Traduire un menu
Translating out of French is not word-swapping. You have to keep the meaning and make it sound like real English.
Part of your national curriculum
- Writing: Translate short written text from the foreign language into English, conveying meaning accurately
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Translate short written text from the foreign language into English, conveying meaning accurately
Key learning points
- • Food vocabulary worth owning
- • Watch the false friends
- • Translate the meaning, not the words
This lesson at a glance
- 25 minutes
- 20 parts to scroll through
- 4 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 20
Visual introductionPicture this
Traduire un menu
Translating out of French is not word-swapping. You have to keep the meaning and make it sound like real English.
In a nutshell
Translate short written text from the foreign language into English, conveying meaning accurately
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 20
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Food vocabulary worth owning
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 20
Learn
Food vocabulary worth owning
le poulet (chicken), le poisson (fish), le jambon (ham), les légumes (vegetables), les haricots verts (green beans), le fromage (cheese), la glace (ice cream), un plat (a dish), une entrée (a starter).
Reset break
Part 4 of 20
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 20
Learn
Watch the false friends
une librairie is a bookshop, not a library. Le pain is bread, not pain. La monnaie is change, not money in general. Sensible means sensitive. If a translation suddenly sounds strange, suspect a false friend.
Quick check
Part 6 of 20
Quick check
Part 7 of 20
Reset break
Part 8 of 20
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 20
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Translate the meaning, not the words
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 20
Learn
Translate the meaning, not the words
'Poulet rôti accompagné de haricots verts' word-for-word is 'roast chicken accompanied by green beans'. Natural English: 'Roast chicken with green beans.' Keep every piece of information, but let the English breathe.
Quick check
Part 11 of 20
Reset break
Part 12 of 20
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Quick check
Part 13 of 20
Explore the idea
Part 14 of 20
Worked example
Worked translation
French: 'Entrée : soupe de légumes maison. Plat : poisson grillé avec des pommes de terre. Dessert : glace à la vanille.' English: 'Starter: homemade vegetable soup. Main: grilled fish with potatoes. Dessert: vanilla ice cream.' Note maison = homemade, not 'house'.
Challenge round
Part 15 of 20
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Reset break
Part 16 of 20
Pause
That's sitting 4 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 17 of 20
Game · Fill the gaps
Finish the sentences
Choose the word that belongs in each gap.
Natural ____: 'Roast chicken with green beans.' Keep every piece of information, but let the English breathe.
Challenge round
Part 18 of 20
Game · Recall cards
Translate into English: 'Soupe de légumes maison.'
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 19 of 20
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Traduire un menu
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. Translate into English: 'Soupe de légumes maison.'
2. The natural translation of 'il fait froid' is...
3. 'Actuellement' actually means...
4. 'J'avais faim' should be translated as...
Lesson round-up
Part 20 of 20
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
Not sat
Games
Not played
Points this lesson
0
Best run
0 in a row
Luna: 0 out of 4 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaPart 1 of 20 · Watch & discover
How this is going
- Not looked at yet
Translate short written text from the foreign language into English, conveying meaning accurately