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- Topic: French >
- "Je suis un garçon."
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I'm refreshing my French. Technically, you should pronounce the "s" in "suis" here because the next word begins with a vowel - one problem with computer-based audio.
More or less. No need to run them together more than any other words, but do pronounce the "s" at the end.
Oh. I did read somewhere that when liaison happens, the pronunciation of certain letters changes as well. So, the s would have a "z" sound, that's why I grouped them, because its easier to make the sound.
also bobby, each time that you see a word in french, with an S between 2 voWels, you have to pronounce it like Z EX : season, saison = saiZon or misery, misère = miZère
There is a french singer called Mylene Farmer, she has a song called "Sans Contrefaçon", the chorus includes this very phrase "Je suis un garçon". I love her pronunciation. It helped me know this phrase and memorise the pronunciation as well... I think the z sound keeps balance between the vowels and consonants of this phrase. French is a lovely language.
Thanks allintolearning for the links! I do find listening to Mylene Farmer songs helpful to my French, not to mention since I have been studying in Duolingo I understand more words! ^_^ Yey! I think I can start listening to more French music now and not feel left out due to language!
Hi mitaine56. This advice keeps coming up but no, not on my laptop it doesn't. I hold down the ALT hit 135 and hear three bells and nothing comes up on the screen.(For emails--- I have the facility when I'm doing Duo written exercises as Glutexo indicated above).
Oh, and it has to be the keypad. It cannot be the numbers at the top of the letter keys.
Hi throsturx. Yes, it could mean I Am A Waiter. For this Duo course only though. It is formal and now rather antiquated language. As has been posted many times now upon these threads, to use the term Garcon for Waiter is now considered rude, even offensive. There are correct terms for waiter and waitress which our dear sitesurf has given and BOTH my brain cells have forgotten. We will surely come across them later in the course. However, if you always as a matter of course go through all threads in every task, you will certainly come across Northernguy, sitesurf or others who have covered this and other queries a few times in other threads.
Hi mitaine56. Yes, of course, if that is your job and you describe your line of work, yes of course. Your post is helpful and further clarifies this dilemma. I gather though, from the many posts on this topic, that if I were to call to you "Garcon!" for attendance in your restaurant nowadays, it is That which is now considered offensive. The Duo task is specific and I understand that it may well be appropriate to describe yourself "Je suis un garcon" as it is obvious that you are by no means a Boy and that you describe your employment, not your chronological male point of development. Thank you for your clarification. I understand specifically now that my original post would have been more appropriate had the task been "Il est un garcon". JJ.
It's not SO offensive, it depends the way you say it. Of course, if you don't add "please" and say it on a boss tone, it is.
Thank you. I prefer however to play it safe, be polite and use the English "OI! You! Come Here, Now!" I'm sure I'll get by with the English Polite Way.
Je suis un garçon.
Une is feminine "a", un is masculine "a", as in a girl or a boy, respectively.
