[2024-01-23] Get Ready to Laugh with French Jokes and Learn New Words!

siècle

The French word for 'century' is 'siècle'. It is used in the same context as in English, to refer to a period of one hundred years. For example, 'le 21ème siècle' translates to 'the 21st century'. Just like in English, it can also be used to discuss periods in history, such as 'le siècle des Lumières', which means 'the Enlightenment period'.

Here's how to use it:

• Nous vivons au 21ème siècle
• Le 16ème siècle était un âge d'or pour la littérature espagnole
• La vie au 18ème siècle était très différente d'aujourd'hui

se tenir

The French word 'se tenir' translates to 'stand' in English. It is typically used to describe the act of maintaining an upright position supported by one's feet or the act of being situated in a particular place or position. For example, 'Je me tiens devant toi' means 'I stand before you'. This verb is reflexive, meaning it reflects the action back onto the subject.

Here's how to use it:

• Ils se tiennent toujours près de la rivière.
• Se tenir droit est important pour une bonne posture.
• Vous devriez vous tenir au courant des événements actuels.

public

In French, 'public' is also translated as 'public'. It is used in much the same way as in English, referring to the people who come into contact with a certain product, service, person, organization, etc. It is generally applied in settings such as public service, public figures, public protest, etc. An example of its use would be: 'Il travaille dans le secteur public.' meaning 'He works in the public sector.'

Here's how to use it:

• La santé publique est une priorité pour le gouvernement.
• C'est un espace public où les gens peuvent se retrouver.
• Les dépenses publiques ont augmenté cette année.

centre

The French translation for 'center' is 'centre'. This word is commonly used in phrases such as 'le centre de la ville' meaning 'the city center'. Just like in English, it is used to describe the middle point of something, or a gathering place or hub. Note that unlike English, French uses European spelling conventions, hence 'centre' instead of 'center'.

Here's how to use it:

• Le centre de tri est proche de ma maison.
• Le Centre Pompidou est un musée moderne à Paris.
• J'ai une réunion au centre des congrès.

plusieurs

The French word 'plusieurs' is equivalent to the English word 'several'. It is used in French to quantify an unspecified amount of something, suggesting more than two but less than many. The major difference is that, unlike 'several', 'plusieurs' doesn't change forms. It remains constant, irrespective of the gender and number. When used in sentences, it usually comes before the noun.

Here's how to use it:

• J'ai besoin de plusieurs stylos pour la classe de dessin.
• Ils ont adopté plusieurs enfants.
• Vous devez prendre plusieurs bus pour arriver à la destination.

Pourquoi les éléphants ont-ils de grandes oreilles? Parce que sinon ils n'entendraient pas leurs blagues!