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DO YOU WANT A |
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AU LECTEUR FRANCAIS |
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FAMILIAR FRENCH |
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PREFACE
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PREFACE |
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MOST IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT THE PRONUNCIATION
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I. – WHEN MEETING A FRIEND, ON A VISIT, etc… How are you? Middling. Make yourself at home. I am sorry to trouble you. Don’t stand on ceremony. We shall meet again. Good luck! How’s things? How goes it? So so.
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II. ABOUT CHARACTER, PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES, etc… A clever man. A good-hearted man. An outspoken man. As full of tricks as a monkey. He is crackbrained. He has bats in his belfry. He is hot-headed. A busybody. A coward. He speaks stuff and nonsense. He is in a brown study. |
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He is a clever chap. A real sport. A lucky man. He has good luck. He is dotty. He is a softy. He is windy. He has the wind-up. He has cold feet. He does not feel up to work. He has the gift of the gab. |
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III. ABOUT MONEY, SHOPPING, etc… He is made of money. He is rolling in money. He is well off. He has an itching palm. I am hard up. I am on the rocks. A good bargain. Second hand. Buckshee. They saw you coming. |
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This is trash stuff. To take to the pawn-broker. To have tin. To have brass. He is well-to-do. A pinch-penny. It is awfully dear. I have been done. I have been done brown (swindled). I am stony broke. I am cleared out. To take to my uncle. |
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IV. ABOUT FOOD, DRINKS, CAFES, etc… To take a snack. I am famished. I am going to have my grub. I feel dry. A glass of beer. A parting drink. He is an elbow-lifter. He is squiffy. He is oiled. He is half seas over. |
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V. MISCELLANEOUS, IDIOMS, APT PROVERBS. I say! You don’t say so! Of course! By the bye. Well done! Coming! Excuse me! Sorry! All right! That is that! |
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Shut up! Look out! Beware! Never fear! Never mind. If you don’t mind. How silly! Be quick! Look sharp! Welcome! God grant it! Drop me a line.
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It can’t be helped. No use fretting. What is the use! It is well worth the trouble. Take my advice. Let me sleep on it. It rains cats and dogs. After storm the calm. |
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Better late than never. Never too old to learn. Where there’s smoke there’s fire. Out of sight, out of mind. As like as two peas. The pick of the basket. Talk of the devil. You’ve put your finger on the spot. |
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The more the merrier. He who laughs last laughs loudest. To dress up a bit. In the latest fashion. It is a matter of taste. I am at a loss. I rely upon you. I’ll do my best. To be in the good book of… |
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To have an old grudge against one. To be at daggers drawn. To play wild pranks. To pay back. These are hard times. To be in a fix. To make a wry face. To make faces. To take French leave. |
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A thingummy. A thingummy bob. A gamp. A brolly. A book. Row. To kick up a row. What a muddle! What a job. It is stunning. It is boring. It is amusing. It is chic. |
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It is silly. To swank. To tell cracks. To pull one’s leg. I don’t mind. I am fed up. To have a weight on one’s mind. To let things slide. To look blue. To gossip. To dodge the column. To pack up one’s traps. |
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To be stopped. To bribe (to square). To scrounge (to beg borrow or steal). To put a jerk in it. To fall down. To lark about. For a joke. A good trick. To crack one’s sides with laughing. To be done for. To save one’s bacon. |
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VI. – ARMY SLANG A chum. Work. Overtime. Bully beef. Mashed potatoes. Don’t grouse! To get a cushy job. You will be run for it. To catch it in the neck. To be sent to the clink. To be down in the dumps. “I should worry” “Don’t worry : we’re winning”
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EXAMPLES OF EXPRESSIONS, IDIOMS, PROVERBS AND SLANG FIRST DIALOGUE – TWO PRIVATES Hello, George, where are you going to? I’m going down the line. Have you fallen into a cushy job at the base, then? No, I’m going to old Blighty on special duty. |
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How lucky you are! Say, do you know a place where I can get some grub? Yes, there’s a Soldier club down the road, but let us have a parting drink first. Righto! But I’m broke. Do you stand the damage? You bet, old chap. Good business! Let’s!
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SECOND DIALOGUE What ho, Bill! Home on leave? Where do you come from? Can’t you see I’m coming from the trenches? What’s the doings out there in the trenches. Chronic! They tell me this war won’t be won by fighting. It’ll be won by our lot fighting. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Those Bosche blighters are beaten and they know it!
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THIRD DIALOGUE - TWO OFFICERS How are you feeling this morning, Captain Wood? Oh, so so. How is it you were not present last night? Captain Black’s birthday party, you mean? I was out on duty. What a pity! We had a very good time. |
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It was a grand affair I am sure. Captain Black does these things in top-hole style; he is a great sport. Have you heard that he is going to be promoted? No, honest? Yes. I have it straight from the horse’s mouth. Well, I am glad to hear that. Good luck to him. And it is on the cards you’re in for promotion too, but keep it dark. Oh, chuck it. You’re pulling my leg. Honour bright!
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A SELECTION OF APT SENTENCES FOR WRITING LETTERS OR CARDS IN CORRECT FRENCH. Dear Sir – Dear Mr. X… Madam – Miss. I have just received your letter. was very glad to hear from you. Thanks very much for your card. |
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Have not received the letter you are speaking of. I am afraid it miscarried. As we moved from the address I had given you, your letter reached me a few days late. I am sure you are wondering why I have not answered you yet. Kindly excuse me for not having answered earlier your letter of the… I have been very busy and I could not find much time to write. I was longing to hear from you. I keep the promise I made to write to you. I am very glad to know that you and your family are keeping in good health. I regret to hear that you have recently been ill. I do hope you are all right now. |
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Did you hear lately from your son? Is he still in the trenches? I got news from home a few days ago. In writing to you, I am glad to be able to give you very good news. I am going to England for 7 days leave. You may guess how happy I am. My leave was postponed, and I do not know how long I shall have to wait for it. What an awful weather we are had last week. The farmers are very much annoyed of this weather. I am quite all right. I have had a bad cold, but am quite well at present. The weather is very dull – raining all the time. |
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The weather is very fine at present – let us hope it will keep for some weeks. It is getting rather cold. Let us hope next winter will not be so cold as last one. I do hope the harvest has been very good in your fields. I thank you very much for your kindness. It has been a pleasure to me to make myself a little bit useful when staying in your house. I am enjoying your friendship very much. We had a good journey after leaving … We are at present in a lovely country, but I am afraid we shall mover very soon. We shall never forget the good time we had at … Let me hope that when the war is over you will come to see us in England; everyone at home will give you a hearty welcome. |
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I do hope we shall meet again. Many happy returns of the day. I hope to hear from you from time to time. Awaiting the pleasure to hear from you again. Hoping this will find you all well. My best regards to your people. Remember me to X… Sincerely yours. |
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CONTENTS |
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<F. Mackain advertisement> |
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