Fast Spoken French Tip
Fast Spoken French Tip
Fast Spoken French Tip
Progress (Really!)
There’s a notable difference between spoken and written language in English and French.
We often shorten words in speech for convenience, like saying “Hang on a sec” instead of “a second” in English.
Similarly, in French, word abbreviations enhance spoken fluency when learned.
C’est parti!
Index:
1 – Four shortened words
2 – Everyday French abbreviations
3 – Guess the shortened version
4 – Real French conversation
5 – Quiz
2 – Petit-dèj
Un petit-dèj = un p’tit-dèj (informal) = un petit-déjeuner (formal) = a breakfast (or literally, “small lunch”).
We often cut the “uh” sound in a word, so “petit” often sounds like “p’tit”.
3 – Ordi
Un ordi (informal) = un ordinateur (formal) = a computer.
Le truc en plus: Don’t try to guess your translation for “computer” because “con” and “pute” are both insulting swear words, beware of
embarrassing mistakes!
4 – Aprem
L’aprem (informal) = l’après-midi (formal) = the afternoon, literally.
Après-midi is one of the few French words that can have both genders: you can say un après-midi (un aprem) or une après-midi (une aprem). Both
are correct.
So: resto, petit-dej, ordi, aprem. Did you know what each of these words stands for? Anyway, I won’t give you a simple list of dry examples. Let’s
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take a look now at some real everyday French sentences.
1. Ça te dit d’aller au ciné ce soir ? = Are you up for going to the ciné tonight?
2. J’ai acheté une veste d’occas’ dans une friperie. = I bought a jacket d’occas’ in a thrift store.
3. Romain fait une fête dans son nouvel appart. = Romain is throwing a party in his new appart.
4. Ah, ça me rappelle quand j’étais ado ! = Oh, that reminds me of when I was ado.
Did you understand them all? So the shortened words here are:
Ça te dit d’aller au ciné ce soir ? = Are you up for going to the movies tonight? ( = au ciné)
J’ai acheté une veste d’occas’ dans une friperie. = I bought a second-hand jacket in a thrift store. (= une veste d’occasion).
Romain fait une fête dans son nouvel appart. = Romain is throwing a party in his new apartment. Romain fait une fête dans son nouvel appart.
(= son nouvel appartement)
Ah, ça me rappelle quand j’étais ado ! = Oh, that reminds me of when I was a teenager. (= adolescente)
La télévision = television
L’actualité = the news
La musique = music
Le réfrigérateur = the fridge
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Here’s the answer, it’s :
Le frigo comes from the adjective frigorifié (= refrigerated). Later, the brand Frigidaire became so well-known that un frigidaire became another
word for un réfrigérateur. However, frigo (and “fridge”) was also used before the brand was famous.
Ce matin, je suis allée voir une expo avec Ludo. Il m’a donné des infos pour ses prochains cours d’impro, qu’il va organiser à la fac. En rentrant,
une manif avait bloqué le tram. Heureusement que j’étais à vélo ! L’aprem, je suis allée emprunter du matos à l’assoce écolo. Ils ont des outils
impec pour mon potager bio. Et ce soir, je rejoins Alex ma pote véto, à l’heure de l’apéro!
Ce matin, je suis allée voir une expo avec Ludo. = This morning, I went to see une expo with Ludo.
Une expo = une exposition = an exhibition.
Une exhibition = flashing someone.
Il m’a donné des infos pour ses prochains cours d’impro, = He gave me some information for his upcoming improv classes,
Une info = une information = an information.
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Les infos = les informations = les actualités = the news.
L’impro = l’improvisation
Le théâtre d’improvisation = improv theater.
Et ce soir, je rejoins Alex ma pote véto, à l’heure de l’apéro. = And tonight, I’m meeting up with my friend Alex, who’s a vet, for some drinks!
Alex can be a name or a nickname for Alexandra or Alexandre.
Une véto = un(e) vétérinaire – a vet.
L’apéro = l’apéritif = the time for drinks and appetizers before dinner.
Extra mile:
La vétérinaire
Le matos
La musique
L’ordi
Find your answers below or by watching this video again! Meanwhile, Congrats! I’m sure you did well!
Or keep exploring modern, everyday French with me and the obstacles to understanding fast-spoken French!
Or you can keep learning about understanding fast-spoken French with me!
À tout de suite.
I’ll see you right now in the next video!
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