Bonjour, Je m'appelle Rick. Je viens des New York. When I meet a French-speaking person, after an appropriate introduction of course I wish to tell them right off that I only know a limited amount of French. Is the correct way to say this as follows?: "Je parle juste un petit peu francais." Any information will be appreciated. Merci
A little bit of French | I speak a little French
Gemeniguy
February 17, 2011
Pascal-P
February 18, 2011
Je ne parle qu'un peu de français. or Je ne parle pas beacoup de français.
I think these are right. Someone please correct me If I'm wrong. I haven't spoken French in ages :)
Gemeniguy
February 18, 2011
Bonjour, Pascal P. Merci.
Can you tell me if I am translating this right?: "Je ne parle qu'un peu de français" means in anglais "I don't speak but a little of French" Can you tell me if I am translating this right?: "Je ne parle pas beacoup de français" means in anglais "I don't speak much French" Merci in advance for any help you can provide.
2679
March 1, 2011
Yes, you translated them correctly. But at the first one, you translated it word by word which sounds odd in English. You could consider it as: I speak only a little French.
Anyway, for a native French it would sound normal so be free to use it like that :D even though for me, the first sentence would sound little more polite :)
Gemeniguy
March 2, 2011
Bonsoir, ?. Comment vous appelez-vous?
I intentionally translate French word by word into English. It's easier for me to remember the French words that way. For example, I don't think of "Est-ce que vous me comprenez" in English as "Do you understand me?". I think of it in English as "Do you me understand?" Same thing for other French phrases.
Merci.
Pascal-P
March 2, 2011
Yes, I find translating literally helps to remember.
Something that might interest you,
Est-ce que? literally means Is it that?
so for example:
Est-ce que tu parles le français? means Is it that you speak French?
When you invert the verb and subject, eg. Parlez-vous le français?
You are literally saying "Speak-you French?" This is similar to old English word order. For example, in Shakespeare, with questions, the subject and verb are often inverted/
For example: "Hath not a Jew eyes?" (The Merchant of Venice--definitely worth reading or viewing at a theatre)
Gemeniguy
March 2, 2011
Bonsoir, Pascal P
Thanks for the information.
Merci
khiro--
March 17, 2011
bonsoir tou lmonde
Sami-Zaki
March 20, 2011
Est-ce que tu parles l'anglais? Je peux parler l'anglais couramment.
How can I say ( I can speak it..)
Merci
janey-c
April 7, 2011
right now it is all greek to me bonne soire tous les jeunes qui veut apprendre un autre langue
Sami-Zaki
May 5, 2011
How can we say??
Don't give up
Thank you
Pascal-P
May 5, 2011
@Sami Zaki
"I can speak it (the language)" is "Je peux la parler".
The direct object pronoun "la" is placed before the infinitive since one is present, otherwise it just precedes the conjugated verb.
"Don't give up":
More idiomatically, we say "Ne laisse jamais tomber" literally "Don't let (the matter) drop"
But a more direct translation would be "N'abandonnez jamais" (Never give up)
:)
Sami-Zaki
May 5, 2011
Thanks a lot for your help.
see you later
Marie-Claire-Riviere
January 30, 2012
Bonjour à tous!
Comme d'habitude Pascal, vous nous donnez toujours des bonnes explications!
Pascal is doing a great job everyone and learn from his comment and suggestions!
When we want to say "don't give up!" we usually say "tiens bon!" or "tiens fort!"
Je vous souhaite bon chance pour vos études! - Good luck for your studies!
- Marie-Claire