Re: May I help you ?

French Language

May I help you ?

jimmytaktak 19/04/2008, 11:13

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 !

Re: May I help you ?

Cendrillon 19/04/2008, 11:34

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) Smile [:)]

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.

Confused [8-)] CRIKEY!

The English language is a minefield! Sad [:(]

Bon courage!

Cendrillon

Merci

jimmytaktak 19/04/2008, 12:47
Thank you Cendrillon.

The French language is a minefield too.

Re: May I help you ?

Monika 21/04/2008, 9:27

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!

Re: May I help you ?

jimmytaktak 21/04/2008, 12:54

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.

Re: May I help you ?

nectarine 21/04/2008, 13:02

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.

Re: May I help you ?

cassis 21/04/2008, 13:55
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

Re: May I help you ?

jimmytaktak 21/04/2008, 14:03

I agree with you.

"J'attends avec impatience +noun"

"Je suis impatient de +infinitive"

Re: May I help you ?

Christine Animal 21/04/2008, 14:32

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

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