Polyglot Club WIKI - User contributions [en]

Language/French/Vocabulary/Trees

2019-02-15T15:00:33Z

Pajal7: Corrected the English spelling of "literally"

[[File:arbres.jpg]]

Here is some French vocabulary on trees.

==The conifers==
{| class="wikitable"

!|
'''Les conifères'''

!|
'''The conifers'''

|-
|
Le cèdre

|
The cedar

|-
|
L'épicea (m)

|
The spruce

|-
|
Le meleze

|
The larch

|-
|
Le sapin

|
The fir

|-
|
Le pin

|
The pine

|-
|
Le sequoia

|
The sequoia

|}

==The deciduous tree==
{| class="wikitable"

!|
'''le arbre à feuilles caduques'''

!|
'''The deciduous tree'''

|-
|
le frêne

|
The ash

|-
|
le cyprès

|
The cypress

|-
|
le pin

|
The pine

|-
|
l'érable (m)

|
The maple

|-
|
le platane

|
The sycamore

|-
|
le hêtre

|
The beech

|-
|
le chêne

|
The Oak

|-
|
le châtaignier

|
The chestnut tree

|-
|
le bouleau

|
The work

|-
|
le noyer

|
The walnut tree

|-
|
l'orme (m)

|
The elm

|-
|
le peuplier

|
The poplar

|-
|
le sapin

|
The fir

|}

==The fruit trees==
{| class="wikitable"

!|
'''Les arbres fruitiers'''

!|
'''The fruit trees'''

|-
|
le prunier

|
The plum tree

|-
|
le citronnier

|
The lemon tree

|-
|
l'oranger (m)

|
The orange tree

|-
|
le pommier

|
The Apple tree

|-
|
le amandier

|
The almond tree

|-
|
l'olivier (m)

|
The olive tree

|-
|
le poirier

|
The headstand

|-
|
le figuier

|
The fig tree

|-
|
le pêcher

|
The peach tree

|-
|
l'abricotier

|
The apricot tree

|-
|
le cerisier

|
The cherry tree

|}

==Expressions with trees==
===être fort comme un chêne===
*Literally: to be strong as an oak tree
*Meaning: to be very strong

{{#seo:
|title=Learn French Vocabulary: the trees (les arbres)
|keywords=words, expressions, sapin, fir, pin, pine, arbre, tree
|description=In this lesson you will learn some French words: the trees
|og:image=http://wiki.polyglotclub.com/wiki/images/a/ae/Arbres.jpg
}}

[[Category: French/Beginner]]
[[Category: French/Intermediate]]

Language/English/Vocabulary/Slang-contractions

2018-11-12T15:38:22Z

Pajal7: Added quite a few more slang contractions

Slang contractions are very common in English.

Here are the main ones used in American English:
== gonna ==
Gonna = Going to
* I'm gonna go to the store to pick up some groceries = I'm going to go to the store to pick up some groceries.

== wanna ==
Wanna = want to
* I wanna go out to eat tonight = I want to go out to eat tonight

== gotta ==
Gotta = have got to
* I gotta go to bed soon, I'm tired. = I've got to go to bed soon, I'm tired.

== shoulda ==
Shoulda is a slang contraction of "should have"
* I should have washed my car today = I shoulda washed my car today.

== ain't ==
See: [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Meaning-of-ain't]]
== kinda ==
Kinda is a slang contraction of "Kind of"
* I kind of like it = I kinda like it

== lotta/alotta ==
Lotta is a slang contraction of "a lot of"
* There are a lot of things I need to do today = There's lotta things I need to today

== sorta ==
Sorta is a slang contraction of "sort of"
* That's the sort of thing I don't like. = That's the sorta thing I don't like.

== lemme ==
Lemme is a slang contraction of "let me"
* Let me put on my shoes first = Lemme put on my shoes first.

== gimme ==
Gimme is a slang contraction of "give me"
* Give me another piece of cake! = Gimme another piece of cake!

== whatcha ==
Whatcha is a slang contraction of "what are you"
* What are you doing today? = Whatcha doin' today?

== dontcha ==
Dontcha is a slang contraction of "dontcha"
* Don't you have something better to do? = Dontcha have something better to do?

== betcha ==
Betcha is a slang contraction of "bet you"
* I bet you can't beat me to the car! = I betcha can't beat me to the car!

== cmon/c'mon ==
Cmon is a slang contraction of "come on"
* Come on! Stop teasing me! = C'mon! Stop teasing me!

== dunno ==
Dunno is a slang contraction of "don't know"
* I don't know, sorry. = I dunno, sorry

Language/Italian/Grammar/When-use-LI-and-GLI

2018-10-12T21:47:09Z

Pajal7: Some corrections to the English Text

[[File:learn-italian-gli-and-li.jpg|300px]]

The difference between "gli" and "li" depends on the function of these two words in the sentense.

Both "gli" and "li" are used only for masculine.

==Li==

It is used as a pronoun in the construction of the direct object when it is masculine plural. For the masculine singular we use "'''lo'''". For the feminine singular we use "'''la'''" and for the feminine plural "'''le'''".

Example:
*Hai visto i film di Fellini? Sì, '''li''' vedo sempre con grande piacere.
Have you seen the Fellini movies? Yes, I always watch them with great pleasure.

==Gli==

It is used as a pronoun in the construction of the complement for a masculine singular. For the masculine plural form we use "'''a loro'''". For the feminine singular, we use "'''le'''" and feminine plural "'''a loro'''".

Example:
*Giuseppe ha freddo. Non '''gli''' hai dato la tua giacca ?
Joseph is cold. Didn't you give him your jacket?

==References==
[http://www.giorgiotave.it/forum/letteratura-italiana-e-semantica/131749-quando-si-usa-li-e-quando-gli.html Giorgiotave.it]

{{#seo:
|title=When to use GLI or LI in Italian?
|keywords=masculine, plural, singular, object, complement
|description=When learning Italian, it's sometimes hard to make the difference between "gli" and "li"
|og:image=https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/images/9/9b/Learn-italian-gli-and-li.jpg
}}

[[Category:Italian/Beginner]]

Language/English/Grammar/When-use-If-or-Whether

2018-07-11T13:41:41Z

Pajal7: Added the "or not" use of "whether."

<span style="font-size:25px; font-weight:bold;color: black">When to use "whether" or "if" in English?</span>

==Use "if" or "whether" (Interchangeable):==
'''Whether''' and '''if''' can be used interchangeably in the following circumstances:
===When reporting yes/no questions.===
*I am not sure whether I will be attending the event.
*I am not sure if I will be attending the event.

(In this example, the yes/no question is "Am I attending the event?")

===or===
*I would like to know whether it is a true story or fabricated.
*I would like to know if it is a true story or fabricated.

Note: Using whether is far more common. It is certainly more formal.

==Use only "if" with:==

===the conditional tense===
A sentence that can only be realized under certain conditions.
*Bob didn’t know if Amanda was going away.

==Use only "whether" when==

===Verb with "to"===
*Bob didn’t know whether to invite Amanda to the party.

=== With "or not" ===
* Whether or not you want me to, I am going to the party.

Language/English/Grammar/Prepositions

2018-07-11T13:38:08Z

Pajal7: Some minor spelling changes and capitalization of first words in some example sentences that needed it. Added/changed some of the "meanings"

[[File:Prepositions-english-polyglot-club.png|thumb]]
<div style="font-size:200%;">Preposition</div>

Prepositions are short words ('''on''', '''in''', '''to''') that usually stand in front of nouns (sometimes also in front of geund verbs).

A prepositions describes a relationship between other words in a sentences.

In itself, a word like "'''in'''" or " '''after'''" is rather meaningless and hard to define in mere words.

For instance, when you do try to define a preposition like "'''in'''" or " '''between'''" or "'''on'''", you invariably use your hands to show how something is situated in relationship to something else.

Prepositions are nearly always combined with other words in structures called prepositional phrases.

Prepositional phrases can be made up of a million different words, but they tend to be built the same: a preposition followed by a determiner and an adjective or two followed by a pronoun or noun (called the object of the preposition).

This whole phrase, in turn, takes on a modifying role, acting as an adjective or an adverb, locating something in time and space, modifying a noun, or telling when or where or under what conditions something happened....

==Examples==
You can sit '''''before''''' the desk OR '''''in front''' of'' the desk.

The professor can sit '''''on''''' the desk (when he's being informal) or '''''behind''''' the desk, and then his feet are '''''under''''' the desk or '''''beneath''''' the desk.

He can stand '''''beside''''' the desk (meaning '''''next''' to'' the desk), '''''before''''' the desk, '''between''' the desk and you, or even '''''on''''' the desk (if he's really strange).

Here are examples of prepositions and their meaning :

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Preposition
!Meaning
!Example
|-
|about
|for topics, meaning what about
|I was talking about you
|-
|above
|higher than, or over
|The sun is above the clouds.
|-
|across
|from one side to the other
|It's dangerous to run across the road.
|-
|along
|from one end to the other
|They are walking along the road.
|-
|among
|surrounded by
|John was among the spectators.
|-
|at
|for age / indicating location
|He learned Russian at 45 / He is at the store.
|-
|behind
|at the back of
|Passengers sit behind the driver.
|-
|below
|lower than
|His shorts are below his knees.
|-
|beneath
|under
|The pen was beneath the books.
|-
|beside
|next to
|The bank is beside the cinema.
|-
|between
|in the space separating two things
|Mary sat between Tom and Jane.
|-
|by
|who made it
|A book by Mark Twain
|-
|close to
|near
|The bank is close to the school
|-
|down
|from higher to lower
|He pulled down the blind.
|-
|for
|what is intended
|I bought this book for you.
|-
|from
|where something starts or originates
|The wind is blowing from the south.
|-
|from
|who gave it / point of origin
|A present from Jane
|-
|in
|located within
|Get in the car!
|-
|in front of
|directly before
|The child ran out in front of the bus.
|-
|inside
|on the inner part of
|The bird is inside the cage.
|-
|into
|enter a closed space
|He went into the shop.
|-
|near
|close to
|The school is near the church.
|-
|next to
|beside
|The bank is next to the cinema.
|-
|off
|leaving a public transport vehicle
|The men get off the train.
|-
|on
|in a position touching a surface
|The plate is on the table.
|-
|onto
|move to a position on a surface
|The cat jumped onto the roof of the car.
|-
|opposite
|facing, on the other side
|Eva sat opposite Tom at the table.
|-
|out of
|leaving a car / Taxi
|The passengers get out of the taxi
|-
|past
|beyond
|He drove past the supermarket.
|-
|round
|in a circular movement
|The earth moves round the sun.
|-
|through
|from one side to the other
|The Seine flows through Paris.
|-
|throughout
|in every part of
|The virus spread throughout the country.
|-
|to
|in the direct of; towards
|On the way to the station.
|-
|towards
|in the direction of
|The child ran towards her father.
|-
|under
|beneath, below
|Water flows under the bridge.
|-
|underneath
|beneath
|There was dust underneath the rug.
|-
|up
|towards or in a higher position
|He walked up the stairs.
|}

Language/English/Grammar/Contractions

2018-07-10T14:00:43Z

Pajal7: Created article, describing using contractions in English

Contractions

Contractions are used to shorten words by adding a suffix to a word, usually beginning with an apostrophe, which will indicate expanded meaning to a word.

Common Contractions (Sorted Alphabetically by Contracted Word)

Are - 're

They're - They are

We're - We are

Where're - Where are

What're - What are

Why're - Why are

How're - How are

~~

Had - 'd

I'd - I had

You'd - You had

He'd - He had

She'd - She had

It'd - It had

You'd - You had

We'd - We had

They'd - They had

Had-

The restaurant didn't take credit cards, but , luckily, I'd just been to the bank, so I had the cash I needed.

~~

Have - 've

Could've - could have

I've - I have

Should've - should have

They've - They have

Would've - would have

You've - You have

Example: I could've gone to the gym, I should've gone to the gym, and I would've gone to the gym, but I didn't. Now I've gained weight!

~~

Is - 's

Note: This contraction can be particularly difficult to learn for non-native speakers. Don't worry, with exposure and time you will learn how to apply it properly!

He's - He is

How's - How is

It's - It is

She's - She is

What's - What is

When's - When is

Where's - Where is

Who's - Who is

Why's - Why is

Example:

Person 1 - What's up? How's it going?

Person 2 - It's not bad. I'm just tired because of my baby. She's crying all night long, preventing me from sleeping!

Tough Example:

Person 1 - What is that dog doing? Why is it running in circles like that?

Person 2 - It's chasing its own tail!

Note that in this case, "it's" means it is, while the possessive "its" does not use an apostrophe. This is one of the most common mistakes made by English speakers, even natives!

~~

Not - n't

Couldn't - Could not

Doesn't - Does not

Hasn't - Has not

Haven't - Have not

Isn't - Is not

Wasn't - Was not

Weren't - Were not

Wouldn't - Would not

~~

Would - 'd

I'd - I would

You'd - You would

He'd - He would

She'd - She would

It'd - It would

You'd - you would

We'd - we would

They'd - they would

Example-

Would-

We'd have to move the other boxes before we could reach the one in the back.

~~

Will - 'll

He'll - He will

I'll - I will

It'll - It will

She'll - She will

They'll - They will

We'll - We will

You'll - You will

What'll - What will

Example - Tomorrow I'll go to the store, because my refrigerator is almost empty!

~~

Finally, I'm sure there are more that I've missed, but these should help get you started on using Contractions in English!