Admin
Jul 28, 20202 min
When translating directly from one language to another just won't work.
I am about to share with you a collection of five common translation mistakes from English to French that will tell you more about the mechanics, and sometimes the philosophy, of the language.
C'est parti!
Translate: "I am twenty years old"
• Explanation
The verb "avoir" (to have) is used to give the age. In French, we are not our age, we HAVE our age. To be or to have our age ? Which do you agree the most with ?
Translate: "I am good, and you? "
• Explanation
The verb "aller" (to go) is used to tell how you are doing. "Je suis bien" exists but it translates to "I'm feeling comfortable".
Translate: "I am hot/cold"
• Explanation
The verb "avoir" (to have) is used to tell how hot or cold you are feeling. "Je suis chaud.e!" exists but it translates to "I'm up for it!" or "I'm down!".
-Tu veux venir au cinéma avec nous? (do you want to come to the movies with us?)
-Je suis chaud! (I'm down!)
Translate: "I am hungry"
• Explanation
The verb "avoir" (to have) is used to say you are hungry. The French are not the hunger, they HAVE the hunger.
Translate: "She is an actress"
• Explanation
There is no article (une) after subject pronouns (je, tu, il, elle, etc).
An alternate way to say "she is an actress" would be "c'est une actrice", the descriptive way "c'est" literally translates as "it is" and is used with an article and yes we use "it is" to describe people, strange n'est-ce pas? C'est is used over "il/elle est" when adding adjectives to the description. Example: "c'est une actrice célèbre" (she is a famous actress).
Translate: "I am going to visit my sister"
• Explanation
Oh là là ! This mistake might get you some smiles since "visiter" is followed by locations.
You can "visiter une ville" (visit a city) but "visiter ma sœur" sounds wrong since "visiter" brings up an exploration image. Instead, use the formula "rendre visite à" which literally translates as "to give a visit to". But to really make it easier, just use the verb "voir" (to see): "je vais voir ma sœur" is simply a more commonly used way.
Voilà!