Récapitulatif de nos sessions de conversation — vocabulaire & grammaire
En français, « depuis » traduit les deux. En anglais, ça dépend de ce qui suit.
SINCE + un point de départ 📍 (« depuis quand ? ») → since 2018, since Monday, since I met him
FOR + une durée ⏱️ (« pendant combien de temps ? ») → for 8 years, for two weeks, for a while
👉 Presque toujours avec le present perfect : I've been following him for 18 years now.
Astuce : un nombre de durée → FOR · une date / un événement → SINCE.
Les trois = « pendant » — mais le mot qui suit change tout.
| FOR | + durée → for three hours |
|---|---|
| DURING | + un nom → during the dinner |
| WHILE | + sujet + verbe → while I was talking |
Même logique pour le temps et le lieu : du plus précis (at) au plus large (in).
| at + heure / moment précis | at 6 pm, at noon, at night, at the weekend (UK), at Christmas |
|---|---|
| on + jour / date | on Monday, on 5 June, on my birthday, on New Year's Day |
| in + mois, saison, année, partie du jour | in July, in summer, in 2020, in the morning |
| at + point précis / adresse | at the gallery, at home, at work, at the station, at the door |
|---|---|
| on + surface / ligne | on the wall, on the table, on the first floor, on the left |
| in + espace fermé / volume | in the room, in Paris, in France, in the garden, in a box |
in / on = position (où c'est) · into / onto = mouvement (direction vers).
| into = vers l'intérieur d'un espace | walk into the room · get into the car · jump into the pool |
|---|---|
| onto = vers / sur une surface | climb onto the roof · step onto the stage · put it onto the table |
Après un verbe, met-on -ing (gérondif) ou to + base (infinitif) ? Cela dépend du premier verbe.
| enjoy, avoid, finish, mind, keep, suggest, consider, imagine, miss, give up, feel like | I enjoy collecting art. · We avoided selling too low. |
|---|---|
| ⭐ après TOUTE préposition | good at painting · interested in buying · before leaving |
| want, would like, decide, hope, plan, promise, agree, offer, refuse, need, learn, manage, afford, expect, choose | I want to see the collection. · We decided to buy it. |
|---|
| Même sens : like, love, hate, prefer, start, begin, continue | I like painting = I like to paint. |
|---|---|
| stop + -ing / stop + to | stop smoking (arrêter de fumer) · stop to smoke (s'arrêter pour fumer) |
| remember + -ing / remember + to | remember calling (se souvenir d'avoir appelé) · remember to call (penser à appeler) |
| try + -ing / try + to | try doing (tester) · try to do (s'efforcer de) |
En français, un seul verbe (« faire ») couvre les deux. En anglais, il faut choisir. MAKE = créer / produire un résultat · DO = accomplir une action / tâche.
En grande partie une question de collocations (associations fixes à apprendre) :
| MAKE — créer / produire | DO — action / tâche |
|---|---|
| make a decision (prendre une décision) | do business (faire des affaires) |
| make a plan (faire un plan) | do a deal (conclure un accord) |
| make an offer (faire une offre) | do research (faire des recherches) |
| make a mistake (faire une erreur) | do your best (faire de son mieux) |
| make money (gagner de l'argent) | do a favour (rendre un service) |
| make a profit (faire un bénéfice) | do the paperwork (la paperasse) |
| make an appointment (prendre RDV) | do the accounts (la comptabilité) |
| make a phone call (passer un appel) | do damage (causer des dégâts) |
| make an impression (faire impression) | do the work (faire le travail) |
| make a suggestion (faire une suggestion) | do your job (faire son travail) |
Avant de choisir un quantifieur, il faut toujours se poser une seule question : est-ce que je peux compter ce nom ? (one, two, three...) C'est ça qui décide de tout le reste.
| DÉNOMBRABLE (countable) | INDÉNOMBRABLE (uncountable) |
|---|---|
| On peut compter : one work, two works A un pluriel en -s Prend a / an |
On ne peut pas compter : two moneys ✗ Pas de pluriel Jamais a / an |
| a work, works (œuvres) an artist, a collector a painting, a sculpture a château, a room a decision, a mistake |
money, time, art work (le travail) information, advice, news furniture, luggage research, progress, damage |
Astuce : pour compter un indénombrable, on ajoute un « contenant » : a piece of advice, a glass of water, a bit of information, two pieces of furniture.
Les deux veulent dire « beaucoup de ». Le choix dépend uniquement du nom qui suit.
| MANY | + nom dénombrable pluriel → many works, many people, many collectors, many years |
|---|---|
| MUCH | + nom indénombrable → much money, much time, much work, much information |
À l'affirmative, much et many sonnent formels ou bizarres à l'oral. On utilise a lot of / lots of.
| Type de phrase | On utilise |
|---|---|
| Négative | much / many → I don't have much time. · There aren't many buyers. |
| Question | much / many → How much is it? · Do you have many works left? |
| Affirmative | a lot of / lots of → I have a lot of work. (I have much work ✗) |
| too much / too many | trop de → too much money · too many people at the opening |
|---|---|
| so much / so many | tellement de → There was so much art, I couldn't take it all in. |
| as much as / as many as | autant que → He earns as much as a gallerist. |
| how much / how many | combien → How much is the reserve price? (prix / quantité) · How many works did you consign? (nombre) |
| not much / not many | pas beaucoup → Not many people turned up. |
Même logique que much/many : le nom décide. Mais ici il y a une deuxième difficulté, bien plus subtile : la présence ou l'absence de « a » change complètement le sens.
| A FEW | + dénombrable pluriel = quelques → a few works, a few collectors, a few days |
|---|---|
| A LITTLE | + indénombrable = un peu de → a little money, a little time, a little help |
A few collectors came to the private view. · We still have a little time before the sale.
C'est le point le plus important de cette fiche. A few / a little sont positifs (« il y en a un peu, c'est déjà ça »). Few / little tout seuls sont négatifs (« il n'y en a presque pas »).
| Positif ☺ | Négatif ☹ |
|---|---|
| a few = quelques (assez) I have a few buyers interested. → tant mieux, j'en ai quelques-uns |
few = peu de, presque aucun I have few buyers interested. → dommage, presque personne |
| a little = un peu de We have a little time. → ça ira, on a un peu de temps |
little = peu de, presque pas We have little time. → c'est problématique, on manque de temps |
| quite a few | Attention, faux ami logique ! = pas mal de, un bon nombre (beaucoup, pas peu) → Quite a few collectors turned up. |
|---|---|
| a bit of | = a little, plus familier → a bit of advice, a bit of luck |
| only a few / very few | = vraiment très peu → Only a few works were left. |
| a couple of | = deux ou trois → I'll be back in a couple of days. |
| a little bit | = un tout petit peu → It's a little bit oversized. |
Ici, ce n'est pas le nom qui décide (some et any marchent avec dénombrables et indénombrables) : c'est le type de phrase.
| Type de phrase | On utilise |
|---|---|
| ✅ Affirmative | SOME → I have some works by him. · There's some champagne left. |
| ❌ Négative | ANY → I don't have any works by him. · There isn't any champagne. |
| ❓ Question | ANY → Do you have any works by him? · Is there any champagne? |
Les deux s'emploient avec un pluriel dénombrable (some works) ou un indénombrable (some money). Jamais avec un singulier dénombrable : some work = un peu de travail, pas « une œuvre ».
no + nom = not + any, en plus court et plus emphatique. Le verbe reste affirmatif !
| not any (verbe négatif) | no (verbe affirmatif) |
|---|---|
| There isn't any champagne left. | There's no champagne left. |
| I don't have any time. | I have no time. |
Les mêmes règles s'appliquent aux mots composés.
| SOME- | ANY- | NO- | |
|---|---|---|---|
| chose | something | anything | nothing |
| personne | someone / somebody | anyone / anybody | no one / nobody |
| lieu | somewhere | anywhere | nowhere |
I saw someone I knew at the opening. · I didn't see anyone I knew. · I saw no one I knew.
| DÉNOMBRABLE pluriel (works, people, days) | INDÉNOMBRABLE (money, time, advice) | |
|---|---|---|
| beaucoup de | many (nég./quest.) a lot of / lots of | much (nég./quest.) a lot of / lots of |
| quelques / un peu de | a few | a little / a bit of |
| presque pas de | few · not many · hardly any | little · not much · hardly any |
| du / de la / des | some (aff.) · any (nég./quest.) | some (aff.) · any (nég./quest.) |
| trop de | too many | too much |
| combien | how many | how much |
| aucun | no / not any | no / not any |
Complète, puis clique pour vérifier.
can, could, may, might, must, should, will, would, shall — de petits verbes qui ne veulent pas dire une action, mais une attitude : la capacité, la permission, l'obligation, la probabilité.
| 1 · Jamais de -s à la 3ᵉ personne | She can sell. ✓ · She cans ✗ |
|---|---|
| 2 · Jamais de « to » après | I can go. ✓ · I can to go ✗ |
| 3 · Négation = modal + not | I can't go. · She shouldn't sell. (don't can ✗) |
| 4 · Question = inversion | Can you come? · Should we wait? (Do you can ✗) |
| can | capacité présente → I can speak English. |
|---|---|
| could | capacité passée générale → I could read at four. |
| was able to / managed to | ⭐ réussite ponctuelle au passé → The roof was leaking, but we were able to fix it. (pas could ici) |
| will be able to | futur (car will can ✗) → I'll be able to come on Friday. |
| can | courant → You can look around. |
|---|---|
| could / may | plus poli / formel → Could I see the catalogue? · May I come in? |
| be allowed to | permission officielle → We're not allowed to photograph the works. |
Les deux se traduisent par « devoir », mais l'origine de l'obligation diffère.
| MUST — l'obligation vient de moi | HAVE TO — l'obligation vient de l'extérieur |
|---|---|
| conviction personnelle, urgence ressentie I must call the gallerist today. (je me l'impose) |
règle, loi, circonstances I have to sign the consignment form. (la maison l'exige) |
| should | conseil courant → You should visit the château first. |
|---|---|
| ought to | = should, plus formel → You ought to insure the collection. |
| had better ('d better) | ⚠️ conseil urgent, avec menace implicite → You'd better call him before the sale. (sinon, problème) |
| shall | proposition (1ʳᵉ pers.) → Shall we make an offer? |
Du plus sûr au plus incertain, pour dire « ça doit être / ce n'est peut-être pas » :
| must be | quasi-certain que oui → He must be the collector — he's early. (ça doit être lui) |
|---|---|
| may / might / could be | possible → It might be a fake. · She could be interested. |
| can't be | ⭐ quasi-certain que non → That can't be the reserve price — it's far too low. |
C'est la structure qui fait la différence à l'oral : elle exprime le regret, le reproche ou la déduction sur le passé.
| should have + p.p. | regret, reproche → I should have bought it. (j'aurais dû l'acheter — je ne l'ai pas fait) |
|---|---|
| shouldn't have + p.p. | He shouldn't have pulled out. (il n'aurait pas dû) |
| must have + p.p. | déduction passée → The show must have sold out. (ça a dû afficher complet) |
| can't have + p.p. | déduction négative → He can't have seen the invoice. (il n'a pas pu la voir) |
| could have + p.p. | possibilité non réalisée → We could have made a fortune. (on aurait pu) |
| might have + p.p. | peut-être que → She might have changed her mind. |
À l'oral, have se contracte en « -uv » : should've, must've, could've. On ne dit jamais « should of » à l'écrit, même si ça s'entend pareil.
Would you mind waiting? · Could you possibly send the invoice? · May I offer you some champagne? — le modal au passé (could, would) est toujours plus poli que le présent (can, will).
Le passif déplace le projecteur : ce n'est plus celui qui fait l'action qui compte, mais ce qui subit l'action. Très fréquent en anglais — bien plus qu'en français — surtout dans le monde de l'art et des affaires.
| ACTIF | Christie's sold the painting. → l'accent est sur le vendeur |
|---|---|
| PASSIF | The painting was sold (by Christie's). → l'accent est sur l'œuvre |
Le complément d'objet devient sujet, et le sujet d'origine disparaît ou passe après by.
Seul be change de temps ; le participe passé ne bouge jamais.
| Temps | Actif | Passif |
|---|---|---|
| Présent simple | They exhibit the works. | The works are exhibited. |
| Présent progressif | They are restoring the roof. | The roof is being restored. |
| Prétérit | They sold it last year. | It was sold last year. |
| Past progressive | They were cleaning it. | It was being cleaned. |
| Present perfect | They have valued the piece. | The piece has been valued. |
| Plus-que-parfait | They had signed it. | It had been signed. |
| Futur (will) | They will auction it. | It will be auctioned. |
| going to | They're going to restore it. | It is going to be restored. |
| Modaux | They must insure it. | It must be insured. |
| Infinitif / -ing | to sell · selling | to be sold · being sold |
| L'auteur est inconnu | The sculpture was stolen in 2019. |
|---|---|
| L'auteur est évident ou sans intérêt | The consignment form must be signed. |
| On veut mettre l'objet en avant | This work was painted in 1890. |
| Ton formel, écrit, professionnel | You will be contacted after the sale. |
| On préfère ne pas désigner un responsable | A mistake was made in the catalogue. |
L'anglais n'a pas de « on ». C'est LE réflexe à acquérir : la plupart des phrases en « on » deviennent des passifs.
| Français | Anglais |
|---|---|
| On m'a dit que... | I was told that... |
| On m'a invitée au vernissage. | I was invited to the opening. |
| On dit qu'il est très demandé. | It is said that he's in high demand. / He is said to be in high demand. |
| On rénove le toit en ce moment. | The roof is being renovated. |
| On m'a proposé un bon prix. | I was offered a good price. |
On ne mentionne l'auteur que s'il apporte une information utile — dans 80 % des cas, on l'omet.
The piece was created by a young Italian artist. (utile) · The form was signed by someone. (inutile → à supprimer)
Avec give, offer, send, tell, show, pay… la personne devient le sujet du passif :
They offered me a good price. → I was offered a good price. (plus naturel que A good price was offered to me)
They told us the reserve price. → We were told the reserve price.
À l'oral, get remplace souvent be, surtout pour un événement soudain ou négatif : The painting got damaged in transit. · It got sold in a day.
Comparer deux choses (plus cher que) ou désigner l'extrême d'un groupe (le plus cher de). Tout dépend de la longueur de l'adjectif.
| Adjectif | Comparatif (plus… que) | Superlatif (le plus…) |
|---|---|---|
| Court — 1 syllabe cheap, rare, big, old | + -er than cheaper than | the + -est the cheapest |
| 2 syllabes en -y easy, pretty, happy | y → -ier than easier than | the -iest the easiest |
| Long — 2 syllabes et + expensive, beautiful, important | more … than more expensive than | the most … the most expensive |
| Consonne unique finale → on double | big → bigger, biggest · hot → hotter |
|---|---|
| Déjà un -e → on ajoute juste -r | nice → nicer, nicest · rare → rarer |
| -y → -i | easy → easier · pretty → prettiest |
| Adjectif | Comparatif | Superlatif |
|---|---|---|
| good / well | better | the best |
| bad | worse | the worst |
| far | further / farther | the furthest |
| much / many | more | the most |
| little | less | the least |
| old (famille) | elder | the eldest |
| Supériorité | -er / more … than → This piece is rarer than the other one. |
|---|---|
| Égalité | as … as → It's as expensive as a Picasso. |
| Infériorité | not as … as (courant) ou less … than (formel) → It's not as rare as we thought. · It's less rare than we thought. |
On place l'intensificateur avant le comparatif :
| much / far / a lot | bien plus → much more expensive · far better (very better ✗) |
|---|---|
| a bit / slightly | un peu plus → slightly cheaper |
| no … than | pas plus que → no better than the last one |
| twice / three times as … as | deux fois plus → twice as expensive as the estimate |
| the more…, the more… | plus…, plus… → The more he exhibits, the more valuable his work becomes. |
|---|---|
| -er and -er / more and more | de plus en plus → The market is getting bigger and bigger. · more and more expensive |
| IN + un lieu ou un groupe | the most expensive gallery in Paris · the best in the world |
|---|---|
| OF + une période ou une quantité | the best sale of the year · the rarest of the three |
Le superlatif est presque toujours précédé de the, et souvent suivi du present perfect : It's the best deal I've ever made.
Exprime les habitudes, les vérités générales et les faits permanents.
Formation : base verbale (+ -s à la 3ᵉ pers. sing.) → I work · she works
| Habitude / routine | I visit the château every month. |
|---|---|
| Vérité générale / fait permanent | Art brings people together. |
| Goûts, opinions, états | I love neo-antique art. |
| Horaires, programmes | The auction starts at 6 pm. |
Exprime une action en cours maintenant, une situation temporaire ou un futur planifié.
Formation : am / is / are + verbe-ing → I am renovating · they are waiting
| Action en cours maintenant | I'm writing to a collector right now. |
|---|---|
| Situation temporaire | We're living in Paris for now. |
| Futur planifié (arrangement) | We're hosting a dinner on Friday. |
| Tendance, changement | The art market is growing. |
Le temps le plus délicat pour les francophones : il ressemble au passé composé, mais fait un pont entre le passé et maintenant. C'est un temps du passé qui parle du présent.
Formation : have / has + participe passé → I have seen / she has sold. Participe passé = verbe + -ed ou forme irrégulière (seen, done, bought, been).
| 1 · Expérience de vie (ever / never) | Have you ever been to Gibraltar? · I've never met that collector. |
|---|---|
| 2 · Résultat visible maintenant | I've lost my keys. (= je ne les ai pas là) · He's broken the frame. |
| 3 · Période non terminée (this week...) | I've sold three works this week. · We've hosted two dinners this month. |
| 4 · Passé récent (just / already / yet) | The show has just ended. · Has the buyer paid yet? |
| Present perfect (lien au présent) | Simple past (moment précis, fini) |
|---|---|
| I've been to the Dior show. (expérience) | I went to the Dior show on Tuesday. (quand) |
| We've bought a château. (résultat) | We bought it last year. (daté) |
| She's sold three works this week. | She sold three works last week. (finie) |
Une action commencée dans le passé et qui continue, en insistant sur la durée ou la continuité.
Formation : have / has been + verbe-ing → I have been learning
| Durée d'une action encore en cours (for / since) | I've been learning English for months. |
|---|---|
| Action récente aux effets visibles | I'm tired — I've been working all day. |
Une action passée, terminée, à un moment précis.
Formation : verbe + -ed ou forme irrégulière → I worked · I bought
| Action ponctuelle datée | We bought the château last year. |
|---|---|
| Suite d'actions passées | He arrived, looked around, and left. |
| Habitude passée (souvent used to) | I used to bet on unknown artists. |
Décrit une action en cours, qui durait à un moment du passé. ⭐ C'est l'équivalent de l'imparfait français : je rénovais → I was renovating.
Formation : was / were + verbe-ing → I was renovating · they were waiting.
| Action en cours à un moment du passé | I was renovating the château all summer. |
|---|---|
| Le décor / l'arrière-plan d'une histoire | The sun was shining and people were chatting. |
| Deux actions longues en parallèle (while) | I was checking the profile while he was calling. |
| Une action interrompue par une autre | I was renovating when my husband called. |
Une action longue (past progressive) interrompue par une action courte : I was renovating the château when my husband called. → when introduit l'action courte · while introduit l'action longue.
Une action qui s'était déjà produite avant une autre action passée. C'est le « passé du passé ».
Formation : had + participe passé → I had seen · she had sold
| Antériorité dans le passé | When I arrived, the show had already ended. |
|---|---|
| Le passé du passé | I found out he had never exhibited abroad. |
C'est l'équivalent du plus-que-parfait français (j'avais vu).
Le choix dépend de deux critères : le moment où la décision est prise, et ce sur quoi se fonde une prédiction.
| Situation | On utilise |
|---|---|
| Décision spontanée (au moment de parler) | WILL — The phone's ringing — I'll get it. |
| Intention / plan déjà décidé | GOING TO — We're going to renovate the roof. |
| Prédiction fondée sur une opinion / croyance | WILL — I think this piece will sell well. |
| Prédiction fondée sur un indice présent visible | GOING TO — Look at those cracks — it's going to need work. |
| Promesse, offre, proposition | WILL — I'll keep you posted on the auction. |
| WILL (spontané / opinion) | GOING TO (prévu / indice) |
|---|---|
| I'll call him. (je décide là) | I'm going to call him. (c'était déjà prévu) |
| It will rain. (je pense / je crois) | It's going to rain. (je vois les nuages) |
| This will sell. (mon opinion) | This is going to sell. (déjà 3 acheteurs intéressés) |
Exprime une hypothèse, une formule de politesse ou un souhait.
Formation : would + base verbale → I would buy · I'd buy
| Hypothèse (2ᵉ conditionnel) | If I had more space, I would buy it. |
|---|---|
| Politesse | Would you like some champagne? |
| Souhait, préférence | I'd love to see the collection. |
| Infinitif | Prétérit | Participe passé | Français |
|---|---|---|---|
| cut | cut | cut | couper |
| put | put | put | mettre |
| let | let | let | laisser, permettre |
| set | set | set | poser, fixer |
| hit | hit | hit | frapper |
| cost | cost | cost | coûter |
| hurt | hurt | hurt | blesser, faire mal |
| shut | shut | shut | fermer |
| bet | bet | bet | parier |
| read | read | read | lire (reed / red / red) |
| Infinitif | Prétérit | Participe passé | Français |
|---|---|---|---|
| buy | bought | bought | acheter |
| bring | brought | brought | apporter |
| think | thought | thought | penser |
| teach | taught | taught | enseigner |
| catch | caught | caught | attraper |
| find | found | found | trouver |
| get | got | got (gotten US) | obtenir |
| have | had | had | avoir |
| hear | heard | heard | entendre |
| hold | held | held | tenir |
| keep | kept | kept | garder |
| leave | left | left | partir, laisser |
| lose | lost | lost | perdre |
| make | made | made | faire, fabriquer |
| meet | met | met | rencontrer |
| pay | paid | paid | payer |
| say | said | said | dire |
| sell | sold | sold | vendre |
| tell | told | told | dire, raconter |
| send | sent | sent | envoyer |
| spend | spent | spent | dépenser, passer (du temps) |
| sit | sat | sat | s'asseoir |
| stand | stood | stood | être/se tenir debout |
| win | won | won | gagner |
| feel | felt | felt | ressentir |
| sleep | slept | slept | dormir |
| build | built | built | construire |
| understand | understood | understood | comprendre |
| lead | led | led | mener, diriger |
| lend | lent | lent | prêter |
| Infinitif | Prétérit | Participe passé | Français |
|---|---|---|---|
| be | was / were | been | être |
| begin | began | begun | commencer |
| break | broke | broken | casser |
| choose | chose | chosen | choisir |
| come | came | come | venir |
| do | did | done | faire |
| drink | drank | drunk | boire |
| drive | drove | driven | conduire |
| eat | ate | eaten | manger |
| fall | fell | fallen | tomber |
| fly | flew | flown | voler (dans les airs) |
| forget | forgot | forgotten | oublier |
| give | gave | given | donner |
| go | went | gone | aller |
| grow | grew | grown | grandir, pousser |
| know | knew | known | savoir, connaître |
| ride | rode | ridden | monter (cheval, vélo) |
| ring | rang | rung | sonner |
| rise | rose | risen | se lever, monter |
| run | ran | run | courir |
| see | saw | seen | voir |
| show | showed | shown | montrer |
| sing | sang | sung | chanter |
| speak | spoke | spoken | parler |
| swim | swam | swum | nager |
| take | took | taken | prendre |
| throw | threw | thrown | lancer, jeter |
| wear | wore | worn | porter (vêtement) |
| write | wrote | written | écrire |
| wake | woke | woken | se réveiller |
| steal | stole | stolen | voler (dérober) |
| draw | drew | drawn | dessiner |
| freeze | froze | frozen | geler |
1 · Séparables — le COD peut aller au milieu OU après : I'll pick up the painting. · I'll pick the painting up.
⚠️ Mais un pronom (it, them, him...) va TOUJOURS au milieu : I'll pick it up. · I'll pick up it. ✗
2 · Inséparables — le COD va toujours après : I'll look after the collection. · I'll look the collection after. ✗
À retenir surtout : le pronom au milieu (pick it up, pas pick up it) — l'erreur la plus fréquente.
| get up | se lever — I get up early before an auction. |
|---|---|
| get on with (sb) ⭐ | bien s'entendre avec qqn — I get on well with my auction contacts. |
| get on with (sth) | s'atteler à qqch — Let's get on with the paperwork. |
| get by | s'en sortir (tout juste) — The young artist can barely get by. |
| get over | se remettre de — It took months to get over that bad deal. |
| get through | venir à bout / joindre — I couldn't get through to the gallerist. |
| get away | s'échapper, partir — We got away to the château for the weekend. |
| get back | revenir / récupérer — I'll get back to you on the price. |
| get along (with) ⭐ | bien s'entendre — The collectors got along really well. |
| get off | descendre (bus, train) — We got off the train in Toulouse. |
| take off ⭐ | décoller / enlever — His career took off after Paris. |
|---|---|
| take over ⭐ | reprendre, prendre le contrôle — A gallerist took over his career. |
| take up | se mettre à (un hobby) — I took up painting last year. |
| take out | sortir qqch / emmener — I took the collectors out for dinner. |
| take back | reprendre / retirer — The gallery took back the unsold works. |
| take in | assimiler, comprendre — There was so much art, I couldn't take it all in. |
| take on | embaucher / prendre en charge — We took on a new assistant. |
| take after | ressembler à (un parent) — She takes after her mother. |
| put on ⭐ | mettre (vêtement) / allumer — She put on the sheer suit for the opening. |
|---|---|
| put off ⭐ | reporter / dégoûter — We had to put off the château visit. |
| put up with ⭐ | supporter, tolérer — I won't put up with his excuses. |
| put down | poser / rabaisser — He put the sculpture down carefully. |
| put away | ranger — I put the paintings away in storage. |
| put together | assembler, monter — We put together a great collection. |
| put forward | proposer, avancer (une idée) — He put forward an interesting idea. |
| come across ⭐ | tomber sur, découvrir — I came across a rare sculpture. |
|---|---|
| come up with ⭐ | trouver (une idée) — We came up with a new concept. |
| come back | revenir — The collector came back the next day. |
| come out | sortir / se révéler — The catalogue comes out next week. |
| come over | passer (chez qqn) — Come over to see the collection. |
| come along | venir avec / progresser — The renovation is coming along nicely. |
| come down | baisser (prix) — The price came down after negotiation. |
| go on ⭐ | continuer / se passer — The talks went on all night. |
|---|---|
| go out | sortir (le soir) — We went out after the opening. |
| go off | se déclencher / tourner — The alarm went off in the gallery. |
| go over | revoir, passer en revue — Let's go over the contract. |
| go through | traverser / examiner — We went through a rough patch. |
| go ahead ⭐ | y aller, se lancer — Go ahead and make an offer. |
| look after ⭐ | s'occuper de — My husband looks after the collection. |
|---|---|
| look for ⭐ | chercher — We're always looking for new talent. |
| look into | examiner, enquêter sur — I'll look into the artist's background. |
| look up | chercher (une info) — Let me look up the hammer price. |
| look forward to ⭐ | attendre avec impatience — I look forward to the Gibraltar opening. |
| look down on | mépriser — Some critics look down on his work. |
| look up to | admirer — Young artists look up to him. |
| turn up ⭐ | arriver / monter (son) — Few people turned up at the view. |
|---|---|
| turn down ⭐ | refuser / baisser (son) — We turned down the offer. |
| turn out ⭐ | s'avérer, se révéler — It turned out to be a masterpiece. |
| turn on | allumer — Turn on the lights before the viewing. |
| turn off | éteindre — Turn off the gallery lights. |
| turn into | se transformer en — The château is turning into a gem. |
| set up ⭐ | créer, mettre en place — We set up a foundation. |
|---|---|
| set off | partir / déclencher — We set off for Toulouse at dawn. |
| set aside | mettre de côté — I set aside a few works for museums. |
| bring up ⭐ | élever / aborder (sujet) — He brought up the budget issue. |
| bring about | provoquer, entraîner — The sale brought about big changes. |
| bring in | rapporter / faire venir — The auction brought in a fortune. |
| break down ⭐ | tomber en panne / s'effondrer — Our car broke down near Toulouse. |
| break up ⭐ | rompre, se séparer — They broke up their partnership. |
| break out | éclater (guerre, incendie) — A fire broke out near the storage. |
| give up ⭐ | abandonner, renoncer — I never give up on a piece I love. |
|---|---|
| give in | céder — In the end the seller gave in. |
| give away | donner / révéler — Don't give away the reserve price. |
| give back | rendre — I gave back the borrowed painting. |
| run into ⭐ | croiser par hasard — I ran into a collector at the Dior show. |
| run out (of) ⭐ | être à court de — We ran out of champagne that night. |
| run over | écraser (véhicule) — Careful not to run over the cables. |
| call off | annuler — We called off the auction. |
| call back | rappeler (au tél.) — I'll call you back tomorrow. |
| work out ⭐ | résoudre / faire du sport / marcher — In the end, the deal worked out well. |
|---|---|
| work on | travailler sur — We're working on a new show. |
| carry on ⭐ | continuer — Let's carry on after lunch. |
| carry out | réaliser, mener à bien — They carried out the restoration. |
| pick up ⭐ | récupérer, aller chercher — I'll pick up the sculpture tomorrow. |
| pick out | choisir, repérer — She picked out the white suit. |
| pull off ⭐ | réussir (un truc difficile) — We pulled off a tough deal. |
| pull out | se retirer (d'un accord) — The buyer pulled out at the last minute. |
| figure out ⭐ | comprendre, trouver — We're figuring out the renovation budget. |
|---|---|
| end up ⭐ | finir par — We ended up buying the château. |
| point out ⭐ | souligner, faire remarquer — The expert pointed out a flaw. |
| sell out | tout vendre, faire salle comble — The show sold out in three days. |
| hold on ⭐ | attendre, patienter — Hold on — let me check the price. |
| hold back | retenir, se retenir — She held back her tears. |
| fill in | remplir (un formulaire) — Please fill in the consignment form. |
| fill out | remplir (variante US) — Fill out the customs form. |
| find out ⭐ | découvrir, apprendre — I found out he'd never exhibited abroad. |
| check in | s'enregistrer — We checked in at the hotel in Paris. |
| check out | régler & partir — We checked out at noon. |
| show up ⭐ | se pointer, arriver — The artist didn't show up to his opening! |
| English | Français |
|---|---|
| an art dealer | un marchand d'art |
| a gallerist | un galeriste |
| a collector | un collectionneur |
| a foundation | une fondation |
| an emerging art scene | une scène artistique émergente |
| living artists | artistes vivants |
| deceased (late) artists | artistes décédés |
| to consign | confier une œuvre |
| a consignment | un dépôt-vente |
| the consignor | celui qui confie |
| an auction house | une maison de vente aux enchères |
| to auction off | vendre aux enchères |
| to go under the hammer | passer sous le marteau |
| a hammer price | le prix d'adjudication |
| a reserve price | le prix de réserve |
| to allocate / to assign | attribuer |
| the remaining works | les œuvres restantes |
| to cherry-pick | faire son marché, sélectionner |
| to take one's pick | faire son choix |
| classical antiquity | l'Antiquité classique |
| to reinterpret | réinterpréter |
| to draw inspiration from | s'inspirer de |
| a contemporary / modern twist | une touche contemporaine / moderne |
| neo-antique artworks | des œuvres néo-antiques |
| an opening / a private view | un vernissage / privé |
| a solo show vs a group show | une expo en solo vs collective |
| to exhibit | exposer |
| a track record | un parcours, des antécédents |
| an emerging artist | un artiste émergent |
| an up-and-coming artist | un artiste prometteur |
| a work BY an artist | une œuvre DE / PAR un artiste |
| English | Français |
|---|---|
| a château / a castle | un château |
| outbuildings / annexes | les dépendances |
| the grounds | le parc, le terrain |
| a wing | une aile |
| to refurbish / to renovate | rénover |
| to restore | restaurer (patrimoine) |
| to replace | remplacer |
| the facade | la façade |
| the roof | le toit |
| on the first floor | au premier étage |
| a flat / an apartment | un appartement |
| an hour's drive | un trajet d'une heure |
| the work (uncountable) vs works | le travail vs les œuvres d'art |
| a castle rampart / the ramparts | un rempart / les remparts |
| the battlements | les créneaux (haut du rempart) |
| English | Français |
|---|---|
| to host | organiser, recevoir |
| a venue | un lieu / cadre |
| an intimate gathering | une réunion intime |
| laid-back | décontracté |
| low-key | discret, sans chichis |
| relaxed | détendu |
| stress-free | sans stress |
| English | Français |
|---|---|
| sheer (fabric) | transparent (tissu) |
| flowing (fabric) | fluide (tissu) |
| to drape | tomber, draper |
| pinstripes | rayures fines verticales |
| oversized | oversize, trop grand |
| to build muscle | se muscler |
| to get in shape | se mettre en forme |
| with nothing underneath | sans rien en dessous |
| honestly | honnêtement — Honestly, I didn't like all the looks. |
|---|---|
| in the end | finalement — In the end, we bought the château. |
| at the end (of...) | à la fin de — At the end of the sale, a few works were left. |
| over time | avec le temps — Over time, I changed my mind about art. |
| to change one's mind | changer d'avis — My husband made me change my mind. |
| the way I see it | à mon sens — The way I see it, mindset matters most. |
| to be surrounded by | être entouré de — I love being surrounded by art. |
| I can't imagine (living) without... | je ne peux imaginer sans — I can't imagine living without art. |
| to read fortunes / do a tarot reading | tirer les cartes — My husband did a tarot reading in the garden. |
| to cherry-pick / take one's pick | faire son marché — The top houses take their pick first. |
| my best bet | ma meilleure option — Online isn't my best bet. |
| not my strong suit | pas mon point fort — Small talk isn't my strong suit. |
| where the real money is | là où est le vrai argent — Auctions are where the real money is. |
| to carry on / keep going | continuer — Let's carry on after lunch. |
| I'd like to... | j'aimerais — I'd like to keep practising. |
| the more..., the more... | plus..., plus... — The more an artist exhibits, the more valuable they become. |
| whether | si (est-ce que) — I check whether they've exhibited abroad. |
| it backfired | ça a mal tourné — I took a risk and it backfired. |
| in hindsight | avec le recul — In hindsight, he wasn't ready. |
| mistake after mistake | erreur sur erreur — He made mistake after mistake. |
| to be cut out for something | être fait pour — He's not cut out for this world. |
| mindset | l'état d'esprit — It's all about mindset. |
| it's not about X, but about Y | ce n'est pas X mais Y — It's not about guidance, but about mindset. |
| at first sight | à première vue — At first sight, I didn't like the château. |
| love at first sight | le coup de foudre — It was love at first sight with that sculpture. |
| to convince someone to do sth | convaincre qqn — He convinced me to buy it. |
| to take a gamble on | parier sur — I took a gamble on an unknown artist. |
| but my husband did | mais mon mari, oui — I didn't like it, but my husband did. |
| every other day | tous les deux jours — I practise English every other day. |
| that is of no significance | ça n'a aucune importance — The frame is of no significance. |
| not that I know of | pas que je sache — "Has he exhibited abroad?" — "Not that I know of." |
| I know that much is true | je suis sûr d'au moins ça — I don't know his age, but I know that much is true. |
| that makes sense | ça se tient — That makes sense to me. |
|---|---|
| fair enough | c'est juste — "It's too expensive." — "Fair enough." |
| I see what you mean | je vois ce que tu veux dire — I see what you mean about the style. |
| that's a good point | c'est un bon argument — That's a good point about the price. |
| come to think of it | maintenant que j'y pense — Come to think of it, I've met him before. |
| now that you mention it | maintenant que tu le dis — Now that you mention it, the roof needs work. |
| to be fair | cela dit — To be fair, the deal wasn't bad. |
| that said / having said that | ceci dit — That said, I'd still buy it. |
| either way | dans tous les cas — Either way, we'll consign it. |
| no wonder | pas étonnant — No wonder it sold out. |
| that's the thing | justement — That's the thing — he never listens. |
| exactly / absolutely | exactement — "Too many people?" — "Exactly." |
| as far as I'm concerned | en ce qui me concerne — As far as I'm concerned, it's a masterpiece. |
|---|---|
| if you ask me | si tu veux mon avis — If you ask me, the price is too high. |
| I'd say (that)... | je dirais — I'd say it's worth twenty thousand. |
| it depends | ça dépend — It depends on the artist. |
| to some extent | dans une certaine mesure — I agree, to some extent. |
| more or less | plus ou moins — The work is more or less finished. |
| I'm not so sure | je n'en suis pas si sûr(e) — I'm not so sure about this one. |
| it's hard to say | difficile à dire — It's hard to say how it'll sell. |
| I have mixed feelings (about it) | j'ai un avis partagé — I have mixed feelings about the offer. |
| on the whole | dans l'ensemble — On the whole, it was a great show. |
| speaking for myself | selon moi — Speaking for myself, I'd rather wait. |
| on my end | de mon côté — I've done everything on my end. |
| for the sake of... | pour le bien de — I stayed calm for the sake of the negotiation. |
| for my / your sake | pour mon / ton bien — Let's get it right, for everyone's sake. |
| for God's / goodness' sake! | bon sang ! — For goodness' sake, answer the phone! |
| let's cut to the chase | allons droit au but — Let's cut to the chase — what's your price? |
|---|---|
| to meet halfway | couper la poire en deux — Can we meet halfway on the price? |
| it's a deal | marché conclu — Fifty thousand? It's a deal. |
| to have second thoughts | avoir des doutes — I'm having second thoughts about selling. |
| to be on the same page | même longueur d'onde — Let's make sure we're on the same page. |
| to keep someone posted | tenir qqn au courant — I'll keep you posted on the auction. |
| to touch base | faire un point — Let's touch base next week. |
| in the long run | à long terme — It's a good investment in the long run. |
| to weigh the pros and cons | peser le pour et le contre — We weighed the pros and cons before buying. |
| a ballpark figure | estimation approximative — Just give me a ballpark figure. |
| to have the upper hand | avoir l'avantage — The seller had the upper hand. |
| how have you been? | comment vas-tu depuis le temps ? — How have you been since the show? |
|---|---|
| it's been ages | ça fait une éternité — It's been ages, so good to see you! |
| I've heard so much about you | entendu parler de vous — I've heard so much about you! |
| to hit it off (with sb) | bien accrocher — We hit it off right away. |
| small world! | le monde est petit ! — You know her too? Small world! |
| let's stay in touch | restons en contact — Let's stay in touch after the fair. |
| thanks for having me | merci de m'avoir invité(e) — Thanks for having me tonight. |
| I'll let you get on | je te laisse — I'll let you get on — talk soon. |
| to make small talk | faire la conversation — We made small talk before dinner. |
| cheers! | santé ! (ou merci, au R.-U.) — Cheers, everyone! |
| what have you been up to? | qu'est-ce que tu deviens ? — So, what have you been up to lately? |
| it was lovely to meet you | ravi(e) de vous avoir rencontré(e) — It was lovely to meet you tonight. |
| we must catch up | il faut qu'on se revoie — We must catch up soon! |
| do keep in touch | restons vraiment en contact — Do keep in touch, won't you? |
| I won't keep you | je ne vais pas te retenir — I won't keep you — enjoy your evening! |
| make yourself at home | fais comme chez toi — Come in, make yourself at home. |
| help yourself | sers-toi — Help yourself to some champagne. |
| this is on me | c'est moi qui offre — Please, this one's on me. |
| lovely to see you | content(e) de te voir — Lovely to see you again! |
| right away | tout de suite — I'll call the gallery right away. |
|---|---|
| in a while | dans un moment — I'll get back to you in a while. |
| sooner or later | tôt ou tard — Sooner or later, it'll sell. |
| from time to time | de temps en temps — I visit the château from time to time. |
| every now and then | de temps à autre — Every now and then, we host a dinner. |
| once in a while | une fois de temps en temps — Once in a while, I take a risk. |
| for the time being | pour l'instant — For the time being, we live in Paris. |
| in the meantime | entre-temps — In the meantime, we're renovating. |
| all of a sudden | tout à coup — All of a sudden, the price jumped. |
| at the last minute | à la dernière minute — The buyer pulled out at the last minute. |
| ahead of time | en avance — We arrived ahead of time. |
| in no time | en un rien de temps — The show sold out in no time. |
| the other day | l'autre jour — I saw him the other day. |
| any minute now | d'un moment à l'autre — The collector should arrive any minute now. |
| I can't wait | j'ai hâte — I can't wait for the opening. |
|---|---|
| I'm thrilled | je suis ravi(e) — I'm thrilled with the sculpture. |
| that's a relief | quel soulagement — The work sold — that's a relief. |
| what a shame | quel dommage — What a shame he didn't show up. |
| to be over the moon | être aux anges — I was over the moon about the deal. |
| to be fed up (with) | en avoir marre (de) — I'm fed up with his excuses. |
| it drives me crazy | ça me rend fou / folle — The paperwork drives me crazy. |
| I couldn't care less | je m'en fiche complètement — I couldn't care less about the frame. |
| to be into (sth) | être passionné(e) par — I'm really into neo-antique art. |
| fingers crossed | croisons les doigts — Fingers crossed it sells well. |
| I'm so glad | je suis si content(e) — I'm so glad you came. |
| that's frustrating | c'est frustrant — He pulled out — that's frustrating. |
| to look on the bright side | voir le bon côté — I'm looking on the bright side! |
| to stay positive | rester positif / positive — It's a long wait, but I'm staying positive. |
| I'm so proud of you | je suis si fier / fière de toi — I'm so proud of you! |
| it means a lot to me | ça compte beaucoup pour moi — Thank you — it means a lot to me. |
| I'm gutted | je suis effondré(e) / super déçu(e) — The sale fell through — I'm gutted. |
| my heart sank | mon cœur s'est serré — My heart sank when he pulled out. |
| I can't believe it | je n'arrive pas à y croire — Sold in a day? I can't believe it! |
| it warms my heart | ça me réchauffe le cœur — It warms my heart to see them together. |
| I'm on edge | je suis tendu(e) / à cran — I'm a bit on edge before an auction. |
| I'm touched | je suis touché(e) — I'm really touched by your message. |
| by the way | au fait — By the way, the roof is done. |
|---|---|
| speaking of which | à ce propos — Speaking of which, did you call the house? |
| long story short | pour faire court — Long story short, we bought it. |
| to sum up | pour résumer — To sum up, it was a great week. |
| where were we? | où en étions-nous ? — So, where were we? |
| sorry to interrupt | désolé(e) de couper — Sorry to interrupt, but he's here. |
| what do you mean? | qu'est-ce que tu veux dire ? — What do you mean, "not ready"? |
| could you say that again? | tu peux répéter ? — Sorry, could you say that again? |
| let me get this straight | que je comprenne bien — Let me get this straight — he refused? |
| as I was saying | comme je disais — As I was saying, the price is fair. |
| that reminds me | ça me rappelle — That reminds me, I must call the gallerist. |
| it's a piece of cake | c'est du gâteau — For him, negotiating is a piece of cake. |
|---|---|
| to cost an arm and a leg | coûter les yeux de la tête — The sculpture cost an arm and a leg. |
| once in a blue moon | très rarement — We sell online once in a blue moon. |
| to break the ice | briser la glace — A tarot reading broke the ice. |
| to hit the nail on the head | viser juste — You hit the nail on the head. |
| the ball is in your court | c'est à toi de jouer — I've made my offer — the ball is in your court. |
| to get cold feet | se dégonfler — The buyer got cold feet. |
| out of the blue | sans prévenir — He called out of the blue. |
| to ring a bell | dire quelque chose — That name rings a bell. |
| to be worth it | ça vaut le coup — The renovation is worth it. |
| to be on cloud nine | être sur un petit nuage — I was on cloud nine after the show. |
| to cut corners | bâcler — We won't cut corners on the restoration. |
| to cost a fortune | coûter une fortune — That sculpture cost a fortune. |
| a steal / a bargain | une affaire, donné — At that price, it's a steal! |
| to be worth a fortune | valoir une fortune — This piece is worth a fortune now. |
| to go the extra mile | se donner à fond — She always goes the extra mile for clients. |
| to read between the lines | lire entre les lignes — Read between the lines — he's not really interested. |
| to have a soft spot for | avoir un faible pour — I have a soft spot for neo-antique art. |
| the icing on the cake | la cerise sur le gâteau — Selling all 12 pieces was the icing on the cake. |
| to be a game changer | tout changer, être décisif — The new museum will be a game changer. |
| to jump on the bandwagon | suivre le mouvement — Everyone jumped on the bandwagon after his show. |
| to take it with a pinch of salt | ne pas prendre pour argent comptant — Take his estimate with a pinch of salt. |
| to wipe the slate clean | faire table rase, repartir de zéro After that disastrous sale, we wiped the slate clean and started again. |
| I couldn't agree more | je suis entièrement d'accord — I couldn't agree more. |
|---|---|
| you have a point | tu n'as pas tort — You have a point there. |
| tell me about it | à qui le dis-tu — "The paperwork is endless." — "Tell me about it." |
| you can say that again | le moins qu'on puisse dire — "It's expensive." — "You can say that again." |
| I beg to differ | permettez-moi de ne pas être d'accord — I beg to differ on the price. |
| that's not quite right | pas tout à fait ça — That's not quite right, actually. |
| I'm afraid I disagree | je crains de ne pas être d'accord — I'm afraid I disagree with you. |
| no way | pas question — No way I'm selling that low. |
| I guess so | j'imagine que oui — "Shall we consign it?" — "I guess so." |
| fair point | c'est juste — Fair point, let's wait. |
| never mind | laisse tomber, peu importe — Never mind, I'll do it myself. |
|---|---|
| it's no big deal | ce n'est pas grave — It's no big deal, we'll reschedule. |
| let's play it by ear | on verra sur le moment — Let's play it by ear on Sunday. |
| to sort it out | régler ça — We'll sort it out with the house. |
| that's up to you | c'est comme tu veux — That's up to you. |
| it's worth a shot | ça vaut le coup d'essayer — It's worth a shot. |
| to make do (with) | faire avec — We'll make do with what we have. |
| let's give it a try | essayons — Let's give it a try. |
| to deal with it | s'en occuper, gérer — I'll deal with it tomorrow. |
| take your time | prends ton temps — Take your time to decide. |
| would you mind...? | ça te dérangerait de... ? — Would you mind waiting a moment? |
|---|---|
| do you happen to know...? | saurais-tu par hasard... ? — Do you happen to know the artist? |
| I was wondering if... | je me demandais si... — I was wondering if you're free tonight. |
| if you don't mind | si ça ne te dérange pas — I'll take this one, if you don't mind. |
| no worries | pas de souci — No worries, take your time. |
| my pleasure | avec plaisir, je vous en prie — "Thank you!" — "My pleasure." |
| feel free to... | n'hésite pas à... — Feel free to look around. |
| after you | après vous — After you. |
| could you possibly...? | pourriez-vous éventuellement... ? — Could you possibly send the invoice? |
| thanks so much | merci beaucoup — Thanks so much for coming. |
| a bit / a little | un peu — It's a bit oversized. |
|---|---|
| quite / rather | plutôt, assez — It's quite expensive. |
| pretty (much) | plutôt / quasiment — The work is pretty much finished. |
| sort of / kind of | en quelque sorte — It's sort of neo-antique. |
| way too (much) | beaucoup trop — There were way too many people. |
| barely | à peine — I barely knew him. |
| hardly | presque pas — We hardly ever sell online. |
| not at all | pas du tout — It's not at all what I expected. |
| more than enough | largement assez — We have more than enough works. |
| by far | de loin — It's by far my favourite piece. |
| Mot anglais | Ce que ça veut dire → le bon mot |
|---|---|
| affected | touché / impacté → allocated / assigned (attribué) |
| a merchant | un commerçant → an art dealer (marchand d'art) |
| a bite | une bouchée → a bet (un pari) → my best bet |
| sole | seul / unique → solo (en solo) → a solo show |
| dependences | n'existe pas ainsi → outbuildings / annexes |
Révision espacée : chaque jour, une session courte repioche en priorité ce que tu n'as pas encore acquis. Regarde le français, essaie de dire l'anglais à voix haute, puis vérifie.
Choisis la bonne réponse — corrigé et explication immédiats.
Clique sur 🔊 pour entendre le mot (voix du navigateur). Tape aussi n'importe quel mot pour l'écouter.
Bravo pour ton travail ! Ton vrai point fort, c'est l'aisance et le storytelling. Le seul écart à combler, ce sont les prépositions, le vocabulaire précis de ton métier, et l'orthographe (were, remember, disaster) — et ça vient vite avec la pratique.