective + verb the translation is il:
its difficult to understand how
= il est difficile de comprendre comment
If in doubt consult the entry for the adjective in question.
For translations for impersonal verb uses (its raining, its snowing) consult the entry for the verb
in question.
it is used in expressions of days of the week (its Friday) and clock time (its 5 oclock). This
dictionary contains usage notes on these and many other topics. For other impersonal and
idiomatic uses see the entry it.
When it is used after a preposition in English the two words (prep + it) are often translated by one
word in French. If the preposition would normally be translated by de in French (e.g. of, about,
from etc.) the prep + it = en:
Ive heard about it
= jen ai entendu parler
If the preposition would normally be translated by in French (e.g. to, in, at etc.) the prep + it = y:
they went to it
= ils y sont alls
For translations of it following prepositions not normally translated by de or (e.g. above, under,
over etc.) consult the entry for the preposition.
Note 15

less
When less is used as a quantifier (less money) it is translated by moins de: moins dargent. For
examples and particular usages, see A in the entry less.
When less is used as a pronoun (you should have taken less), it is translated by moins: tu aurais
d en prendre moins.
less than is usually translated by moins que and even less by encore moins. For examples and
particular usages of these see B in the entry less.
When less is used as an adverb followed by a verb, an adjective, or another adverb (to eat less,
less interesting, less often) it is translated by moins: manger moins, moins intressant, moins
souvent. For examples and particular usages see C in the entry less.

For less used as a preposition (less 10%) see D in the entry less.
For the phrase less and less see E in the entry less.
Note 16

let1
When let is used in English with another verb in order to make a suggestion (lets do it at once),
the first person plural -ons of the appropriate verb can generally be used to express this in
French: faisons-le tout de suite. (Note that the verb alone translates let us do and no pronoun
appears in French.)
In the spoken language, however, which is the usual context for such suggestions, French
speakers will use the much more colloquial on + present tense or si on + imperfect tense:
lets do it at once
= on le fait tout de suite? or si on le faisait tout de suite?
lets go to the cinema tonight
= si on allait au cinma ce soir?
lets go!
= allons-y! or on y va!
These translations can also be used for negative suggestions:
lets not take or dont lets take the bus - lets walk
= on ne prend pas le bus, on y va pied or ne prenons pas le bus, allons-y pied
For more examples and particular usages see A1 in the entry let1.
When let is used in English with another verb to express defiance or a command (just let him try!)
French uses the structure que + present subjunctive:
just let him try!
= quil essaie!
dont let me see you here again!
= que je ne te revoie plus ici!
For more examples and particular usages see A2 in the entry let1.
When let is used to mean allow, it is generally translated by the verb laisser. For examples and
particular usages see A3 in the entry let1.
For translations of expressions such as let fly, let loose, let slip etc., consult the entry for the
second word (fly, loose, slip etc.).
Note 17

like1
When like is used as a preposition (like a child, do it like this) it can generally be translated by
comme.

Note however that be like and look like meaning resemble are translated by ressembler :
shes like her father or she looks like her father
= elle ressemble son pre
like is used after certain other verbs in English to express particular kinds of resemblance (taste
like, feel like, smell like etc.). For translations, consult the appropriate verb entry.
When like is used as a conjunction it is translated by comme:
songs like my mother sings
= des chansons comme celles que chante ma mre
When like is used to introduce an illustrative example (big cities like London) it can be translated
by either comme or tel/telle/tels/ telles que: les grandes villes comme Londres or les grandes
villes telles que Londres.
For particular usages of like as a preposition or conjunction and for noun and adverb uses, see
the entry like1.
Note 18

lot1
When a lot is used as a pronoun (they buy a lot, he spends a lot), it is translated by beaucoup: ils
achtent beaucoup, il dpense beaucoup. For particular usages, see A1 in the entry lot1.
When a lot is used to mean much in negative expressions (they didnt have a lot) it is translated
by pas grand-chose: ils navaient pas grand-chose. For particular usages, see A1 in the entry
lot1.
When the lot is used as a pronoun (they took the lot), it is usually translated by tout: ils ont tout
pris. For particular usages, see A2 in the entry lot1.
When a lot of is used as a quantifier (a lot of money) it is translated by beaucoup de. For
particular usages, see B1 in the entry lot1.
For translations of lots of, see C in the entry lot1.
When a lot is used as an adverb (a lot stronger, hes changed a lot) it is translated by beaucoup:
beaucoup plus fort, il a beaucoup chang. For particular usages, see E in the entry lot1.
Note 19

may1
When may (or may have) is used with another verb in English to convey possibility, French will
generally use the adverb peut-tre (perhaps) with the equivalent verb:
it may rain
= il pleuvra peut-tre
we may never know what happened
= nous ne saurons peut-tre jamais ce qui sest pass

he may have got lost

= il sest peut-tre perdu
Alternatively, and more formally, the construction il se peut que + subjunctive may be used: il se
peut quil pleuve; il se peut que nous ne sachions jamais. For particular usages, see 1 in the entry
may1.
peut-tre is also used in French to convey concession:
he may be slow but hes not stupid
= il est peut-tre lent mais il nest pas bte
you may think Im crazy but
= tu penses peut-tre que je suis fou mais
When may is used to convey permission, the French equivalent is pouvoir:
you may close the door
= vous pouvez fermer la porte
Note that the polite question may I? is translated by puis-je?:
may I make a suggestion?
= puis-je faire une suggestion?
For particular usages, see 2 in the entry may1.
When may is used in rather formal English to convey purpose in the construction in order that +
may, the French equivalent is pour que + subjunctive:
in order that he may know
= pour quil sache
When may is used with another verb to express a wish, the French uses que + subjunctive:
may they be happy!
= quils soient heureux!
long may it last!
= que a dure!
When may well + verb is used to convey likelihood, the French uses il est fort possible que +
subjunctive:
he may well have gone elsewhere
= il est fort possible quil soit all ailleurs
But note:
that may well be but
= cest possible mais
In the phrase may as well, may is used interchangeably with might, which is more frequently
used. For translations see the entry might1.

Note 20

might1
Although usage shows that may and might are interchangeable in many contexts, might indicates
a more remote possibility than may. French generally translates this element of possibility using
peut-tre with the appropriate verb tense:
it might snow
= il va peut-tre neiger
(It is also possible to translate this more formally using il se peut + subjunctive: il se peut quil
neige). For particular examples see might1 1.
It is possible to translate might differently depending on the nature of the context and the
speakers point of view:
he might not come
= il risque de ne pas venir
implies that this is not a desirable outcome for the speaker;
he might not come
= il pourrait ne pas venir or il se peut quil ne vienne pas
however, is neutral in tone. Where there is the idea of a possibility in the past which has not in
fact occurred (see might1 2), French uses the past conditional of the verb (which is often
pouvoir):
it might have been serious (but wasnt in fact)
= a aurait pu tre grave
This is also the case where something which could have taken place did not, thus causing
annoyance:
you might have said thanks!
= tu aurais pu dire merci!
(see might1 7).
might, as the past tense of may, will automatically occur in instances of reported speech:
he said you might be hurt
= il a dit que tu serais peut-tre bless
For more examples see the entry might1 and bear in mind the rules for the agreement of tenses.
Where there is a choice between may and might in making requests, might is more formal and
even rather dated. French uses inversion (je peux = puis-je?) in this context and puis-je me
permettre de? (= might I?) is extremely formal.
Might can be used to polite effect - to soften direct statements: you might imagine thator to offer
advice tactfully: it might be wise toIn both cases, French uses the conditional tense of the verb:
on pourrait penser que; ce serait peut-tre une bonne ide de The use of well in phrases
such as he might well be right etc. implies a greater degree of likelihood.

For translations of might well, may well, see B2 in the entry well1.
For translations of the phrase might as well (we might as well go home), see well1 B2.
Note 21

not
When not is used without a verb before an adjective, an adverb, a verb or a noun, it is translated
by pas:
its a cat not a dog
= cest un chat pas un chien
not at all
= pas du tout
not bad
= pas mal
For examples and particular usages see the entry not.
When not is used to make the verb be negative (its not a cat) it is translated by nepas in
French; ne comes before the verb or the auxiliary in compound tenses and pas comes after the
verb or auxiliary: ce nest pas un chat;
she hasnt been ill
= elle na pas t malade.
When not is used with the auxiliary do to make a verb negative (he doesnt like oranges) do + not
is translated by nepas in French: il naime pas les oranges.
When not is used in the present perfect tense (I haven t seen him, she hasnt arrived yet), ne
pas is again used in French on either side of the appropriate auxiliary (avoir or tre): je ne lai pas
vu, elle nest pas encore arrive.
When not is used with will to make a verb negative (will not, wont), nepas is used with the
future tense in French:
she wont come by car
= elle ne viendra pas en voiture
When used with a verb in the infinitive, nepas are placed together before the verb:
he decided not to go
= il a dcid de ne pas y aller
you were wrong not to tell her
= tu as eu tort de ne pas le lui dire
When not is used in question tags, the whole tag can usually be translated by the French nest-ce
pas, e.g.
she bought it, didnt she?
= elle la achet, nest-ce pas?

For usages not covered in this note see the entry not.
Note 22

nothing
When nothing is used alone as a reply to a question in English, it is translated by rien:
what are you doing? nothing
= que fais-tu? rien
nothing as a pronoun when it is the subject of a verb is translated by rien ne in French:
nothing changes
= rien ne change
nothing has changed
= rien na chang
nothing as a pronoun when it is the object of a verb is translated by ne rien; ne comes before the
verb, and before the auxiliary in compound tenses, and rien comes after the verb or auxiliary:
I see nothing
= je ne vois rien
I saw nothing
= je nai rien vu
When ne rien is used with an infinitive the two words are not separated:
I prefer to say nothing
= je prfre ne rien dire
For examples and particular usages, see A in the entry nothing.
For translations of nothing as an adverb (its nothing like as difficult) and for the phrases nothing
but, nothing less than, nothing more than, see B, E, F and G respectively in the entry nothing.
Note 23

of
In almost all its uses the preposition of is translated by de. Exceptions to this are substances
(made of gold), uses with a personal pronoun (thats kind of you), proportions (some of us, of the
12 of us) and time expressions (of an evening). For translations of these, see the entry of.
Remember that de + le always becomes du and that de + les always becomes des.
To find translations for phrases beginning with of (of course, of all, of interest, of late, of old) you
should consult the appropriate noun etc. entry (course, all, interest, late, old etc.).
of also often appears as the second element of a verb (consist of, deprive of, die of, think of). For
translations, consult the appropriate verb entry.
of is used after certain nouns, pronouns and adjectives in English (a member of, a game of, some

of, most of, afraid of, capable of, ashamed of). For translations, consult the appropriate noun,
pronoun or adjective entry.
When of it or of them are used for something already referred to, they are translated by en:
theres a lot of it
= il y en a beaucoup
there are several of them
= il y en a plusieurs
Note, however, the following expressions used when referring to people:
there are six of them
= ils sont six
there were several of them
= ils taient plusieurs
For particular usages see the entry of.
This dictionary contains usage notes on such topics as Age, Capacity measurement, Dates,
Illnesses, Length measurement, Quantities, Towns and cities, and Weight measurement,
many of which use of.
Note 24

should
Meaning ought to
When should is used to mean ought to, it is translated by the conditional tense of devoir:
we should leave at seven
= nous devrions partir sept heures
The past should have meaning ought to have is translated by the past conditional of devoir:
she should have told him the truth
= elle aurait d lui dire la vrit
The same verb is used in negative sentences:
you shouldnt do that
= vous ne devriez pas faire a
he shouldnt have resigned
= il naurait pas d dmissionner
For the conjugation of devoir, see the French verb tables.

In conditional sentences
When should is used as an auxiliary verb to form the conditional, should + verb is translated by
the conditional of the appropriate verb in French:

I should like to go to Paris

= jaimerais aller Paris
I should have liked to go to Paris
= jaurais aim aller Paris

As a subjunctive in purpose clauses

When should is used as an auxiliary verb in that clauses, should + verb is translated by the
subjunctive of the appropriate verb in French:
in order that they should understand
= pour quils comprennent
For particular usages see the entry should.
Note 25

since
As a preposition
In time expressions
since is used in English after a verb in the present perfect or progressive present perfect tense to
indicate when something that is still going on started. To express this French uses a verb in the
present tense + depuis:
Ive been waiting since Saturday
= jattends depuis samedi
Ive lived in Rome since 1988
= jhabite Rome depuis 1988
When since is used after a verb in the past perfect tense, French uses the imperfect + depuis:
I had been waiting since nine oclock
= jattendais depuis neuf heures
In negative time expressions
Again since is translated by depuis, but in negative sentences the verb tenses used in French are
the same as those used in English:
I havent seen him since Saturday
= je ne lai pas vu depuis samedi
I hadnt seen him since 1978
= je ne lavais pas vu depuis 1978

As a conjunction
In time expressions

When since is used as a conjunction, it is translated by depuis que and the tenses used in French
parallel exactly those used with the preposition depuis (see above):
since shes been living in Oxford
= depuis quelle habite Oxford
since hed been in Paris
= depuis quil tait Paris
Note that in time expressions with since French native speakers will generally prefer to use a
noun where possible when English uses a verb:
I havent seen him since he left
= je ne lai pas vu depuis son dpart
shes been living in Nice since she got married
= elle habite Nice depuis son mariage
For particular usages see the entry since.
Meaning because
When since is used to mean because, it is translated by comme or tant donn que:
since she was ill, she couldnt go
= comme elle tait malade or tant donn quelle tait malade, elle ne pouvait pas y aller

As an adverb
When since is used as an adverb it is translated by depuis:
he hasnt been seen since
= on ne la pas vu depuis
For particular usages see C in the entry since.
Note 26

that
As a determiner
In French, determiners agree in gender and number with the noun they precede; that is translated
by ce + masculine singular noun (ce monsieur), cet + masculine singular noun beginning with a
vowel or mute h (cet homme) and cette + feminine singular noun (cette femme); those is
translated by ces.
Note, however, that the above translations are also used for the English this (plural these). So
when it is necessary to insist on that as opposed to another or others of the same sort, the
adverbial tag -l is added to the noun:
I prefer THAT version
= je prfre cette version-l
For particular usages, see the entry that.

As a pronoun meaning that one, those ones

In French, pronouns reflect the gender and number of the noun they are referring to. So that is
translated by celui-l for a masculine noun, celle-l for a feminine noun and those is translated by
ceux-l for a masculine noun and celles-l for a feminine noun:
I think I like that one (dress) best
= je crois que je prfre celle-l
For other uses of that, those as pronouns (e.g. whos that?) and for adverbial use (e.g. that much,
that many) there is no straightforward translation, so see the entry that for examples of usage.
When used as a relative pronoun, that is translated by qui when it is the subject of the verb and
by que when it is the object:
the man that stole the car
= lhomme qui a vol la voiture
the film that I saw
= le film que jai vu
Remember that in the present perfect and past perfect tenses, the past participle will agree
with the noun to which que as object refers:
the apples that I bought
= les pommes que jai achetes
When that is used as a relative pronoun with a preposition, it is translated by lequel when
standing for a masculine singular noun, by laquelle when standing for a feminine singular noun,
by lesquels when standing for a masculine plural noun and by lesquelles when standing for a
feminine plural noun:
the chair that I was sitting on
= la chaise sur laquelle jtais assise
the children that I bought the books for
= les enfants pour lesquels jai achet les livres
Remember that in cases where the English preposition used would normally be translated by in
French (e.g. to, at), the translation of the whole (prep + rel pron) will be auquel, laquelle,
auxquels, auxquelles:
the girls that I was talking to
= les filles auxquelles je parlais
Similarly, where the English preposition used would normally be translated by de in French (e.g.
of, from), the translation of the whole (prep + rel pron) will be dont in all cases:
the Frenchman that I received a letter from
= le Franais dont jai reu une lettre
When used as a conjunction, that can almost always be translated by que (qu before a vowel or
mute h):
she said that she would do it

= elle a dit quelle le ferait

In certain verbal constructions, que is followed by a subjunctive in French. If you are in doubt
about the construction to use, consult the appropriate verb entry. For particular usages see the
entry that.
Note 27

the
In French, determiners agree in gender and number with the noun they precede; the is translated
by le + masculine singular noun (le chien), by la + feminine singular noun (la chaise), by l +
masculine or feminine singular noun beginning with a vowel or mute h (lauteur, lhomme,
labsence, lhistoire) and by les + plural noun (les hommes, les femmes).
When the is used after a preposition in English, the two words (prep + the) are often translated by
one word in French. If the preposition would normally be translated by de in French (of, about,
from etc.) the prep + the is translated by du + masculine noun (du chien), by de la + feminine
noun (de la femme), by de l + singular noun beginning with a vowel or mute h (de lauteur, de
lhistoire) and by des + plural noun (des hommes, des femmes). If the preposition would usually
be translated by (at, to etc.) the prep + the is translated according to the number and gender of
the noun, by au (au chien), la ( la femme), l ( lenfant), aux (aux hommes, aux femmes).
Other than this, there are few problems in translating the into French.
The following cases are, however, worth remembering as not following exactly the pattern of the
English:
the good, the poor etc.
= les bons, les pauvres etc.
Charles the First, Elizabeth the Second etc.
= Charles Premier, Elizabeth Deux etc.
shes THE violinist of the century
= cest LA violoniste du sicle or cest la plus grande violoniste du sicle
the Tudors, the Batemans etc.
= les Tudor, les Bateman etc.
For expressions such as the more, the better, see the entry the.
This dictionary contains usage notes on such topics as weight measurement, days of the
week, rivers, illnesses, aches and pains, the human body, and musical instruments, many
of which use the.
For other particular usages of the see the entry the.
Note 28

them
When used as a direct object pronoun, referring to people, animals or things, them is translated
by les:

I know them
= je les connais
Note that the object pronoun normally
comes before the verb in French and that in compound tenses like the present perfect and past
perfect, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the direct object pronoun:
Hes seen them
(them being masculine or of mixed gender)
= il les a vus
(them being all feminine gender)
= il les a vues
In imperatives, the direct object pronoun is translated by les and comes after the verb:
catch them!
= attrape-les! (note the hyphen)
When used as an indirect object pronoun, them is translated by leur:
I gave them it or I gave it to them
= je le leur ai donn
In imperatives, the indirect object pronoun is translated by leur and comes after the verb:
phone them!
= tlphone-leur! (note the hyphen)
After prepositions and the verb to be, the translation is eux for masculine or mixed gender and
elles for feminine gender:
he did it for them
= il la fait pour eux or pour elles
its them
= ce sont eux or ce sont elles
For particular usages see the entry them.

Note 29

this
As a determiner
In French, determiners agree in gender and number with the noun they precede; this (plural
these) is translated by ce + masculine singular noun (ce monsieur) BUT by cet + masculine
singular noun beginning with a vowel or mute h (cet arbre, cet homme), by cette + feminine
singular noun (cette femme) and by ces + plural noun (ces livres, ces histoires).
Note, however, that the above translations are also used for the English that (plural those). So
when it is necessary to insist on this as opposed to another or others of the same sort, the
adverbial tag -ci, giving the idea of this one here, is added to the noun:

I prefer THIS version

= je prfre cette version-ci
For particular usages see the entry this.
This dictionary contains usage notes on such topics as time units, days of the week and
months of the year.

As a pronoun meaning this one

In French, pronouns reflect the gender and number of the noun they are referring to. So this is
translated by celui-ci for a masculine noun, celle-ci for a feminine noun; those is translated by
ceux-ci for a masculine plural noun, celles-ci for a feminine plural noun:
of all the dresses this is the prettiest one
= de toutes les robes celle-ci est la plus jolie
For other uses of this used as a pronoun (whos this?, this is my brother, this is wrong etc.) and
for this used as an adverb (it was this big etc.), see the entry this.

Note 30

to
This dictionary contains usage notes on such topics as the clock, weight measurement, games
and sports etc. Many of these use the preposition to.
When to is used as a preposition with movement verbs (go, travel etc.) it is often translated by
but remember to use en with feminine countries (en France) and au with masculine countries (au
Portugal); Countries and continents.
Remember when using in French that + le always becomes au and + les always becomes
aux.
When to forms the infinitive of a verb taken alone (by a teacher, for example) it needs no
translation:
to go
= aller
to find
= trouver etc.
However, when to is used as part of an infinitive giving the meaning in order to, it is translated by
pour:
hes gone into town to buy a shirt
= il est parti en ville pour acheter une chemise
to is also used as part of an infinitive after certain adjectives: difficult to understand, easy to read
etc. Here to is usually translated by : difficile comprendre, facile lire:
its easy to read
= cest facile lire

However, when the infinitive has an object, to is usually translated by de:

its easy to lose ones way
= il est facile de perdre son chemin
To check translations, consult the appropriate adjective entry: difficult, easy etc.
to is also used as part of an infinitive after certain verbs: she told me to wash my hands, Ill help
him to tidy the room etc. Here the translation, usually either or de, depends on the verb used in
French. To find the correct translation, consult the appropriate verb entry: tell, help etc. For all
other uses see the entry to.

Note 31

what
As a pronoun
In questions
When used in questions as an object pronoun, what is translated by que or quest-ce que.
After que the verb and subject are inverted and a hyphen is placed between them:
what is he doing?
= que fait-il? or quest-ce quil fait?
When used in questions as a subject pronoun, what is translated by quest-ce qui:
what happened?
= quest-ce qui sest pass?
Used with a preposition
After a preposition the translation is quoi.
Unlike in English, the preposition must always be placed immediately before quoi:
with what did she cut it? or what did she cut it with?
= avec quoi la-t-elle coup?
To introduce a clause
When used to introduce a clause as the object of the verb, what is translated by ce que (ce qu
before a vowel):
I dont know what he wants
= je ne sais pas ce quil veut
When what is the subject of the verb it is translated by ce qui:
tell me what happened
= raconte-moi ce qui sest pass

For particular usages see A in the entry what.

As a determiner
what used as a determiner is translated by quel, quelle, quels or quelles according to the gender
and number of the noun that follows:
what train did you catch?
= quel train as-tu pris?
what books do you like?
= quels livres aimes-tu?
what colours do you like?
= quelles couleurs aimes-tu?
For particular usages see B in the entry what.

Note 32

when
when can very often be translated by quand in time expressions:
when did she leave?
= quand est-ce quelle est partie? or elle est partie quand? or quand est-elle partie?
Note that in questions quand on its own requires inversion of the verb and subject:
when are they arriving?
= quand arrivent-ils?
but when followed by est-ce que needs no inversion: quand est-ce quils arrivent?
Occasionally a more precise time expression is used in French:
whens your birthday?
= quelle est la date de ton anniversaire?
when did he set off?
= quelle heure est-il parti?
Remember that the future tense is used after quand if future time is implied:
tell him when you see him
= dis-le-lui quand tu le verras
It is often possible to give a short neat translation for a when clause if there is no change of
subject in the sentence:
when I was very young, I lived in Normandy
= tout jeune, jhabitais en Normandie

when he was leaving, he asked for my address

= en partant, il ma demand mon adresse
In expressions such as the day when, the year when, o is used:
the day when we got married
= le jour o nous nous sommes maris
For examples of the above and further uses of when, see the entry when.
Note 33

which
As a pronoun
In questions
When which is used as a pronoun in questions it is translated by lequel, laquelle, lesquels or
lesquelles according to the gender and number of the noun it is referring to:
there are three peaches, which do you want?
= il y a trois pches, laquelle veux-tu?
Lucys borrowed three of your books which did she take?
= Lucy ta emprunt trois livres lesquels a-t-elle pris?
The exception to this is when which is followed by a superlative adjective, when the translation is
quel, quelle, quels or quelles:
which is the biggest (apple)?
= quelle est la plus grande?
which are the least expensive (books)?
= quels sont les moins chers?
In relative clauses as subject or object
When which is used as a relative pronoun as the subject of a verb, it is translated by qui:
the book which is on the table
= le livre qui est sur la table
the books which are on the table
= les livres qui sont sur la table
When which is the object of a verb it is translated by que (qu before a vowel or mute h):
the book which Tina is reading
= le livre que lit Tina
Note the inversion of subject and verb; this is the case where the subject is a noun but not where
the subject is a pronoun:
the book which I am reading

= le livre que je lis

In compound tenses such as the present perfect and past perfect, the past participle agrees in
gender and number with the noun que is referring to:
the books which I gave you
= les livres que je tai donns
the dresses which she bought yesterday
= les robes quelle a achetes hier
In relative clauses after a preposition
Here the translation is lequel, laquelle, lesquels or lesquelles according to the gender and number
of the noun referred to:
the road by which we came or the road which we came by
= la route par laquelle nous sommes venus
the expressions for which we have translations
= les expressions pour lesquelles nous avons une traduction
Remember that if the preposition would normally be translated by in French (to, at etc.), the
preposition + which is translated by auquel, laquelle, auxquels or auxquelles:
the addresses to which we sent letters
= les adresses auxquelles nous avons envoy des lettres
With prepositions normally translated by de (of, from etc.) the translation of the preposition which
becomes dont:
a blue book, the title of which Ive forgotten
= un livre bleu dont jai oubli le titre
However, if de is part of a prepositional group, as for example in the case of prs de meaning
near, the translation becomes duquel, de laquelle, desquels or desquelles:
the village near which they live
= le village prs duquel ils habitent
the houses near which she was waiting
= les maisons prs desquelles elle attendait
The translation duquel etc. is also used where a preposition + noun precedes of which:
a hill at the top of which there is a house
= une colline au sommet de laquelle il y a une maison

As a determiner
In questions
When which is used as a determiner in questions it is translated by quel, quelle, quels or quelles
according to the gender and number of the noun that follows:
which car is yours?

= quelle voiture est la vtre?

which books did he borrow?
= quels livres a-t-il emprunts?
Note that in the second example the object precedes the verb so that the past participle agrees in
gender and number with the object.
For translations of which as a determiner in relative clauses see B2 in the entry which.

Note 34

will1
The future tense
When will is used to express the future in French, the future tense of the French verb is generally
used:
hell come
= il viendra
In spoken and more informal French or when the very near future is implied, the present tense of
aller + infinitive can be used:
Ill do it now
= je vais le faire tout de suite
If the subject of the modal auxiliary will is I or we, shall is sometimes used instead of will to talk
about the future. For further information, consult the entry shall in the dictionary.
Note that would and should are treated as separate entries in the dictionary.

Tag questions
French has no direct equivalent of tag questions like wont he? or will they? There is a general tag
question nest-ce pas? which will work in many cases:
youll do it tomorrow, wont you?
= tu le feras demain, nest-ce pas?
In cases where an opinion is being sought, non? meaning is that not so? can be useful:
that will be easier, wont it?
= ce sera plus facile, non?
In many other cases the tag question is simply not translated at all and the speakers intonation
will convey the implied question.

Short answers
Again, there is no direct equivalent for short answers like no she wont, yes they will etc. Where
the answer yes is given to contradict a negative question or statement, the most useful translation
is si:

they wont forget yes they will

= ils noublieront pas si or (for more emphasis) bien sr que si
Where the answer no is given to contradict a positive question or statement, the most useful
translation is bien sr que non:
shell post the letter, wont she? no she wont
= elle va poster la lettre? bien sr que non
In reply to a standard enquiry the tag will not be translated:
youll be ready at midday then? yes I will
= tu seras prt midi? oui
For more examples and other uses, see the entry will.

Note 35

you
In English you is used to address everybody, whereas French has two forms: tu and vous. The
usual word to use when you are speaking to anyone you do not know very well is vous. This is
sometimes called the polite form and is used for the subject, object, indirect object and emphatic
pronoun:
would you like some coffee?
= voulez-vous du caf?
can I help you?
= est-ce que je peux vous aider?
what can I do for you?
= quest-ce que je peux faire pour vous?
The more informal pronoun tu is used between close friends and family members, within groups
of children and young people, by adults when talking to children and always when talking to
animals; tu is the subject form, the direct and indirect object form is te (t before a vowel) and the
form for emphatic use or use after a preposition is toi:
would you like some coffee?
= veux-tu du caf?
can I help you?
= est-ce que je peux taider?
theres a letter for you
= il y a une lettre pour toi
As a general rule, when talking to a French person use vous, wait to see how they address you
and follow suit. It is safer to wait for the French person to suggest using tu. The suggestion will
usually be phrased as on se tutoie? or on peut se tutoyer?
Note that tu is only a singular pronoun and vous is the plural form of tu.

Remember that in French the object and indirect object pronouns are always placed before the
verb:
she knows you
= elle vous connat or elle te connat
In compound tenses like the present perfect and the past perfect, the past participle agrees in
number and gender with the direct object:
I saw you on Saturday
(to one male: polite form)
= je vous ai vu samedi
(to one female: polite form)
= je vous ai vue samedi
(to one male: informal form)
= je tai vu samedi
(to one female: informal form)
= je tai vue samedi
(to two or more people, male or mixed)
= je vous ai vus samedi
(to two or more females)
= je vous ai vues samedi
When you is used impersonally as the more informal form of one, it is translated by on for the
subject form and by vous or te for the object form, depending on whether the comment is being
made amongst friends or in a more formal context:
you can do as you like here
= on peut faire ce quon veut ici
these mushrooms can make you ill
= ces champignons peuvent vous rendre malade or ces champignons peuvent te rendre malade
you could easily lose your bag here
= on pourrait facilement perdre son sac ici
Note that your used with on is translated by son/sa/ses according to the gender and number of
the noun that follows.
For verb forms with vous, tu and on see the French verb tables.
For particular usages see the entry you.
Note 36

your
For a full note on the use of the vous and tu forms in French, see the entry you.
In French, determiners agree in gender and number with the noun they qualify. So your, when
addressing one person, is translated by votre, or more familiarly ton, + masculine singular noun
(votre chien or ton chien), by votre or ta + feminine singular noun (votre maison or ta maison) and
by vos or tes + plural noun (vos enfants or tes enfants). Note that ton is used with a feminine
noun beginnning with a vowel or mute h (ton adresse).

When addressing more than one person, the translation is votre + singular noun and vos + plural
noun. When your is stressed, vous or toi is added after the noun:
your house
= votre maison vous
When used impersonally to mean ones, your is translated by son, sa or ses when you is
translated by on:
you buy your tickets at the door
= on prend ses billets lentre
The translation after an impersonal verb in French is son, sa, ses:
you have to buy your tickets at the door
= il faut prendre ses billets lentre
Note, however, the following:
sweets are bad for your teeth
= les bonbons sont mauvais pour les dents
your average student
= ltudiant moyen
For your used with parts of the body The human body.