From our 7 March class

We had a fun class last Thursday, with some new vocbulary and more information on the subjunctive, which is more used in French than English speakers think.  In the meantime, for this Thursday, 14 March, read the Arnolphe's monologue from Act 1 sc. 4 beginning with "Chacun a sa methode... and ending with "Et voir si de mon choix on me doit condamner..."

Vocabulaire du 7 mars

un immeuble – an apartment building

le rez-de-chaussée – ground/entry floor

quotidien – daily

            le Pain Quotidien – daily bread

le thé – tea

une infusion/une tisane – herbal tea

un toast – toasted bread

une contravention – traffic ticket

doubler – to pass (a car)

la voie – lane

une crème – coffee with cream ordered at café in France

rester – to stay  - j’aime rester à la maison quand mes enfants jouent aux sports

se reposer – to rest/relax

l’opéra – opera

Madame la maire – Madame Mayor (with the new gender reflection!)

Subjunctive – notes from Thursday

Penser / croire / espérer         These verbs don’t use the subjunctive UNLESS they are negative or in a question

Examples:                               Je crois qu’il va pleuvoir demain.

                                                Crois-tu qu’il pleuve demain ?

                                                Suzanne ne pense pas que son mari soit coupable du crime.

In order to use the subjunctive, you need TWO different subjects AND que.

Maman veut que je fasse la vaisselle

Je veux que tu fasses la vaisselle

Il faut qu’il prenne un taxi.  (il faut is an impersonal expression)

Only one subject ?  use the infinitive             Maman veut faire la vaisselle

                                                                        Je veux faire la vaisselle