The word place is very common in French and poses few problems when it's a direct cognate of the English "place." Other times, however, the meanings diverge, and the word place will translate in a variety of ways depending on context. So, let’s go places and explore the similarities and differences in the use of the word place in this lesson.
As we just mentioned, the word place can be used in a similar way in English and in French in some situations. For example, "a place to stay" is une place d’accueil (literally "a place of welcome"). In the video below, welcome centers around France offer des places d’accueil (places to stay) for refugees:
C'est près de deux cents places d'accueil...
It's nearly two hundred welcoming places...
Caption 35, Réfugiés de Calais L’accueil des migrants en Finistère
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Une place does not only refer to a physical place, but also to a figurative one, like the place where you belong in life. That's a tough question for this lost soul in Yaaz’s sad song "La Place des anges," who muses over an uncertain future and wonders where angels truly belong:
Mais la place des anges n'est pas ici
But the angels' place is not here
Caption 7, Yaaz La place des anges
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Sometimes finding the right place is simply a practical matter. In this well-organized restaurant, the staff is ready to se mettre en place (take their places) before the rush of diners:
Eh ben, on se met en place et on fait tout ça.
Well then, we'll take our places and we'll do all that.
Caption 76, 4 Mains pour 1 Piano Médaillon de Homard - Part 2
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The expression remettre à sa place, though, is not so kind, as it means to put someone back in their place:
Le patron l’a remis à sa place.
The boss put him back in his place.
So far, we’ve looked at examples of true cognates. Unfortunately, these only work in a limited context, as une place often means something other than “a place.” But it doesn’t have to be complicated. For example, to book a table, a room, seats, or buy concert tickets, just say réserver une place! In the following video, une place means “a ticket” to a concert:
Dix mille places se sont arrachées en deux jours.
Ten thousand tickets were snapped up in two days.
Caption 13, Alsace 20 Rammstein à Strasbourg
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Une place can also refer to the seating capacity or number of seats in a venue:
Mercredi je joue au Sin-é et... C'est trois cents places.
On Wednesday I'm performing at Sin-é and... It's three hundred seats.
Caption 9, Charles-Baptiste Interview
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Or to the seating capacity in a car, or even the sleeping capacity in a bed:
On dit un lit à deux places et une voiture à cinq places en français.
We say a double bed and a five-seater car in French.
La place can also simply describe the amount of space available for comfort—in other words, “space” or “room”:
Qu'à tes côtés y a plus de place et que je ne peux pas rester
That there's no room left by your side and that I can't stay
Caption 24, Babylon Circus J'aurais bien voulu
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And when there is not enough place (room) because something or someone takes up too much space, you can use the expression prendre toute la place (to take up all the space), like the naughty cat in this video:
Et en plus, elle prenait... et toi, prenez toute la place dans le lit.
And in addition, she took... and you, [you both] take up all the space in bed.
Captions 27-28, Marie & Jeremy Le chat
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Now that we’ve looked at the various uses of the French word place, let’s look at its English counterpart. Again, you will encounter a variety of translations. When referring to a geographical “place” or location, you can’t use the French place anymore. Instead, use un endroit or un lieu (a place). If that place happens to be your home, or “your place," use chez moi (my place). In their video on Parc de la Villette, Amal and Caroline use all three. First, they talk about un endroit:
Je crois que c'est aussi un endroit assez culturel...
II think it's also a pretty cultural place...
Caption 37, Amal et Caroline Le Parc de la Villette
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Then they use a synonym, un lieu:
Ce qui est vraiment intéressant, c'est que tu as plein de lieux pour faire la fête.
What's really interesting is that you have plenty of places to party.
Captions 53-55, Amal et Caroline Le Parc de la Villette
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And earlier on, one of them mentions how close they are to her place:
On est même pas à cinq, dix minutes à pied de chez moi.
We're not even five, ten minutes away by foot from my place.
Caption 7, Amal et Caroline Le Parc de la Villette
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(For more information on chez moi, check out our lesson Chez moi, c’est chez toi.)
Just to confuse matters further, your “place” or “home” might be located on une place, "a square." In the video below, Joanna and Caroline invite us to visit la place Stanislas (Stanislas Square). Note that there is no need to capitalize place in an address:
On a décidé de vous faire visiter la place Stanislas.
We've decided to show you around Stanislas Square.
Caption 4, Joanna La Place Stanislas
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Instead of visiter une place, you may prefer to rester sur place (to stay/remain on site). These refugees are fortunate in that they can stay in the same spot for a few months:
Ces groupes devraient rester quelques mois sur place
These groups should stay on site for a few months
Caption 37, Réfugiés de Calais L’accueil des migrants en Finistère
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Or you may seek another kind of place that has nothing to do with location. Une place can also be "a position” or “a job"—whether an everyday occupation or the prestigious position of honorary president of the Cannes Film Festival:
Madame de Havilland... on vous a proposé en tout cas pour la place de présidente d'honneur à vie de ce festival.
Ms. de Havilland... you were nominated in any case for the position of honorary president of this festival [jury] for life.
Captions 31-33, Interviews au Festival de Cannes Olivia de Havilland
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La place also means "position" in general in expressions such as se mettre à la place de quelqu’un (to put oneself in another person’s position/place):
Faut se mettre à la place d'Obama ; pendant trois ans, il s'était farci...
You need to put yourself in Obama's position; for three years, he had been putting up with...
Caption 26, Alsace 20 Laurent Chandemerle, l'homme aux 100 voix
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On the flip side, the French word une position can mean "rank" or "place." In her video, Nelly ranks her favorite places (lieux or endroits) to visit in France:
En septième position, nous avons les gorges du Verdon.
In seventh place, we have the gorges of Verdon.
Caption 20, Français avec Nelly 10 Places to Visit in France - Part 2
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The word place has so many meanings that il n’y a pas assez de place (there is not enough space) in this lesson to mention them all. Just remember that context is key and feel free to browse through our Yabla videos and notice how often the word place comes up!
The beginning of a new year is a perfect time for starting afresh and making resolutions. For many French people, it’s an opportunity to try manger plus sain (eating healthier). Although France is known for its great cuisine and good dietary habits, French people are still interested in improving their diet. Let’s find out about eating well and discover the language of healthy eating in France.
Access to une nourriture saine (a healthy diet) is not only desirable, but it is a human right that every child should have, according to the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child:
Tu dois pouvoir bénéficier d'une alimentation suffisante, saine et équilibrée
You must be able to receive adequate, healthy, and balanced nutrition
Caption 20, Marie et Sakhoura Droits des enfants
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Part of a healthy diet involves eating and drinking avec modération (in moderation):
Un petit peu de vin rouge... très sympa, donc on va aller juste à côté... -À boire bien sûr avec modération.
A little bit of red wine... very nice, so we'll just go next door... -To drink in moderation, of course.
Caption 31, Cap 24 Paris 2ème : Alessandro joue le Pique-assiette!
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Not only is it necessary to pay attention to quantity, but also to quality. For some, that means changing habitudes alimentaires (dietary habits) and manger bio (eating organic). (The word bio, short for biologique, can mean “organic” or “biological” depending on context.)
Manger bio, c'est vraiment changer ses habitudes alimentaires.
Eating organic is really about changing one's dietary habits.
Caption 19, Alsace 20 Pourquoi le bio est-il plus cher?
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Manger bio requires choosing des produits bio (organic products) over produits conventionnels (conventional products):
Donc vous allez être pas seulement dans le fait que "Je me fais plaisir en achetant des produits bio et je remplace les produits conventionnels"
So you're not only considering the fact that "I feel good about myself when I buy organic products and I replace conventional products"
Captions 34-35, Alsace 20 Pourquoi le bio est-il plus cher?
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Health food advocates recommend increasing one’s consumption of céréales complètes (whole grains), like the ones listed below, to achieve un équilibre alimentaire (dietary balance):
Donc on va revoir son équilibre alimentaire avec davantage de céréales, complètes, avec des légumineuses
So we're going to check again the balance of our diet with more grains, whole grains, with legumes
Captions 37-38, Alsace 20 Pourquoi le bio est-il plus cher?
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They also recommend reducing la consommation de viande (meat consumption):
Réduire sa consommation de viande hebdomadaire
Reducing your weekly consumption of meat
Caption 41, Alsace 20 Pourquoi le bio est-il plus cher?
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French people are now embracing la culture végane (vegan culture). According to Amal and Caroline, there has been a big shift in attitude toward meat. They explain that the Parc de la Villette, which used to be the site of a slaughterhouse, is now the site of a vegan festival held every year:
C'est le lieu de rencontre des festivals qui prônent la culture végane
It's the meeting place for festivals that promote vegan culture
Captions 82-83, Amal et Caroline Le Parc de la Villette
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Not everyone is prepared to become vegan, but many are willing to reach a compromise. In the video below, Lionel cooks a delicious “dual” pizza with une partie végétarienne (a vegetarian part) and a part with meat, and he stresses that it is made entirely with produits naturels (natural products):
Alors je précise que... elle est faite complètement à partir de produits naturels.
So I'd like to point out that... it is made entirely from natural products.
Captions 14-15, Claude et Lionel La pizza
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On en a fait deux parties : une partie végétarienne et puis une partie avec des lardons et du jambon.
We made two parts: a vegetarian part and then a part with bacon cubes and ham.
Captions 38-40, Claude et Lionel La pizza
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Being human, we compromise and are prone to forget our resolutions and give in to temptation. In the following video, Lionel was enticed by a delicious barbecue and decided to reporter son régime (postpone his diet) for now:
Je ne sais pas. Ils feront du barbecue. Je crois que je vais reporter mon régime.
I don't know. They will be having a barbecue. I think that I am going to postpone my diet.
Caption 35, Lionel et Chantal "Faire barbecue"
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To help you to digérer (digest) this information, here is a summary of the vocabulary from this lesson:
manger sain: to eat healthy
consommer en moderation: to consume in moderation
la consommation de viande: meat consumption
une alimentation saine et équilibrée: healthy and balanced nutrition
les habitudes alimentaires: dietary habits
un régime: a diet
végan (masculine), végane (feminine): vegan
végétarien (m.), végétarienne (f.): vegetarian
les produits bio(logiques): organic products
les produits conventionnels: conventional products
les céréales complètes: whole grains
Whatever your dietary preferences may be, Yabla has a wealth of food-related videos to help you achieve un mode de vie sain (a healthy lifestyle). You may also like to get A Free Sampling of French Food and Drink Words. Please stay tuned for our next lesson on what a bad diet looks like in French!
Memorizing the gender of nouns referring to things is one of the most difficult parts of learning French, as assigning gender to an object or concept is unfamiliar to native English speakers. Is there any logic to this process? In many cases, it seems arbitrary, and there’s no way of guessing. Fortunately, some categories of nouns do follow logical rules.
For example, it is indeed possible to identify the gender of a country based on its ending. La France is a feminine noun because it ends in e. (Note that we say la France even though it’s a proper noun. Unlike in English, all names of countries are preceded by an article in French.)
Le nom de la France vient du mot "Franc"
The name of France comes from the word "Franc" [Frank]
Caption 3, Le saviez-vous? D'où vient le nom de la France?
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That said, there are always exceptions. Even though it also ends in an e, le Mexique (Mexico) is masculine:
Maintenant avec leur aide, partons sur-le-champ conquérir le Mexique!
Now with their aid, let's leave at once to conquer Mexico!
Caption 29, Il était une fois: Les Amériques 9. Cortés et les Aztèques - Part 8
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But as for countries that don’t end in an e, it’s easy! They are automatically masculine: le Canada, le Japon, le Luxembourg (Canada, Japan, Luxembourg).
Pierre Trudeau, Premier Ministre du Canada, a dit que c'était une loi de fou.
Pierre Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, said it was a crazy law.
Caption 28, Le Québec parle aux Français - Part 3
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What about cities? Do they follow the same rule as countries? Not exactly. The Académie Française (the official French language watchdog, if you will) doesn’t give a definite answer, noting that people tend to prefer masculine although feminine is often used in literary contexts.
In the video below, we can tell that Paris is masculine because of the masculine past participle traversé (intersected):
Car Paris était traversé à l'époque par un aqueduc
For Paris was intersected at the time by an aqueduct
Caption 39, Voyage dans Paris Le Treizième arrondissement de Paris - Part 2
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French speakers often get around the gender ambiguity by using the expression c’est (it’s), which always requires a masculine agreement. Instead of saying Paris est belle or Paris est beau (Paris is beautiful), Sophie uses the phrase c’est + masculine to describe Paris:
C'est beau Paris comme ça.
Paris is beautiful like this.
Caption 1, Sophie et Patrice Paris, c'est gris
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The gender of languages is much more clear-cut. All languages are masculine, from le français (French) to le thaï (Thai):
Je crois que le français est une langue géniale.
I believe that French is a great language.
Caption 11, Allons en France Pourquoi apprendre le français?
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Note, however, that if you say "the French language" or "the Thai language" instead of just "French" or "Thai," you have to use the feminine, because the word langue (language) is feminine: la langue française, la langue thaïe.
Most foreign words are also masculine, in particular sports names and terms borrowed from English. It’s a simple matter of putting a masculine article like le (the) in front of the loanword:
Il aime le football.
He likes soccer.
Caption 33, Lionel L Les liaisons et le h aspiré
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On the other hand, native French sports terms are either masculine or feminine. For example, we have two words for “bicycle”: le vélo, which is masculine, and la bicyclette, which is feminine.
Tu peux faire du vélo
You can ride a bike
Caption 31, Amal et Caroline Le Parc de la Villette
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Most inanimate nouns follow no predictable pattern when it comes to gender. When we talk about feelings, for example, we say le bonheur (happiness) but la joie (joy):
Y a de la joie. On est avec les petits.
There's good cheer. We are with the little ones.
Caption 45, Actu Vingtième Fête du quartier Python-Duvernois
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C'est quand le bonheur?
When is happiness?
Caption 9, Cali C'est quand le bonheur
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To complicate things further, some words take both genders, and their meaning changes depending on whether they're masculine or feminine (we discuss this at length in our lesson One Word, Two Genders). For example, un livre is "a book," but une livre is "a pound":
L'extérieur d'un livre s'appelle la couverture.
The outside of a book is called the cover.
Caption 4, Manon et Clémentine Vocabulaire du livre
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Une livre équivaut à environ quatre cent cinquante-quatre grammes.
One pound is equal to around four hundred fifty-four grams.
And there is a small group of noun pairs that have slightly different meanings in the masculine and feminine that aren't conveyed in English. For example, the words an and année both mean "year," but the masculine an emphasizes a point in time or a unit of time, while the feminine année stresses duration:
Un manuscrit de mille deux cents ans
A one thousand two hundred year old manuscript
Caption 9, Télé Lyon Métropole Un manuscrit vieux de 1200 ans découvert à Lyon
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Ça fait des années et des années qu'ils cherchent à être logés.
For years and years they've sought housing.
Captions 35-36, Actus Quartier Devant la SNCF
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Whether you’ve been studying French pendant des années (for years) or you’ve only just begun, with practice, remembering the gender of nouns will become easier. Thank you for reading the final lesson of this series!
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