7.5 Money Matters! Language Lesson

7.5 Money Matters!
Language & Culture Lessons
We all know that money talks and this lesson you'll learn how to talk about it as we go over all the facts and figures when
buying goods, renting an apartment or taking a trip to your local French bakery. So let's learn to balance your French
budget by talking about French currency.
Language Lesson
Money Matters!
The French monetary system uses a European currency known as the euro.
The French like to spend their money on eating well and buying quality goods. In terms of everyday necessities most
towns have a major shopping centre outside of the town centre, and sometimes several supermarkets, arcades and
fine specialist food stores in town.
This Lesson is the first of 5 topical discussions where you can expect to apply everything you have learned so far in
Rocket French. In this Lesson you can consider how to talk about daily costs and how they can help you to make
connections with the French culture.
Le Coût de la Vie (The Cost of Living)
Odile talks briefly about her life in the picturesque town of Tours, deep in the Loire Valley. She is writing to her
friends in England who are preparing to come and spend some time in France and who have asked her questions
about the cost of living. The English translation of what she says has been kept as literal as possible, so that you can
compare both versions more usefully.
Bonjour tout le monde ! J'attends votre visite avec
impatience ! Quelle bonne idée de venir passer votre
vacances dans la région. Je serais enchantée de vous
accueillir ici.
Hello everyone! I can't wait to see you! What a great idea
to come and spend your holiday in this area. I would be
delighted to welcome you here.
Au printemps, Tours est magnifique. Vous vouliez en
savoir un peu plus sur le coût de la vie ici ? Je suis ici
depuis déjà deux ans et j'aime beaucoup mon train de
vie.
In spring, Tours is beautiful. You wanted to know a bit
more about the cost of living here? I have been here for
two years already and I like my lifestyle very much.
Mon appartement me coûte six cents euros par mois. Je My flat costs me 600 euros a month. I spend 200 euros on
dépense deux cents euros en produits alimentaires et
food and 45 euros on transport.
quarante cinq euros en transport.
À l’occasion je m’achète un CD pour entre dix-huit et
vingt trois euros, ou je vais au cinéma à environ sept
euros la place. Mon petit déjeuner me coûte environ
trois euros au café près de chez moi.
On occasion, I buy myself a CD for between 18 and 23
euros, or I go to the cinema for about 7 euros a time. My
breakfast costs me about 3 euros at the cafe near where I
live.
J'aime aller voir ma famille qui habite dans le sud près
de la Vence, et le tarif par train me coûte cent quarante
euros aller-retour. Vous pourrez aussi aller les voir
peut-être ?
I like to go and see my family who live in the south near
Vence, and the train fare costs 140 euros for a return
ticket. You will also be able to go and see them maybe?
Bon, j'attends de vos nouvelles très bientôt. Quand allez- So, I am waiting for your news very soon. When will
vous arriver à Tours ? Laissez-moi savoir ! Amitiés à
you arrive in Tours? Let me know! With warm regards
tous, Odile.
to you all, Odile.
Quelques (Expressions)
La vie quotidienne
Daily life
Tout le monde
Everyone
Accueillir quelqu'un
To welcome someone
Le coût de la vie
The cost of living
Train de vie
Everyday life, lifestyle
Vivre au jour le jour
To live from day to day/hand to mouth
Le train-train
The daily grind
Ça me coûte
It costs me
Il faut absolument
You really must
Parce que
Because
Au jour le jour
One day at a time
La vie quotidienne
Daily life
Le train-train
The daily grind
Window on the Loire Valley
The Loire valley is home to the university city of Tours, which was built on a Roman site. Tours was even the French
capital for a short spell in 1461. To recover from consistent bomb damage over the centuries, Tours underwent an
extensive make-over lasting three decades and is looking better than ever and enjoying renewed prosperity.
The city of Tours is a natural central point for visitors to the Loire Valley and is well known for its sophistication,
culture and fine dining. The Loire valley has been designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site.
Tours is at the heart of France’s fairytale and historic region, and the Loire Valley plays host to some of the world’s
finest stories, heroes, heroines, castles, wines and tapestries. One of the region’s most well-known figures, the
quintessential French heroine Joan of Arc, came from Orléans, which was the site of major historical battles.
When the Price is Right
There are still some places where you can enjoy haggling over the price of things: there’s les halles (the covered
market places), which sell food, mainly fruit and vegetables. There are also many marchés (market places), around the
country. Les marchés aux puces, or flea markets, are still the best places to find good bargains.
Les halles
Faire des dépenses
The covered market places
Spending money
Quelques (Expressions)
Le taux de change
Rate of exchange
Le compte bancaire
Bank account
Je te dois de l'argent
I owe you money
Je vous dois combien ?
How much do I owe you?
C'est combien ?
How much is that?
Faire des dépenses
Spending money
Vous réglez comment ?
How are you paying for this?
J'ai un mois difficile.
I am having a difficult month (financially).
Ça se vend comme des petit pains.
It's selling like hot cakes.
Le porte-feuille
The wallet
En avoir pour son argent
To get one's money's worth
Voilà votre monnaie
Here's your change
Avez-vous de la monnaie ?
Do you have small change?
En espèce
In cash
C'est pas donné !
It's not cheap!
Une occasion
A bargain
En promotion
A special offer
Ça coûte la peau des fesses.
It costs an arm and a leg. (Literally: the skin off your
butt).
Être sur la paille
Being broke
Ça vaut la peine
It's worth the trouble
Ça vaut le coût
It's worth the cost
C'est trop cher
It's too expensive
Pouvez-vous me faire une remise ?
Can you give me a discount?
En avoir pour son
argent
To get one’s money’s
worth
Tirer le diable par la
queue
To live from hand to
mouth
Être sur la
paille
Being broke
C’est trop cher
It’s too
expensive
Culture
Mode de la France
The French have been picked up many stereotypes over the years. If you asked someone in the street to draw a
caricature of a French person, you'd probably end up with a man wearing a stripy top and a red beret, clutching a
baguette. Believe it or not, French fashion is not actually limited to stripes and berets!
France is in fact one of the fashion capitals of the world. Paris in particular plays a major role in developing new
fashion trends. Iconic brands such as Chanel, Christian Dior, Hermes, Jean-Paul Gautier, Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint
Laurent are all based in Paris. Of course most Parisians only dream of affording clothing from these stores, and
instead settle for finding their outfits in major department stores, quirky boutiques and markets.
French street fashion
Paris is the most fashion conscious city in all of France, and as a visitor you'll probably be acutely aware of how
stylish everyone is! Whilst this might seem a little intimidating to begin with, the upside of it is that shopping in Paris
is excellent. You'll find every style and size of clothing you can think of, and maybe even a beret or two!
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