MICHEL THOMAS FRENCH (BASIC) COURSE, 8 CDs TRANSCRIPT This is an approximate transcript of the course, since Michel often

changed his mind in the middle of a sentence to be translated, or adapted his sentences for the students. The booklet that accompanied Michel's courses was wholly inadequate, so I have written this transcript. I have found it useful, so maybe other people will, too. Naturally, it would be foolish to try to learn the language using this transcript, without buying the recordings. Note that English is my native language, so I don't guarantee that there are no mistakes. Tracks and track times in the recording are shown in brackets. Version 2, Jan 15th 2006 Transcribed by JK CD 1 (58.09) (1) 4.49 (2) 9.18 (-ible words stay the same in french) possible (-able words stay the same in French) table comfortable possible table comfortable it is, that is life it is possible it is comfortable good it is good very it is very good it is very comfortable probable acceptable it is acceptable for me it is for me for you it is for you

it is very comfortable for me it is it is not not it is not for me thank you thanks it is it is not it is not for me not for me thanks it is not very comfortable for me (3) 5.12 so-so (literally like this, like that) like that, that way it is like that it is not like that it is not possible for me that way it is not possible for me like that I'm sorry I'm sorry, but I'm sorry but it is not very comfortable for me that way I'm sorry but it is not acceptable for me that way it is very remarkable considerable (4) 8.41 (-ent, -ant words stay the same in French) different important it is not very difficult that way but it is very important for me (the s of trs leans into a following vowel, sounding like a z, i.e. tre zimportant) evident recent constant (-ary words become -aire in French) necessary it is not necessary for me contrary on the contrary military vocabulary I would like to speak to speak French

I would like to speak French with with you with me I would like to speak French with you will you, will you please will you speak French with me to come will you come with me to eat will you eat to come will you come with me will you come eat with me (5) 4.55 to go to come to go will you go eat with me where o where do you want to go where do you want to go eat tonight, this evening it is for tonight it is for me it is for tonight where do you want to go eat tonight to have dinner where do you want to have dinner tonight? do you want to come have dinner with me tonight? (6) 4.25 to know I would like to know I would like to know where I would like to know where it is how much I would like to know how much it is something thing the same thing I would like to eat something I would like to eat the same thing will you do you want

do you want to eat something? do you want to eat the same thing? the same thing for me please please I would like the same thing for me please (7) 7.17 (-ence, -ance words stay the same in French) difference preference importance influence difference the difference a difference the difference a difference what difference what, which the preference a preference what preference have you, do you have do you have a preference? what preference do you have? for what restaurant do you have a preference tonight? (-ion words stay the same in French) opinion condition the condition a condition what condition position the position a position what position reservation the reservation a reservation what reservation have you, do you have do you have a reservation for me for tonight? (8) 9.02 what kind of what kind of reservation do you have for me for tonight? will you

do you want what kind of reservation do you want for tonight? (the 1200 nouns which end -ion in French are identical in English, there are only three exceptions) translation I would like a translation to do, to make will you make a reservation for me? what kind of reservation to you want to make? will you make a translation for me? explanation to give will you give an explanation for me? vacation to spend (time) to spend (money) to spend the vacation where do you want to spend the vacation? the situation what impression do you have? what impression do you have of the situation? (9) 4.30 (-ical words become -ique in French) political economical philosophical astronomical logical practical it is not logical, but it is very practical that way (French adjectives follow the noun) the political situation the economical situation and the political and economic situation in France, to France I would like to go to France I would like to spend the vacation in France (end of recording) CD 2 (61.27) (1) 8.38 what impression do you have of the political and economical situation

in France? at the present time what kind of reservation do you have for me? =what kind of reservation do you want for tonight? (consonants at the end of the word are not sounded, unless they are followed by a silent -e) small it is very small too, too much it is too small late it is very late it is too late it is too much for me (pronunciation of petite, grande) he is big she is big she is little (pronunciation of vit, vite) fast it is very fast it is too fast for me (2) 5.57 to speak (infinitive verbs end -r e.g. parler) you speak you speak too fast for me to go you go, you are going you are going too fast for me it is very good so it is so good if if it is so good I would like to know if it is so good why I would like to know why it is so good to go you are going I would like to know where you are going to have dinner I would like to know where you are going to have dinner tonight (3) 10.00 port, harbour

airport door (for consonance may be pronounced at the end of the word: c, r, f, l, the so-called careful consonants. For example avec, sac, but not words ending -nc e.g. blanc) bag white franc white wine a glass a glass of white wine I would like a glass of white wine bottle I would like a bottle I would like a bottle of white wine water from I would like a glass of white wine I would like a glass of water I would like a glass of mineral water (words ending -el, -al are the same in French) normal normally general generally animal special it is very special especially for you I would like a glass of mineral water cup I would like a cup of coffee (4) 4.36 still, still more a little I would like a little late it is very late it is too late later, more late to come will you come later a little a little later will you come a little later

now not now possible possibly not now, possibly a little later (5) 4.57 I would like to eat something ("s" between two vowels has the sound of a "z") something the same thing I would like to eat the same thing other the other thing another thing something else I would like something else to see goodbye to see I would like to see something else do you have something else? do you want something else? (6) 8.04 to know to have to see I would like to have something else I would like to know I would like a glass of white wine I would like another glass of white wine another please! (to waiter) I would like another bottle of white wine I would like a cup of coffee I would like another cup of coffee I would like a glass of mineral water I would like another glass of mineral water (7) 4.34 (the final -r is pronounced, except in -er e.g. parler. 90% of French verbs end -er) to go beef (8) 8.39 (explanation of what noun, adjective and verb means. Infinitives end -er, -ir and -re) to leave to sleep

to know to understand to do, make (when two or three verbs appear consecutively, all but the first are in infinite form) will you to come to eat will you come eat with me I must I must speak with you will you speak French with me I must know where it is I am tired I am tired I am very tired now busy I am very busy now (9) 6.02 a little I can I can a little not now not for me thank you I can I cannot (French uses a negative signal ne for any kind of negation, which is often dropped in the spoken language, e.g "I cannot" je peux pas) I am I am not I'm not tired now but I'm very busy now mais I'm sorry, but but I'm not very busy now mais (end of recording) CD 3 (62.22) (1) 4.41 to wait to leave I am sorry but I cannot wait because I have to leave now I'm sorry I'm sorry, but

I can I cannot (2) 6.08 I'm sorry but I cannot come with you now because I am very busy I would like to speak with you I have to speak with you you speak (in a question, invert the subject and verb) do you speak? to speak French? to go you are going are you going? where are you going? to have dinner where are you going to have dinner tonight? (3) 3.48 to leave you are leaving at what time? at what time are you leaving? at what time do you leave? to stay you are staying I am staying he he is staying she she is staying my friend my friend is staying everybody (4) 3.20 I am staying I am not staying I don't stay (there are three ways to express the present tense in English, which are all translated the same way into French) (5) 3.10 I am busy I am not busy now I am tired I am not tired ready I am ready (spoken by man)

I am ready (spoken by woman) he is he is reading she is reading to stay (6) 6.44 I am staying I'm ready I am eating I am speaking do you speak? are you speaking? to wait you wait wait a moment! you are waiting you are not waiting you don't wait why why do you wait? why are you waiting? to leave at what time at what time do you leave? at what time are you leaving? (7) 11.25 we, us nous we are leaving you are waiting we are waiting you speak we speak to start you are starting we are starting at what time are you starting? at what time do you start? tomorrow at what time are we starting tomorrow? I am ready I am starting I am not starting he is starting she is starting she is ready she is starting

she is not starting she doesn't start it is it is not it, this, that (at beginning of sentence) it starts it is ready it is starting it is possible it is very important it is very different it is not necessary it is starting it is not ready it is not starting it doesn't start I can he can she can it can start now it must start now (8) 5.54 (many French words can be guessed, such as "arrive" arriver) arrive at what time do you arrive tomorrow? at what time are you arriving? morning tomorrow morning morning (the whole morning) to spend the whole morning to spend the whole evening good day day jour to spend the whole day in, to (a city) at to (a country) at what time do we arrive in Paris tomorrow morning? I am I am arriving I am busy I am tired I'm ready I am eating (9) 7.44 he is ready

he is arriving she is ready she is arriving soon bientt so long, until soon she is arriving soon today (au is short for le) the restaurant at the restaurant the office I am at the office not today to be tre here I would like to be here I would like to be here with you at what time are you going to be here? I have I have something for you I have a message for you (10) 9.28 he has he has something for you I have I don't have he has he doesn't have I am hungry I would like to eat something now because I'm hungry I am going I am going to stay here I'm going to leave soon, I'm not going to stay I'm going to eat I'm going to start soon I'm not going to leave today I am going I'm not going he is going I am going to start soon he is going to start soon he is there he is there he is not there

(il n'est pas l also means "he is not in") (end of recording) CD 4 (55.39) (1) 5.51 who who is there? my friend is there everybody is there nobody the person a person nobody is there (personne est l also means "nobody is in") everybody is ready she is ready he is ready I am going to be ready soon he is going to be ready soon she is going to be ready soon who is going to be there tonight he is going she is going everybody is going nobody is going (2) 3.31 all, everything everything is going well everything is going very well nothing nothing is going nothing is going to be ready today he is ready nothing is ready who is ready? she is ready he is ready who is ready everybody is ready nobody is ready everything is ready nothing is ready (3) 7.10

is is going I am I am going I'm ready I am going to be ready soon he is she is everybody is ready everybody is going to be ready soon he is going she is going who is going everybody is going nobody is going nothing is going it is going a va how comment how's it going? it is going well it's going very well it's going very well the way it is it is going to be ready soon I'm going to be ready soon to go you go we are going I am going he is going she is going who is going it is going it is not going it is not going to be ready today but everything is going to be ready for you tomorrow (4) 5.46 he can she can who can it can I would like everybody is going to be here everybody must leave soon who speaks English here? I understand I don't understand

he understands nobody understands everybody understands very well to leave you are leaving we are leaving I am leaving (only -er verbs sound the stem in the 1st person singular e.g. j'arrive, compare je pars) everybody is leaving nobody is leaving to wait I am waiting everybody is waiting nobody is waiting (5) 4.28 to understand to take prendre I am taking he is taking time too much time it is taking too much time it doesn't take too much time it is not taking too much time to sell I am selling he is selling everybody can start now everybody must start now (there are only three verbs and French which do not conjugate in sound following the first person singular e.g. je dois, il doit etc) I am he is I have he has I'm going he is going (6) 3.59 will you come with me will you come have dinner with me at the house tonight because I would like to speak with you. It is very important and I would like to know at what time you're going to be here because I'm going to prepare the dinner for us

(many French verbs can be formed simply by adding -er to an English verb) (7) 4.09 formation to form to conform to confirm will you confirm the reservation for me to observe to reserve will you reserve a table for two for dinner for tonight to invite to consider to accept will you accept the condition to prefer you prefer we prefer I prefer (8) 7.57 I must speak with you he must be here soon she must be ready now he must be ready it must be ready it can be ready maybe, perhaps (so peut-tre literally means "can be") perhaps it can be ready now it must be ready now I must (-s is the first person singular ending for -ir and -re, and -t is the ending for 3rd person singular) to do, make I am doing he is doing it makes a big difference that way to say, tell (9) 4.59 I say, I tell he says to see I see he sees to know

you know we know we don't know you don't know do you know? do you know where it is? I know I don't know he knows I know where it is (10) 7.49 nobody knows where it is nobody knows everybody knows where it is who knows? to have to see you have we have you know you have we know we don't know you don't know we have we don't have you have you don't have do you have? do we have? to have to have to you must we must we have to leave soon you have to come with me (end of recording) CD 5 (55.30) (1) 5.12 you have to wait he has to wait I have to wait I'm going to wait here everybody is going to wait

nobody can wait can you? you can I would like to know if you can come with me now (2) 5.45 can you wait here? we can we cannot wait, we have to leave now you are going we are going I am going he is going she is going everybody is going who is going it is going it is going very well how's it going? is it going to be ready soon? to do, make to do it le faire I would like to do it I must do it I am going to do it I am not going to do it we are going to do it we are not going to do it now you are going to do it you are not going to do it (3) 3.46 when when are you going to do it? I am going to do it I am not going to do it he is going to do it he is not going to do it because he cannot do it but he must do it you have to do it we have to do it I cannot do it now can you do it? we cannot do it (4) 3.46 to see

I would like to do it to see to do to do it to see to see it to see it, to see him I am going to see it tonight I am going to see him tonight to understand I cannot understand it I cannot understand him (5) 7.31 to take I am going to take it to know I would like to know it I must know it to have I would like to have it I must have it today when you want to have it? to buy I would like to buy it because I must have it will you prepare it for me will you accept the condition thank you very much many, much, very much (you never say trs beaucoup in French) thanks very much I would like very much to accept the condition but I'm sorry but I cannot accept it because it is not acceptable for me that way to see I'm going to see it tonight I'm going to see him tonight (6) 4.48 to see to see it, see him her la to see her I'm going to see her tonight them to see them

to see to see it to see him to see her to see them to see you I would like to see you I'm going to see you tonight I hope to hope (in French, the conjunction "that" is compulsory) that I hope I'm going to see you because I would like very much to see you to see to see it, see him to see him to see them to see you to see us to see me can you come see me? (7) 5.05 to understand it to understand him to understand her to understand them to understand you I cannot understand you to understand us to understand me can you understand me? to say, tell to tell it to tell you to tell us to tell me I must tell you I am going to tell you later to find we find nous I find would you tell me where it is because I cannot find it (8) 4.39 will you tell me can you tell me

expensive, dear it is very expensive it is too expensive will you tell me how much it is because I would like to have it and I'm going to buy it if it is not too expensive I would like to buy it I am going to buy it to call appeler to phone tlphoner will you call me later (9) 4.39 can you call me later? when can you call me? when are you going to call me? I am going to call you later will you call me later and can you tell me at what time it is going to be ready, because I must have it today if it is possible because I have to have it today I cannot understand him to wait (attendre is used like "to await", not "to wait for somebody") will you wait for me? can you wait for me? I am going to wait for you I am in a hurry (10) 6.02 I'm sorry but I cannot wait for you because I am very much in a hurry and I have to leave soon I'm going to see him (when him is used in the sense "to him", the French word is not le but lui) to give to carry, wear to bring I'm going to bring you something the book I am going to bring you the book to send I'm going to send him the book I want to send it to him (11) 4.17 will you send it to him when can you send it to him? I'm going to see him tonight and I'm going to give him the book to her

I'm going to see her tonight and I'm going to give her the book to who, to whom it is for me it is for you it is for us it is for him it is for her (note that after pour, we say elle and not lui) with him with her (end of recording) CD 6 (58.49) (1) 6.16 I am going to give it I am going to give it to him (that is much less ambiguous than je vais le lui donner) I'm going to give it to her I am going to bring him the book I am going to bring her book I'm going to bring the book to him I'm going to bring the book to her to them leur money, silver I'm going to send them the money my father my mother with my father with my mother my parents his father his mother his parents her father her mother her parents their their father their mother their parents (2) 3.56 (leur means "them" and "to them") I'm going to bring them their book

will you tell him, will you say to him will you tell him that I'm going to call him later to ask will you ask him will you ask him if he can wait for me (3) 4.53 I don't have the time now (French nouns can be masculine or feminine) police army (a few rules about when to use le and when to use la, and how to avoid needing to stop to think about which to use) (-ion words are la, english words ending -ty end in French -t and are la) liberty difficulty facility possibility opportunity speciality what speciality do you have? what is the speciality of the house? (4) 2.44 quality what quantity society (verbs ending -ate in English end -er in French) to operate to moderate to accelerate to facilitate to negotiate to cooperate (verbs ending -fy in English end -fier in French) to certify to modify to justify (5) 6.21 a (in spoken French, le and la are contracted to l' and pulled into the preceding word, for example je n'ai pas le temps sounds je n'ai parl' temps) (words ending -me are le) problem system

it's not the problem it's not a problem there is, there are there is a problem here something someone there is someone here who would like to speak with you is there someone? is it that is there, are there is there a message for me (plural definite article is les) the books (6) 4.30 (for the plural indefinite article, use des) messages I'm going to buy some books flowers I'm going to buy some flowers there is a message for you there are messages for you are there any messages for me is there someone here who speaks English? (7) 6.13 there is nobody here who speaks English not for me pas not now no, not any no coffee for me no problem no cream for me no sugar for me nobody understands why I don't understand I understand it I don't understand it (8) 9.51 true it is true it is not true is that so? truly I don't understand I don't understand it I don't understand him

I don't understand her I don't understand them I don't understand you he doesn't understand you he doesn't understand us he doesn't understand me I understand you very well I don't understand you very well nothing I don't understand I don't understand anything I don't see it I don't see anything never I never see it I never understand why I can never understand I cannot understand anything I would like a glass of mineral water I would like a cup of coffee (9) 9.41 (when an adjective is followed by a full verb in English, in French you say adjective + de + verb) it is not possible to do it it is not necessary to do it now happy heureux, heureuse I am happy je suis heureux I am happy to do it for you I am very happy to see you I am glad I am very glad to see you (also, in English a noun + infinitive becomes in French noun + de + infinitive) next time one time, once two times, twice three times the first time the last time once more I'm going to see it next time I see it for the first time I would like to have the opportunity to see it next time the opportunity to see it I don't always have the opportunity to see it

I don't always have the time to do it it is always a pleasure to see it (10) 4.24 to take I'm taking it it is taking too much time that way it is making a big difference that way I enjoy, it makes me pleasure I'm very pleased to see you it gives me great pleasure to see you (end of recording) CD 7 (64.08) (1) 5.34 I'm sorry but I don't have the time to do it now because I am very busy (de follows nouns and adjectives, but also some verbs of communication, e.g. demander, decider, dire. If these are themselves are followed by another verb, separate them with de) will you ask him to do it will you tell him to wait for me will you ask him to call me later (after any form of "have", a following verb is preceded by ) what, i.e. what is it that what do you have? do you understand? do you understand me? (2) 5.27 what do you have to eat? you have to eat to drink what do you have to drink? ( also used after il y a) what is there to drink? what is there to eat? ( also used after -chose) I have something to tell you (de is used after an expression of quantity) how much time too much time (any form meaning "much" also means "many") many things much time I don't have much time many things

I'm going to buy many things too much, too many I don't have too much time I am not going to buy too many things (if expressions of quantity are followed by a verb, use ) I have much to do! "nothing doing!" (3) 3.57 (there are several words in French for what, i.e.) what difference, which difference what is the difference between between us between the two, between both what is the difference between the two? what speciality what is the speciality of the house? what address? your what is your address? telephone number what is your telephone number? (in English you can combine nouns, e.g. "telephone number". In French these nouns are separated by de) what is your name? (4) 5.07 what difference what is the difference? what (followed by a verb) what do you want? what do you want to eat? what do you want to do now? what do you want to know? what do you want? what do you prefer? to think what do you think? what do you have? (que and qu'est-ce que are interchangeable,in a question followed by a verb, but after qu'est-ce que there is no inversion) what do you want? what do you know? what do you have for me? (5) 6.17 what do you want?

what do you want to say? what do you mean? (what used in the middle of a sentence is ce que) I don't know what I'm going to do today nobody knows what it is who knows? I don't understand what you mean (6) 7.14 (there are only two French verbs which take -x in the first person singular) I can he can I want he wants I want it I don't want it that's not what I want that's exactly what I want but that's not what I mean I want to do it I'm going to do it I'm going to do it because I want to see it that's not what I mean I don't understand what it means what does it mean? (7) 4.53 to explain will you explain to me what you mean (the French future tense formed with "going" is more common in French than in English) I will do it tomorrow some, a few day in dans he will be here in a few days I will arrive tomorrow morning we will arrive tomorrow morning (the other future tense: in early French, there was a form "I to leave have" meaning "I will leave") (8) 5.46 I will leave tomorrow he will leave tomorrow you will leave tomorrow we will leave tomorrow to tell, say I will say, I will tell

I will wait you will wait we will wait he will wait I will understand I will not understand it I won't understand you he won't understand me he will tell you he won't tell me I will ask you later (9) 7.02 it will start soon it is going to start soon (there is a third future tense - use of the present tense to express the future) it will start tomorrow week next week I'm going to see you next week to lift, lift up I'm lifting it he is lifting it she is lifting it I am starting he is starting it is starting one (pronoun) one is starting (on is often used to express "we") are we starting now? (10) 6.33 we are very comfortable here we are going now we are going to stay here (on va as a question also means "shall we?") shall we start? shall we leave? shall we stay? what shall we...? what shall we do? what shall we eat? to order, command what shall we order? what shall we drink?

what shall we take? (in English, we "have" food and drinks, in French we "take" food and drinks) I'm going to have a cup of coffee to have dinner to have lunch lunch will you have lunch with me breakfast will you have breakfast with me tomorrow morning (11) I will do it (in English, "will you", "will you please" is the only time that "will" does not mean future tense) will you please, would you please will you come with me do you want to come with me? (end of recording) CD 8 (62.06) (1) 6.55 I'm lifting it I'm lifting myself up, i.e. I'm getting up we are getting up you're getting up (for "himself", "oneself", "itself" etc use se) he is getting up one is getting up I'm going to get up one is going to get up will you get up please? at what time are you going to get up tomorrow morning? to ask I'm asking I'm asking you I am asking myself, I wonder I will call you tomorrow my name is, I call myself (2) 4.12 to call back will you call back? I'm going to call you back will you ask him to call me back I will call you back later

I remember I don't remember to hurry, "despatch oneself" I'm hurrying I'm going to hurry I must hurry one is going to hurry we are going to hurry you have to hurry will you hurry please (3) 4.30 in, to France in, to England in, to Italy in, to Germany in, to Switzerland we are going to Spain we are going to be in Spain in, to California in, to Asia in, to Africa in, to America (most countries and continents use en, and these are mostly la countries that end in a vowel. Countries ending with a consonant are le countries, and they use au for "in, to") in Japan in Switzerland in Denmark in Portugal in Brazil in Canada (exception) (en is also used for languages) in French one says how does one say how does one say in French? how do you say at? how is it spelled? to write it is being written price, prize what price what is the price? it is how much? will you write it

will you write down the price (4) 6.40 in English in Spanish (en also used in the construction "while -ing" en -ant) in passing, while passing while waiting (en by itself means "of it", "from it". It replaces the two words de a "of it". en has the same position as "it". It also means "some of it", "any of it", "some" implying "some of it" or "any" implying "any of it") I want I want it I want some of it I don't want any of it I'm going to buy some because I would like to have some do you want to have some? do you have it? do you have some of it? do you want some of it? (5) 6.08 enough I have enough I have enough of it (that also means "I'm fed up with it") I'm really fed up with it! to need I need this book I need to do it one must one must do it what you want to do now? if you want (that also means "It's all right with me") (vous verbs end -ez, with only three exceptions) you are (6) 5.16 where are you? are you busy? free are you free? where are you? you are doing, making what are you doing? you are saying, telling what are you saying?

what are you doing? I don't understand what you are saying to hurry I am hurrying I am in a hurry I am hurrying because I am in a hurry I'm going to hurry I must hurry will you hurry please hurry yourself! (7) 4.39 to derange, bother it bothers me it doesn't bother me it bothers you it bothers me it bothers you? to smoke (8) 3.17 will it bother you if I smoke? information (information means "information" in the general sense. For specific information, such as directions to somewhere, use renseignements) to teach to inform to inform oneself, get some information I'm going to find out (9) 6.01 (now some more handle verbs) I don't understand you I cannot understand you I'm not doing it, i.e. I cannot do it now he isn't doing it do you understand me? why don't you do it now? why don't you tell me? (10) 6.10 why don't you come with me now? (another handle) I have to leave now we must leave now (another handle) do you want? why don't you do it, i.e. why don't you want to do it? (you can also express the past tense using handles. In English, "can" in past tense is "could". So for "I didn't understand you", you can say "I

couldn't understand you") I could I couldn't understand you he didn't wait for us I had to he had to he had to leave he wanted to wait I didn't want to buy it (11) 6.01 to know I knew I didn't know to have you have I had I didn't have the time to do it I was it was it wasn't it was not possible to do it that way because I was very busy yesterday evening yesterday morning yesterday afternoon I was there last night, but nobody was there I like, I love I like to do it that way (but there is a distinction between "I like you" and "I love you" !) I love you I like you I like you but I don't love you I love to do it (12) 2.17 (end of recording)