LIST $17.95 $11.69 ¥U /7^ SUBCAT 14 441537 n n lA B •*'.««!'"' minutes a day 10 in [Complete language learning kit i^ontains sticky labels, flash cards, nenu guide & take-along Pocket Paf Practical, fast and easy... works! it Bilingual Books, Inc. Contents Alphabet, Pronunciation Guide 3 Key Question Words 5 Odds 'n Ends 8 Look Around You in Your Home 9 Numbers 12 Colors 15 Sticky Labels 17 Money and More Numbers 19 Days of the Week, Greetings 22 Important Little Words 26 Months, Seasons, Temperatures 28 Family, Home, Religion 31 More Sticky Labels 35 A Few Verbs 39 What Time 46 Is It? Directions, Finding Places 52 Upstairs, Downstairs 56 Post Office, Mail 63 Traffic Signs, Conversion Tables 67 Paying Bills 69 Traveling, Getting Around 76 Menu Dining, 86 Telephone 93 Transportation 96 Shopping 99 Packing, Getting Ready to Go 102 Glossary 108 Beverage and Menu Guides 116 Flash Cards 119 Order Form 131 Par Pocket 133 n_n nJ minutes a day in 10 by Kristine Kershul, M.A., University of California, Santa Barbara Consultants: Jan Fisher Brousseau Hagar Shirman Susan Worthington Bilingual Books, Inc. WA 1719 West Nickerson Street, Seattle, 98119 Tel: (206) 284-421 1 Fax: (206) 284-3660 http://www.bilingualbooks.org Second printing, November 1999 Copyright© 1998, 1992, 1988, 1981 Bilingual Books, Inc., Seattle, WA. Fourth edition. All rights reserved. ISBN 0-944502-16-4 Can you say this? (kess) (kuh) (say) que Qu^est'Ce c^est? what is that (say) (tewn) (fluhr) une C^est fleur. it is a flower (zhuh) (voo-dray) (ewn) (fluhr) Je voudrais une fleur. would like a flower If you can say this, you can learn to speak French. You will be able to easily order wine, lunch, theater tickets, pastry, or anything else you wish. With your best French accent, you simply ask "Qu'est-ce que c'est?" (kess) (kuh) (say) and, upon learning what it is, you can order it with "Je voudrais ça," (zhuh) (voo-dray) (sah). Sounds easy, doesn't it? The purpose of this book is to give you an immediate speaking ability in French. French is the leading language not only in France, but in parts of Switzerland, Belgium, Canada and numerous countries in Africa too. French is a language of beautiful sounds. To help you master these sounds, this book offers a unique and easy system of pronunciation above each word which walks you through learning French. If you are planning a trip or moving to where French is spoken, you will be leaps ahead of everyone if you take just a few minutes a day to learn the easy key words that this book offers. Start with Step 1 and don't skip around. Each day work as far as you can com- fortably go in those 10 minutes. Don't overdo it. Some days you might want to just re- view. If you forget a word, you can always look it up in the glossary Spend your first 10 minutes studying the map on the previous page. And yes, have fun learning your new language. As you work through the Steps, always use the special features which only this series offers. This book contains sticky labels and flash cards, free words, puzzles and quizzes. When you have completed this book, cut out the menu guide and take it along on your trip. Do not forget your "Pocket Pal" " which is designed to be carried with you every- where on your travels and to provide essential backup in case you forget an important word now and then. (lahl-fah-bay) UAlphabet the alphabet Throughout this book you will find an an easy pronunciation guide above all new words. Refer to this Step whenever you need help, but remember, spend no longer than 10 minutes a day. Most letters in FVench are identical to those in English and are pronounced in just the same way. (b) (d) 0) (k) (I) (m) (n) (P) (t) (V) (z) b d f k 1 in n P t V Z Here is a guide to help you learn the sounds ofthe French letters which are pronounced somewhat differently. Practice these sounds with the examples given which are mostly towns or areas in France you might wish to visit. You can always refer back to these pages ifyou need to review. French English letter sound a, à, â ah Paris (pah-ree) ai ay Calais (kah-lay) au, eau oh Bordeaux (hor-doh) (before a,o,u) C k Colmar (kohl-mar) Colmar, Colmar, Colmsir (elsewhere) C s Nice (nees) Alençon ç s (ah-lah^^'^-soh^''^) m ch sh Champagne (shah^'^^-pahn-yuh) (as in let) eh Montpellier (moW''^-pel-yay) uh Le Havre (luh)(ah-vruh) (as in let) e, e, ei eh la Seine (lah)(sen) e ay Orléans (or-lay-ah^^'O (before a,o,u) g g Garonne (gar-ohn) (before e,iy) ë zh Gironde (zhee-rohnd) (as in onion) gn n-y Avignon (ah-veen-yoh^'^O h always silent Honfleur (oW'^^-fluhr) 1 ee LUle (leel) (before e,i,y) zh Le Jura (luh)(zhew-rah) J O oh Limoges (lee-mohzh) wah oi Poitiers (pwah-tee-ay) ou, OÛ 00 Tours (toor) Letter Sound Example Sj^^V Write it here qu k Quimper (ka^^'^-pair) (slightly rolled) r r Rennes (ren) s s Strasbourg (strahs-boor) (between vowels) S z Toulouse (too-looz) (tvith yourlips rounded) U ew/00 Tournus (toor-new) w V Riquewihr (ree-kuh-veer) X ks Luxembourg (lewk-saW^'^-hoor) gz Axiat (ah-gzee-ah) s Bruxelles (brew-sel) y ee Lyon (lee-oW''^) In addition to the sounds above, FVench has many nasal vowel sounds. Whenever you see the small elevated ^""^ think nasal! Am boise (ahf'^^-bwahz) (tauntnasalized) Caen (kah-ah^^'O i? St.-Savin (sa^'^^-sah-va^''^) (thannasalized) a(n) Saintes (sa^^'H) R eim s (ra^^'^s) (don't nasalized) Toulon (too-loh^^'O (fun nasalized) - ^\^(n) Melun (mel-uh^''0 (as in station) syoh^"*^ Attention! (ah-taN'^^-syoN''^) Just as in English, "q" is always joined with the letter "u." The letter "u" is then silent. Note that when many French words begin with a vowel they are joined together in their pronunciation with the previous word. This Maison is a key part of French pronunciation. (voo) (ah-vay) (voo) (zah-vay) VOUS + avez becomes vous avez (say) (ewn) (fluhr) (say) (tewn) (fluhr) c'est une fleur becomes c'est une fleur Sometimes the phonetics may seem to contradict your pronunciation guide. Don't panic! The easiest and best possible phonetics have been chosen for each individual word. Pronounce the phonetics just as you see them. Don't over-analyze them. Speak with a French accent and, above all, enjoy yourself! Key Question Words (frah""s) (kay-bek) When you arrive in France, Québec or another French-speaking country, the very first thing — (oo) (oo) you will need to do is ask questions "Where (où) is the bus stop?" "Où can I exchange where where money?" "Où is the lavatory?" "Où is a restaurant?" "Où do I catch a taxi?" "Où is a good — hotel?" "Où is my luggage?" and the list will go on and on for the entire length ofyour visit. SEVEN KEY QUESTION WORDS In French, there are to learn. For example, the seven key question words will help you find out exactly what you are ordering in a restaurant before you — order it and not after the surprise (or shock!) arrives. Notice that only one letter is different in the French words for "what" and "who." Don't confuse them! Take a few minutes to study and practice saying the seven key question words listed below. Then cover the French with your (moh) (frah'^'-say) hand and fill in each of the blanks with the matching mot français. word French (00^ OU = WHERE OU. OU. OU. OU. OU (kuh) QUE/QU' = WHAT (key) QUI = WHO (poor-kwah) POURQUOI = WHY. (kah<^>) QUAND = WHEN (koh-mah'"') COMMENT = HOW (kohm-bya'"') COMBIEN = HOW MUCH (mok) Now test yourself to see ifyou really can keep these mots straight in your mind. Draw lines words (ay) between the French et Enghsh equivalents below. and (key) qui (kuh) que (00) où (kohm-bifa'"') combien (kah'->) where quand (poor-kwah) when pourquoi (koh-mah'"') how much comment (moh) (ay) Examine the following questions containing these mots. Practice the sentences out loud et then and practice by copying the French in the blanks underneath each question. (kess) (key) (suh) (pahss) Ckoh-mah'''') (tay) (lah)(sah-lahd) Comment Qu'est-ce qui se passe? est la salade? Whatishappening How is the salad (key) (ess) (kah^"") (luh)(tra'"') (ah-reev-teel) Qui est-ce? Quand le train arrive-t-il? Who is it When the train doesitarrive Qui est-ce? (kohm-bya'''') (ess) (oo) (ay) (luh)(tay-lay-fohn) Combien est-ce? OÙ est le téléphone? Howmuch is it Where is the telephone (oo) (moh) "OÙ" will be your most used question mot. Say each of the following French sentences aloud. Then write out each sentence without looking at the example. Ifyou don't succeed on the first try, don't give up. Just practice each sentence until you are able to do it easily. Remember "qu' is pronounced Hke "k" and "est-ce" is pronounced "ess." 6 (lay) (kah-bee-nay) (oo) (ay) (luh) (tahx-ee) (oo) (ay) (loh-toh-boos) OÙ OÙ (soh<">) les cabinets? est le taxi? est l'autobus? OÙ sont { (twah-let) where is the taxi where is bus les toilettes? i I DAMES MESSIEURS OÙ est taxi? lg (ay) (luh)(reh-stoh-rah'"') (lah)(bah'^^'k) (ay) (loh-tel) OÙ est le restaurant? OÙ est la banque? Où est l'hôtel? the bank hotel (wee) (ah''''-glay) (frah'^'-say) Oui, you can see similarities between anglais and français ifyou look closely. You will be yes English FVench (moh) amazed at the number of mots which are identical (or almost identical) in both languages. Of words course, they do not always sound the same when spoken by a PVench speaker, but the (see-mee-lar-ee-tay) (ay) similarités will certainly surprise you et make your work here easier. Listed below are five similarities and (ah) (ay) "free" mots beginning with " a " to help you get started. Be sure to say each mot aloud et then (frah'"'-say) write out the mot français in the blank to the right. 15^ l'accident (lahk-see-dah^''0 accident l'accident, Taccident, Taccident l'addition (lah-dee-syoh'^'O the bill in a restaurant O « l'admission (lahd-mee-syoh'''') admission O l'adresse (lah-dress) address aidez-moi! (ay-day^mwaJi) aid me! help me! Free mots like these will appear at the bottom of the following pages in a yellow color band. — They are easy enjoy them! Remember, in French, the letter "h" is silent. Odds Ends 'n (frah!">-say) Le français has multiple mots for "the," "a," and "some," but they are very easy. FVench(language) words "' -'-m'"- w ' (iuh) (lay) (uh'^>) (eïvn) (dew) (duh)(lah) (duh)(I) (day) le la r les un une du de la de V des I the the the the a a some some some some (gar-soh"") (dew)(soo-kruh) le garçon du sucre the boy some sugar (gar-soh''^') (duh)(lah)(moo-tard) les garçons de la moutarde the boys some mustard (fee-yuh) (evm) (fahm) la fille une femme the girl (fee-yuh) (day) (fahm) les filles des femmes the girls some women (lohm) (uh) (nohm) l'homme un homme theman a man (lay) (zohm) (day) (zohm) hommes hommes les des the men some men (ah'^^'-gla^) This might appear difficult, but only because it is different from anglais. Just remember you will (ffee^e-„yuh) be understood whether you say "la fille " or "le fille." Soon you will automatically select the right one without even thinking about it. In Step 2 you were introduced to the Seven Key QuestionWords. These seven words are the basics, the most essential building blocks for learning French. Throughout this book you will come across keys asking you to fill in the missing question word. Use this opportunity not only to fill in the blank on that key, but to review all your question words. Play with the new sounds, speak slowly and have fun. l'alcool (lahl-kohl) alcohol B les Alpes (lay)(zahlp) the Alps n américain (ah-may-ree-ka^^'O American a l'animal (lah-nee-mahl) animal O l'appartement (lah-par-teh-maW''^) apartment 8