Saturday, March 14, 2009

Musings

One of the first things you will notice upon arriving in Paris is the thinness of their aluminum foil. In the US we must be using double-ply.

This morning (Saturday morning) I bravely made a call to a person who listed her flat in a Paris classifieds. A tired sounding woman answered and I said, "Parlez-vous anglais?" "Non, pas du tout." (Not at all.) I understood that! but now I must speak French.

"Oui, je vous appeler pour voir ta apartment, et ..." (Yes, I call you to see your apartment, and ...)

"Oui, monsieur. Déjà prix."

"Uh. Donc, je suis étudiant avec ma femme, et nous habitons in Paris a Decembrè. J'ai une bourse de government francais. Nous voulons voir ta apartment, si'l vous plait." (Oh, so, I am a student with my wife, and we live in Paris to December. I have an award of French government. We want to see your apartment, please.) (This took a while to say all this.)

"Oui, monsieur. Déjà prix. Déjà prix."

(Long silence) "Prix? Je ne comprends pas sur mot." (Prix? I do not understand this word.)

"Déjà prix! Déjà occupé!"

"Ah! C'est occupé mantenant?" (Oh! It is occupied now?)

"Oui, monsieur!" (Sounding very exhausted.)

"D'accord. Excusez-moi je vous demanger. Au revoir" (Ok. Excuse me for itching you. Goodbye.)

It turns out that "pris" is a form of the verb "prendre" to take. So she was telling me the apartment was "already taken." C'est très difficil!

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