Expand Your French for the Davis Cup: USA versus Switzerland...
The 2012 (tennis) Davis Cup between the USA and Switzerland is taking place in Fribourg in February.
I'm just now spending some time in Fribourg, one of the western cantons of Switzerland where mainly French is spoken. Because of its common language, this region is called “la Suisse romande” or “la Romandie” (Romandy).
With my knowledge of standard French, I have no problem conversing with locals here. But once in a while, I'm baffled and not sure I'm really getting what's being said. That's because in French Switzerland, some words have acquired a different meaning.
Here are a few Swiss French words and a common expression that I've encountered during my visits to Fribourg. I've also added three numbers in French that have a wonderful simplified Swiss French version.
Swiss French |
American English |
Standard French |
|
action |
special offer |
promotion Fr: action = action, act |
|
ballon |
round bread roll |
petit pain (rond) |
|
service |
place setting |
couvert Fr: service = favor, services |
|
linge |
bath towel |
serviette de bain Fr: linge = linen |
|
foehn |
hair dryer |
sèche-cheveux Fr: foehn = dry wind from mountains |
|
natel |
cell phone Natel = brand name of Swisscom |
portable |
|
SMS |
text message Eng: Short Message Service |
texto |
|
simple course |
one-way (ticket) |
aller simple |
|
bonnard |
nice |
sympa |
|
Ça veut jouer. |
That works. |
Ça marche. FR: veut jouer = lit. wants to play |
|
septante |
seventy |
soixante-dix |
|
huitante |
eighty |
quatre-vingts |
|
nonante |
ninety |
quatre-vingt dix |