The Cycle tourers 'useful phrases in Foreign' thread

[Bigtallfatbloke]

How about we all add in any useful phrases in foreign lingos we have aquired. I am thinking that most guidebooks wont list things like:

" 'Allo mate, me spokes busted and I need a wheel true as well, ta"

or

" me spd cleat fell off and I need a new one "

"allo darling..your tent or mine?"

...stuff like that.

..I dont trust bablefish

 

[User482]

How about we all add in any useful phrases in foreign lingos we have aquired. I am thinking that most guidebooks wont list things like:

" 'Allo mate, me spokes busted and I need a wheel true as well, ta"

or

" me spd cleat fell off and I need a new one "

"allo darling..your tent or mine?"

...stuff like that.

..I dont trust bablefish

My French is very limited, but I did manage to communicate that my hire bike had a slow puncture: le pneu descendre lentement.

I'm sure somebody could provide a more refined translation...

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

Good one...
here I just found this:

adjustable spanner le cle anglaise
axle le essieu
ball-bearings roulement a billes
bell sonette
bicycle / bike / pushbike velo
bicycle repairer reparateur de bicyclettes
bolt boulon
brake frein
brake blocks patin de frein
cable cable
chain chaine
chainwheel plateau de pedalier
crank pedalier
crank axle l'axe de pedalier
crank pin clavette de pedalier
derailleur derailleur
dynamo dynamo
fork fourche
frame cadre
freewheel roue libre
front-light le feu avant / le phare
gear derailleur
handlebars guidon
hub moyeu
luggage-carrier, rack le port-bagage
nipple douille
nut ecrou
patches rustine
pedal pedale
pump pompe à vélo
rear-light le feu arriere
rim jante
saddle selle
screw vis
spanner cle platte
spoke nipplekey / spoke wrench cle de rayon
thread filet / filetage
tire pneu
toeclip calepied
tube or innertube chambre a air
valve valve
wheel roue

 

[redfox]

I found Voulais vous recharger mon biddon s'il vous plaît? when out of water in France.

 

[will]

I am hot (like during a heatwave) = j'ai chaud

I am horny = je suis chaud


Both useful

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I am hot (like during a heatwave) = j'ai chaud

I am horny = je suis chaud

..hmm that might come in handy..in an innocent foreigner chat up type of way!

 

[snorri]

I have found this one useful "Do you speak English?". Works everywhere except France.

 

[ufkacbln]

Perhaps foreign......

We were in Wales, and my Wife wanted to talk to the campsite warden in Welsh.

So we bought a phrase book which was fine until we got to "in the pub"......

Two phrases were

"'r barmaid has 'n fawr barwydennau (The barmaid has large breasts)"

"'r barmaid ydy chythlwng chlytia (The barmaid is a fast piece)"

Somehow I never felt brave enough to try these two!

 

[vernon]

How about we all add in any useful phrases in foreign lingos we have aquired. I am thinking that most guidebooks wont list things like:

" 'Allo mate, me spokes busted and I need a wheel true as well, ta"

or

" me spd cleat fell off and I need a new one "

"allo darling..your tent or mine?"

...stuff like that.

..I dont trust bablefish

The Loneley Planet 'Cycle France' book has a sufficiently large phrasebook and lexicon section specific to touring and cycling which makes its purchase a sound investment. It came in handy when I wanted to tell the mechanics in a Decathlon that I had a cracked rim, defective hub and wanted a 36 spoke 700c replacement wheel.

There also a an extensice list of small tours and regional guides which make good bed time reading.

 

[Tony]

Perhaps foreign......

We were in Wales, and my Wife wanted to talk to the campsite warden in Welsh.

So we bought a phrase book which was fine until we got to "in the pub"......

Two phrases were

"'r barmaid has 'n fawr barwydennau (The barmaid has large breasts)"

"'r barmaid ydy chythlwng chlytia (The barmaid is a fast piece)"

Somehow I never felt brave enough to try these two!

What very odd grammar and spelling....

 

[bonj2]

make sur eyou learn "je voudrais une tube d'inneur" - "I need a new inner tube
and also learn numbers. "vingt-trois a six-cent-vingt-deux" - 23-622
that's all you'll need. don't waste time learning stuff more complex, if your bike breaks just take it into a friendly looking shop and point at the offending part, it won't be long before the guy wanders off into the back while babbling something unintelligible in french at light speed, a clattering will be heard, and then a minute later he'll come out brandishing the part you need.
Remember the french are very cyclist-friendly , more so than english.

 

[Andy in Sig]

It looks like the best advice would be to stay out of France and go somewhere they speak a vaguely civilised language. Nicht wahr?

 

[xilios]

A few words help, but we found a "bonjour" with a big smile together with a lot of hand language will get you a long way.

 

[freakhatz]

It looks like the best advice would be to stay out of France and go somewhere they speak a vaguely civilised language. Nicht wahr?

Maintenant vous m'avez fait le rire

 

[Andy in Sig]

My fading schoolboy French can cope with that up to the last word. What does rire mean?

Ah hang on a mo. Does it mean, "now you've made me laugh?"