Question about french language...

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AndrewR

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,157
0
0
Originally posted by: eleison
French is a useless language.. it use to be cool because all the GI's bringing back French wives /girlfriends/maids etc.... now its just a language for losers and francophiles....

The Air Force considers French to be a critical language. Ever take a look at the languages spoken in western Africa?

Besides, women like it, but I guess if you're not into women (gay is ok, right?) then you'd have no use for it. :D
 

Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
33,296
12,862
136
Originally posted by: BigToque
"Je suis" means "I am" in english.

"né" means "born".

Put them together ("Je suis né") and it becomes "I was born".

Why does adding the word born, change "I am" to "I was"? The end result seems logical, but I don't understand why it changes.

naitre is one of the exceptions to a generally standard rule that would correspond in english. generally, the verb avoir is used for the past tense (passé composé).

"i tried" would be "j'ai essayé"
"i saw" would be "j'ai vu"
"i had" would be "j'ai eu"

and so on and so forth... but several verbs, generally verbs of coming/going, use the verb etre (je suis is the present 1st person conjugation).

in addition to naitre, "je suis né"

there's also:
i came - je suis venu(e)
i became - je suis devenu(e)
i died - je suis mort(e) - double check this one.. my french is a bit rusty :p
i went - je suis allé(e)

and a bunch of others, i don't remember them all.
 

eleison

Golden Member
Mar 29, 2006
1,319
0
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Originally posted by: AndrewR

The Air Force considers French to be a critical language. Ever take a look at the languages spoken in western Africa?

Besides, women like it, but I guess if you're not into women (gay is ok, right?) then you'd have no use for it. :D

Women find americans who can speak spanish, chinese(esp., if they're white), japnese, etc.. much more attractive then people who can speak french...

Why??? because these languages are actually usefull..... French is for people who only like cheeze and wine...

 

hjo3

Diamond Member
May 22, 2003
7,354
4
0
Originally posted by: eleison
Women find americans who can speak spanish, chinese(esp., if they're white), japnese, etc.. much more attractive then people who can speak french...

Why??? because these languages are actually usefull..... French is for people who only like cheeze and wine...
Japanese, than, useful, cheese.
 

AndrewR

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,157
0
0
Originally posted by: eleison
Originally posted by: AndrewR

The Air Force considers French to be a critical language. Ever take a look at the languages spoken in western Africa?

Besides, women like it, but I guess if you're not into women (gay is ok, right?) then you'd have no use for it. :D

Women find americans who can speak spanish, chinese(esp., if they're white), japnese, etc.. much more attractive then people who can speak french...

Why??? because these languages are actually usefull..... French is for people who only like cheeze and wine...

Excellent -- I love cheese and wine. You forgot pastries and bread. And fine dining. Paté and foie gras.

Incidentally, Japanese women love Americans in general, at least a significant portion of them do. I saw it in my three years over there pretty consistently. And I know that the vast majority of them spoke no Japanese.