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In the Garden — Dans le jardin by Dawn-Michelle Baude, Ph.D.

French kids love the outdoors. Some houses have large yards, or les jardins, to play in. There are a lot of things to do and lots of things to look at, particularly in the spring (le printemps) and summer (l'été), when all the flowers are blooming. See how many of the following things are familiar:

<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>lawn</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la pelouse</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>tree</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>l'arbre</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>flower</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la fleur</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>bud</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le bourgeon</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>leaf</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la feuille</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>sky</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le ciel</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>cloud</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le nuage</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>shade</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>l'ombre</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>shrub</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>l'arbuste</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>hedge</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la haie</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>path</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le chemin</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>umbrella</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le parasol</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>fountain</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la fontaine</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>patio</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la terrasse</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Here and There — <emphasis>Ici et là</emphasis></h2> <p>Using <emphasis>ici</emphasis> (“here”), <emphasis>là</emphasis> (“there”) and <emphasis>là-bas</emphasis> (“over there”) is easy to do in French. And it's so necessary! How else are you going to find <emphasis>le ballon</emphasis> (“the ball”)? Or each other?</p> <p>To explain where something is, you need <emphasis>être</emphasis>, the “to be” verb, which we used in other chapters. Then you make a sentence formula like this: Subject + conjugated <emphasis>être</emphasis> + <emphasis>ici/là/là-bas</emphasis>+ comma + place. So <emphasis>Je + suis + ici + , + dans le jardin</emphasis> is <emphasis>Je suis ici, dans le jardin</emphasis> (“I am here, in the garden”). Or <emphasis>Le ballon + est + là-bas + , + derrière l'arbre</emphasis> is <emphasis>Le ballon est là-bas, derrière l'arbre</emphasis>(“The ball is over there, behind the tree”).</p> <p>Here are some more words that you'll 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>on</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>sur</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>in front of</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>devant</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>behind</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>derrière</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>under</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>sous</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <p>Let's try your new words out. Translate the following French sentences:</p> <ul> <li><p><emphasis>Elles sont là, devant les fleurs.</emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Nous sommes ici, sur la pelouse.</emphasis></p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Tu es là, devant l'arbuste.</emphasis> </p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Ils sont là-bas, sous le parasol.</emphasis> </p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Je suis ici, sur le chemin.</emphasis> </p></li> <li><p><emphasis>Vous êtes là, derrière la haie</emphasis>. </p></li> </ul> <div class="npmo"> <img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/np/kids-french/p99-001.jpg"> </div> <div class="npsb"> <h2>Mistakes to Avoid <emphasis>Fautes à éviter</emphasis></h2> <p>Try not to confuse <emphasis>là</emphasis> (“there”) and <emphasis>là-bas</emphasis> (“over there”). <emphasis>Là</emphasis> is close, and <emphasis>là-bas</emphasis> is farther away. In fact, <emphasis>là</emphasis> is sometimes so close, that it seems more like “here” than “there!” The French use <emphasis>là</emphasis> when most English speakers would instinctively choose ici.</p> </div> <h2>What Else Can You Find? — <emphasis>Qu'est-ce que tu peux trouver d'autre?</emphasis></h2> <p>Yards are usually full of interesting things to look at and play with. You already know a lot of the words for things in the <emphasis>jardin</emphasis>. You know “bicycle” (<emphasis>le vélo</emphasis>), “skateboard” (<emphasis>le skate</emphasis>) and “ball” (<emphasis>le ballon</emphasis>). Let's see more here:</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>insect</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>l'insecte</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>hat</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le chapeau</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>bat</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la batte</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>cat</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le chat</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>dog</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le chien</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>bird</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>l'oiseau</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>frisbee</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le frisbee</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>garden furniture</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>les meubles de jardin</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>hammock</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le hamac</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>watering can</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>l'arrosoir</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>hose</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le tuyau</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <p>You probably know what you're going to do with these things! You're going to put them in the garden. Try to make sentences like <emphasis>Le chat est sous le hamac</emphasis> (“The cat is under the hammock”). See if you can fill out the following sentences. And don't forget to make your subject match with your verb. If you can't remember which verb goes with which noun, turn back to Chapter 6 and look at the conjugation map for <emphasis>être</emphasis>:</p> <div class="npsb"> <h2> TRY THIS <emphasis>Essaie ceci</emphasis></h2> <p><B>Draw a Garden — <emphasis>Dessine un jardin</emphasis></B></p> <p>Draw a picture of a garden. Choose as many of your French garden words as you can. Then label each thing with its French name. In the end, you'll have a pretty picture and practice your French, too!</p> </div> <p><emphasis>sont dans le ciel.</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>Les insectes</emphasis> .</p> <p><emphasis>est devant la fontaine.</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>sont sur la terrasse.</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>Les oiseaux</emphasis> .</p> <p><emphasis>Le tuyau</emphasis> .</p> <p> <emphasis>est ici, dans le hamac.</emphasis></p> <p><emphasis>Le frisbee</emphasis> .</p>  <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/" title="Let's Go Outdoors — Allons dehors">Let's Go Outdoors — Allons dehors</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/trees-and-flowers-arbres-et-fleurs.htm" title="Trees and Flowers — Arbres et fleurs">Trees and Flowers — Arbres et fleurs</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/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/in-the-garden-dans-le-jardin.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> In the Garden — Dans le jardin - French for Kids </a></li> <li><a href="http://french.about.com/library/quotes/bl_quote_v.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Citations francophones - French quotations </a></li> <li><a href="http://french.about.com/od/christmas/a/carol-noelnouvelet.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Noël nouvelet - French Christmas Carol </a></li> <li><a href="http://french.about.com/od/christmas/a/carol-enrhume.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Le père Noël est enrhumé - French Christmas Carol </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/on-the-farm-a-la-ferme.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> On the Farm — A la ferme - French for Kids </a></li> </ul></div> <div id="sec"><div class="n5">Read More Let's Go Outdoors — Allons dehors</div><ul><ul class="col1"><li class="btO">In the Garden — Dans le jardin</li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/trees-and-flowers-arbres-et-fleurs.htm">Trees and Flowers — Arbres et fleurs</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/at-the-beach-a-la-plage.htm">At the Beach — A la plage</a></li> </ul><ul class="col2"><li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/at-the-river-au-bord-de-la-rivire.htm">At the River — Au bord de la rivière</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/at-the-zoo-au-zoo.htm">At the Zoo — Au zoo</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/kids-french/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/on-the-farm-a-la-ferme.htm">On the Farm — A la ferme</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/lets-go-outdoors-allons-dehors/">Let's Go Outdoors — Allons dehors</a></li><li>In the Garden — Dans le jardin</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>