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First published in UK 2000 by Hodder Education, an Hachette UK Company, 338 Euston Road,
London NW1 3BH.
Start French Copyright 2000, 2006, 2011, 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
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retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher or under licence from the Copyright
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Typeset by Transet Limited, Coventry, England.
Printed in Great Britain
Impression 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Year 2014 2013 2012 2011
ISBN 978 1444 13301 1
Welcome to the Michel
Thomas Method
Congratulations on purchasing the truly remarkable way to
learn a language. With the Michel Thomas Method theres no
reading, no writing and no homework. Just sit back, absorb, and
soon youll be speaking another language with condence.
The Michel Thomas Method works by breaking a language
down into its component parts and enabling you to
reconstruct the language yourself to form your own
sentences and to say what you want, when you want. By
learning the language in small steps, you can build it up yourself
to produce ever more complicated sentences.
Perfected over 25 years, the all-audio Michel Thomas Method
has been used by millions of people around the world.
Now its your turn.
To get started, simply insert the CD and press play!
1
2
About Michel Thomas
Michel Thomas (19142005) was a gifted linguist who
mastered more than ten languages in his lifetime and became
famous for teaching much of Hollywoods A list how to speak
a foreign language. Film stars such as Woody Allen, Emma
Thompson and Barbra Streisand paid thousands of dollars each
for face-to-face lessons.
Michel, a Polish Jew, developed his method after discovering
the untapped potential of the human mind during his traumatic
wartime experiences. The only way he survived this period
of his life, which included being captured by the Gestapo, was
by concentrating and placing his mind beyond the physical.
Fascinated by this experience, he was determined that
after the war he would devote himself to exploring further
the power of the human mind, and so dedicated his life to
education.
In 1947, he moved to Los Angeles and set up the Michel
Thomas Language Centers, from where he taught languages for
over fty years in New York, Beverly Hills and London.
Michel Thomas died at his home in New York City on Saturday
8th January 2005. He was 90 years old.
3
Start French index
Track 1
0:00 Introduction. How to use this course
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.
1:52 Words in English ending with -ible and -able are the same in French.
1:55 possible possible
2:11 table table

2:14 comfortable confortable
2:43 it is / that is cest
2:50 the life la vie
2:52 It is possible. Cest possible.
2:58 It is comfortable. Cest confortable.
3:04 good bon
3:08 It is good. Cest bon.
3:15 very trs
3:17 It is very good. Cest trs bon.
3:23 It is very comfortable. Cest trs confortable.
3:30 It is probable. Cest probable.
3:40 It is acceptable. Cest acceptable.
3:54 for me pour moi
3:58 for pour
4:02 It is for me. Cest pour moi.
4:09 for you pour vous
4:13 It is for you. Cest pour vous.
4:19 It is very comfortable for me. Cest trs confortable pour moi.
4:42 it is not ce nest pas
4:54 not for me pas pour moi
5:08 thanks merci
5:24 It is not for me. Ce nest pas pour moi.
5:38 It is not very comfortable Ce nest pas trs confortable
for me. pour moi.
4
Track 3
0:00 so-so (lit. like this, like that) comme ci, comme a
0:17 like that / that way comme a
0:25 It is like that (that way). Cest comme a.
0:58 It is not like that. Ce nest pas comme a.
1:05 It is not possible for me that way. Ce nest pas possible pour moi
comme a.
1:21 Im sorry je regrette
1:46 Im sorry but Je regrette mais
1:50 but mais
1:52 Im sorry but it is not very Je regrette mais ce nest pas trs
comfortable for me that way. confortable pour moi comme a.
2:32 Im sorry but it is not acceptable Je regrette mais ce nest pas
for me that way. acceptable pour moi comme a.
3:05 It is very remarkable. Cest trs remarquable.
3:20 considerable considrable
Track 4
0:00 Words in English ending in -ent and -ant come from French.
They have the same spelling and the same meaning.
0:12 different diffrent
0:17 important important
0:23 Pronunciation of im- and in-. The stress is always at the end of the
word in French.
0:43 It is not very different that way. Ce nest pas trs diffrent comme a.
1:09 But it is very important for me. Mais cest trs important pour moi.
1:29 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.
1:43 very important trs important
2:09 evident vident
2:14 recent rcent
2:18 constant constant
2:24 Words in English ending in -ary become -aire in French.
2:39 necessary ncessaire
2:47 It is not necessary for me. Ce nest pas ncessaire pour moi.
2:56 contrary contraire
5
3:01 on the contrary au contraire
3:11 military militaire
3:16 vocabulary vocabulaire
3:32 I would like je voudrais
3:56 to speak parler
4:07 to speak French parler franais
4:10 I would like to speak French. Je voudrais parler franais.
4:21 with avec
4:27 with you avec vous
4:30 with me avec moi
4:33 I would like to speak French Je voudrais parler franais
with you. avec vous.
4:47 Will you? / Will you, please? / Voulez-vous?
Do you want?
5:06 Will you speak French with me? Voulez-vous parler franais avec moi?
5:18 to come venir
5:30 Will you come with me? Voulez-vous venir avec moi?
5:43 to eat manger
5:54 Will you eat? Voulez-vous manger?
6:37 Will you come eat with me? Voulez-vous venir manger avec moi?
Track 5
0:12 to come venir
0:14 to go aller
0:19 Will you go eat with me? Voulez-vous aller manger avec moi?
0:41 Where? O?
0:50 Where do you want to go? O voulez-vous aller?
1:26 Where do you want to go eat? O voulez-vous aller manger?
2:04 tonight ce soir
2:21 It is for tonight. Cest pour ce soir.
2:30 Where do you want to go O voulez-vous aller
eat tonight? manger ce soir?
3:04 to have dinner dner
3:11 the dinner le dner
3:18 Where do you want to have O voulez-vous dner
dinner tonight? ce soir?
6
3:27 Do you want to come have Voulez-vous venir dner avec
dinner with me tonight? moi ce soir?
Track 6
0:00 to know savoir
0:10 I would like to know Je voudrais savoir
0:26 I would like to know where Je voudrais savoir o
0:35 I would like to know where it is. Je voudrais savoir o cest.
1:07 How much? Combien?
1:14 I would like to know how Je voudrais savoir combien cest.
much it is.
1:27 something quelque chose
1:33 the thing la chose
1:37 the same thing la mme chose
1:45 I would like to eat something. Je voudrais manger quelque chose.
1:55 I would like to eat the same thing. Je voudrais manger la mme chose.
2:30 Do you want to eat something? Voulez-vous manger quelque chose?
2:41 Do you want to eat the Voulez-vous manger la mme chose?
same thing?
2:52 The same thing for me, please. La mme chose pour moi,
sil vous plat.
3:05 I would like the same thing for Je voudrais la mme chose
me, please. pour moi, sil vous plat.
Track 7
0:00 Words in English ending in -ance and -ence come from French.
0:16 difference diffrence
0:19 preference prfrence
0:24 importance importance
0:31 inuence inuence
0:42 the difference la diffrence
0:47 a difference une diffrence
1:08 What difference? Quelle diffrence?
1:12 What? / Which? Quel(le)?
1:17 the preference la prfrence
1:22 a preference une prfrence
7
1:29 What preference? Quelle prfrence?
1:36 Have you? / Do you have? Avez-vous?
1:56 Do you have a preference? Avez-vous une prfrence?
2:05 What preference do you have? Quelle prfrence avez-vous?
2:16 For what restaurant do you have Pour quel restaurant avez-vous
a preference tonight? une prfrence ce soir?
3:29 Words in English ending in -ion come from French. They have the
same spelling and the same meaning.
3:37 opinion opinion
3:39 condition condition
3:57 the condition la condition
4:01 a condition une condition
4:08 What condition? Quelle condition?
4:15 position position
4:19 the position la position
4:23 a position une position
4:27 What position? Quelle position?
4:33 reservation rservation
4:46 the reservation la rservation
4:55 a reservation une rservation
5:03 What reservation? Quelle rservation?
5:15 Do you have a reservation Avez-vous une rservation
for me for tonight? pour moi pour ce soir?
Track 8
0:12 What sort? Quelle sorte?
0:26 of de
0:30 What kind of reservation do Quelle sorte de rservation
you have for me for tonight? avez-vous pour moi pour ce soir?
1:00 What kind of reservation do Quelle sorte de rservation
you want for tonight? voulez-vous pour ce soir?
1:25 There are approximately 1,200 nouns in English and in French ending
in -ion. These all have the same spelling and the same meaning. Out of
1,200 there are only three exceptions: translation, explanation, vacation
1:47 translation traduction
1:55 I would like a translation. Je voudrais une traduction.
2:13 to do / to make faire
8
2:23 Will you make a reservation Voulez-vous faire une rservation
for me? pour moi?
2:46 What kind of reservation do Quelle sorte de rservation
you want to make? voulez-vous faire?
3:40 Will you make a translation Voulez-vous faire une traduction
for me? pour moi?
3:55 explanation explication
4:06 to give donner
4:16 Will you give an explanation Voulez-vous donner une explication
for me? pour moi?
4:49 vacation les vacances
5:10 to spend time passer le temps
5:22 to spend money dpenser
5:30 to spend the vacation passer les vacances
5:38 Where do you want to spend O voulez-vous passer
the vacation? les vacances?
5:57 the situation la situation
6:08 What impression do you Quelle impression avez-vous
have of the situation? de la situation?
Track 9
0:00 Words in English ending in -ical end in -ique in French.
0:05 political politique
0:11 economical conomique
0:16 philosophical philosophique
0:21 astronomical astronomique
0:25 logical logique
0:30 practical pratique
0:34 It is not logical but it is very Ce nest pas logique mais cest
practical that way. trs pratique comme a.
1:10 the political situation la situation politique
1:32 the economical situation la situation conomique
1:53 and et
1:58 the political and economical la situation politique et conomique
situation
2:15 in France en France
2:18 in / to (a country) en
9
2:27 I would like to go to France. Je voudrais aller en France.
2:50 I would like to spend the Je voudrais passer les vacances
vacation(s) in France. en France.
Track 10
0:00 What impression do you have Quelle impression avez-vous de la
of the political and economical situation politique et conomique
situation in France at the en France prsent?
present time?
1:51 What kind of reservation do Quelle sorte de rservation
you have for me? avez-vous pour moi?
2:07 What kind of reservation do Quelle sorte de rservation
you want for tonight? voulez-vous pour ce soir?
2:45 The consonant at the end of a word in French is not pronounced
unless it is followed by an e.
3:01 restaurant restaurant
3:48 It is very small. Cest trs petit.
3:59 too / too much trop
4:16 late tard
4:30 It is very late. Cest trs tard.
4:35 It is too late. Cest trop tard.
4:44 It is too much for me. Cest trop pour moi.
5:18 big / tall grand
5:22 He is big. Il est grand.
5:24 She is big/tall. Elle est grande.
5:34 She is small. Elle est petite.
5:50 fast vite
5:58 It is very fast. Cest trs vite.
6:04 It is too fast for me. Cest trop vite pour moi.
Track 11
0:00 to speak parler
0:14 you speak vous parlez
0:22 You speak too fast for me. Vous parlez trop vite pour moi.
0:46 you go / you are going vous allez
1:37 You are going too fast for me. Vous allez trop vite pour moi.
10
1:52 It is very good. Cest trs bon.
1:59 so si
2:03 It is so good. Cest si bon.
2:19 if si
2:20 if it is so good si cest si bon
2:32 I would like to know if it is so good. Je voudrais savoir si cest si bon.
2:57 Why? Pourquoi?
3:06 I would like to know why Je voudrais savoir pourquoi
it is so good. cest si bon.
3:34 I would like to know where Je voudrais savoir o vous allez.
you are going.
3:53 I would like to know where Je voudrais savoir o vous
you are going to have allez dner ce soir.
dinner tonight.
Track 12
0:16 port / harbour port
0:19 airport aroport
0:35 the door la porte
0:42 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.
1:26 with avec
1:28 with me avec moi
1:29 with you avec vous
1:35 bag sac
1:41 A c which is preceded by an n is not pronounced.
1:56 white wine vin blanc
1:58 a glass un verre
2:07 a glass of white wine un verre de vin blanc
2:17 I would like a glass of white wine. Je voudrais un verre de vin blanc.
2:38 bottle bouteille
2:42 I would like a bottle. Je voudrais une bouteille.
2:54 I would like a bottle of white wine. Je voudrais une bouteille de vin blanc.
3:16 water eau
4:16 I would like a glass of water. Je voudrais un verre deau.
4:42 I would like a glass of mineral water. Je voudrais un verre deau minrale.
11
5:03 All words in English ending in -al or -el come from French.
5:12 normal normal
5:25 normally normalement
5:39 general gnral
5:54 generally gnralement
6:02 animal animal
6:07 special spcial
6:43 It is very special. Cest trs special.
6:49 specially for you spcialement pour vous
7:13 cup tasse
7:26 I would like a cup of coffee. Je voudrais une tasse de caf.
Track 13
0:11 still / still more encore
0:17 a little un peu
0:26 I would like a little Je voudrais un peu
0:59 later plus tard
1:26 Will you come later? Voulez-vous venir plus tard?
1:47 a little later un peu plus tard
1:59 Will you come a little later? Voulez-vous venir un peu plus tard?
2:09 now maintenant
2:41 not now pas maintenant
2:59 possibly possiblement
3:06 not now, possibly a little later pas maintenant, possiblement
un peu plus tard
Track 14
0:00 I would like to eat something. Je voudrais manger quelque chose.
0:45 the same thing la mme chose
0:51 I would like to eat the same thing. Je voudrais manger la mme chose.
1:02 other autre
1:07 the other thing lautre chose
1:13 another thing une autre chose
1:21 something else autre chose
1:38 I would like something else. Je voudrais autre chose.
1:50 to see voir
12
1:58 bye bye au revoir
2:19 to see again revoir
2:30 I would like to see something else. Je voudrais voir autre chose.
2:54 Do you have something else? Avez-vous autre chose?
3:08 Do you want something else? Voulez-vous autre chose?
3:33 Do you want to see Voulez-vous voir autre chose?
something else?
Track 15
0:22 to have avoir
1:30 I would like to have Je voudrais avoir
something else. autre chose.
2:17 I would like to know Je voudrais savoir
3:00 Difference between un(e) autre and encore
3:40 another glass (one more) encore un verre
3:52 I would like another bottle Je voudrais encore une bouteille
of white wine. de vin blanc.
5:22 I would like another cup of coffee. Je voudrais encore une tasse de caf.
6:05 I would like another glass of Je voudrais encore un verre
mineral water. deau minrale.
Track 16
0:00 More on the CAREFUL consonants: -r
0:43 to leave partir
0:57 to speak parler
1:05 The to form of a verb (innitive) is expressed in an ending with -r.
Ninety percent of French verbs end in -er.
1:25 to go aller
1:38 More on the CAREFUL consonants: -f
1:40 beef boeuf
1:42 More on the CAREFUL consonants: -l
1:52 Denition of nouns, verbs and adjectives
Heres what people say about Michel Thomas:
This guy is one of my heroes.
What a legend. I love his method.
Denitely the best way to learn.
Just after a couple of days Im condent that I will be able to
speak directly.
Its the best way to learn a foreign language.
Totally life changing.
The Michel Thomas course is much the easiest to make progress with.
Hes the best.
A truly inspirational way to learn a language.
With Michel you learn a language effortlessly.

The nearest thing to

painless learning.

The Times
Millions of people
worldwide speak
French thanks to the
Michel Thomas
Method.