Search from various English teachers...
United States flagDerek
3 random french translation questions 1. what's the degree of intensity for the following 4 expressions: il faut que vous .../ il vous faut vous feriez bien de ... vous devez ... il est primordial que vous ... Which expressions would be used for suggestion, command, strong suggest, or a simple unsollicited recommendation made during small talk. 2. How do we translate 'Ce qui est curieux, c'est..."? Is it equivalent to saying " The funny thing about that, is (that)...." or "What's funny about it, is that... " Is it equivalent to "Ce qui est bizarre, c'est..."? 3 translaion for: "Ce qui me marque c'est..." context: Ce qui me marque c'est avant cela je n'ai jamais eu d'expérience homosexuelle. Is " What struck me, was that...," a good translation ?

Answers · 7

1
1. strongest: il est primordial que vous ... (almost "life and death") medium: A) il faut que vous ...B) il vous faut C) vous devez ... (A) B) and C) could be an order from a clerk "You shall not pass unless you give me the right form!" but B) could also simply be a bossy presenter in a cooking show stating the ingredients of the recipe and C) just some advice from a stranger when asking for directions) weakest : vous feriez bien de ... (makes me want to reply "mind your own business!") 2. C'est curieux/étrange/bizarre/drôle are all interchangeable for "it's funny/weird" 3. no. What's stuck me : "Je réalise que..." or "Ce qui m'épate". "Ce qui me manque" is "what I lack".
0
1. Vous devez can be used for an advice, a supposition or can be translated as "you must". "Vous devez avoir un passeport pour voyager". You cannot travel without it, it's a must. But it can also be used as "vous devez avoir beaucoup d'argent pour voyager si souvent" which is a theory, a supposition that the person must be very rich to travel so often. Or advice/direction : "vous devez prendre la rue volvaire jusqu'au feu rouge puis tourner a droite" Vous feriez bien de .... makes me want to reply as Caroline did! Mind your own business :D It can be used as a threat. "Vous feriez bien de vous calmer si vous ne voulez pas etre punis!" or an unsollicited advice "vous feriez bien de ne pas prendre la voiture dans cet etat, prenez un taxi" ...so the reply mind your own business would be appropriate "Il est primordial que " It's very important, essential that you... Il vous faut, is often used in a recipe. Il vous faut de la farine et 3 oeufs. This is what you need. Il faut que... is a "need" too. Il faut que j'aille aux toilettes. Il faut que je parte avant 5h pour prendre mon train. 2. both curieux or bizarre are good translations 3. Ce qui me marque is what's stuck me. Good translation!
0
If you want to suggest something without sounding nosy and or too pushy, try "vous devriez" (should - devoir in conditional). Unlike "vous feriez bien de", it makes no reference to "this would be GOOD for you"

Still haven’t found your answers?

Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn a language from the comfort of your own home. Browse our selection of experienced language tutors and enroll in your first lesson now!

Start Learning Today