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This clip is from the Inner French podcast Episode 001. Listen and fill in what you hear below. Read more and find a translation below. Find the full podcast here.
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The above audio sample and transcription is from the Inner French podcast episode 001. We do not own the content. Listen to the entire episode here.
You have to
I love this phrase so much because my brain immediately thinks it means something else. But really faut is the same as devoir, right? Or similar at least, maybe a little bit heavier. I think I just love the “bien” in the phrase.
What do you feel you have to do for learning a language? I often feel like I need to perfect the way I say things before I go out and speak with people. But that doesn’t serve me, because I end up never speaking!
What’s opening up for you in this clip? I’m open to any and all feedback, as always. Let me know.
The snippet in English
Find a translation of this snippet here, how much of this did you hear?
C’est quelque chose qui est un peu contre-intuitif, en France par exemple, parce qu’en France on est très, très, très rationnels. Et en France, on pense qu’il faut bien connaître les règles pour pouvoir appliquer quelque chose. Par exemple, pour une langue, on pense que si vous n’apprenez pas d’abord la grammaire, vous ne pourrez jamais parler une langue. Et ça, ça n’est pas une bonne méthode. Moi je ne connais personne pour qui cette méthode ait marché.
This is something that is a bit counter-intuitive, in France for example, because in France we are very, very, very rational. And in France, we think that you have to know the rules to be able to apply something. For example, for a language, we think that if you don’t learn the grammar first, you will never be able to speak a language. And that’s not a good method. I don’t know anyone for whom this method has worked.
The above translation from Deepl. Source
What does “il faut bien” mean?
“Il faut bien” is a French expression that roughly translates to “one must,” “it’s necessary,” or “it’s essential.” It’s a common phrase used in everyday speech to express the need for something or the inevitability of a situation.
Here are a few examples of how the phrase might be used in context:
- “Il faut bien manger pour vivre.” (One must eat to live.)
- “Il faut bien travailler pour gagner de l’argent.” (It’s necessary to work to earn money.)
- “Il faut bien admettre que nous avons eu tort.” (We must admit that we were wrong.)
The phrase can also be used in a more resigned or resignedly accepting way, implying that something is unpleasant or difficult but must be done anyway:
- “Il faut bien que je fasse mes devoirs.” (I guess I have to do my homework.)
- “Il faut bien prendre notre mal en patience.” (We’ll just have to be patient and deal with it.)
Interestingly, the phrase “il faut” can be used on its own to express the same idea, but adding “bien” reinforces the importance or inevitability of the action.
One fun fact about “il faut bien” is that it’s often used as a filler phrase in French conversation, similar to how English speakers might say “well” or “you know.” It’s a versatile expression that can be used in a wide variety of situations, and it’s an essential part of everyday French language and culture.
What does “je ne connais personne” mean?
“Je ne connais personne” is grammatically correct in French, and it translates to “I don’t know anyone” in English.
The sentence is composed of the subject “je” (I), the negation “ne” (not), the verb “connais” (know) and the object “personne” (anyone). The negation “ne” is followed by “personne” to express the negative meaning of the sentence. This is a common expression in French.
In the sentence “Je ne connais personne”, the absence of an article is actually correct in French.
The word “personne” is a pronoun that means “anyone” or “nobody” in French. As a pronoun, it replaces a noun in the sentence, which is why there is no need for an article before it.
In fact, it’s common for French pronouns to not require an article before them, unlike English where we use “someone” or “anyone” as a pronoun and “a” or “an” are not necessary before them.
To give you another example, “Je vais quelque part” means “I’m going somewhere” in French. In this sentence, “quelque part” (somewhere) is also a pronoun and does not require an article before it.
In summary, in French, pronouns such as “personne” and “quelque part” do not require an article before them.
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Bonjour. Est-ce que le mot <>devrait avoir un circonflexe au-dessus de la lettre <> dans la leçon 46?
Merci Debra
Oui, c’est vrai ! merci, Debra ! je l’ai changé ~