French for Kids

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Keeping Your Money Safe — Garder son argent en securité
Asking for Help — Demander de l'aide
Activities — Activités

Asking for Help — Demander de l'aide by Dawn-Michelle Baude, Ph.D.

Now that we have some money, it's time to spend a little. But what do you do when you're in a French store and you can't find what you need? You have to ask for help!

You learned in Chapter 4 that being polite is important in French culture. So you know you have to use the formal “you.”

Begin with your polite opener, Bonjour Monsieur/Madame/Mademoiselle, followed by the “please” phrase, S'il vous plaît.

FUN FACTS Pour s'amuser

Conjugation maps show you how the verb is formed for six pronouns. The core of the verb usually stays the same, but the endings change. The three main verb groups — verbs ending in er, ir, and re — have characteristic endings. Every French kid has to memorize the differences between all the verb groups and all the irregular verbs, too.

After you give the greeting, you can ask questions, “What color does it come in?” and “What size”? You don't need to learn Combien (“How much?”), because you already know it!

In What Color? — Dans quelle couleur?

Colors are a great thing to learn in any language, because otherwise the world is noir et blanc (“black and white”)! Here they are:

<tgroup cols="2"> <colspec align="left" colname="col1" colnum="1" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <colspec align="left" colname="col2" colnum="2" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <thead> <tr> <td><p><B>English</B></p></td> <td><p><B>French</B></p></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>black</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>noir</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>white</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>blanc</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>yellow</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>jaune</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>red</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>rouge</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>green</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>vert</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>blue</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>bleu</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>brown</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>marron</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>purple</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>violet</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>green</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>vert</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>blue</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>bleu</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <p>And here are some questions and answers that go with colors:</p> <table frame="none" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec align="left" colname="col1" colnum="1" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <colspec align="left" colname="col2" colnum="2" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <thead> <tr> <td><p><B>English</B></p></td> <td><p><B>French</B></p></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>Do you have it in blue?</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Est-ce que vous l'avez en bleu?</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>We have it in red.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>On l'a en rouge.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Do you have it in yellow?</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>L'avez-vous en jaune?</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>It comes in green.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Il existe en vert.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Does it come in black?</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Existe-t-il en noir?</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Let me see.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Je vais voir.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>I have it in white.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Je l'ai en blanc.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>What's your favorite color?</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Quelle est ta couleur préférée?</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>Pink is my favorite color.</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>Le rose est ma couleur préférée.</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <div class="npsb"> <tip> <h2>IMPORTANT TIPS <emphasis>TRUCS IMPORTANTS</emphasis><inlinemediaobject><imageobject><imagedata fileref="!.jpg" format="JPG"/></imageobject></inlinemediaobject></h2> <p>It's impossible to literally translate <emphasis>le passé récent</emphasis> into English! <emphasis>Je viens de téléphoner</emphasis> is literally “I come to telephone.” But it means, “I just telephoned,” or “a little while ago, I telephoned.” When you can't exactly translate from one language into the other, you adapt the ideas as closely as you can.</p> </tip> </div> <h2>What size clothes do you wear? What size drink do you want? And which size popcorn?</h2> <p>Knowing how to talk about size is very useful, especially if you want your clothes to fit! Size words are easy in French. And you've already seen some of them before in Chapter 2, when we learned words for physical description. There's <emphasis>petit/petite</emphasis> (“small”), <emphasis>moyen/moyenne</emphasis> (“medium”) and <emphasis>grand/grande</emphasis> (“large”).</p> <p>Here are some other size words you'll probably find useful:</p> <table frame="none" width="100%"> <title/> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec align="left" colname="col1" colnum="1" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <colspec align="left" colname="col2" colnum="2" colsep="0" colwidth="50%"/> <thead> <tr> <td><p><B>English</B></p></td> <td><p><B>French</B></p></td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><p>bigger</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>plus grand</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>bigger</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>plus grande</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>smaller</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>plus petit</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>smaller</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>plus petite</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>the same</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la/le même</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>A little bigger</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>un petit peu plus grand</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>A little bigger</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>un petit peu plus grande</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>A little smaller</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>un petit peu plus petit</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>A little smaller</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>un petit peu plus petite</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <p>Now using the polite form of “I want it” (<emphasis>Je voudrais</emphasis>), get ready to make some size sentences. But be careful! Is your “it” masculine or feminine? Of course, the answer depends on what “it” refers to!</p> <p>In these French sentences, the “it” is <emphasis>le, la</emphasis> or <emphasis>les</emphasis>. But it doesn't follow the verb. You put <emphasis>le/la/les</emphasis> in front of the verb. <emphasis>Je la voudrais</emphasis> (“I would like it” for a feminine word) and <emphasis>Je le voud-rais</emphasis> (“I would like it” for a masculine word). And, of course, <emphasis>Je les voudrais</emphasis> for more than one thing.</p> <p>To know if you want <emphasis>le, la</emphasis> or <emphasis>les</emphasis>, you have to know what the “it” refers to. If you're talking about a sweater, it's a masculine “it,” because “sweater “ is <emphasis>le chandail</emphasis> in French. And if “it” is a pair of shoes, it is plural, because “shoes” in French are <emphasis>les chaussures</emphasis>.</p> <div class="npsb"> <h2> FUN FACTS <emphasis>Pour s'amuser</emphasis></h2> <p>Although “red” is rouge in French, the colors are not exactly the same. They depend, to some extent, on the culture. Ask your French friends to show you “mauve” or “purple” or even “violet.” It might not be exactly the color you have in mind!</p> </div> <p>Choosing between <emphasis>le, la</emphasis> or <emphasis>les</emphasis> can get tricky when many words in the sentence have to show that they, too, refer to a feminine, masculine, or a plural word. <emphasis>Je le voudrais un petit peu plus grand</emphasis> might refer to a sweater that you want a little bigger. And <emphasis>Je la voudrais un petit peu plus grande</emphasis> refers to a something that's a feminine word you want a little bigger.</p> <p>Let's practice saying we want things bigger or smaller. Translate each of the following French sentences into English:</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Je le veux plus grand.</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Nous la voulons plus grande.</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Tu le veux plus petit.</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Il la veut plus petite.</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Elles veulent le même.</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Vous la voulez un petit peu plus grande.</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Ils le veulent un petit peu plus petit.</emphasis></p> <p></p></li> </ul>  <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/keeping-your-money-safe-garder-son-argent-en-securit.htm" title="Keeping Your Money Safe — Garder son argent en securité">Keeping Your Money Safe — Garder son argent en securité</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/activities-activits.htm" title="Activities — Activités">Activities — Activités</a> </li></ul></div></div> <div id="coda"> <div id="rel"><div class="n5">Related Articles</div><ul> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/asking-for-help-demander-de-laide.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Asking for Help — Demander de l'aide - French for Kids </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/what-should-we-do-quest-ce-quon-va-faire/at-the-park-au-parc.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> At the Park — Au parc - French for Kids </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/all-about-me-tout-sur-moi/my-personality-mon-caractre.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> My Personality — Mon caractère - French for Kids </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/trees-and-flowers-arbres-et-fleurs.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Trees and Flowers — Arbres et fleurs - French for Kids </a></li> <li><a href="http://french.about.com/od/grammar/a/verb_perception.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> French Verbs of Perception ~ Verbes de sensation </a></li> </ul></div> <div id="sec"><div class="n5">Read More Going to Town — Aller en ville</div><ul><ul class="col1"><li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/transportation-les-transports.htm">Transportation — Les transports</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/asking-for-directions-demander-son-chemin.htm">Asking for Directions — Demander son chemin</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/spending-money-dpenser-de-largent.htm">Spending Money — Dépenser de l'argent</a></li> </ul><ul class="col2"><li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/keeping-your-money-safe-garder-son-argent-en-securit.htm">Keeping Your Money Safe — Garder son argent en securité</a></li> <li class="btO">Asking for Help — Demander de l'aide</li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/activities-activits.htm">Activities — Activités</a></li> </ul></ul></div> </div> <script>if(zSbL<1)zSbL=3;zSB(2);zSbL=0</script> </div> <div id="widgets"><script type="text/javascript">if(z336>0){w('<div id="adB">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,280,'1','bb',3);w('</div>')}if(z155>0){w('<div id="adP">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,155,'1','ps',4);w('</div>')}</script> <div id="pg" class="pane"><div class="n3">Shopping</div><div class="cntnr"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-kids-learning-french-book"><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/np/kids-french/Cover.jpg"></a><h4><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-kids-learning-french-book">THE EVERYTHING KIDS' LEARNING FRENCH BOOK</a></h4><p><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-kids-learning-french-book">By Dawn-Michelle Baude, Ph.D.</a></p><div id="fp"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-kids-learning-french-book">Buy This Book</a></div></div></div> <div id="toc" class="pane"><div class="n3">French for Kids Sections</div><ul><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-get-started-allons-y/">Let's Get Started! — Allons-y!</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/time-and-dates-lheure-et-les-dates/">Time and Dates — L'heure et les dates</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/all-about-me-tout-sur-moi/">All About Me — Tout sur moi</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/social-life-la-vie-sociale/">Social Life — La vie sociale</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/what-should-we-do-quest-ce-quon-va-faire/">What Should We do? — Qu'est-ce qu'on va faire?</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/im-hungry-jai-faim/">I'm Hungry! — J'ai faim!</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/">Going to Town — Aller en ville</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/">Let's Go Outdoors — Allons dehors</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/getting-along-bien-sentendre/">Getting Along — Bien s'entendre</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/appendix-a-english-french-dictionary/">English-French Dictionary</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/appendix-b-glossary/">Glossary</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/appendix-c-puzzle-answers/">Puzzle Answers</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/appendix-d-exercise-answers/">Exercise Answers</a></li> </ul></div></div> <script type="text/javascript">zCi();validateForms();</script> <div id="abf" style="padding-right:0"><ol class="crumbtrail"><li class="home"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/">Home</a></li><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/">French for Kids</a></li><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/going-to-town-aller-en-ville/">Going to Town — Aller en ville</a></li><li>Asking for Help — Demander de l'aide</li></ol></div> <div id="aboutinfo" class="hlist"><div id="morefrom"><h6>Visit other About.com sites:</h6><ul><li><a href="http://caloriecount.about.com/" rel="nofollow">Calorie Count</a></li><li class="last"><a href="http://www.allexperts.com/" rel="nofollow">Allexperts.com</a></li></ul></div> <ul id="siteinfo"><li><a href="http://spiderbites.about.com/sitemap.htm">SiteMap</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/hc.htm" rel="nofollow">Help</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/mprivacy.htm" rel="nofollow">Privacy Policy</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/mprivacy.htm#adchoices" rel="nofollow">Your Ad Choices</a></li><li class="last"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/pform.htm" rel="nofollow">Contact Us</a></li></ul> <ul id="companyinfo"><li class="last"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/ " rel="nofollow">Buy Books</a></li></ul><div id="disclaimer"> </div></div></div> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript">(function(){var po=document.createElement('script');po.type='text/javascript';po.async=true;po.src='https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js';var s=document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(po,s)})();</script> </body></html>