French Loan Words

A few more French words:
Gaffe; faux pas.

Menu

I was teaching a Korean GCSE pupil and I commented that a word was French in origin. He asked me if I spoke French. I said yes and asked if he was studying French at school. He said wistfully that because his native language was Korean, his school had put him in a class learning English - EFL (English as a Foreign Language), so he was missing out on French and Spanish. He'd heard that Spanish was easy to learn.

I fetched two simple and user-friendly books on French and Spanish from my shelves. They both contained menu translations which are useful to travellers, especially French menus which are still used in some high class restaurants even when the food is not French.

I asked if he'd like to learn some French and Spanish words and their English translations, perhaps just 5 minutes on each as part of a one-hour lesson. He was enthusiastic.

I suggested that he should get take-away menus from Spanish and French restaurants next time he was in a high street.

It's amazing the number of words you know in a foreign language even when you think you don't speak that language.

To give you just ten in French:

menu
hors d'oevre - starter - literally outside of work
croissant curved bread roll literally crescent
serviette
RSVP

bonjour (literally good day - journal= diary or daily record)
s'il vous plait (literally if it you pleases)
merci
vinaigrette
citron presse

Ten in Spanish - Italian and Portuguese words are often very similar:

senor
senorita
sombrero
manana
hasta la vista

rio river
grande big
casa mia (house - mine)
villa
santa saint as in Santa Claus

While I'm in the mood I'll add
por favor please
gracias thank you

I gave my pupil the titles of two books:

French in Ten Minutes a day by Kristine Kershul. ISBN 0-916682-96-X

(Same series has Spanish, Hebrew and many more - I'll check for you - Italian, German, Norwegian, Chinese, Japanese, Russian)

The other book was:
I can read Spanish by Penrose Colyer. ISBN 0 85654 0250 (German in the same series)

Both give extensive vocabulary, simple sentences, and lots of pictures to make learning fun.

Browse in a big bookshop's language and education sections and you'll find more.

I reckoned I had had a good lesson, getting my pupil enthusiastic learning about three languages with a weekly plan of action.

I have taught French to pupils who cannot find a French teacher when I was already teaching them English. But that is only under request from the pupil who cannot concentrate on the English homework until the French worry is out of way.

My real expertise is teaching English. If you know anybody who wants one hour lessons (or 90 minute or two hour lessons) I can teach in London when I'm here (like now), occasionally in Singapore, and any time on line if you want to call me and have a lesson on Skype, or by phone. You pay me in advance by Paypal. You can try one lesson, UK time from 7 am to 2 am. The price is £25 or the the US dollar equivalent for age and level up to A level (school leaving), a bit more for adults and businesses and creative writing.
Contact angelalansbury@hotmail.com BA Hons

banquet
banquette
brasserie
brassiere
buffet
coup d'etat
coup de grace
cul de sac
fin de siècle
finesse
naive
svelte