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19/04/2008, 11:13 jimmytaktak Joined on 15/04/2008 Marseille (France) Posts 26 May I help you ? Hello everybody ! I am here to offer you my assistance. I am French and please feel free to ask me anything you want and I will try to answer you if I can. In exchange, I only ask you to correct my errors. Thanks !    Report

19/04/2008, 11:34 Cendrillon Joined on 19/10/2007 S.E. England & S.W.France Posts 363 Re: May I help you ?  jimmytaktak wrote: Hello everybody ! I am there to propose (I am here to offer you my assistance) or (I would like to offer you my assistance) my assistance to you. I am French and you can freely (please feel free to ask) ask me what you want (anything you want) and I will try to answer you if (I can) (it will be possible you don't need these words as well). In exchange, I only ask you to correct my errors. Thanks !   Well done jimmytaktak a very good try and I am sure everyone has understood your posting. The purple words I have added / substituted just make for more English sounding English (if that makes sense! LOL)   Edit Rather than "Can I help you?" May I help you?  is more technically correct though "Can I help you" is the phrase that is commonly used.   CRIKEY! The English language is a minefield! Bon courage!   Cendrillon    Report

19/04/2008, 12:47 jimmytaktak Joined on 15/04/2008 Marseille (France) Posts 26 Merci Thank you Cendrillon. The French language is a minefield too.    Report

21/04/2008, 9:27 Monika Joined on 23/08/2004 Dorset/Suisse Normande/Switzerland Posts 621 Re: May I help you ? jimmytaktak I have two questions: What is the easiest way to say: "I look forward" and "Don't worry". Both sentences I know are a real "mouth full". Unfortunately I can not help you with your English as I am a foreigner myself!    Report

21/04/2008, 12:54 jimmytaktak Joined on 15/04/2008 Marseille (France) Posts 26 Re: May I help you ? According to what Nectarine said to me, the translation of "I look forward to" would be "j'attends avec impatience" Example : "I look forward to our meeting" = "J'attends avec impatience notre rencontre" "Don't worry" can be translated by "Ne vous inquiétez pas". I hope to have helped you. Do not hesitate to ask me others questions.    Report

21/04/2008, 13:02 nectarine Joined on 02/08/2007 London & Lot-et-Garonne Posts 180 Re: May I help you ? Jimmy, thanks for your offer of assistance, I am sure you are going to be very busy on this site.   I was told by a French friend that the equivalent of "I look forward to" would be "j'attend avec impatience ...".  That still doesn't sound right to me, it is more like a direct translation rather than using the meaning of "I can't wait to ...." which we are trying to convey.  If you look like your passport picture, then you probably need the holiday.    Report

21/04/2008, 13:55 cassis Joined on 28/12/2007 Manhattan and Glasgow Posts 309 Re: May I help you ? It may not sound good to the Anglophone ear, but "j'attends avec impatience ... (la boum, or whatever)" or "je suis impatient ... (de vous rencontrer, or whatever)" is perfect.  Jimmytaktak's version is more like "I'm thinking of ...(doing something)." EDIT/  That last comment does not make a lot of sense now as Jimmy's edited his response while I was posting.  I think it used to say "Je préviens .." or similar. A colloquial translation of "Don't worry" meaning "No sweat" is "Pas de souci", BTW. Zoggy played guitar, jammin' good with Weird and Golly. Lyrics copyright Sausage Music 2008    Report

21/04/2008, 14:03 jimmytaktak Joined on 15/04/2008 Marseille (France) Posts 26 Re: May I help you ? I agree with you. "J'attends avec impatience +noun" "Je suis impatient de +infinitive"    Report

21/04/2008, 14:32 Christine Animal Joined on 14/05/2005 Deux-Sèvres Posts 4,112 Re: May I help you ? It also depends on the context as you could also say, more formally "au plaisir de faire votre connaissance (or de vous rencontrer)", or more simply "j'ai hâte de vous rencontrer".   animalaidsaintaubin.monsite.orange.fr/ Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful    Report

21/04/2008, 14:41 cassis Joined on 28/12/2007 Manhattan and Glasgow Posts 309 Re: May I help you ? Cor, you don't 'arf mix wiv some posh folks, ma'am! Zoggy played guitar, jammin' good with Weird and Golly. Lyrics copyright Sausage Music 2008    Report

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France Forum » French Culture » French Language » May I help you ?

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