Ça s'tente tu d'apprendre le joual?

On another note.

"Je suis" is often shortened to "j’suis" and if we say it fast, it becomes "chuis"

"Tu es" and basically every verb with "tu" that starts with a vowel, we contract it and make it "t’es", "t’arrives", etc.

"il y a", "il y avait" are most of the time shortened to (oral speech and when writing to a friend) "ya", "y avait"

To make a question, it’s rare that we use the “est-ce que” form, we just take the affirmative sentence and put a question mark at the end : tu veux manger? (instead of : veux-tu manger?, est-ce que tu veux manger?)

Some abbreviations we often use :

bcp (beaucoup), mtn (maintenant), pk (pourquoi), tlm (tout le monde), mm (même), ptn (putain)

Click on the show you want to watch, then look on the right side to pick the episode. “FR" means dubbed, “VOST" means original version with subtitles.

Both can be translated by “language" which is confusing. French language differenciates both :

Langage "Langage" is the ability to communicate (general concept). It’s also the system (spoken or written) you use to express yourself. This system can be made of technical vocabulary, specific grammar rules, jargon, slang… : it really is the general “concept" of communicating. We can differenciate two “langages" when both don’t use the same rules/codes.

Il faut apprendre le langage commercial pour devenir un bon vendeur : One must learn the commercial speech to become a good seller. > The specific jargon of business/sellers = commercial language

Mon fils et moi n’utilisons pas le même langage, il utilise le vocabulaire de la rue alors que je parle un français soutenu comme dans les livres : My son and I don’t use the same language, he uses street vocabulary while I speak formal French like in the books = The son uses a language which codes are different from his mother’s, so they don’t use the same language.

On utilise le langage HTML pour créer une page internet : We use HTML to create an online page. = we use a language made of codes which structure is different from the language we use to express our thoughts or emotions for example.

Les enfants font l’apprentissage du langage vers 2 ans = Kids learn how to communicate verbally around 2. = The children learn by themselves how basic codes can work together to make themselves understood.

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Langue A “langue" is a group of languages which all have a special feature in common. It has its own codes. For example : the “general language" using Latin roots, using conjugaison in three groups, which pronouns are je-tu-il-elle-on-nous-vous-ils-elles, is French language > La langue française. The “Langue française" is the name of the set of many different jargons that all use these said codes : slang and formal speech (aka the mother and son example), commercial speech… all technical/slang languages that use the same grammar and synthax.

Le français est la langue maternelle de cet enfant : French is this kid’s mother tongue. : This kid speaks French since forever, he’s been taught different languages of a same “langue" since his first words. For example, a kid will first learn the language of emotions, like “I’m hungry, I’m thirsty, I’m sick, it hurts, I’m happy", then he’ll learn the language of facts : “this fork is dirty, it’s sunny" etc… but it all is included in one single mother tongue.

Elle étudie une langue latine, l’espagnol, ainsi qu’une langue germanique, l’allemand. : She studies a latin language, Spanish, as well as a germanic language, German. : She studies different languages that use different grammar and synthax codes and that can be labelled as Spanish and German.

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Comparison between “Langue" & “Language".

In few cases, the frontier between both is quite blurry. Let’s take the example of Sign Language. We can labelled this practice after two names : Langage des Signes or Langue des Signes.

Cette célébration était d’abord de nature religieuse avant de devenir la fête nationale des Canadiens français au début du 19e siècle. Ce n’est qu’en 1977 que le gouvernement québécois l’a déclare comme fête nationale du Québec. Certains membres des communautés francophones hors-Québec déplorent le fait que les Québécois se soient approprié la Saint-Jean qui avait autrefois la mission de rassembler tous les Canadiens français, qu’ils soient du Canada ou des États-Unis. 

Cependant, plusieurs communautés francophones hors-Québec continuent de célébrer la Saint-Jean à chaque année. Des rassemblements et des concerts en français ont lieu d’ailleurs dans toutes les provinces.

En Ontario, c’est au nord qu’est le plus célébré la Saint-Jean. C’est d’ailleurs la ville de Kapuskasing qui a le plus gros festival de la Saint-Jean dans la province.

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This celebration was originally religious in nature before becoming the national holiday of French Canadians in the early 19th century. It was not until 1977 that the Quebec government has declared it Quebec’s national day. Some members of francophone communities outside Quebec deplore the fact that Quebecers appropriated the Saint-Jean Baptiste Day who once had the mission to unite all French Canadians, whether from Canada or the United States. However, many francophone communities outside Quebec continue to celebrate the Saint-Jean every year. Indeed, French rallies and concerts are held in all provinces. In Ontario, it’s in the north that the Saint-Jean is most celebrated. The Town of Kapuskasing has the biggest festival of St. John in the province.

About time : 

Il compte lire ce livre en deux jours. > He wants to read this book in two days. 

Il terminera ses études en avril prochain. > He’ll finish his studies at the end of April.

En hiver, il va à l’école; en été, il travaille. > By winter, he studies, by summer, he works.

Ils se sont mariés en 1990 : They married in 1990.  

About locations : 

Mes parents sont en Europe. > My parents are in Europe. 

J’irai en France bientôt. > I’ll go to France soon. 

About transports : 

Aimez-vous mieux voyager en autobus, en train, en auto ou en bateau ? > Would you rather travel by bus, train, car or boat ?

Il voyage toujours en avion. > He always travels by plane.

BUT : à vélo, à moto, à cheval

Before a “gérondif” :

C’est en travaillant qu’on réussit. > It’s by working that you succeed. 

Il est parti en souriant. > He left smiling. 

Before a noun (without defined article) :

Elle est en prison. > She’s in jail. 

BUT : Elle est dans la prison. > She’s in the jail. 

About the composition of a material :

Mon portefeuille est en cuir. > My wallet is made of leather. 

About locutions (Verbales or prépositives) : 

Nous sommes arrivés en même temps. > We arrived at the same time. 

J’étais assise en face de lui.> I was sitting in front of him. 

Il est en train de regarder la télé. > He’s watching TV. 

About describing :

Il semblait en colère. > He seemed angry. 

DANS  About time : When an action is about to happen : 

Le film va commencer dans cinq minutes. > The movie will start in 5 minutes.

About something being “inside” or “outside” :

Le crayon est dans le tiroir. > The pen is in the drawer.

Nous nous sommes perdus dans New York. > We got lost in New-York.

Dans la vie, il faut travailler si on veut réussir. > In life, we need to work if you want to succeed.

Nous n’étions pas encore dans l’avion. > We weren’t in the plane yet. 

J’ai mal dans le dos. > I have a pain in the back. 

About approximation : 

Elle a dans les 60 ans. > She’s about 60. 

Ça va coûter dans les 300 dollars. > It’ll cost about 300 dollars. 

About the way, the condition of something. 

Dans le doute, abstiens-toi ! > If you doubt, don’t do it! 

Ils vivent dans la pauvreté et la saleté. > They live in poverty and dirt. 

About “going through” something : 

Nous avancions dans la tempète. > We were walking through the storm. 

De/D’ = “of” D’ is the contraction of De when the following letter is a vowel. It just helps making the words flow together, it doesn’t change the meaning at all.

Un verre plein de lait (masculine)  Un verre plein d’ananas (masculine)  Un verre plein de fraise (feminine) Un verre plein d’eau (feminine) (A glass full of milk/pineapple/strawberry/water)

_______________________________________________ Du/De la/De l’ = “Some”

“Some” would technically translate into “de le.” However, “de le” isn’t easy for us to say so it changed progressively into these new forms. Again, the contraction only happens when the next letter is a vowel, but we differenciate feminine and masculine since it agrees with the following noun. (To know if the noun if feminine or masculine, check in the dictionary, it’s always indicated with “nf” (nom féminin > feminine noun) or “nm” (nom masculin > masculine noun)!)

The forms evoluated this way :

Masculine : De le > du, de l’

Mets du lait ! (followed by a masculine noun starting with a consonant)  Mets de l’ ananas ! (followed by a masculine noun starting with a vowel) 

Both are translated by “to know” which can be very confusing. 

Connaître

To be aware of the existence of something, of this value. Can also be used to speak about people, places, the experience of something/its deep knowledge. The etymology in Latin is “to visit, to see each other, to get to know”. A good tip could be to remember that in Connaître, there is “naître” (to be born, to start). This way you can remember the link to people and starting something. 

I know my neighbors : Je connais mes voisins (You got to know them)

I know the Louvre : Je connais le Louvre (you visited the Louvre)

I know South America : Je connais l’Amérique du Sud (you traveled through South America)

I know my lesson : Je connais ma leçon

I know my work : Je connais mon travail. 

Connaître is always followed by a noun and can’t never be used before pronouns (qui, que, quoi, comment, etc.)

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Savoir

Savoir is used for things teached, facts, abilities, knowing information, conviction. 

I know how to write : Je sais écrire

I know how to conjugate a verb : Je sais comment conjuguer un verbe.

I know how to bake tasty cakes : Je sais cuisiner de bons gâteaux

I know that you’re going to Italy for summer : Je sais que tu vas en Italie cet été

I know that you love stargazing : Je sais que tu aimes regarder les étoiles

I know why you didn’t come to the party : Je sais pourquoi tu n’es pas venu à la soirée

I know who stole the cake : Je sais qui a volé le gâteau.

I know it’s you : Je sais que c’est toi. 

It’s mostly followed by verbs or subordinate clauses (Thing you can see in English too, the verb “to know” is used differently to translate savoir than for connaître!)

When it’s followed by an infitive : It’s about knowledge, how to do something Je sais écrire > I know how to write

When it’s followed by a subordinate clause : it’s about an information you got and understood/conviction

“To be on the ass” To be surprised, amazed.

Ma mère m’a organisé un fête surprise, j’étais sur le cul, je ne m’y attendais pas du tout !  My mother threw a surprise party for me, I was in a state of shock, I was absolutely not expecting it! 

(via awesomefrench)

The key to understand the difference between all these words is the Latin prefixes: 

a- : in

em- : out

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Porter, Apporter, Emporter 

Porter : To carry. “Porter” can be used for objects or people depending on the context. “Apporter” and “Emporter” are mainly used for objects. 

“Le mari porte sa femme lorsqu’ils entrent dans leur maison pour la première fois après leur mariage.”

The husband carries his wife when they enter their home for the first time about the wedding.

Apporter : “To carry [something] in” > To take in, to bring (in)

“J’ai demandé aux invités d’apporter quelque chose pour la fête, une bouteille d’alcool ou quelque chose à manger.” 

I asked the guests to bring something for the party, either a bottle of alcohol or something to eat. 

Emporter : “To carry [something] out” > To take away, to carry away. 

“Le gâteau était trop gros donc tous les invités en ont emporté une part chez eux.” 

The cake was too big so all guests took back home a piece of it. 

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Mener, Amener, Emmener

These are used to refer to people. 

Mener : to lead.

La guerre a mené le pays à la pauvreté. 

The war led the country to poverty. 

Amener  : “To lead in” > To lead/take [somebody] to. It points the fact that you’re moving to somewhere else.

Un homme galant amène son rendez-vous au restaurant. 

A gentleman takes his date to the restaurant. 

Emmener : “To lead out” > To lead/take [somebody] out. It points the fact that you’re leaving the place where you are to move somewhere else. 

La mère a pris son fils par la main et l’a emmené loin des vitrines du zoo car le lion allait lui faire peur.

The mother took his son by the hand and took him away from the zoo’s windows because the lion would have scared him. 

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Slang

1 - In French slang, people use Amener & Emporter instead of Apporter & Emporter very commonly. You can very easily hear: 

“Qu’est-ce que j’amène ?” (What do I bring (for the party, aka drinks or food) 

Instead of 

“Qu’est ce que j’apporte ?”

which is the technically correct sentence. The same mistake happens with Emporter & Emmener :

“Emmène du gâteau chez toi” (Take some cake back home)

instead of 

“Emporte du gâteau chez toi.”