Transcript

When you learn a foreign language, there are little words that make the difference. These are words that will show that you have a little bit more knowledge of the language, a little bit more refined knowledge.

It is thanks to these words that you will speak a little more, that you will get closer to the language that a native speaks.

Welcome to this new video. I hope you are in good shape.

Today we are going to look at vocabulary alternatives to using the word très. These stronger words and adjectives will add finesse to your language, which will take you to the next level in the French language you use.

They will allow you to emphasize a state or a characteristic without using the adverb very.

In French, for example, we will say that a person is very thin. But you can also say that she is thin. It's the right vocabulary word that is a little bit stronger than mince. I don't know about you, but when I'm a little short on vocabulary, I'll do just that.

I'm going to add some small words to add nuance.

For example, in English, I will always use the word "very" plus an adjective because I don't have the word with a little more intensity. By the way, to correct this a little bit and to improve my English, I know that some of you have also written to me about the subtitles that I put in the English videos that are not always perfect.

So I started taking English lessons on a platform called Lingoda. I'm telling you about it today because I know that you too, very often, write me messages to ask me where you can take French courses or to ask me if I give French courses.

I don't teach French. I don't have the time, unfortunately. But there are platforms like Lingoda that are really great for taking courses in foreign languages. It's true that I watch a lot of movies, a lot of series in English, that I read articles in English, but it's a rather passive learning of the language.

By taking courses like I started on Lingoda, it's true that I'm moving into a more active learning of the language. You can take private lessons with a teacher or you can take lessons with small groups, so it's maximum six people.

And you can choose course topics that match your level and needs. For example, you can take grammar classes on specific points, but you can also choose topics that you might like. There are conversation tables on topics such as tattoos and piercings, or adolescence, or travel.

And then you will be able to discuss it with other students and a native teacher. As it is online, there are teachers who are native French speakers, but who live all over the world. So you will be able to take classes, for example at 7 o'clock in the morning or very late at night.

There are teachers available at all hours of the day and that's really convenient, I think.

In any case, summer is coming soon and you may be planning to go on vacation in a country where French is spoken. So, it's time to start learning French a little more actively if you want to progress.

So let's get back to the subject of video, words, alternatives to the untimely use of very.

Instead of saying something or someone is very ugly, you can say it's hideous or ugly to a girl.

Hideous, hideous is a stronger adjective than ugly. You want to emphasize that something is ugly. For example, I can say the color of this dress is really ugly or the color of this dress is really hideous.

On the other hand, if you want to say that something is very beautiful, you can use the words magnificent or sublime. You see, these are a little more complex words that will make your language a little bit closer to that of a native speaker.

I can say this dog is beautiful or this dog is gorgeous, this dog is sublime.

When you want to talk about something or someone that is very small, for example, I don't know if you know the designer Jacquemus handbags. He makes handbags that are really tiny. They are very small. You can also say these handbags are tiny.

Conversely, if you want to say something is very big, you can say it's giant or something is giant. I can say giant or huge. My brother-in-law is huge. He is eight feet tall or my brother-in-law is giant, he is eight feet tall. These are stronger words than big.

When you are very tired from your day's work, you may say I am exhausted, I want to go to sleep. To be exhausted is to be very tired.

Instead of saying I'm very afraid, you can say I'm scared or I'm terrified. It's stronger than being afraid. I am terrified, I am afraid of the dark. You can also say you are scared, if you are very scared, that is stronger than saying you are scared.

Saying that you are scared by horror movies or scared when you see a dog, for example, because you are very afraid of dogs.

When you are very upset, very angry because someone, for example, has upset you, you can say that you are furious. I'm mad because someone ran into my car. When you're mad, you're really angry. You're very angry.

The next adjective is dirty. If I say it's very dirty that, for example, I rented an Airbnb that was very dirty. I can also use the word filthy. The Airbnb room was filthy. You can also say that Airbnb was filthy or the room was filthy.

When something is very annoying, for example people making noise while eating, it is really very annoying. If you want to go even further than annoying, something that is very annoying is something that is unbearable. People who make noise while eating are unbearable.

When you laugh a lot, for example, if you go to see a very funny play, you can say it's hilarious. Something that is hilarious is something that is very funny.

Now let's move on to alternatives, to something very hot and something very cold. When something is very hot, you can tell it's boiling. I hate it when my coffee is lukewarm. I like to drink my coffee boiling. You can use this word instead of very hot.

And instead of very cold, you can use the word frozen. When something is frozen. When it's frozen, it means it's snowing. If you say something is frozen, it really means it's very cold. For example, if you go to the sea and you put your foot in the water, you can either say that the water is very cold or you can say that it is frozen. The water is frozen, I can't swim.

When something is very good, for example, a dish that you enjoy, you can say that it is excellent. This dish is excellent. That means it's very good. We saw this in a previous video, but instead of saying very hungry and very thirsty, you can say that you are hungry and thirsty.

I am thirsty, I am very thirsty because I have walked for four hours in the desert. Likewise, if you are hungry, you are very hungry.

If you have a friend or you yourself are very smart, instead of saying that you are very smart, you can say that you are brilliant, that's above.

When someone is very sad a lot of the time, it means they are devastated, they are depressed. You can use these words instead of very sad. If you are very sad, you can also say that you are down about something.

Greg is down, he is devastated, he is depressed because Cynthia left him.

Something very bad. For example, if you eat something, which is really not good at all that is very bad, you can say that it is horrible.

If you want to talk about something that is very big, that is very bulky, that takes up a lot of space. For example, if you ordered a new cabinet and you put it together, instead of saying it's very big or very tall, you can say it's huge.

Something huge is really something very big or very big. And finally, let's end with one last word, although there are many more, it's the word rich.

It is a little difficult to pronounce this word rich. We use it to talk about someone who is very rich. For example, I can say: after winning the lottery, this man became very rich. It means that he is not only rich, he is really very rich.

That's it for today. I hope you enjoyed this video, that it will allow you to develop your learning of French, to develop your French vocabulary.

If you liked the video, of course, put a like. And if you're new, subscribe so you don't miss any of the videos. See you soon.