Help! Attention! Urgence!

Many medical and emergency words are similar in French, but they are also different enough to lead to major confusions. Médicin doesn’t mean medicine and an emergency is urgent, but in French it’s l’urgence that takes the name.

That last sentence is confusing because of all the closely related words that are nearly the same, but  different enough to trip people up:

Doctor – le médicin

Medicine – le médicament

Emergency – une urgence

A Cle France client yesterday who forgot to sign up to our newsletter - Photo by Nathan Phillips on Flickr.

In the Chemists.

When you get to la pharmacie, there will be some more things that will be confusing... If you need some headache tablets (painkillers) and ask for Nurofen or Anadin, le pharmacien (the pharmacist) won’t understand. You need to ask for du paracétamol if you want some headache tablets!

If you have a prescription, don’t be fooled by the "-tion" ending! A prescription is une ordonnance! Heuresement (fortunately), it’s easy to say what you’re allergic to with the formula être allergique à ______. You can put any food or médicament in the blank and you will be understood.

Je suis allergique à tout !

I’m allergique to everything!

Before you get to la pharmacie, chez le médcin, or l’hôpital, you need to know how to say what’s wrong. A common difference between French and English is switching between when you have to use être (to be) and avoir (to have).

Par exemple :

I have the flu.

I have a cold

I am cold.

En français :

J’ai la grippe.

Je suis erhumé.

J’ai froid.

You can always say je suis malade (I am sick) if you’re not sure how to express what’s wrong. Mais en général (but in general), aches and pains are expressed with:

le mal à _____.

Filling in the blank with whatever body part hurts. A headache is le mal à la tête, a stomachache – le mal à l’estomac, a toothache – le mal aux dents, etc.

Saying you have an ache of some sort is then easy, just rememeber to take off the article le:

J’ai mal à la tête.

I have a headache.

The same rules apply for la gueule de bois (a hangover), but remembering le vocabulaire when vous avez le mal partout (you ache everywhere) can be difficult.

If there’s any medical or emergency related topics you’d like me to cover in future articles, be sure to laisser un commentaire (leave a comment) below!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

This blog was originally posted on The French Language Blog pages.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

French Back-to-School: La Rentrée (de réformes)

Uh-oh — it’s already la rentrée!

As the end of August approaches, students are getting ready to head back to school, people are returning back from vacation, and workers are heading back to work. In French, there’s an important word for all of this: la rentrée. Literally meaning “the return,” la rentrée refers to the period of time after August (normally the month is taken as a vacation for many in France) when the French return to school and work.

This rentrée is different than others that came before, however. Starting this year, new reforms in the French education system will take place. An article in Le Monde, titled “Programmes, vacances avancées, évaluations… ce qui va changer à la rentrée scolaire” describes all the changes that will take place for this rentrée scolaire (de réformes), from new programs, to a change in the vacation calendar, to a difference in how students are evaluated.

The first big change in the French education system this year is that there will be “moins de pression en grande section de maternelle (less pressure in kindergarten).” La grande section de maternelle is the term for kindergarten, while la petite section and la moyenne section are first and second years in nursery school, respectively.

In France, public education begins at age three with la petite section de maternelle. The goal here is to focus less on rote knowledge and memorization and more on basic understanding, socialization, and play. From the article: ”Plutôt que d’apprendre aux élèves à compter très loin, on s’assurera d’abord qu’ils comprennent bien le sens des nombres… (Instead of teaching students to count to large numbers, we will first ensure that they understand the meaning (or sense) behind numbers).”

Another changement is the introduction of an hour of “secular morality” in elementary school. This may sound strange if you are not familiar with French culture, but the French government is based on the ideal of laïcité, or secularism, where the state and religion do not mix at all.

According to the article: “La 'morale laïque'… sera enseignée une heure par semaine à l’école élémentaire, et deux heures par mois dans le secondaire. Cet enseignement, qui doit promouvoir les valeurs de la République, s’inscrit dans un 'parcours citoyen' décidé après les attentats de janvier à Paris, qui comprend aussi une éducation aux médias” Secular morality (or ethics) will be taught for one hour each week in elementary school, and for two hours each month in junior and high school. This education, which should promote the values of the French Republic, is inscribed in the “Citizens Guide”, which was decided (created) after the January terrorist attacks in Paris and which also includes an education in media studies).

There are several other reforms as well, including a mandatory 90 minute lunch break in schools and the changing of Spring vacation dates. An interesting debate is going on now as well about the efficacy of the French grading system, and even whether or not grades (les notes) should be done away with all together! Á suivre, et bonne rentrée!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

This blog was originally posted on The French Language Blog pages.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

After figuring out how les numéros de téléphones français (French phone numbers) work and when things are open (Pharmacies even on Sundays!), there is a big thing some people don’t release when they’re going abroad.

Qui est-ce qu’on appelle en cas d’urgence ?

Who do you call in an emergency?

The UK 999 number used to be easy to remember but now there are alternatives in the UK, if that is not confusing enough, we all seem to remember the American number, 911, but  that does not work everywhere in the world!

Knowing the appropriate number is an important part of being à l’étranger (abroad).

Photo by Napafloma-Photographe on Flickr

In France, there are several numbers you should know en cas d’urgence:

15 – Le SAMU (Le Service d’aide médical urgente) – Medical emergencies

17 – La police

18 – Les pompiers (firemen) – fire emergencies

112 – SOS – all services

If you have trouble remembering all of them, the most important one is cent douze – 112. Having more emergency numbers means “Call 911!” has a few translations in French:

Appellez le quinze ou appellez les urgences !

Appellez le dix-sept ou appellez la police !

Appellez le dix-huit ou appellez les pompiers !

Appellez le cent douze !

La raison pour tous ces numéros (the reason for all these numbers) is that le 112 is a relatively new pan-european emergency number. Traditionally you would call a specific number for a specific emergency, et beaucoup de gens (and many people) continue to do so today.

Entre parenthèses (a quick side note, litterally between parenthesis), au Canada francophone (in French speaking Canada) it’s slightly different. The emergency number is the same as in the US, 911, but it’s not read as one number. Instead, each digit is read out – neuf un un (nine one one).

No matter the number, there are a few important questions you need to be able to answer after l’opérateur (the operator) picks up the phone.

Qui je suis ?

Où je suis ?

Pourquoi j’appelle ?

Who am I?

Where am I?

Why am I calling?

You have to let them know whether you’re victime ou témoin (a victim or a witness) and give them un numéro de téléphone so they can call you back. You also need to give them l’adresse précise (the exact address) for where they need to go. Lastly, you have to tell them why you’re calling.

You might be able to speak to l’opérateur in English, but chances are you’ll have to flex your French speaking muscles and try to explain the situation in French! Heureusement (fortunately), answering the above questions is easy:

Je suis victime/témoin.

Je suis à….

J’habite….

C’est un cas d’urgence !

I am a victim/witness.

I am at/on….

I live at/on….

It’s an emergency!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

Getting used to French working hours is pretty easy. You just need to plan ahead a little bit, and you can always find small things that are still ouvert (open) to hold you over if you’re caught in a long holiday or even a viewing trip.

So when planning a viewing trip to France to see many of the fine properties for sale with Cle France you will notice that we rarely book you in for a viewing between 12pm and 2pm!

It is also worth noting that "the French" rarely work Sundays and Saturdays are not always supported either, although most of Cle France agents work Saturday mornings [I guess protecting le weekend for family duties is not a bad thing] and it is what we "British" may have lost over the years with Sunday Trading and 24 hour opening! what do you think?

You maybe fine with all of that and working with the French schedule, until you need des médicaments (medicine) on a Sunday.

Waking up one Sunday morning not sure how you will be able to get des médicaments is not a fun way to start the day.

It happended to me one Sundsy... I was already sick, but I knew I could get over it with the right médicaments.

J’étais convaincu que (I was convinced that) I’d need to suffer through the day and just wait for lundi matin (Monday morning). After some research, I learned about les pharmacies de garde (emergency pharmacies).

Understanding the importance of l’accès aux médicaments (the access to medicine), des pharmacies take turns being open le dimanche (on Sundays). De cette manière (in this way) there is always une pharmacie ouverte nearby.

I knew “24 hour culture” didn’t exist in France, but was happy to learn la pharmacie de garde includes night services for emergencies. Even though you wont find a supermarket on every corner ouvert 24 sur 24 (open 24 hours), there’s always something open for an emergency.

I also found the useful website,at PharmaciedeGarde.com, for finding the closest pharmacie de garde.

Choose your département et ville (department and city), and it will show you which pharmacies sont ouvertes.

On that fateful dimanche, once I found la pharmacie de garde, I was able to get des médicaments and was feeling better by the afternoon!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

Living and working in France can be a delight but it can also be frustrating if you have deadlines to meet.

I remember a neighbour of ours (when we lived in the Mayenne in Pays de la Loire) who worked as an electrician and he often worked more than the maximum 35 hours allowed each week, he could not take this as an overtime payment [generally not available to French workers] so he had to take it off as 'time in lieu' which is why he was always not at work from January to April; he would store up the hours and take 3 months off a year! not bad eh?

Similarly shops and business opening hours can be seen as either calming and relaxing or a darned frustration when you need to buy something! most large supermarkets are opening from 9am to 6pm BUT village and town shops & business often close between 12:00 midday and 14:00 (2pm), this includes all DIY stores, banks, post offices and even fuel stations but not restaurants you will be pleased to know, and that is where you will find all the workers enjoying their 2 hour lunch break.

Photo by Alan Levine on Flickr.

So when planning a viewing trip to France to see many of the fine properties for sale with Cle France you will notice that we rarely book you in for a viewing between 12pm and 2pm!

It is also worth noting that "the French" rarely work Sundays and Saturdays are not always supported either, although most of Cle France agents work Saturday mornings [I guess protecting le weekend for family duties is not a bad thing] and it is what we "British" may have lost over the years with Sunday Trading and 24 hour opening! what do you think?

The French Pace of Life

But don't fret you will get used to it, learn to love it and when you live in France it has an almost calming effect on one's mindset and your pace of day to day living slows to a more natural and healthy rythmn.

People quickly notice the difference in les horaires de travail (working hours) between the UK and France. Even being aware of the holidays does not always mean you will know how to faire le pont (make the bridge). Knowing when things will be ouvert (open) and fermé (closed) is important no longer how long your stay.

A mistake I made going into my first long weekend: faire les courses (grocery shopping) many years ago. It was a tough few days finding whatever food I had leftover! De plus (what’s more), things being open 24 (vingt-quatre) sur 24 (24 hours a day) doesn’t happen as often in France as in the UK. I have wanted to faire les courses many times when it was too late and tout est fermé (everything is closed).

Par ailleurs (beyond that), being able to work on Sundays is a recent development. Until very recently c’était illégal (it was illegal)!

Even though la change (the change) already happened, le polémique (the controversy) remains. I learned about it during an exchange a few years ago, and hearing something that strange made me blurt out:

-Pourquoi c’était illégal de travailler le dimanche ?

Why was it illegal to work on Sundays?

The answer was all the more surprising:

-Vous êtes trop anglais, vous ne pouvez pas comprendre.

You are too English, you cannot understand.

Shocked at such a response, I didn’t press the issue. Au début (at first), I could not believe someone had said something so ridiculous to me. Years later I realise what they said was true. The idea of having such strict laws on when to work was too foreign to me.

Maintenant (now) I can appreciate the special care given to les travailleurs (workers) and I quickly got used to shorter working hours and longer holidays.

Ne vous inquiétez pas (Don’t worry) ! En pratique (in practice), Even during the long holidays, restaurants will still be open and des petits épiceries aussi (little supermarkets too). Il y a (there are) more things open, bien sûr, in the big cities, but even in the smaller towns you’re sure to find a kebab shop or two!

Just be sure to check le calendrier (the calender) and look for les horaires (the [working] hours) online if you can!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk