French

Introductory Course
Michel Thomas

Learn another language the way you learnt your own

Michel Thomas, 19142005

Michel Thomas, the internationally renowned
linguist and language teacher, who was awarded the
Silver Star by the US Army for his bravery in the
Second World War, died of heart failure at his home
in New York on 8th January 2005. He was 90.

To find out more, please get in touch with us

For general enquiries and for information on Michel Thomas:
Call: 020 7873 6354 Fax: 020 7873 6325
Email: [email protected]
To place an order:
Call: 01235 400414 Fax: 01235 400454 Email: [email protected]
www.michelthomas.co.uk
You can write to us at:
Hodder Education, 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH
Visit our forum at:
www.michelthomas.co.uk
Unauthorized copying of this booklet or the accompanying audio material is
prohibited, and may amount to a criminal offence punishable by a fine and/or
imprisonment.

First published in UK 2000 by Hodder Education, a division of Hachette UK, 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH.
Copyright 2000 Thomas Keymaster Languages LLC All rights reserved.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publisher or under licence from the Copyright Licensing Agency Limited. Further
details of such licences (for reprographic reproduction) may be obtained from the Copyright Licensing Agency
Limited, Saffron House, 610 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS, UK.
Cover image Foods of the World/Alamy
Cover image Typeset by Transet Limited, Coventry, England.
Printed in Great Britain
Impression
26 25 24
Year
2012 2011 2010
ISBN:
978 0340 78064 0

Introduction
Anyone can learn a
language with
Michel Thomas!

No books, no pens, no
homework, no memorizing
just sit back and let the most
sought-after language teacher in
the world be your guide. In a matter
of hours, you will find yourself
speaking and thinking in your new
language quite naturally and
effortlessly.

Photo by Robert Milazzo

The amazing teaching method of

the worlds greatest language teacher,
Michel Thomas, is now available to
everyone, not just the rich and famous.
These all-audio courses, published by
Hodder Education, provide an
accelerated method for language
learning that is truly revolutionary.
And they promise a remarkable
educational experience that will
make your learning both
exciting and pleasurable.

What is the Michel Thomas method?

Over a period of twenty-five years, Michel Thomas developed and perfected
a unique method of teaching languages*. His approach gives startling
results within a remarkably short time, all without the need for books,
memorizing, or homework. In essence, Michel Thomas breaks a language
down to its component parts and enables learners to reconstruct the
language themselves to form their own sentences, to say what they want,
when they want. The experience of learning a language becomes so exciting
and satisfying that it stimulates self-motivation and builds confidence.
Michel Thomas presents the language within simple, elegant structures that
echo the way the language is spoken. He achieves this by guiding you
through carefully planned sets of exercises that build up your understanding
of the language almost without you realizing it. You are able to absorb the
structures effortlessly and apply them naturally right from the start.

What does the Introductory (2-hour) course contain?

In his specially developed course you hear the voice of Michel Thomas as
he leads a class of two students. These students are novices who have little
or no knowledge of the language they are being taught. Their responses to
Michel Thomas are not scripted and they have received no additional
instruction or preparation just the guidance from Michel Thomas that you
hear. You participate in this class actively and learn along with the students.
This radically different approach means that you will learn a language in
real-time conditions, that is in the same way that the students on the
recording learn. There is no need to stop the recording to do homework,
additional exercises, or vocabulary memorization. Therefore, unlike other
learning methods you may have encountered, you will not be set unrealistic
or unachievable goals. The success of the Michel Thomas method is proven
by the very results that you hear from the students on the recording and, at
the same time, from you as you make your own responses!

*U.S. patent 6,565,358

HOW IS THE INTRODUCTORY (2-hour) COURSE BEST USED?

Relax! Make yourself comfortable before playing the recording and try to let
go of the tensions and anxieties traditionally associated with learning.
Do not write or take any notes. Remove notebooks, pens, dictionaries
and anything else associated with learning at school.
Do not try to remember. While participating in the recording and
afterwards, it is important that you do not try to memorize specific words or
expressions. It is a basic principle of the Michel Thomas method that the
responsibility for the students learning lies with the teacher. With Michel
Thomas as your teacher, your learning will be based on understanding, and
what you understand you dont forget.
Interact fully with the recordings. Use the pause button and respond out
loud (or in a whisper, or in your head, if you are in a public place) before the
students responses. This is essential. You do not learn by repetition but by
thinking out the answers to each question; it is by your own thought process
that you truly learn.
Give yourself time to think. The students on the recordings had all the time
they needed to think out their responses. On the recordings their thinking time
has been cut in order to make full use of the recording time and to give you all
the time you may need (by pushing your pause button). The pause button is the
key to your learning!
Start at the beginning of the course. Whatever your existing knowledge
of the language you are learning, it is important that you follow the way that
Michel builds up your knowledge of the language.
Do not get annoyed with yourself if you make a mistake. Mistakes are
part of the learning process; as long as you understand why you made the
mistake and you have the ahaa reaction yes, of course, I understand now
you are doing fine. If you made a mistake and you do not understand why, you
may have been daydreaming for a few seconds. The course is structured so that
you cannot go on unless you fully understand everything, so just go back a little
and you will pick up where you left off.
Stop the recording whenever it suits you. You will notice that this course
is not divided into lessons*; you will always be able to pick up from where you
left off, without the need to review.
*Tracking breaks in the recordings reflect the numbering in the index. These breaks are added purely to help you
locate where you left off, and do not represent any sort of hierarchy in Michels method.

What level of language will I achieve?

The Introductory course comprises the first two hours of the Foundation
(8-hour) course. Both courses are designed for complete beginners. They
make no assumption of a knowledge of any language other than English.
They will give the beginner a practical and functional use of the spoken
language. They are also appropriate for anyone who has studied a language
before, but has forgotten much of it or does not have confidence in speaking.
The Advanced Course follows on from the Foundation Course and expands
on structures touched on in the earlier course to improve your understanding
and mastery of complex language.
The Michel Thomas Method teaches the everyday conversational language
that will allow you to communicate in a wide variety of situations, empowered
by the ability to create your own sentences and use the language naturally.
You will absorb the vocabulary and grammatical structures and, in addition,
will be introduced to elements of writing and reading.

How quickly can I learn with the Michel Thomas Method?

One of the most remarkable features of the Michel Thomas Method is the
speed with which results are achieved. A knowledge of the language that will
take months of conventional study can be achieved in a matter of hours with
the Michel Thomas Method. Michel masterfully guides the student through an
instructional process at a very rapid rate yet the process will appear
informal, relaxed and unhurried. Michel moves quickly between numerous
practice sessions, which all build the learners confidence in their ability to
communicate in complex ways.
Because the Michel Thomas Method is based on understanding, not
memorization, there is no set limit to the length of time that you should study
the course. It offers immersion without strain or stress, and you will find the
recordings are not divided into lessons, though the material has been indexed
for your convenience. This means that you can stop and start as you please.
The excitement of learning will motivate you to continue listening and
learning for as long a time as is practical for you. This will enable you to make
progress faster than you ever imagined possible.

Who is the Michel Thomas Method for?

Anyone can learn a language with the Michel Thomas Method and the
wide diversity of his students proves this. Not only did Michel instruct the
rich and famous, but he also taught many so-called hopeless cases. For
example, in 1997, Michel taught French to a group of sixteen-year-olds in
north London who had been told they could never learn a language, and
gave them the ability to use the new language far beyond their expectations
in just a week. Perhaps more importantly, he gave them the confidence to
speak and a belief in, and the experience of, their own ability to learn.
Whatever your motivation for learning a language, the Michel Thomas
Method quite simply offers the most effective method that is available.

What can I do next?

Try to speak with native speakers whenever possible, as this is invaluable for
improving your fluency. Television and radio programmes via satellite
podcasts, newspapers and magazines (print or on-line) (especially those
which feature interviews) will give you practice in the most current and
idiomatic language. Expose yourself to the language whenever you can
you will have firm foundations on which to build.
The Michel Thomas Foundation and Advanced courses follow on from
the Introductory course. As in the Introductory course, Michel leads a class
of two students.
The Michel Thomas Language Builders take the form of a one-to-one
lecture with Michel Thomas, building on the words and phrases in his
Foundation and Advanced courses. The courses provide confidence in
pronunciation, increase your word-power and consolidate your knowledge
in just two hours.
The much-anticipated Vocabulary courses carry forward the Michel
Thomas teaching tradition and faithfully follow his unique approach to
foreign language learning. The series editor is Dr Rose Lee Hayden, Michels
most experienced and trusted teacher. The courses remain faithful to the
method Michel Thomas uses in his earlier courses, with the all-audio and
building-block approach. The presenter builds on Michels foundations to

encourage the student at home to tap into the vast resources of vocabulary
common to English and the foreign languages taught here. The student
takes part in the audio, following prompts by the presenter, as in Michel
Thomas original Foundation and Advanced courses. The teaching is all in
English, with the addition of two native speakers to give models for perfect
pronunciation and to increase the opportunity for practice.
See the end of the booklet for details about all these courses.

So, who was Michel Thomas?

Michel Thomas was head of the Michel Thomas Language Centers and
taught languages for over fifty years, primarily in New York, Beverly Hills,
and London. He was a graduate of the Department of Philology at the
University of Bordeaux, France, and studied psychology at the Sorbonne
(Paris) and at the University of Vienna. However, it was his remarkable life
experiences that fuelled his passion for teaching languages.
Michel spent most of his childhood in Germany and France. With the rise of
Hitler, he began his years of escape and resistance. He spent two brutal
years in French concentration and slave labour camps, constantly threatened
by deportation to German death camps.
He escaped and fought for the French Resistance, surviving capture and
interrogation by Klaus Barbie the Butcher of Lyons and torture by
the Gestapo.
His mastery of languages enabled him to adopt many identities (the last
one being Michel Thomas), and, once France was liberated, allowed him to
join the US Army as an intelligence officer. His unit went on to liberate
Dachau, where he interrogated the camp executioner and interviewed
survivors. As well as recording the horrors of the Holocaust, he was driven
by a personal mission to discover the fate of his own family (he later
discovered that they had all perished in Auschwitz). At the end of the war,
he masterminded operations to uncover war criminals and infiltrate
underground Nazi groups, and was renowned for his ability to extract
confessions without ever recourse to violence. In 1944 Michel was
nominated for the Silver Star medal for his service to the US Armys 45th

Infantry Division in France. The award was

finally presented to him in May 2004, sixty
years later.
Michels wartime experiences, particularly
his torture by the Gestapo when he
discovered the ability to block out pain,
made him aware of the untapped potential
of the human mind. However, it was his
deeply held conviction that the biggest
weapon in maintaining a free society was
education that drove him to devote his life
Michel in the uniform of an officer in
to probing the learning process. Michel
the French Resistance
moved to Los Angeles in 1947, and he set
up a language institute in Beverly Hills.
Over a period of twenty-five years, he developed a unique and
revolutionary learning system that has made him the worlds leading
language teacher. Now, for the first time, his method has been made widely
available through the publication of these recordings.
For a full account of his fascinating life, read The Test of Courage: Michel Thomas by Christopher Robbins,
published by Hodder & Stoughton.

Whom did Michel Thomas teach?

People came from all over the world to learn a
foreign language with Michel Thomas because
his method works. His students, numbering in
the thousands, included well-known people from
the arts and from the corporate, political and
academic worlds. For example, he taught French
to filmstar Grace Kelly prior to her marriage to
Prince Rainier of Monaco.
Michel with Grace Kelly

Michels list of clients included:

Celebrities: Emma Thompson, Woody Allen, Barbra Streisand, Warren
Beatty, Melanie Griffith, Eddie Izzard, Bob Dylan, Jean Marsh, Donald

10

Sutherland, Mrs George Harrison, Anne Bancroft, Mel Brooks, Nastassja

Kinski, Carl Reiner, Raquel Welch, Johnny Carson, Julie Andrews, Isabelle
Adjani, Candice Bergen, Barbara Hershey, Priscilla Presley, Loretta Swit, Tony
Curtis, Diana Ross, Herb Alpert, Angie Dickinson, Lucille Ball, Doris Day,
Janet Leigh, Natalie Wood, Jayne Mansfield, Ann-Margaret, Yves Montand,
Kim Novak, Otto Preminger, Max von Sydow, Peter Sellers, Franois Truffaut,
Sophia Coppola.
Diplomats, dignitaries and academics: Former U.S. Ambassador to France,
Walter Curley; U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Joseph V. Reed; Cardinal John
OConnor, Archbishop of New York; Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua,
Archbishop of Philadelphia; Armand Hammer; Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of
York; Professor Herbert Morris, Dean of Humanities at UCLA; Warren
Keegan, Professor of Business at Pace University in New York; Professor
Wesley Posvar, former President of the University of Pittsburgh.
Executives from the following corporations: AT&T International,
Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, Chase Manhattan Bank, American Express,
Merrill Lynch, New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Boeing
Aircraft, General Electric, Westinghouse Electric, Bank of America, Max
Factor, Rand Corporation, Bertelsmann Music Group-RCA, Veuve Clicquot
Inc., McDonalds Corporation, Rover, British Aerospace.

Index

11

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 1 Track 1

0:00
Introduction. How to use this course
Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 1 Track 2
0:00

French language: similarities to English. Over 60 percent of English vocabulary comes

from French. Key to similar vocabulary. Active vocabulary is small: 5001,500 words.

3:28

Words in English ending with -ible and -able are the same in French.

4:00

possible

possible

4:07

table

table

4:15

comfortable

confortable

4:39

it is / that is

cest

4:47

the life

la vie

4:52

It is possible.

Cest possible.

5:02

It is comfortable.

Cest confortable.

5:11

good

bon

5:15

It is good.

Cest bon.

5:25

very

trs

5:28

It is very good.

Cest trs bon.

5:39

It is very comfortable.

Cest trs confortable.

5:50

It is probable.

Cest probable.

6:20

It is acceptable.

Cest acceptable.

6:28

for me

pour moi

6:34

for

pour

6:40

It is for me.

Cest pour moi.

6:46

for you

pour vous

6:51

It is for you.

Cest pour vous.

7:03

It is very comfortable for me.

Cest trs confortable pour moi.

7:33

it is not

ce nest pas

7:46

Not for me, thank you.

Pas pour moi, merci.

7:59

thanks

merci

8:24

It is not for me.

Ce nest pas pour moi.

8:40

It is not very comfortable

for me.

Ce nest pas trs confortable

pour moi.

12

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 1 Track 3

0:00

so-so (lit. like this, like that)

comme ci, comme a

0:21

like that / that way

comme a

0:32

It is like that (that way).

Cest comme a.

1:15

It is not like that.

Ce nest pas comme a.

1:30

It is not possible for me

that way.

Ce nest pas possible pour moi

comme a.

2:40

Im sorry

je regrette

3:08

Im sorry but

Je regrette mais

3:11

but

mais

3:18

Im sorry but it is not very

comfortable for me that way.

Je regrette mais ce nest pas trs

confortable pour moi comme a.

4:06

Im sorry but it is not

acceptable for me that way.

Je regrette mais ce nest pas

acceptable pour moi comme a.

4:48

It is very remarkable.

Cest trs remarquable.

5:04

considerable

considrable

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 1 Track 4

0:00

Words in English ending in -ent and -ant come from French.

They have the same spelling and the same meaning.

0:15

different

diffrent

0:20

important

important

0:29

Pronunciation of im- and in-. The stress is always at the end of the word in French.

0:56

It is not very different that way.

Ce nest pas trs diffrent comme a.

1:26

But it is very important for me.

Mais cest trs important pour moi.

1:51

The s at the end of a word may be pushed over to the following word if that word starts
with a vowel. It is pronounced as a z.

2:06

very important

trs important

2:38

evident

vident

2:42

recent

rcent

2:50

constant

constant

2:56

Words in English ending in -ary become -aire in French.

3:17

necessary

ncessaire

3:25

It is not necessary for me.

Ce nest pas ncessaire pour moi.

3:36

contrary

contraire

3:39

on the contrary

au contraire

3:53

military

militaire

3:58

vocabulary

vocabulaire

4:32

I would like

je voudrais

4:40

to speak

parler

4:55

to speak French

parler franais

5:03

I would like to speak French.

Je voudrais parler franais.

5:13

with

avec

5:18

with you

avec vous

5:21

with me

avec moi

5:28

I would like to speak French

with you.

Je voudrais parler franais

avec vous.

5:41

Will you? / Will you,

please? / Do you want?

Voulez-vous?

6:08

Will you speak French

with me?

Voulez-vous parler franais

avec moi?

6:26

to come

venir

6:42

Will you come with me?

Voulez-vous venir avec moi?

6:57

to eat

manger

7:10

Will you eat?

Voulez-vous manger?

8:11

Will you come eat

with me?

Voulez-vous venir manger

avec moi?

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 1 Track 5

0:15

to come

venir

0:18

to go

aller

0:27

Will you go eat with me?

Voulez-vous aller manger

avec moi?

0:56

Where?

O?

1:05

Where do you want to go?

O voulez-vous aller?

1:48

Where do you want to go eat?

O voulez-vous aller manger?

2:36

tonight

ce soir

2:52

It is for tonight.

Cest pour ce soir.

3:06

It is for me.

Cest pour moi.

3:23

Where do you want to go

eat tonight?

O voulez-vous aller manger

ce soir?

13

14

4:09

to have dinner

dner

4:16

the dinner

le dner

4:26

Where do you want to

have dinner tonight?

O voulez-vous dner
ce soir?

4:39

Do you want to come have

dinner with me tonight?

Voulez-vous venir dner avec

moi ce soir?

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 1 Track 6

0:00

to know

savoir

0:15

I would like to know

Je voudrais savoir

0:35

I would like to know where

Je voudrais savoir o

0:45

I would like to know where it is.

Je voudrais savoir o cest.

1:45

How much?

Combien?

1:54

I would like to know how

much it is.

Je voudrais savoir combien cest.

2:09

something

quelque chose

2:16

the thing

la chose

2:20

the same thing

la mme chose

2:28

I would like to eat something.

Je voudrais manger quelque chose.

2:45

I would like to eat the

same thing.

Je voudrais manger la mme

chose.

3:30

Do you want to eat

something?

Voulez-vous manger quelque

chose?

3:41

Do you want to eat the

same thing?

Voulez-vous manger la
mme chose?

3:55

The same thing for me,

please.

La mme chose pour moi,

sil vous plat.

4:10

I would like the same thing

for me, please.

Je voudrais la mme chose

pour moi, sil vous plat.

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 1 Track 7

0:00

Words in English ending in -ance and -ence come from French.

0:22

difference

diffrence

0:26

preference

prfrence

0:31

importance

importance

0:40

influence

influence

1:06

the difference

la diffrence

1:13

a difference

une diffrence

1:19

What difference?

Quelle diffrence?

1:23

What? / Which?

Quel?

1:29

the preference

la prfrence

1:40

a preference

une prfrence

1:48

What preference?

Quelle prfrence?

1:59

Have you? / Do you have?

Avez-vous?

2:26

Do you have a preference?

Avez-vous une prfrence?

2:36

What preference do you have?

Quelle prfrence avez-vous?

2:50

For what restaurant do you

have a preference tonight?

Pour quel restaurant avez-vous

une prfrence ce soir?

4:30

Words in English ending in -ion come from French. They have the same spelling and
the same meaning.

4:47

opinion

opinion

4:49

condition

condition

5:11

the condition

la condition

5:15

a condition

une condition

5:21

What condition?

Quelle condition?

5:29

position

position

5:33

the position

la position

5:38

a position

une position

5:41

What position?

Quelle position?

5:48

reservation

rservation

6:07

the reservation

la rservation

6:16

a reservation

une rservation

6:28

What reservation?

Quelle rservation?

6:42

Do you have a reservation

for me for tonight?

Avez-vous une rservation

pour moi pour ce soir?

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 1 Track 8

0:15

What sort?

Quelle sorte?

0:27

of

de

0:32

What kind of reservation do

you have for me for tonight?

Quelle sorte de rservation

avez-vous pour moi pour ce soir?

15

16

1:10

What kind of reservation do

you want for tonight?

Quelle sorte de rservation

voulez-vous pour ce soir?

1:51

There are approximately 1,200 nouns in English and in French ending in -ion. Out of
1,200 there are only three exceptions: translation, explanation, vacation

2:19

translation

traduction

2:32

I would like a translation.

Je voudrais une traduction.

2:56

to do / to make

faire

3:19

Will you make a reservation

for me?

Voulez-vous faire une rservation

pour moi?

3:34

What kind of reservation do

you want to make?

Quelle sorte de rservation

voulez-vous faire?

4:42

Will you make a translation

for me?

Voulez-vous faire une traduction

pour moi?

5:00

explanation

explication

5:10

to give

donner

5:25

Will you give an explanation

for me?

Voulez-vous donner une explication

pour moi?

6:05

vacation

les vacances

6:44

to spend money

dpenser

6:51

to spend time

passer le temps

6:55

to spend the vacation

passer les vacances

7:06

Where do you want to

spend the vacation?

O voulez-vous passer les

vacances?

7:27

the situation

la situation

7:52

What impression do you

have of the situation?

Quelle impression avez-vous

de la situation?

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 1 Track 9

0:00

Words in English ending in -ical end in -ique in French.

0:05

political

politique

0:15

economical

conomique

0:20

philosophical

philosophique

0:26

astronomical

astronomique

0:30

logical

logique

0:36

practical

pratique

0:45

It is not logical but it is very

practical that way.

Ce nest pas logique mais

cest trs pratique comme a.

1:38

the political situation

la situation politique

1:46

the economical situation

la situation conomique

2:15

and

et

2:22

the political and economical

situation

la situation politique et
conomique

2:44

in France

en France

2:47

in / to (a country)

en

3:00

I would like to go to France.

Je voudrais aller en France.

3:36

I would like to spend the

vacation(s) in France.

Je voudrais passer les vacances

en France.

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 2 Track 1

0:11

What impression do you

have of the political and
economical situation in France
at the present time?

Quelle impression avez-vous

de la situation politique et
conomique en France
prsent?

2:20

What kind of reservation do

you have for me?

Quelle sorte de rservation

avez-vous pour moi?

2:41

What kind of reservation

do you want for tonight?

Quelle sorte de rservation

voulez-vous pour ce soir?

3:45

The consonant at the end of a word in French is not pronounced unless it is followed
by an e.

4:05

restaurant

restaurant

5:04

It is very small.

Cest trs petit.

5:18

too / too much

trop

5:43

late

tard

5:56

It is very late.

Cest trs tard.

6:05

It is too late.

Cest trop tard.

6:16

It is too much for me.

Cest trop pour moi.

7:01

big / tall

grand

7:08

He is big.

Il est grand.

7:10

She is big/tall.

Elle est grande.

7:21

She is small.

Elle est petite.

7:39

fast

vite

7:48

It is very fast.

Cest trs vite.

8:03

It is too fast for me.

Cest trop vite pour moi.

17

18

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 2 Track 2

0:00

to speak

parler

0:23

you speak

vous parlez

0:33

You speak too fast for me.

Vous parlez trop vite pour moi.

1:01

you go / you are going

vous allez

2:02

You are going too fast for me.

Vous allez trop vite pour moi.

2:24

It is very good.

Cest trs bon.

2:36

so

si

2:40

It is so good.

Cest si bon.

3:00

if

si

3:04

if it is so good

si cest si bon

3:23

I would like to know if it is

so good.

Je voudrais savoir si cest

si bon.

3:56

Why?

Pourquoi?

4:09

I would like to know why

it is so good.

Je voudrais savoir pourquoi

cest si bon.

4:46

I would like to know where

you are going.

Je voudrais savoir o vous allez.

5:13

I would like to know where

you are going to have
dinner tonight.

Je voudrais savoir o vous

allez dner ce soir.

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 2 Track 3

0:18

port / harbour

port

0:24

airport

aroport

0:43

the door

la porte

0:51

A consonant at the end of a word which is not followed by an e is not pronounced with
the following four exceptions: C, R, F, L CAREFUL consonants.

1:44

with

avec

1:46

with me

avec moi

1:48

with you

avec vous

1:58

bag

sac

2:10

A c which is preceded by an n is not pronounced.

2:27

white wine

vin blanc

2:34

a glass

un verre

2:42

a glass of white wine

un verre de vin blanc

2:54

I would like a glass of

white wine.

Je voudrais un verre de
vin blanc.

3:24

bottle

bouteille

3:30

I would like a bottle.

Je voudrais une bouteille.

3:43

I would like a bottle of

white wine.

Je voudrais une bouteille de

vin blanc.

4:15

water

eau

5:25

I would like a glass of water.

Je voudrais un verre deau.

5:53

I would like a glass of

mineral water.

Je voudrais un verre
deau minrale.

6:22

All words in English ending in -al or -el come from French.

6:33

normal

normal

6:47

normally

normalement

7:03

general

gnral

7:24

generally

gnralement

7:38

animal

animal

7:44

special

spcial

8:28

It is very special.

Cest trs special.

8:39

specially for you

spcialement pour vous

9:09

cup

tasse

9:27

I would like a cup of coffee.

Je voudrais une tasse de caf.

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 2 Track 4

0:14

still / still more

encore

0:28

a little

un peu

0:39

I would like a little

Je voudrais un peu

1:23

later

plus tard

1:28

more

plus

2:10

Will you come later?

Voulez-vous venir plus tard?

2:36

a little later

un peu plus tard

2:50

Will you come a little later?

Voulez-vous venir un peu plus tard?

3:04

now

maintenant

3:44

not now

pas maintenant

4:07

possibly

possiblement

19

20

4:15

not now, possibly a little later

pas maintenant, possiblement

un peu plus tard

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 2 Track 5

0:00

I would like to eat

something.

Je voudrais manger
quelque chose.

1:02

the same thing

la mme chose

1:09

I would like to eat the

same thing.

Je voudrais manger la
mme chose.

1:27

other

autre

1:33

the other thing

lautre chose

1:42

another thing

une autre chose

1:59

something else

autre chose

2:13

I would like something else.

Je voudrais autre chose.

2:28

to see

voir

2:35

bye bye

au revoir

2:53

to see again

revoir

3:11

I would like to see

something else.

Je voudrais voir
autre chose.

3:49

Do you have something else?

Avez-vous autre chose?

4:08

Do you want something else?

Voulez-vous autre chose?

4:42

Do you want to see

something else?

Voulez-vous voir
autre chose?

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 2 Track 6

1:35

to have

avoir

1:42

I would like to have

something else.

Je voudrais avoir
autre chose.

2:38

I would like to know

Je voudrais savoir

3:45

Difference between un(e) autre and encore

4:21

another glass (one more)

encore un verre

4:46

I would like another bottle

of white wine.

Je voudrais encore une bouteille

de vin blanc.

6:47

I would like another

cup of coffee.

Je voudrais encore une

tasse de caf.

7:49

I would like another glass of

mineral water.

Je voudrais encore un verre

deau minrale.

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 2 Track 7

21

0:00

More on the CAREFUL consonants: -r

0:57

to leave

partir

1:19

to speak

parler

1:29

The to form of a verb (infinitive) is expressed in an ending with -r. Ninety percent of
French verbs end in -er.

1:58

to go

2:13

More on the CAREFUL consonants: -f

2:17

beef

2:26

More on the CAREFUL consonants: -l

3:00

Definition of nouns, verbs and adjectives

aller
boeuf

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 2 Track 8

0:00

If you know how to use the verbs, you know how to use the language. Verbs are the
backbone of any language.

1:29

to sleep

dormir

1:49

to comprehend / to understand

comprendre

1:57

to do / to make

faire

4:24

Will you come eat with me?

Voulez-vous venir manger

avec moi?

4:49

I must

Je dois

5:13

I must speak with you.

Je dois parler avec vous.

5:43

Will you speak French

with me?

Voulez-vous parler franais

avec moi?

6:00

I must know where it is.

Je dois savoir o cest.

7:03

I am

Je suis

7:19

I am tired.

Je suis fatigu.

7:27

I am very tired now.

Je suis trs fatigu maintenant.

7:43

busy

occup

8:02

I am very busy now.

Je suis trs occup maintenant.

Introductory (2-hour) course: CD 2 Track 9

0:19

I can

je peux

0:26

I can a little

je peux un peu

22

0:58

Not for me, thank you.

Pas pour moi, merci.

1:26

I cannot.

Je ne peux pas.

1:44

The signal for the negative is ne.

3:50

I am not.

Je ne suis pas.

4:02

I am not tired now.

Je ne suis pas fatigu maintenant.

5:05

But I am not very

busy now.

Mais je ne suis pas trs

occup maintenant.

Your guide to the Michel Thomas Method courses

No books

No writing

Just confidence

Introductory course (2 CDs)

First 2 hours of the Foundation course
A taster of the Michel Thomas Method
14.99

Foundation course (8 CDs)

8-hour course for beginners
Track listing
70.00

French, German, Italian, Spanish

Language Builders (2 CDs)
Increase word power and learn
colloquial phrases
Track listing
20.00

Advanced course (4 CDs)

5-hour follow-on to Foundation course
Track listing
50.00

French, German, Italian, Spanish

Vocabulary course (5 CDs)
Learn 1,000 words painlessly
in 6 hours
Track listing
30.00

New languages
Vocabulary course (4 CDs)
Learn hundreds of words
painlessly in 5 hours
Track listing
40.00

23

The Michel Thomas Method product range

Introductory course (2 CDs*) 14.99
Arabic
ISBN: 978 0340 95728 8
Dutch
ISBN: 978 0340 97170 3
French
ISBN: 978 0340 78064 0
German
ISBN: 978 0340 78066 4
Italian
ISBN: 978 0340 78070 1
Japanese
ISBN: 978 0340 97458 2
Mandarin
ISBN: 978 0340 95722 6
Polish
ISBN: 978 0340 97518 3
Portuguese
ISBN: 978 0340 97166 6
Russian
ISBN: 978 0340 94842 2
Spanish
ISBN: 978 0340 78068 8
*These are the first 2 hours of the Foundation course.
Foundation course (8 CDs) 70
Arabic
ISBN: 978 0340 95727 1
Dutch
ISBN: 978 0340 97169 7
French
ISBN: 978 0340 93891 1
German
ISBN: 978 0340 93892 8
Italian
ISBN: 978 0340 93894 2
Japanese
ISBN: 978 0340 97457 5
Mandarin
ISBN: 978 0340 95726 4
Polish
ISBN: 978 0340 97517 6
Portuguese
ISBN: 978 0340 97167 3
Russian
ISBN: 978 0340 94841 5
Spanish
ISBN: 978 0340 93893 5
Advanced course (4 CDs) 50
Arabic
ISBN: 978 0340 95729 5
Dutch
ISBN: 978 0340 97171 0
French
ISBN: 978 0340 93898 0
German
ISBN: 978 0340 93913 0
Italian
ISBN: 978 0340 93900 0
Japanese
ISBN: 978 0340 97459 9
Mandarin
ISBN: 978 0340 95723 3
Polish
ISBN: 978 0340 97517 6
Portuguese
ISBN: 978 0340 97168 0
Russian
ISBN: 978 0340 94843 9
Spanish
ISBN: 978 0340 93899 7

25

26

The Language Builders take the form of a one-to-one lecture with Michel Thomas,
building on the words and phrases in the Foundation and Advanced courses. The courses
provide confidence in pronunciation, increase your word-power and consolidate your
knowledge in just two hours.
Language Builders (2 CDs) 20
French
German
Italian
Spanish

ISBN: 978 0 340 78969 8

ISBN: 978 0 340 78973 5
ISBN: 978 0 340 78975 9
ISBN: 978 0 340 78971 1

The Vocabulary courses carry forward the Michel Thomas Method teaching tradition
and faithfully follow this unique approach to foreign language learning, with the all-audio
and building-block approach.
Vocabulary courses: French, German, Italian, Spanish (5 CDs) 30
French
German
Italian
Spanish

ISBN: 978 0 340 93982 6

ISBN: 978 0 340 93984 0
ISBN: 978 0 340 93983 3
ISBN: 978 0 340 93973 4

Vocabulary courses: new languages (4 CDs) 40

Arabic
Mandarin
Russian

ISBN: 978 0 340 98323 2

ISBN: 978 0 340 98358 4
ISBN: 978 0 340 98324 9

Background reading
The Test of Courage is Michel Thomass thrilling biography. Written by acclaimed
journalist Christopher Robbins, it tells the story of the worlds greatest language teacher
and of how his experience at the hands of the Gestapo fuelled his passion for language
teaching.
ISBN: 978 0340 81245 7; paperback; 9.99
In The Learning Revolution renowned instructional psychologist Dr Jonathan Solity draws
on professional experience and lengthy discussions with Michel Thomas to explain how
and why the Michel Thomas Method of language teaching works where so many
others fail.
ISBN: 978 0340 92833 2; hardback; 19.99

27

THE TEST OF COURAGE

EAN: 978 0 340 81245 7
9.99 paperback
Michel Thomas remarkable life-story, told by Christopher Robbins
As much a thriller as a biography
Emma Thompson
One of the bravest men you will ever read about
John le Carr
Intriguing biography a vivid, life-affirming narrative that exerts
considerable power
THE TIMES
This book is a right riveting read
SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY

28

These Michel Thomas Method products are available from all good bookshops
and online booksellers.
To find out more, please get in touch with us
For general enquiries and for information about the Michel Thomas
Method:
Call: 020 7873 6354 Fax: 020 7873 6325
Email: [email protected]
To place an order:
Call: 01235 400414 Fax: 01235 400454 Email: [email protected]
www.michelthomas.co.uk
You can write to us at:
Hodder Education, 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH
Visit our forum at:
www.michelthomas.co.uk

Download and learn a new language anywhere

Now you can download the Michel Thomas Method language courses
straight to your PC or Mac. Add them to your personal audio player
and take them anywhere. They work with all models of iPod,
Creative, Palm, other players, smartphones and other mobile
phones: over 500 devices in all.
Listen as you travel, while you drive, or any time your ears are free
but your hands are busy.
Four easy steps to download your Michel Thomas Course:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Browse by language or skill set and find your course

Add to the shopping cart, register and purchase
Install our quick and easy software
Download and learn

Your purchase is quick and secure, guaranteed by Audible, the

Internets largest provider of digital spoken-word audio.
For more information, visit www.audible.co.uk/michelthomas

29


Have your say! Listener response form
1. What is your name?
2. Are you male or female?
3. What is your age?
4. What is your occupation?
5. What is your address (email and/or postal)?
6. How did you hear about the Michel Thomas Method?
7. Why are you learning a language?
8. Which language are you studying?
9. Which of the Michel Thomas Method courses have you done?
10. Where did you buy/borrow them from?
11. Have you tried another method before? If so, which product?
12. Whats the best thing about learning with the Michel Thomas Method?
Please send this form to our FREEPOST address:
Hodder Education Consumer Marketing, 338 Euston Road,
FREEPOST NW6148, London NW1 3BH
If you would like to be put on the Michel Thomas Method mailing list to be kept
up to date with the latest offers and new products, please tick the box
The Michel Thomas Method aims to offer a great learning experience. If you have
any comments or suggestions please email us at [email protected]

Learn another language the way you learnt your own

Press reviews for the Michel Thomas Method

language courses
The Times
the nearest thing to painless learning
The Daily Telegraph
works like a dream
Sunday Business
ideal for any business traveller who needs to be able to get around
confidently
Time Out
five minutes into the first CD, you already feel like youre winning
Red
Hugely inspiring
Daily Star
Michels methods will teach you effectively and easily
The Daily Telegraph
a great way to learn; its fast and it lasts

www.michelthomas.co.uk