Clair Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Lovely [:)]Based on that, I'll stick my galette des rois token somwhere in a wall in the loft conversion and hope it'll bring us lick too![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 But could I of used VA ? and hey dont go confusing me mate [:P][;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 [quote user="DerekJ"]Pads. You could start your question a little differently by using Est-ce que Claudette......[/quote]correct but confusing...You'd say Est-ce-que Claudette va à Douvres demain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 Your king pancake?? arnt you meant to flip them on the ceiling [8-)]................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekJ Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Why confusing Clair? I'd have thought that was a pretty straightforward way of asking that particular question.....I'm no expert though so I'm willing to learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 I think its because est -ce-que dosnt mean any thing so for a learner like me it would be confusing, trying to translate that, although I have just started to use it, I dont like it because it dosnt translate well, but I can see my next lot of homework is going to make me use it so I may be back to you later !!![:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekJ Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Sorry then Pads. I never meant to cause any confusion. The reason I like using it is that I don't have to think about reversing the word order or insert any "t" between vowels.I just think of it as its literal translation... Is it that...Anyway, hope the lessons are going well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I agree that Est-ce que is easier, because there's no fiddly little t and no syntax changes..Claudine va a DouvresEst-ce que Claudine va a Douvres?Really easy. If you find it hard to think of a direct translation then "do you think" can workAs in English: Claudine is going to Dover. As a question "Do you think Claudine is going to Dover?" - the order of the words doesn't change, as per the French version. Whereas you would say "Is Claudine going to Dover?" and the order changes, as in French. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Mais pourquoi Claudine va à Douvres demain ? Elle est folle ou quoi ?! When it's complicated to ask a question in French Pads, knowing how to turn it around, just stick "est-ce que" in front, the French do it all the time. I have always found est-ce que complicated to write but not to say.Est-ce que tu as compris Pads ? Or to be even simpler, just use the present tense sounding like a question with a question mark.Tu as compris Pads ? Or even, T'as compris Pads ?This is OK when talking, but not if you are doing a grammar lesson ! Alors, Claudine va à Douvres demain finalement ?! [:P]Edit : Sorry, c'est Claudette qui va à Douvres. But where has Cooperlola gone, am I mad or wasn't there a post from her just before. [8-)]Reedit. The posts are back. [6] And it's bien Cooperlola qui a envoyé Claudine à Douvres.I think I'll go and lie down ! [:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I think the person who set Pads's homework sent Claudine to Dover - poor little mite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Alors, Claudine et Claudette vont-elles à Douvres ensemble??? [8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Sorry, Clair - profuse appologies - and I wouldn't suggest to my worst enemy that Dover is a great holiday destination! Claudette it was - can't think where I got Claudine from..[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weegie Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Possibly a bit old-fashioned now, but in years gone bye I was taught that it was politer to use "Est-ce que...?" when addressing someone you didn't know rather than turning a statement into a question by inflection. Unfortunately I am more than a bit old-fashioned now!Any views please, Clair? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Est-ce que....? - is 'broadly' Is it that....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weegie Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Scooby, Not sure if that was for me. I was aware of that but was interested in a French perspective on the nuances of usage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Sorry Weegie - I should have used quotes rather than just hit reply! I meant it for Pads because she said the phrase didn't mean anything to her so she found it difficult to remember / use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 [quote user="Weegie"]Possibly a bit old-fashioned now, but in years gone bye I was taught that it was politer to use "Est-ce que...?" when addressing someone you didn't know rather than turning a statement into a question by inflection. Unfortunately I am more than a bit old-fashioned now!Any views please, Clair?[/quote]A bit like 'je vous remercie' is much more polite than 'merci'.. - laziness and abbreviation - creeps into all languages I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 You could just say "ça va !" which is a reply to "how are you?" (I think the circonflex is right - just got a new keyboard.) Nice and simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 how Pads are Hello you? Sorry - couldn't resist[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 [quote user="TWINKLE"]how Pads are Hello you? Sorry - couldn't resist[:P][/quote]Oh this thread it should be Bonjour !!![:P] pads ca va ?Im fine thanks twinks and you ? Very busy trying to work out this lanuage bussiness, it very confusing for an old lady like me, why is it that a few hours homework takes me all week, Im back again tomorrow and still have half a page of questions and I have worked on it all week!![:(] still I must amit I have come on loads since having a teacher. Out there again on monday for a bit of practise and cheese shopping. Chuck some sun my way will ya ........[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 Ok if im using est-ce-que? and I want to say Does he like american films ?is this right ?est-ce-que il aiment les films américan ?[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 The form of the question is correct, Pads, but there are some errors in your sentence.For instance, you are talking about one person (il) so have another look at the form of the verb which you have used. Also, at the spelling of your translation of "American films" - and don't forget about the relationship between nouns and adjectives.But you have the principal perfectly.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 [quote user="Pads"]Does he like american films ?est-ce-que il aiment les films américan ?[/quote]Est-ce qu'il aime les films américains? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 thank you[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 [quote user="Patf"]You could just say "ça va !" which is a reply to "how are you?" (I think the circonflex is right - just got a new keyboard.) Nice and simple.[/quote]Hope you don't think I'm nitpicking but, you don't mean the circonflex, you mean the cédille! But, I understood you anyway [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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