kɔ-mεr-sã ã-glε)You now have a good working knowledge of French pronunciation and are ready for a more intimate study of the language. Practise the pronunciation aids after each conversational text and follow all directions for reading aloud and speaking. Remember: the only way you can learn to speak a language is by speaking it.
This chapter will introduce you to Mr. Davis, a London businessman who is as eager as you are to learn French. You will also meet his congenial teacher, monsieur Picard, a Frenchman living in London. As he teaches Mr. Davis he will also teach you in a pleasant and interesting way.
So Bonne chance (Good Luck) and Bon voyage (Happy Journey) as you accompany Mr. Davis on the road which leads to a practical knowledge of the French language.
Comment étudier le texte. How to study the text.
Read the French text silently, referring to the English only when necessary to get the meaning.
Cover up the English text and read the French text silently.
Study the ‘Pronunciation and Spelling Aids’ and the sections ‘Building Vocabulary’ and ‘Locutions françaises’ which follow the text.
Then read the French text aloud, pronouncing carefully.
Do the exercise ‘Completion of Text’.
Proceed to ‘Grammar Notes’, etc.
Follow these instructions with the conventional texts in succeeding chapters.
Qui est monsieur Davis?
1 Monsieur Davis est un commerçant anglais.
2 Il habite dans une petite ville dans les environs de Londres.
3 Il y a six personnes dans la famille Davis: le père, monsieur Davis; la mère, madame Davis; deux fils, et deux filles. Monsieur Davis est un homme de quarante ans. Madame Davis est une femme de trente-cinq ans.
4 Les fils s’appellent1 Philippe et Henri. Les filles s’appellent Rosette et Annette.
5 Monsieur Davis habite dans une villa.
6 Dans la maison il y a cinq pièces: le salon, la salle à manger, et trois chambres à coucher. Il y a aussi la cuisine et la salle de bain.
7 Le bureau de monsieur Davis est dans Oxford Street.
8 Il est au dernier étage d’un grand immeuble.
9 Le lundi, le mardi, le mercredi, le jeudi, et le vendredi, monsieur Davis prend le train pour arriver à son bureau en ville.
10 Toute la journée il travaille assidûment dans son bureau.
Who is Mr. Davis?
1 Mr. Davis is an English businessman.
2 He lives in a small town on the outskirts of London.
3 There are six persons in the Davis family: the father, Mr. Davis; the mother, Mrs. Davis; two sons, and two daughters. Mr. Davis is a man of forty years of age. Mrs. Davis is a woman of thirty-five.
4 The sons are called1 Philip and Henry. The daughters are called Rosie and Annie.
5 Mr. Davis lives in a detached house.
6 In the house there are five rooms: the living-room, the dining-room, and three bedrooms. There is also the kitchen and the bathroom.
7 The office of Mr. Davis is in Oxford Street.
8 It is on the top floor of a big block of offices.
9 On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays Mr. Davis takes the train in order to reach his office in town.
10 All day he works diligently in his office.
Pronunciation and Spelling Aids
A. Practise Aloud:
1 un commerçant anglais ( kɔ-mεr-sã ã-glε)
2 dans les environs (dã lε zã-vi-r
)
3 dans une petite ville (dã zyn ptit vil)
4 trois chambres à coucher (trwa ʃãːbr a ku-ʃe)
5 il est au dernier étage (il ε to dεr-nje re-taʒ)
6 assidûment (a-si-dy-mã)
B. Remember: s, when linked, becomes z. les environs (lε zã-vi-r)
Building Vocabulary
A. La famille (la fa-miːj) The Family
|
le père (pεr), the father la mère (mεr), the mother le fils (fis), the son la fille (fiːj), the daughter le frère (frεːr), the brother la sœur (sœːr), the sister un oncle ( la tante (tãːt), the aunt le cousin (ku-z la cousine (ku-zin), the cousin (f)
|
un, une enfant ( le garçon (gar-s la jeune fille (ʒ le monsieur (mә-sjø), the gentleman monsieur, Mr., Sir Messieurs (mε-sjø), gentlemen la dame (dam), the lady madame (ma-dam), Mrs., madam l’homme (lɔm), the man la femme (fam), the woman, the wife les parents (lε-pa-rã), the parents |
B. Les pièces de la maison (lε pjεs dә la mε-z), The Rooms of the House.
le salon (sa-l |
la salle à manger (sa-la mã-ʒe), dining-room |
la chambre à coucher (ʃãːbra ku-ʃe), bedroom |
la salle de bain (sal dә b |
la cuisine (kЧi-zin), kitchen |
Locutions françaises (lɔ-ky-sj frã-sεz) French Expressions
1 il y a (il ja), there is, there are
2 y a-t-il? (ja-til), is there? are there?
3 par cœur (par kœr), by heart
4 toute la journée (tut la ʒur-ne), all day
Exercise No. 1—Completion of Text
For maximum benefit follow these instructions carefully in all ‘Completion of Text’ exercises.
Complete each sentence by putting the English words into French. Where you can, do this from memory.
If you do not remember the words refer to the French text. There you will find the words in the order of their appearance. You have only to re-read the text to find them easily.
When you have completed each sentence with the needed words, read the complete sentence aloud in French.
It will be a great help to your memory if you write each completed sentence. This is true for all exercises.
The correct French words for the ‘Completion of Text’ exercises are in the ‘Answers’ section of this book, along with the answers to all other exercises. Check all your answers.
Exemple (εg-zãːpl) Example: 1. Qui est monsieur Davis?
1 (Who) est monsieur Davis?
2 Il est un (business man) anglais
3 Il habite (in) une petite ville.
4 (There are) six personnes dans la famille.
5 Monsieur Davis est le (father).
6 Madame Davis est la (mother).
7 Les (sons) s’appellent Philippe (and) Henri.
8 Les filles (are named) Rosette (and) Annette.
9 Il y a (five rooms) dans la maison.
10 Il y a une (kitchen) et une (bathroom).
11 Le (office) est dans Oxford Street.
12 (It is) dans un grand immeuble.
13 Il est au (top) étage.
14 Monsieur Davis travaille (all day).
Grammar Notes
1 The Definite Article.
Note the four ways in which the definite article the is expressed in French.
With Singular Nouns
With Plural Nouns
The definite article in French is le (lә), la (la), I’ les (lε).
le is used with a masculine singular noun, la is used with a feminine singular noun. I’ is used with any noun that begins with a vowel or h (usually), les is used with any plural noun, masculine or feminine.
When the s of les is linked with the following noun it is pronounced like z.
les enfants (lε-zã-fã), les hommes (lε-zɔm)
2. The Gender of Nouns.
Nouns are either masculine or feminine. This is true for thing-nouns as well as for person-nouns.
Always learn the gender of thing-nouns as they occur.
3. The Plural of Nouns.
Note the singular and plural of the following nouns:
The plural of nouns is usually formed by adding s to the singular. The added s is not pronounced. If a noun already ends in s in the singular it remains unchanged in the plural. Learn exceptions as you meet them. Thus:
le bureau les bureaux. Nouns ending in eau add x to form their plural.
4. The Indefinite Article.
Note how the indefinite article a (one) is expressed in French.
Exercise No. 2 Replace the English words the and a (one) by le, la, I’ les, un or une as required.
Exemple: 1 La famille Davis habite à Londres.
1 (The) famille Davis habite à Londres.
2 Londres est (a) grande vile.
3 (The) immeuble est dans Oxford Street.
4 (The) père est monsieur Davis.
5 (The) mère est madame Davis.
6 Annette est (a) fille.
7 Philippe est (a) fils.
8 (The) chambre à coucher est grande.
9 (The) maison est (a) villa.
10 (The) homme est dans (the) salon.
11 (The) enfant est dans (the) bureau.
12 Il y a (one) sœur et (one) frère.
Exercise No. 3 Change the following nouns to the plural.
Exemple: la salle les salles
1 la chambre
2 la mère
3 la pièce
4 le fils
5 l’homme
6 le salon
7 l’Anglais
8 l’étage
9 le bureau
10 la personne
11 l’oncle
12 l’enfant
13 le commerçant
14 la rue
15 l’avenue
|
il est (il ε), he is est-il? (ε-til), is he? il habite1 (a-biːt), he lives habite-t-il? (a-biːt-til), does he live? |
il prend (prã), he takes prend-il? (prã-til), does he take? il travaille (tra-vaj), he works travaille-t-il? (tra-vaj-til), does he work? |
Exercise No. 4 Translate into French
1 Mr. Davis is an English businessman.
2 He lives in (à) London.
3 There are six persons in the family.
4 He lives in a private house.
5 There are five rooms in the house.
6 Mr. Davis is the father.
7 Mrs. Davis is the mother.
8 The office is in Oxford Street.
9 Mr. Davis takes the train.
10 He works in the office.
Exercise No. 5—Questionnaire
Read silently each French question and answer, noting the English meaning. Read aloud each French question and answer twice, without referring to the English.
Questions (kεs-tj |
Réponses (re-põs) Answers |
1 Qui est monsieur Davis? Il estcommerçant à Londres. |
1 Who is Mr. Davis? He is a businessman in London. |
2 Est-il anglais? Oui, monsieur, il est anglais. |
2 Is he English? Yes, he is an Englishman. |
3 Où demeure monsieur Davis? Il demeure dans les environs de Londres. |
3 Where does Mr. Davis live? |
4 Combien de personnes y a-t-il dans sa famille? Il y a six personnes dans sa famille. |
4 How many people are there in his family? There are six people in his family. |
5 Comment les fils s’appellent-ils?1 Ils s’appellent1 Philippe et Henri. |
5 What are the names of the sons?1 They are named Philip and Henry.1 |
6 Comment les filles s’appellent-elles? Elles2 s’appellent Rosette et Annette. |
6 What are the names of the daughters?1 They are named Rosie and Annie.1 |
7 Combien de pièces y a-t-il dans la maison de monsieur Davis? Il y a cinq pièces |
7 How many rooms are there in Mr. Davis’ house?. There are five rooms. |
8 Y a-t-il aussi une cuisine et une salle de bain? Oui, monsieur, il y a aussi une cuisine et une salle de bain. |
8 Is there also a kitchen and a bathroom? Yes, there is also a kitchen and a bathroom. |
9 Dans quelle rue est le bureau de monsieur Davis? Il est dans Oxford Street. |
9 In what street is the office of Mr. Davis? It is in Oxford Street. |
10 Comment travaille-t-il? Il travaille assidûment. |
10 How does he work? He works diligently. |
qui (ki), who? |
comment (kɔ-mã), how? |
où (u), where? |
combien (de) (k |
NOTE 1. s’appellent (sa-pεl). Lit. call themselves.
NOTE 1. habiter, to live, to inhabit; sometimes demeurer, to dwell, is used.
NOTE 1. Lit. How do
the sons (daughters) call themselves? They call themselves, etc.
NOTE 2. ils, they (masculine) elles, they (feminine)
), the cousin (m)