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At the Park — Au parc by Dawn-Michelle Baude, Ph.D.

Parks are fun places, no matter where you are in the world. Lots of kids are usually there!

French parks come in all sizes, just like they do in other countries. In big French cities, like Marseilles, there are often big parks, with lots of things to do — sometimes even with un manège or an “amusement ride”! In small villages, like Goult, there are smaller parks, with basic “climbing structures” (des cages à écureuils) and “slides” (des toboggans). But no matter what size the park, each one has special activities for kids.

MISTAKES TO AVOID Fautes à éviter

There's a common confusion with the word for “soccer” in French: le foot (or football)! Many Americans think it refers to “football.” It doesn't. The French don't play football!

The following is a list of things you can find in a park:

<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>climbing structure</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la cage à écureuil</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>sandbox</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le bac à sable</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>tunnel</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le tunnel</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>slide</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le toboggan</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>swing</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la balançoire</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>merry-go-round/carousel</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le tourniquet/le manège</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>tennis court</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le tennis</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>basketball court</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le terrain de basket</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>soccer field</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le terrain de foot</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>skateboard</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le skate</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>roller skates</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>les rollers</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>scooter</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la trottinette</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>“A” vs. “The”—<emphasis>Un/une/des vs. Le/la/les</emphasis></h2> <p>You know the difference between “a skateboard” and “the skateboard in my closet” don't you? “A skateboard” is any old skateboard, anywhere. “The skateboard in my closet” is a specific skateboard. And that's the difference — “a” is any one, and “the” is a specific one.</p> <p>French makes a similar distinction. <emphasis>Un skate</emphasis> is any old “skateboard,” but <emphasis>le skate dans le placard</emphasis> is a specific “skateboard in the closet.”</p> <p>Often the words that use “the” have more information, so you know, without a doubt, that the object is special. But even when it's “the skateboard,” or just “a skateboard,” you know that one is more specific than the other.</p> <p>You switch from “a” to “the” in English without thinking about it, since you've been doing it from the moment you began to speak in sentences. Babies can figure it out! They know if they want “a cookie” or if they specifically want “the cookie” they see on the table.</p> <div class="npsb"> <tip> <h2>IMPORTANT TIPS <emphasis>TRUCS IMPORTANTS</emphasis><inlinemediaobject><imageobject><imagedata fileref="!.jpg" format="JPG"/></imageobject></inlinemediaobject></h2> <p>You can answer some questions in French with just toujours (“always”) and <emphasis>jamais</emphasis> (“never”). If your French friends know what you're talking about, it will save you the trouble of putting together a whole sentence!</p> </tip> </div> <p>French has a different “a” for nonspecific masculine words, feminine words and plural words — <emphasis>un, une</emphasis>, and <emphasis>des</emphasis> (some). And it has a different “the” for specific masculine words, feminine words and plural words — <emphasis>le, la</emphasis> and <emphasis>les</emphasis>.</p> <p>Here's a table to help you understand how it works:</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>a ball</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>un ballon</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>a scooter</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>une trottinette</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>some skateboards</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>des skates</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>some scooters</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>des trottinettes</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>the ball</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>le ballon</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>the scooter</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>la trottinette</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>the skateboards</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>les skates</emphasis></p></td> </tr> <tr> <td><p>the scooters</p></td> <td><p><emphasis>les trottinettes</emphasis></p></td> </tr> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> <h2>Review Time — <emphasis>L'heure de la révision</emphasis></h2> <p>Let's try out the French version of “a” and “the.” Look at the list, figure out the French words, and decide if the object is a specific one or not. If it is a specific object, use the <emphasis>le/la/les</emphasis> family of words. If it's not, use the <emphasis>un/une/des</emphasis> family of words. Then decide if it's singular or plural — if it's more than one, you have to use <emphasis>les</emphasis> or <emphasis>des</emphasis>. Then write out the complete answer in the blank:</p> <ul> <li><p>a climbing structure</p></li> <li><p>the merry-go-round</p></li> <li><p>some swings</p></li> <li><p>the basketball court</p></li> <li><p>the roller skates</p></li> <li><p>some slides</p></li> <li><p>the soccer field</p></li> <li><p>some tunnels</p></li> </ul> <div class="npsb"> <h2> FUN FACTS <emphasis>Pour s'amuser</emphasis></h2> <p>France has some of the best museums in the world. In Paris, there are well over 80 museums to choose from, and little museums can be found in towns and villages throughout France. In Ménerbes, for example, there's <emphasis>Le Musée du Tire-Bouchon</emphasis> (in English, “cork-pullers”!). 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