Skip to content
EveryLingua All languagesDictionary
Sign in
EN
DEDeutschENEnglishESEspañolFRFrançaisITItalianoPTPortuguêsHIहिन्दीZH中文JA日本語KO한국어TRTürkçePLPolskiUKУкраїнськаNLNederlandsARالعربية

B2  ·  38 words

Telling stories, book and film in French

The words for talking about a story.

Practise this list

From these 38 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

La satire and English « satire » are the same word, and both have been pulled for centuries towards an animal they have no connection with. The Latin is satura, and behind it stands the adjective satur, full, sated, which is also the ancestor of « saturate ». A lanx satura was a full dish, a platter of mixed things; from the dish the name passed to a kind of writing that mixes everything — verse, abuse, a little moralising — which is what the Roman satirists actually wrote. The Greek satyros, the goat-legged companion of Dionysus, is a separate word from a separate language, and the two were confused so thoroughly in the Middle Ages that the genre was spelled « satyre » in English for a long time. English now keeps the pair apart by sound. French cannot, because la satire and le satyre are homophones, and only the article and the spelling separate them. Hence one warning before using the second: in everyday French un satyre is not a woodland creature at all, but a man who molests women.

The words

Adjective (1)

Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective goes

doublédubbedAdjectiveB2
Le film est doublé pour les enfants.The film is dubbed for the children.

Phrase (2)

se dérouler àto be set inPhraseB2
L’histoire se déroule à la campagne.The story is set in the countryside.
à double senswith a double meaningPhraseB2
La réplique est à double sens.The line has a double meaning.

Noun (m) (17)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

le genrethe genreNoun (m)B2
Ce genre attire surtout les jeunes lecteurs.This genre appeals above all to young readers.
le livre documentairethe non-fiction bookNoun (m)B2
Le livre documentaire se lit par chapitres.The non-fiction book is read chapter by chapter.
le récit courtthe short storyNoun (m)B2
Le récit court tient en quelques pages.The short story fits into a few pages.
le narrateurthe narratorNoun (m)B2
Le narrateur reste invisible.The narrator stays invisible.
le narrateur non fiablethe unreliable narratorNoun (m)B2
Le narrateur non fiable ment sans le dire.The unreliable narrator lies without saying so.
le personnage principalthe main characterNoun (m)B2
Le personnage principal change au fil des pages.The main character changes as the pages go by.
le thèmethe themeNoun (m)B2
Le thème revient dans chaque chapitre.The theme comes back in every chapter.
le retournement de situationthe plot twistNoun (m)B2
Le retournement de situation surprend tout le monde.The plot twist takes everyone by surprise.
l’indice annonciateurthe piece of foreshadowingNoun (m)B2
Un indice annonciateur se cache dès le début.A piece of foreshadowing is hidden right at the start.
le retour en arrièrethe flashbackNoun (m)B2
Le retour en arrière explique la dispute.The flashback explains the quarrel.
le décryptagethe interpretationNoun (m)B2
Le décryptage du dernier chapitre divise la classe.The interpretation of the last chapter divides the class.
le langage imagéthe figurative languageNoun (m)B2
Le langage imagé rend le texte vivant.Figurative language makes the text come alive.
le monologuethe monologueNoun (m)B2
Le monologue ouvre la pièce.The monologue opens the play.
le dialoguethe dialogueNoun (m)B2
Le dialogue sonne juste.The dialogue rings true.
le scénariothe screenplayNoun (m)B2
Le scénario a été réécrit plusieurs fois.The screenplay was rewritten several times.
le second voletthe sequelNoun (m)B2
Le second volet sort au printemps.The sequel comes out in the spring.
le sous-titrethe subtitleNoun (m)B2
Le sous-titre arrive trop vite à l’écran.The subtitle appears on screen too quickly.

Noun (f) (18)

Grammar for these: Definite article: le, la, les · Indefinite article: un, une

la première personnethe first personNoun (f)B2
Le roman est écrit à la première personne.The novel is written in the first person.
la moralethe moral (of the story)Noun (f)B2
La morale arrive à la dernière page.The moral arrives on the last page.
la fin en suspensthe cliffhanger endingNoun (f)B2
La fin en suspens oblige à lire la suite.The cliffhanger ending forces you to read on.
la fin ouvertethe open endingNoun (f)B2
La fin ouverte laisse le lecteur décider.The open ending leaves the reader to decide.
la métaphorethe metaphorNoun (f)B2
La métaphore revient à la fin.The metaphor returns at the end.
la personnificationthe personificationNoun (f)B2
La personnification donne une voix au fleuve.The personification gives the river a voice.
la symboliquethe symbolismNoun (f)B2
La symbolique des couleurs saute aux yeux.The symbolism of the colours is obvious at a glance.
l’ironiethe ironyNoun (f)B2
L’ironie se perd à la lecture rapide.The irony is lost if you read quickly.
la satirethe satireNoun (f)B2
La satire vise les puissants.The satire is aimed at the powerful.
la tragédiethe tragedyNoun (f)B2
La tragédie finit mal, par définition.Tragedy ends badly, by definition.
la comédiethe comedyNoun (f)B2
La comédie repose sur un malentendu.The comedy rests on a misunderstanding.
la strophethe stanzaNoun (f)B2
La strophe se répète à la fin du poème.The stanza is repeated at the end of the poem.
la rimethe rhymeNoun (f)B2
La rime tombe toujours sur le même son.The rhyme always falls on the same sound.
la tramethe plot threadNoun (f)B2
La trame se resserre après le milieu.The plot thread tightens after the middle.
la didascaliethe stage directionNoun (f)B2
La didascalie décrit le décor.The stage direction describes the set.
l’adaptation cinématographiquethe film adaptationNoun (f)B2
L’adaptation cinématographique coupe plusieurs personnages.The film adaptation cuts several characters.
la bande originalethe soundtrackNoun (f)B2
La bande originale se vend à part.The soundtrack is sold separately.
la direction de la photographiethe cinematographyNoun (f)B2
La direction de la photographie sauve le film.The cinematography saves the film.

Back to the quiz ↑

Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary

This list belongs to Language, style and argument — 30 lists and 1 225 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Hear and recognise these words in the listening trainer