The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People — Page 7

Vocabulary

Pour

poor — Preposition meaning 'for' or 'in order to'

l'

l — Contracted definite article 'the' before vowel

amour

ah-moor — Love, strong affection between people

du

dü — Contraction of 'de le', meaning 'of the'

ciel

syel — Sky or heaven, used in exclamations

rendez

rahn-day — Imperative form of 'rendre', meaning give back

moi

mwah — Stressed pronoun meaning 'me' or 'I'

mon

mohn — Masculine possessive adjective meaning 'my'

étui

ay-twee — Small protective case for carrying objects

à

ah — Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'for'

cigarettes

see-gah-ret — Small rolled tobacco sticks for smoking

Suit

süeet — Follows, used in stage directions here

autour

oh-toor — Around, in a circular path or direction

de

duh — Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'

la

lah — Feminine definite article meaning 'the'

pièce

pyess — Room, play, or piece depending on context

Oui

wee — Yes, affirmative response in French

Mais

may — But, conjunction indicating contrast or objection

pourquoi

poor-kwah — Why, used to ask for a reason

votre

voh-truh — Your, formal possessive adjective in French

tante

tahnt — Aunt, female relative, parent's sister

vous

voo — You, formal or plural second-person pronoun

appelle

ah-pel — Calls, third-person singular of 'appeler'

elle

el — She, feminine third-person singular pronoun

son

sohn — His, her, or its possessive adjective

oncle

ohn-kluh — Uncle, male relative, parent's brother

De

duh — Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'by'

petite

puh-teet — Small or little, feminine adjective of size

avec

ah-vek — With, preposition indicating accompaniment

tout

too — All, every, or whole, common French adjective

cher

shair — Dear or expensive, term of affection

Oncle

ohn-kluh — Uncle, used here as a title of address

Je

zhuh — I, first-person singular subject pronoun

reconnais

ruh-koh-nay — Recognize or acknowledge, first-person singular form

qu'

k — Contracted 'que' meaning 'that' before vowel

il

eel — He or it, masculine third-person pronoun

n'

n — Negation particle elided before vowel sound

y

ee — There, pronoun replacing a previously mentioned place

a

ah — Has, third-person singular of 'avoir'

rien

ryahn — Nothing, used with 'ne' for negation

redire

ruh-deer — To say again or find fault with

ce

This or that, demonstrative pronoun or adjective

une

ün — A or an, feminine indefinite article

soit

swah — May be, subjunctive form of 'être'

mais

may — But, coordinating conjunction showing contrast

quelle

kel — What or which, feminine interrogative adjective

que

kuh — That, which, or what, subordinating conjunction

sa

sah — His, her, or its, feminine possessive adjective

taille

tie — Size, height, or waist of a person

appellerait

ah-pel-ray — Would call, conditional form of 'appeler'

propre

proh-pruh — Own or clean, adjective with two meanings

neveu

nuh-vuh — Nephew, male relative, sibling's son

je

zhuh — I, first-person singular subject pronoun

arrive

ah-reev — Arrive or manage, first-person singular form

pas

pah — Not, part of French negation with 'ne'

vraiment

vray-mahn — Really or truly, adverb of emphasis

le

luh — The, masculine definite article in French

comprendre

kohm-prahn-druh — To understand, common infinitive verb in French

plus

plü — More or no longer depending on context

nom

nohm — Name or noun, common French vocabulary word

est

ay — Is, third-person singular of 'être'

c'

s — Contracted 'ce' meaning 'it' before vowel

Ce

suh — This or that, demonstrative adjective or pronoun

Vous

voo — You, formal second-person subject pronoun

m'

m — Me, elided first-person object pronoun

avez

ah-vay — Have, second-person plural of 'avoir'

toujours

too-zhoor — Always or still, common French adverb

dit

dee — Said, past participle of 'dire'

était

ay-tay — Was or were, imperfect form of 'être'

ai

ay — Have, first-person singular of 'avoir'

présenté

pray-zahn-tay — Presented or introduced, past participle of 'présenter'

monde

mohnd — World or people, common French noun

comme

kohm — As or like, preposition of comparison

répondez

ray-pohn-day — Respond, imperative or indicative second-person plural

au

oh — Contraction of 'à le', meaning 'to the'

d'

d — Elided 'de' meaning 'of' before vowel

l'

l — Elided definite article 'the' before vowel

air

air — Air, appearance, or manner of a person

appeler

ah-play — To call or to name someone

êtes

et — Are, second-person plural of 'être'

personne

pair-son — Person or nobody depending on context

sérieux

say-ryuh — Serious, earnest, not playful or frivolous

j'

zh — Elided 'je' meaning I before vowel

aie

ay — Have, first-person subjunctive of 'avoir'

jamais

zhah-may — Never or ever, used in negation

vue

vü — Seen, past participle of 'voir'

ma

mah — My, feminine first-person possessive adjective

vie

vee — Life, existence of a living being

Il

eel — He or it, masculine third-person subject pronoun

parfaitement

par-fet-mahn — Perfectly or absolutely, adverb of completeness

absurde

ab-sürd — Absurd, ridiculous, contrary to reason or sense

part

par — Part or side, used in expressions like 'de sa part'

dire

deer — To say or to tell someone something

ne

nuh — Negation particle used before a verb

appelez

ah-play — Call, second-person plural imperative of 'appeler'

C'

s — Elided 'ce' used before 'est' typically

sur

sür — On or upon, preposition of position

vos

voh — Your, formal plural possessive adjective

cartes

kart — Cards, plural of 'carte', business or playing cards

En

ahn — In or by, preposition with various uses

voici

vwah-see — Here is or here are, presentative expression

La

lah — The, feminine definite article in French

prenant

pruh-nahn — Taking, present participle of 'prendre'

dans

dahn — In or inside, preposition of location

M.

muh-syuh — Abbreviation for 'Monsieur', meaning Mister

garderai

gar-duh-ray — Will keep, first-person future of 'garder'

ceci

suh-see — This, demonstrative pronoun for something nearby

preuve

pruv — Proof or evidence supporting a claim

si

see — If or so, conditional conjunction or adverb

tentez

tahn-tay — Try or attempt, second-person plural form

me

muh — Me, first-person singular object pronoun

nier

nyay — To deny or to negate a fact

ou

oo — Or, coordinating conjunction offering an alternative

qui

kee — Who or which, relative or interrogative pronoun

autre

oh-truh — Other or another, common French adjective

Met

met — Puts, third-person singular of 'mettre'

carte

kart — Card, map, or menu in French

poche

posh — Pocket, small bag sewn into clothing

Eh

ay — Hey or well, interjection used in conversation

bien

byahn — Well or good, common adverb or adjective

en

ahn — In, preposition indicating location or manner

ville

veel — City or town, urban settlement

et

ay — And, basic coordinating conjunction in French

campagne

kahm-pahn-yuh — Countryside or rural area outside the city

été

ay-tay — Been, past participle of 'être', or summer

offert

oh-fair — Offered or given, past participle of 'offrir'