The Great Canadian Practice your French Thread - Page 25

lio45 · #**481** Posted **Mar 23, 2019, 2:19 AM**

You could probably manage to almost ignore it (trying to build your sentences expressly to avoid it), but you'll never reach adequate mastery of the language without it.

I'd say, don't bother with it (i.e. trying to use it yourself) for now, but do pay attention every time you see it.

mousquet · #**482** Posted **Mar 23, 2019, 11:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaGrandeOurse

French most spoken language in the world by 2050?
I thought it was in decline.

"Most spoken language" is certainly exaggerated, but I heard demographers expected 500 to 800 million francophones by 2060, due to the crazy fertility rate in Africa.

It sounds exciting to us, but also causes some concern because the population growth over there still exceeds their economic growth, by far.
So in Europe, people are like - how are they going to feed all these kids? Then of course, they're worried about massive migrations and all the tension they could cause, but that's a different debate.

The French language itself is surely not endangered anyway. Actually, educated people in Africa can speak some very good French in their own accents.

vid · #**483** Posted **Mar 23, 2019, 9:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousquet

So in Europe, people are like - how are they going to feed all these kids?

Equitable distribution of food on a global scale?

Dengler Avenue · #**484** Posted **Mar 23, 2019, 9:21 PM**

Ha la distribution de nourritures proportionelle en échelle mondiale, il faut qu’on fasse ça.

From what I remember, it’s not “distribution proportionelle de nourritures”.

FrAnKs · #**485** Posted **Apr 13, 2019, 6:05 PM**

What would be the translation from English to French for ''Hands down'' like in the sentence : He's winning hands down'' ?

mousquet · #**486** Posted **Apr 13, 2019, 7:34 PM**

Hands down = haut la main.

The French translation literally means the opposite, ha.
Haut la main is like - super easy, I didn't even have to make use of my real better skills to make it. Being lazy was enough.
So that's hands down, isn't it?

You just made me try the Google shitty translation.
It says "les doigts dans le nez", but you don't say that.
It's cheesy and gross.

FrAnKs · #**487** Posted **Apr 13, 2019, 7:54 PM**

Merci !

mousquet · #**488** Posted **Apr 13, 2019, 8:13 PM**

^ I think the French idiom is related to the move/gesture one does when they're kind of sorry.
You know, you raise one of your hands (not both, and not a fully stretched arm, only a shy one) to say- I apologize.

Like tennis players who scored a point out of some outrageous fluke, unintentionally.
That's about it.

Xelebes · #**489** Posted **Apr 13, 2019, 9:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mousquet

So that's hands down, isn't it?

The idiom means "it is settled", as in we stop fighting and just agree.

FrAnKs · #**490** Posted **Apr 13, 2019, 11:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xelebes

The idiom means "it is settled", as in we stop fighting and just agree.

Like it's so obvious, that it's a ''No brainer'' ?

Acajack · #**491** Posted **Apr 14, 2019, 4:39 AM**

Also...

Une main dans le dos

For

Hands down

FrAnKs · #**492** Posted **Apr 14, 2019, 4:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Also...

Une main dans le dos

For

Hands down

Une main dans le dos?... désolé, je ne connais pas cette expression!

Acajack · #**493** Posted **Apr 14, 2019, 4:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Une main dans le dos?... désolé, je ne connais pas cette expression!

Non?

Genre, un titre de journal.

Les Nordiques (avec) une main dans le dos

(Les Nordiques ont gagné facilement.)

FrAnKs · #**494** Posted **Apr 14, 2019, 5:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Non?

Genre, un titre de journal.

Les Nordiques (avec) une main dans le dos

(Les Nordiques ont gagné facilement.)

Non désolé lol

..mais je comprend très bien le sens!

Acajack · #**495** Posted **Apr 15, 2019, 1:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Non désolé lol

..mais je comprend très bien le sens!

Vous ne devez pas écouter RDS souvent!

kwoldtimer · #**496** Posted **Apr 15, 2019, 1:29 PM**

With one hand tied behind one's back?

Acajack · #**497** Posted **Apr 15, 2019, 1:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

With one hand tied behind one's back?

It's a formulation that is commonly used in the sports media.

kwoldtimer · #**498** Posted **Apr 15, 2019, 1:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

It's a formulation that is commonly used in the sports media.

The counterpart of the common English phrase I used, I think. Just meaning something very easily done.

mintzilla · #**499** Posted **Apr 17, 2019, 6:48 AM**

are there many instances where:

je venais de....

is used over the more basic:

je viens de.....

when talking about the immediate past. my brain only has so much room and if i can disregard the former altogether i will be happy. My french is going to be limited but i legitimately am having a hard time remembering sooooooooooooooo much stuff. so many rules and contraries to the rule and conjugations and rules for prepositions and on and on.

kwoldtimer · #**500** Posted **Apr 17, 2019, 12:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mintzilla

are there many instances where:

je venais de....

is used over the more basic:

je viens de.....

when talking about the immediate past. my brain only has so much room and if i can disregard the former altogether i will be happy. My french is going to be limited but i legitimately am having a hard time remembering sooooooooooooooo much stuff. so many rules and contraries to the rule and conjugations and rules for prepositions and on and on.

One is not more "basic", it is just a different tense. Same as in English. It depends on what you are trying to say.