[WinslowKid]

Mon français au dessus de cette page est...mauvais. J'ai honte.
Argh.

I've learned a lot since that post, even though my French is still not up to par. But then, I've only been studying it for two years.

But one thing that I cannot seem to get a clear answer on is when I should be using "ce" instead of "il" or "elle". Is it supposed to be when talking about an abstract idea that has no gender or something? And "ce," "ceci," and "cela" never fail to confuse me. I guess because I always ask French people to explain it to me and it seems normal to them. Can someone help me, please?

[The Seeker]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's somthing like this:

Elle: "She"
Il: "He"
Ce: "It" (like in "C'est" -> "It is")

Cela: "That there"
Ceci: "That which"

The two latter can probably be used in other ways to, but this is the first I tought of =)

[WinslowKid]

Well, I get the meaning of the words, but I've heard something about one should be used only at the end of the sentence, and one should be used only at the beginning of the sentence when referring to something in a previous context, or something ridiculous like that. Also, "ça"...I know it means "that," but isn't it used more often in spoken French when it wouldn't be in written French?

You have permission to like, slap me with a large trout if I am being annoying.

[The Seeker]

"Picks up a large trout, and slaps WinsloKid"

Well, anyway...don't really think I can help you there...I'm not quite sure. About the "ca"(I'm to lazy to find the accents ), I always thought it was the other way around?? You don't hear much of that word in speaking, but it is used a bit in writing. Could be different depending on which type of french you're learning though..canadian or "france french" :d

[Grasshopper359]

Originally Posted by WinslowKid

Well, I get the meaning of the words, but I've heard something about one should be used only at the end of the sentence, and one should be used only at the beginning of the sentence when referring to something in a previous context, or something ridiculous like that. Also, "ça"...I know it means "that," but isn't it used more often in spoken French when it wouldn't be in written French?

You have permission to like, slap me with a large trout if I am being annoying.

Nah. No annoyance here. The word "ça" is used equally in spoken and written French, both in Quebec and France. It means roughly, "it" or "that", and it doesn't make much difference where it's used (no pun intended). "Ca ce peut que..." = It could be... "Ca fait peu d'importance..." = It makes little difference... "Il avait passé comme ça." = It happened like that. "Il m'a donné ça." = He gave me that. I don't use it much personally, usually using "il / elle", because it's a little more formal, but that's just me.

Ceci and cela can also mean "this" and "that" respectively. When it comes to words like "this" or "that", in French, there are several equivalents which can be used, but it doesn't much matter which you use.

[dudeman_100]

actually, it goes like this:

Elle: "She"
Il: "He"
(it was good up to here)
Ce: "that" (this one's a little harder to explain)("ce" can be used as "ce piano" (that piano)) ("cette" is feminine and could be used as "cette chose"(that thing))
Cela: "That there"(this word would be the demonstrative word for that, like as if you're showing it)
Ceci: "this"

i learned my french in Québec. anyway, my turn for presentations.

Nom: André Decorby, eeuuhh...j'veux dire dudeman_100 entk
Lieu: St-Zacharie-de-Beauce, Québec
Age: 15 ans
Avait parlé le Français pour: Environ dix ans
Appris le Français de: à l'école(j'étais obligé: je vivais un milieu français)
Première langue: Anglais
Raison dont vous aimez le Français: Je suis obligé de la parler par ce que je vis au Québec
Niveau le plus élevé attenu: 9e année (j'ai été envoyé à l'école plus tard que sensé)
Vous aimez...: LA MUSIQUE!!!, les autos, les jeux d'ordi, les motos, le "patentage"(un mot utilisé en Beauce pour décrire inventer)
Un jour...: Je veux commencer un groupe de musique(ça s'en vient)

coming back to those words, "ça" is closer to "that" than to "it" ( smarty-pants )

[vivezpourchrist]

[QUOTE=Grasshopper359]You said, "My name is Newsgirl14, and is not to speak French." I think you meant to say, "Je ne parles pas le Français." Close enough - I understood what you were saying. I'll teach French - I've done it before (I was an assistant teacher in a Grade 9 French class, and was going to teach it full time in a Christian school, but...Long story... ) You know where to find me with your questions.

and what you meant to say was "Je ne parle pas le français." because in french you don't need to capitalize languages in sentences and also you didn't conjugate the verb "parler" correctly with "je" you conjugated it with "tu" but it's all good and i don't mean to sound like a know it all jerk i just like when i don't do something correctly for people to correct me so i don't make the same mistake twice, have a nice day :-)

[SccHarpGirl]

haha! that was a great sentance

[Grasshopper359]

Qui suis-je? Je suis Cyrano de Bergerac!




Je jette avec grâce mon feutre,

Je fais lentement l'abandon

Du grand manteau qui me calfeutre,

Et je tire mon espadon;

Elégant comme Céladon,

Agile comme Scaramouche

Je vous préviens, cher Myrmidon

Qu'à la fin de l'envoi je touche!

Premiers engagements de fer.

Vous auriez bien dû rester neutre;

Où vais-je vous larder, dindon?...

Dans le flanc, sous votre maheutre?...

Au coeur, sous votre bleu cordon?...

- Les coquilles tintent, ding-don!

Ma pointe voltige: une mouche!

Décidément... c'est au bedon,

Qu'à la fin de l'envoi, je touche.

Il me manque une rime en eutre...

Vous rompez lus blanc qu'amidon?

C'est pour me fournir le mot pleutre!

- Tac! je pare la pointe dont

Vous espériez me faire don;

J'ouvre la ligne, - je la bouche...

Tiens bien ta broche, Laridon!

A la fin de l'envoi, je touche.

Il annonce solennellement:

ENVOI

Prince, demande à Dieu pardon!

Je quarte du pied, j'escarmouche,

Je coupe, je feinte...

Se fendant.

Hé! là donc,

Le vicomte chancelle; Cyrano salue.

A la fin de l'envoi, je touche.

[GoDowNsMe]

l'Africe du Sud!!!!!! j'y irais probable l'annee prochaine....ou en/dans... 2006
pour une demie d'une annnee

qui je suis.

Je m'appelle Karen
J'ai dix-sept ans
J'habite en Allemagne
J'appris le francais our deux ans maintenant.
Ma premiere langue, c'est allemand...

Pourquoi j'aime le francais......... c'est agreable a entendre et l'aime beaucoup des choses de la france. des croissants, des baguettes, paris, la corse.....

mon education?? c'ai presque fini avec quelque chose comme "highschool"

j'aime: la musique.............(j'ai enfin commence jouer la guitarre!!!! =) =))
ecrire les chansons (mais poemes le plus souvent)
j'aime le rock (incubus,..) le punk (anti-flag...), le hip hop (john reuben..) et presque "tout" christian
j'aime aussi dancer, neiger, les plages...........
et j'adore le facon dieu aime nous gens!!! =)
un jour..........je peut-etre serais un medicine

[Grasshopper359]

Je suis jaloux...Je veux voyager en afrique.

[Krysty]

Nom: Krysty Allicock
Lieu: La Trinité, Les Antilles
Age: 19 ans
Avait parlait le Français pour: Environ sept ans.
Appris le Français de: L'école.
Premier langue: Anglais.
Raison dont vous aimez le Français: Parce que j’aime les langues vivantes
Niveau le plus élevé attenu: Je suis en terminale maintenant
Vous aimez...: Ma guitare, les langues vivantes, les chiens, les dessins animés,la glace,le chocolat, les arts martiaux,le cyclisme, la plage et le soleil,les animaux
Une jour...: Je veux organiser les jeunes qui jouent un instrument à mon église à former une groupe.

[Grasshopper359]

"J'ai connu un Africain, né dans les Antilles, Martinique, il s'appelait Joseph."

"S'il est né dans les Antilles, c'est un Antillien, pas un Africain con."

"Si, c'était un Africain; il s'appelait Joseph."

"Il y a des Antilliens qui s'appellent Joseph aussi."

"Peut-être. Alors, assez de moi. Tu t'appelles comment?"

"Joseph."

"Ben, t'es africain, alors!"

"Non, Antillien, connard!"

"Bien sûr, africain des Antilles."

"Tu me cherches, ou quoi?"

"Non! Par contraire, j'aime bien les Africains..."

-Discours entre Gérard Dépardieu et son compagnon de cellule dans le film "Tais-Toi." J'ai vu ce film, et dès-lors, quand j'entend "Antilles," c'est ça dont je pense.

[Girly_4_God]

Nom: Vanessa(Nessi)
Lieu: Ontario
Age: 14 ans
Avait parlait le Français pour: je savais le francais premier j'ais commencer l'anglais quand j'etais 4
Appris le Français de: parler:la maison ecrire:ecole
Premier langue: Anglais.

[Grasshopper359]

Je vous souhaite le bienvenue.