Yes, the 't' in French is often silent at the end of words, part of a general rule for final consonants (D, P, S, T, X, Z), but it's pronounced in some common words (like *sud, huit), with -ct/pt endings (like *concept), and when followed by a vowel for liaison (like *petit arbre), making it a rule with significant exceptions.
There are general rules for the pronunciation of endings of conjugated verbs: -e, -t and -s are silent, -ent is silent, -ez is prounced [e]… A final -t is generally silent.
Many French people pronounce très as if it were written trés, that is \tʁe\ and not \tʁɛ\. But that's not an "ay" sound, do not say \tʁeɪ\.
Yes, the French say "je ne sais quoi," but it's less common in casual speech than in English, where it's used to describe an indescribable, special quality; in France, it often sounds formal or a bit old-fashioned, and they'd more likely use phrases like "un certain charme" (a certain charm) or "un petit truc en plus" (a little something extra) for that meaning. While it literally means "I don't know what," its use as a noun for a mysterious allure is largely an English adoption, though French speakers understand it and might use it in specific contexts, sometimes as a hyphenated noun "un je-ne-sais-quoi".
In informal spoken French, we often skip pronouncing 'ne' with negated verbs. So if I was speaking in a casual context, I'd say, “Je sais pas.” To go even further, many French speakers blend the je and sais into something that might sound like “jsais pas” of even “shay pas.” This is how I say it!
Crème de la crème (French, literally 'cream of the cream') is an idiom meaning "the best of the best", "superlative", or "the very best".
The 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle) in French learning means focusing on the 20% of vocabulary, grammar, and phrases that handle 80% of everyday conversations, allowing for rapid progress and practical communication by prioritizing high-frequency words, common sentence structures, and essential situations like the bakery or doctor. Instead of learning everything, you learn the right things (like "je," "il," "elle," common verbs) to quickly become functional and build confidence in real-life French.
Yes, the French absolutely say "je voudrais" (I would like), and it's the standard, polite way to order or make requests, especially in shops and restaurants, though native speakers often use alternatives like "je vais prendre" or "je prendrai" for ordering food to sound more natural, while "je veux" (I want) is considered too direct or demanding.
French R Vs English R
In French, it's the contrary: the tip of the tongue stays down, close to the lower teeth, and it's the back of the tongue that goes up, partially blocking the air way, and vibrating a bit. In French, the R produces a sort of gargling sound. Paris. Radis.
The letter "y" is called "igrek" (or similar names like i griega, i grec) in many languages because it was borrowed from the Greek alphabet (as upsilon), not the native Latin alphabet, and initially represented a foreign sound, leading to its description as the "Greek i" or "Greek I" in Latin (i graeca). These Romance and Slavic language names are direct descendants of that Latin term, signifying its Greek origin and distinctiveness from the native "i".
Et toi? (not et tu?)
In English you is used as subject and object personal pronoun but in French we use different words accordingly. Tu is always subject: Tu parles anglais.
The reason for the difference between France and Canada is that the /θ/ and /ð/ are what we call "dental constrictives". We don't have those sounds in French so we approximate them to the nearest point of articulation which in this case would be the "alveolar" consonants.
Crème de la crème (French, literally 'cream of the cream') is an idiom meaning “the best of the best” or “the very best”. ♥️♥️😘 . . . .
The + masculine noun = le. The + feminine noun = la. The + any noun beginning with a vowel = l'
To respond to "Je t'aime" (I love you), use "Je t'aime aussi" or "Moi aussi, je t'aime" for "I love you too," add emphasis with "tellement" (so much) or "beaucoup" (a lot), or clarify it's platonic with "Je t'aime bien" (I like you as a friend), depending on your feelings and relationship.
Here are some typical phrases used to flirt in French:
To respond to "Ça va?", use simple, context-dependent answers like "Ça va bien, merci, et toi/vous?" (Very well, thanks, and you?) for positive, polite replies, or "Pas mal" (Not bad), "Bof" (Meh/So-so), or even "Ça va mal" (Not well) for more nuanced feelings, often followed by asking back "Et toi?" (informal) or "Et vous?" (formal).
I don't care") Je m'en fous. (" I don't care")
French people say "voilà" because it's a versatile, common expression derived from "vois là" (see there), meaning "here it is," "there you go," or "ta-da," used to present something, conclude a thought, confirm an agreement, or introduce a person/idea, functioning like a verbal pointer or summary in everyday speech. It literally means "see there," but its usage is much broader, functioning as a presentative to introduce things or show completion.