French vocabulary
- tmatson
- Dec 14, 2014
- 2 min read
I like to keep a list of new or particularly useful vocabulary words I pick up while traveling. Sometimes these are technical or job-related, or sometime they are conversational slang words phrases. Here’s the list for my month in France:
General
Frais de service = service charge
Tarif réduit = discounted faire
Mûr = ripe
Émailler = enamel
Dentellière = lacemaker
Bureau = office
L’internet = data (d’uh)
Aléatoire = random
Paillette = glitter
Coulée = casting
Éroder, abraser, s’user = wear down
Plat = flat
Dégustation = tasting
Goût = taste
Moitié = half
Souffler = blow out
Dorade = sea bream
Eteindre = to turn off
Allumer = to turn off
Transitional words and phrases useful in conversation
dont = whose
surtout = especially, most importantly
surtout pas = definitely not
simplement = simply, only
bientôt = soon
partout = everywhere
souvent = often
n’importe quel = of any kind (whatever)
quoi que = no matter what
tout ce que = anything (whatever)
lors de = while, during, at the time of
dès lors = from then on, since, consequently
donc = therefore
tant que = while
en tant que = as, in the capacity of
lorsque = while, as soon as, when
ainsi = in this way, like this
Medical
Une épidémie = epidemic
Une pandémie = pandemic
Tomber malade = fall sick
Souffrir de (i.e., maladie psychologique) = suffer from (disease or sickness)
Souffre
Souffrez
La santé publique = public health
La propagation (se propager) = spread
La contamination (contaminer, infecter) = contaminate
Les SIDA = AIDS
ONG = NGO
Une bénévole = volunteer
L’OMS = WHO
Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) = Doctors without Borders
Le Croix Rouge = Red Cross
Une maladie virale (virus) vs. une maladie bactérienne (bactérie)
Un vaccine (i.e., pour la grippe) = vaccine (i.e., for the flu) vs. un antibiotique (i.e. pénicilline) = antibiotique (i.e. penicillin)
Ébola est une maladie virale
Les secrétions:
Les lames = tears
La sueur = sweat
La sang = blood
Le sperme = sperm
Le mucus = mucus
La salive = saliva
Avoir mal à… = [something] feels bad/hurts
Le mal de transport = motion sickness
Avoir la gastro-entérite (inflammation de l’interiere) = gastro-intestinal pain
Le nausée = nausea…
Hydrater vs déshydrater vs. réhydrater
Faire un prélèvement = to take samples
Les précautions (faire de la prevention)
Une sentinelle (faire du regarde)
Les cadavres = dead bodies
Un pédopsychiatre = child’s psychologist
Un pédiatre = pediatrician
Un traumatisme = trauma
Un fardeau = a burden
Soupçonner = to suspect
La maltraitance, maltraiter = mistreatment, to mistreat
Un abus, abuser = un abuse, to abuse
Un foyer d’accueil = foster care
Un orphelinat = orphanage
Un tabou = taboo
Un cache = secret
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