Dialogue

Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Sylvain: Bonjour, je m’appelle Sylvain.
Céline: Et moi c’est Céline.
Sam: Sam here! Who Turned Up the Heat in Here? In this lesson, you’ll learn how to refer to a location and talk about your immediate family members.
Céline: The conversation is at Daniel’s house and Aurelie is asking about Daniel’s family pictures.
Sam: The speakers are friends, therefore, they will be speaking informally.
DIALOGUE
Daniel: Là c’est mon père et là c’est ma mère. Ici c’est ma jeune soeur, Estelle, et mon frère aîné.
Aurelie: Wow! Ton frère est mignon!
Daniel: Quoi? Mais non!
Aurelie: Ses yeux sont magnifiques! Il est mignon. Et ton père il est pas mal hein.
Sam: One more time, slowly.
Female: Okay. C’est parti.
Daniel: Là c’est mon père et là c’est ma mère. Ici c’est ma jeune soeur, Estelle, et mon frère aîné.
Aurelie: Wow! Ton frère est mignon!
Daniel: Quoi? Mais non!
Aurelie: Ses yeux sont magnifiques! Il est mignon. Et ton père il est pas mal hein.
Sam: One more time with the English.
Daniel: Là c’est mon père et là c’est ma mère. Ici c’est ma jeune soeur, Estelle, et mon frère aîné. “This is my dad and this is my mom. Here is my younger sister, Estelle, and my older brother.
Aurelie: Wow! Ton frère est mignon!. “Wow, your brother is hot.”
Daniel: Quoi? Mais non! “What? He’s not!
Aurelie: Ses yeux sont magnifiques! Il est mignon. Et ton père il est pas mal hein. “His eyes are beautiful; he’s cute. And your dad, he’s not bad.”
POST CONVERSATION BANTER
Sam: So guys, have you ever had a friend that had a crush on your brother or sister?
Céline: I think that happens all the time because my brothers and my sister are really cute.
Sylvain: I remember I had... she never had been my girlfriend but I was completely in-love with her and I presented her to my brother.
Sam: Oh.
Sylvain: And they had been together for two years or something like that.
Céline: Oh mon Dieu!
Sam: Oh, wow.
Sylvain: A good souvenir. But anyway, past is past and life goes on.
Céline: Yes.
Sam: That’s a good way to forget it. Yeah.
Céline: Et toi, Sam?
Sam: Have I had a crush on my friend’s sister?
Céline: No. No.
Sam: No. I wouldn’t date my friend’s sisters.
Céline: why?
It’s a little bit awkward.
Céline: Ah bon?
Sam: If something happens, there’s off limits.
Sylvain: Off limits. Nice.
Sam: Yeah.
Céline: Whoa.
Sylvain: Whoa. No dating with the brother.
Céline: I mean, not with your brother, of course, but with your…
Sylvain: The sister or the brother.
Céline: Yes. Why not? I mean, they’re just friends. No? They’re not girlfriend or boyfriend.
Sylvain: I understand Sam because a friend is important and you have to keep the friend, friend.
Sam: Yeah. And if something happens with…
Céline: Oui c’est vrai.
Sam: And then the brother or…like for example, if one of my friends had a sister and I wanted to date her for example, if something happened or if I wanted to complain about his sister, I’d be complaining to him. So that wouldn’t be good.
Céline: But that’s your fault.
Sam: Hypothetically…
Sylvain: That’s your fault.
Céline: But the problem is you, in that case.
Sam: Why?
Céline: Because you shouldn’t do that.
Sam: Well, she would complain to her brother about me, wouldn’t she, if there is a problem?
Céline: I don’t think so.
Sam: Oh, in the States, it’s different. No. Definitely. The brother would be the sounding board for all problems.
Céline: So the brother or the sister should tell, “Oh, that’s not by business.”
Sam: Fundamentally, yeah but…
Céline: It’s not a problem of…
Sam: His friend and his sister. He’s in the middle automatically. So I never had…
Sylvain: I have some difficulty to intervene into conversation.
Céline: It depends on the person, I think.
Sam: That’s right.
Sylvain: I think.
Sam: I know when I was in school, like, I wouldn’t date my friend’s sister.
Sylvain: But I understand…
Céline: I’ve never done that.
Sylvain: …his point of view. You don’t have to mix the relationship.
Sam: Yeah, boundaries.
Céline: Yeah. But maybe because people are really weak. I mean, if you’re really strong, you can do that.
Sylvain: Whoa, Céline is speaking, man.
Sam: It can get messy, I think.
Céline: No, but that’s true. I mean, you have to be strong and just…no? People are so weak.
Sylvain: ok Céline is herself today.
Sam: Okay. I think we’ve made our points well enough on that. Well, listeners, what do you think? Leave us a comment. You can get involved in this conversation, too.
Céline: Exactement.
Sam: You can go to FrenchPod101.com after the lesson, of course.
Sylvain: Okay.
Sam: Immediately after the lesson.
Sylvain: Just connect.
Sam: Now, let’s look at the vocabulary from this lesson, okay?
Céline: d’accord.
Sam: The first item?
VOCAB LIST
Sylvain: Là [natural native speed].
Sam: There.
Sylvain: Là [slowly - broken down by syllable]. Là [natural native speed].
Sam: Next…
Céline: Ici.
Sam: Here.
Céline: Ici. [slowly - broken down by syllable] Ici. [natural native speed]
Sam: Next…
Céline: Frère [natural native speed].
Sam: Brother.
Céline: Frère [slowly - broken down by syllable]. Frère [natural native speed].
Sam: Next…
Céline: Mignon (ne) [natural native speed].
Sam: Handsome or cute.
Céline: Mignon (ne) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. Mignon (ne) [natural native speed].
Sam: Next…
Sylvain: Mais [natural native speed].
Sam: But.
Sylvain : Mais [slowly - broken down by syllable]. Mais [natural native speed].
Sam: Next…
Céline: Yeux (oeil) [natural native speed]
Sam: Eyes (eye)
Céline: Yeux (oeil) [slowly - broken down by syllable]. Yeux (oeil) [natural native speed].
Sam: And lastly…
Sylvain: Pas mal [natural native speed].
Sam: Not bad.
Sylvain: Pas mal [slowly - broken down by syllable]. Pas mal [natural native speed].
Sam: Now let’s take a further look at the usage of the vocabulary and phrases from this lesson. The first word is “la.”
Céline: This word can be the feminine definite article as in la fille “the girl” or “daughter.”
Sylvain: But it can also indicate place…
Sam: Just like in the conversation today. Let’s see an example.
Sylvain: La fille est là.
Céline: “The girl is there.”
Sam: The only difference is the spelling; one indicates place and that has an accent while the other does not have an accent. The next word is mignon.
Sylvain: Ton t-shirt est très mignon.
Sam: Oh, thank you. “My t-shirt is very cute.” Hey, can I ask a question? If I see a pretty woman, what should I say?
Céline: Elle est mignonne.
Sylvain: Elle est très mignonne.
Sam: Okay. Maybe I can make the charming French woman blush by saying “c’est mignon”. Do you have other words to describe cuteness?
Sylvain: Elle est bonne! Trop bonne!
Céline: Okay, that’s really terrible. Don’t use that. Pourquoi ne pas dire “charmante”, ou “tu as un physique intelligent”. Or if the girl is really, really hot, you can say “c’est une bombe”.
Sylvain: “une bombe atomique, une bombe thermonucléaire”
Sam: In English, we have the same thing. It’s like saying she’s the bomb or she’s an atomic bomb.
Sylvain: That’s right.
Céline: Yeah.
Sam: What about “bombe sexuelle”?
Sylvain: It’s another problem I think.
Céline: N’importe quoi.
Sam: That’s a sexual bomb.
Céline: Yeah.
Sam: Sounds explosive.
Sylvain: You seem to happy when you say it.
Céline: I think “tu as un physique intelligent” is nice.
Sam: How do you say that in English?
Céline: Tu as un physique intelligent.
Sam: “You have an intelligent physique?”
Céline: Exactement.
Sam: Oh, that would be even worse to say in English, “You have an intelligent physique.”
Sylvain: In French, it’s difficult. Tu as du répondant.
Sam: If the girl is really attractive, can you say she’s fat?
Sylvain: What?
Céline: What?
Sam: Oh, in English you could say…
Céline: …she’s fat?
Sam: P-H-A-T.
Céline: Ah, okay. She’s phat.
Sylvain: P-H…
Céline: P-H-A-T.
Sylvain: En français. The translation of this will be…
Sam: Maybe there’s no translation for this.
Céline: Je ne pense pas. Okay.
Sam: Or not one I can say on the broadcast anyway.
Sylvain: Okay.
Céline: Oh, I want to know.
Sylvain: Me, too.
Céline: Okay.
Sam: So if you guys remember, and don’t hate me for saying this, but filet mignon, if you remember, the filet mignon is a nice cut of meat and it’s a nice…and I didn’t write that so don’t leave any…
Céline: J’y crois pas. Je n’y crois pas. You didn’t write but you say that.
Sylvain: Céline is pissed off.
Sam: I was encouraged to say that. I won’t say who told me, but…so don’t hate me in your comments.
Céline: No, I don’t hate. I don’t hate you.
Sylvain: There is no excuse.
Céline: I mean, you’re also a piece of meat.
Sylvain: Okay, let’s continue.
Céline: Yeah. And actually, “filet mignon”, mignon is masculine, so that should be you are a piece of meat.
Sylvain: Un filet mignon.
Céline: Un filet mignon.
Sam: It’s just a way to remember that “mignon” means “cute or nice”. It’s a pneumonic device. So it’s nothing sexual per se.
Céline: Okay.
Sam: Okay. All right.
Céline: Okay. The next word is “mais”.
Sylvain: It means “but” but it can mean lots of thing else. Let’s have an example.
Sam: So it means “but” but it can mean other things? Is that a joke?
Sylvain: That was a joke.
Sam: Yeah.
Sylvain: Je suis pauvre mais heureux.
Sam: “I’m poor but happy.” Yeah. Money doesn’t buy happiness. Remember that guys.
Céline: Maybe.
Sylvain: Friendship is important.
Sam: But you can buy that.
Sylvain: Friendship?
Sam: Of course.
Céline: Oui. I think so.
Sam: Yeah.
Céline: That’s sad, but that’s true.
Sylvain: It’s not.
Céline: Yes. You can buy every…
Sylvain: You can’t buy friendship.
Sam: You can buy friendship.
Céline: Yeah, you can.
Sam: Definitely.
Céline: Definitely.
Sylvain: What are you speaking about? Real friendship cannot be bought.
Sam: It can’t be bought.
Sylvain: Thank you.
Sam: Everything has a price. Almost everything.
Céline: Everything. Yeah. It’s sad to say. We don’t say we agree; we say that’s the way it is.
Sam: That’s the fact of life.
Sylvain: Really? Okay. Cool.
Céline: Okay. So the next word is “yeux.”
Sam: “Eyes.”
Sylvain: Tu as de beaux yeux Céline.
Céline: Merci Sylvain.
Sam: “Céline has beautiful eyes.”
Céline: Oui, oui oui j’ai de très beaux yeux merci.
Sylvain: Remember about to put the “z”: les yeux.
Sam: Like a liaison?
Céline: A liaison.
Sam: Yeah, yeah.
Sylvain: Wow, Sam you impressed me.
Sam: Les yeux.
Sylvain: Les yeux.
Sam: Les yeux.
Céline: Oui. Et un oeil. One eye.
Sylvain. un oeil.
Céline: one eye.
Sam: One eye. An eye.
Céline: An eye.
Sylvain: An eye.
Sam: So one eye, “un oeil” and eyes is “yeux.”
Céline: Oui!
Sylvain: Wonderful. Make examples, Sam.
Sam: J’ai des yeux.
Sylvain: it’s court.
Céline: J’ai des yeux.
Sam: J’ai des yeux.
Sylvain: And yes okay.
Céline: Okay, I have an example. Sylvain, tu as l’oeil vif.
Sylvain: J’ai l’oeil vif. Et l’oeil curieux.
Sam: “He has vibrant eyes, lively eyes.”
Céline: No.
Sam: “Darting eyes?”
Céline: Yes. Something like that.
Sam: Oh, he has darting eyes. To complete our vocabulary usage, we have the phrase...
Sylvain: Pas mal!
Céline: “Not bad.” It’s actually a compliment when said to a man or woman.
Sam: So if you wanted to pick somebody, what could you say?
Sylvain: Qu’est-ce que je dirais? Remember, I am a séducteur.
Céline: Je ne sais pas pourquoi mais je ne te crois pas.
Sylvain: C’est vrai?
Céline: So what would you say? What will be your pickup line?
Sylvain: My pickup line.
Céline: Uh-hmm.
Sylvain: Bonjour! Comment vous appelez-vous?
Sam: “Hello! What’s your name?”
Céline: Okay. That’s mad corny.
Sam: Yeah, mad corny I think. De mauvais...
Céline: De mauvais goût.
Sam: De mauvais goût.
Céline: ce n’est pas inventif.
Sylvain: C’est pas mal quand même!
Céline: oh écoute. N’importe quoi.
Sam: That’s not very clever. You have to think of something better like… How about…
Sylvain: Sam the séducteur, please!
Sam: no no…
Sylvain: You are a seducteur.
Céline: What have you heard?
Sam: For example, in English, you could say…
Céline: We don’t care about English. We want French.
Sam: Okay.
Céline: What would you say to a French girl?
Sylvain: You can use “yeux”.
Céline: You’re a really bad man, right?
Sam: But you start there and then you can’t say a thing big first; you have to build up maybe.
Sylvain: You have to build up.
Céline: You are really bad. Vous êtes mauvais hein, mais alors vous êtes vraiment très mauvais hein.
Sylvain: Please. Wait. I’m sorry, I’m interrupting you. But Céline, what do you want men to tell you?
Céline: I mean, I don’t care for a drink or…it’s better than “what’s your name?”
Sylvain: I just imagine…
Céline: Yeah. That will be great.
Sam: Those shoes don’t go with the outfit.
Céline: Yes. That’s interesting.
Sam: Where did you buy those shoes? Hanes?
Sylvain: I remember, one day I was passing near an Australian girl and I said to her just one word “funny glasses.” She was wearing funny ribbon glasses but that’s all.
Céline: Then what?
Sylvain: She ran after me.
Céline: Ah bon? After or away?
Sylvain: She ran after me and say, “Why did you say that?”
Céline: And you… Okay.
Sylvain: I don’t know. No explanation.

Lesson focus

Sam: Now let’s get on to the grammar.
Céline: Besides talking about your love affairs, what is our grammar point today, Sam?
Sam: Oh, oh. We’re getting reprimanded. Our grammar point is possessive “an” or how to refer to family members. If I want to introduce someone to my children, which I don’t have, how can I refer to my son or daughter?
Céline: Well, you would use your “son fils” or for your daughter “sa fille”.
Sam: Voici mon fils et voici ma fille?
Sylvain: C’est ça. C’est très bien. Exactement. If you show a picture of them, you could say “voici mes enfants”.
Sam: Okay. I recall from the last lesson that “belle” and “beau” refer to in-laws. Can I say “belle frère”?
Sylvain: No.
Céline: No, no, no. “Beau-frère”. As your brother, most of the time, is a man.
Sam: Oh, okay, I got it.
Sylvain: And for the sister, what should it be?
Sam: Sister-in-law? I think “belle-soeur”.
Sylvain: Bingo.
Sam: I’m proud of me.
Céline: There’s a good chance you’ll become a grand-père, Sam.
Sam: Why not be a grandfather? I never thought that far ahead.
Sylvain: In that case, you will have des petits-enfants.
Céline: Yes. “petits” refers here to downloan genitives *
Sam: downline? *
Céline: download?
Sylvain: download?
Sam: Wow. That sounds a bit technical.
Céline: Downline genitives *
Sam: You mean grandchildren, like granddaughters or grandson?
Céline: Yeah. Petit-fils; petit-fille.
Sam: Okay.
Sylvain: But the contrary of English, petit-fils, grandson. You have to remember it.
Sam: Great.
Céline: Yeah.
Sam: Interesting. Any more? I’m getting tired and hungry.
Céline: Yeah. Moi aussi je suis très fatiguée. But you can check other three terms in the grammar bank…
Sylvain: That’s right.
Céline: …on FrenchPod101.com.
Sam: The other three terms? Only three?
Céline: Yes.
Sam: Okay.
Céline: Only three.

Outro

Sam: Oh, great. I’ll do that. So this wraps up today’s lesson, okay?
Céline: Okay, Sam. Merci beaucoup!
Sam: Tout à fait.
Céline: Merci Sylvain. A bientôt!
Sylvain: A bientôt.
Céline: Au revoir.
Sam: Au revoir.

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