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[2024-08-13] Unlock French Wisdom: Proverbs, Words, and More!

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Ever wondered what a proverb like 'Ce n’est pas à un vieux singe qu’on apprend à faire des grimaces' means? Join us on a journey to learn French words such as supposé, blessé, présent, million, and déchirer, and unravel the wisdom behind French proverbs.

supposé

The word 'supposé' in French translates into 'supposed' in English. It's often used to indicate what is believed, expected or required, similar to how it's used in English. Example sentences include: 'Je suis supposé partir demain' meaning 'I am supposed to leave tomorrow'. The word 'supposé' is mainly used in the context of an assertion or hypothesis that may not necessarily be true.

Here's how to use it:

  • Il n'était pas supposé venir à la fête.
  • Elle est supposée étudier pour son examen.
  • Ils sont supposés livrer le paquet aujourd'hui.

blessé

The French term 'blessé' corresponds with the English word 'hurt'. It could be utilized in different contexts such as when expressing physical pain or emotional damage. It could also refer to an injury. Similar to English, 'blessé' may change according to the number, gender, or formality, so be sure to use it correctly in a sentence.

Here's how to use it:

  • Le soldat est gravement blessé.
  • L'enfant est tombé et s'est blessé.
  • Ne t'inquiète pas, je ne suis pas blessé.

présent

The word 'présent' in French is directly equivalent to the English word 'present'. It is used in a variety of contexts, such as referring to someone being physically present at a location, or to describe the present moment in time. However, just like in English, the context and surrounding sentence structure can potentially alter the meaning of the word.

Here's how to use it:

  • C'est un cadeau pour le présent et le futur.
  • Le président est présent.
  • Je suis présent pour vous aider.

million

The French word 'million' is used exactly the same way as in English-speaking countries. It is used to quantify or express the numeric value which is often paired with nouns to express an amount. It is important to note that you should use 'de' after million in French if you are speaking about a specific noun, e.g. 'Un million de personnes' translates to 'A million people'. However, if referring to 'one million' in general, 'Un million' would be appropriate.

Here's how to use it:

  • La population de ce pays est de vingt millions.
  • Il a fait un million de kilomètres en voiture.
  • Ce tableau a été vendu pour deux millions d'euros.

déchirer

The French word 'déchirer' is used to mean 'rip' or 'tear'. It can be used in various contexts, such as 'déchirer un papier' (rip a paper), 'déchirer un vêtement' (tear a piece of clothing), or 'déchirer une image' (rip a picture). It is a regular verb, conjugated in the present tense as 'je déchire', 'tu déchires', 'il/elle déchire', 'nous déchirons', 'vous déchirez', and 'ils/elles déchirent'.

Here's how to use it:

  • Je vais déchirer ce contrat.
  • Il a déchiré sa chemise en jouant au football.
  • Ne déchire pas la lettre avant de la lire.
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Ce n’est pas à un vieux singe qu’on apprend à faire des grimaces

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Mike from LangBites

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