French · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 10 of 12
Money and everyday services
L'argent et les services
Open a bank account, make polite formal requests with the conditional, say “only” with ne… que, and read and say large amounts.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Open a bank account and understand the main documents
- Make polite formal requests with the conditional
- Say “only” with ne… que
- Read and say large numbers and amounts
Listen
Océane Morin has just started her first job. She opens a bank account in Limoges with the bank adviser, Philippe Rousseau. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Philippe
Bonjour, madame Morin. Asseyez-vous, je vous en prie. Que puis-je faire pour vous ?
Hello, Ms Morin. Please sit down. What can I do for you?
Océane
Bonjour, monsieur. Je viens de commencer mon premier travail, et je souhaiterais ouvrir un compte.
Hello. I've just started my first job, and I'd like to open an account.
Philippe
Très bien. Vous avez apporté une pièce d'identité et un justificatif de domicile ?
Very good. Have you brought some ID and proof of address?
Océane
Oui, voici ma carte d'identité et une facture d'électricité.
Yes, here's my identity card and an electricity bill.
Philippe
Parfait. Avec ce compte, vous aurez une carte bancaire. Les frais ne sont que de deux euros par mois.
Perfect. With this account you'll get a bank card. The fees are only two euros a month.
Océane
Seulement deux euros ? Très bien. Et serait-il possible d'avoir un découvert ?
Only two euros? Good. And would it be possible to have an overdraft?
Philippe
Oui, trois cents euros maximum.
Yes, up to three hundred euros.
Océane
D'accord. Auriez-vous aussi un RIB à me donner ? Mon employeur en a besoin pour me payer.
All right. Could you also give me a RIB? My employer needs one to pay me.
Philippe
Bien sûr, je vous le donne. Et votre salaire, c'est combien par mois ?
Of course, here it is. And how much is your salary a month?
Océane
Mille six cent cinquante euros net.
One thousand six hundred and fifty euros net.
Philippe
Très bien. Vous n'avez qu'à signer ici. Vous recevrez votre carte dans une semaine, et le code deux jours après.
Very good. You just need to sign here. You'll get your card in a week, and the PIN two days later.
Océane
Parfait. Merci beaucoup pour votre aide, monsieur.
Perfect. Thank you very much for your help.
Understand
Polite formal requests
At the bank, the post office or any other office, requests sound more polite with the conditional: … (I would like…), serait-il possible de… ? (would it be possible to…?), auriez-vous… ? (would you have…?), pourriez-vous… ? can sound rude to a stranger.
Staff often say (What can I do for you?). is the formal question form of .
| Everyday | More formal |
|---|---|
Only: ne… que
Ne… que means “only”. goes before the verb and goes just before the thing that is limited: (The fees are only two euros). means “you only have to sign, all you have to do is sign”.
It isn't a real negative, so stay the same: (I only have notes). means the same and is easier to place:
Numbers and amounts
(a thousand) never takes an s: . and (a billion) work like nouns, so they take before a noun: , .
In writing, French uses a space to group thousands and a comma for decimals. The euro sign usually goes after the amount. means “per cent”.
| Written | Said |
|---|---|
| 1 650 € | |
| 2,50 € | |
| 20 000 000 € | |
| 3 % |
More in the grammar: French numbers: from 0 to a million · The conditional: je voudrais, si j'avais…
New words
- que puis-je faire pour vous ?what can I do for you? · formal
- venir de…to have just done (something) · + infinitive: , I've just started
- ouvrir un compteto open an account · : ,
- apporterto bring
- la pièce d'identitéID, identity document · : identity card
- le justificatif de domicileproof of address
- la facturebill, invoice
- la carte bancairebank card
- les fraisfees, charges · masculine plural
- ne… queonly ·
- le découvertoverdraft
- le RIBbank details (document) · short for
- le salairesalary, pay
- signerto sign
Practise
1.Which request is the most polite?
2.Complete with the conditional of : “Would it be possible to have an overdraft?”
Would it be possible to have an overdraft?
3.Complete to say “The fees are only two euros.”
The fees are only two euros.
4.How do you write “one thousand six hundred and fifty euros” in French?
5.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.I would like to open an account.
6.Match the French with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Je souhaiterais ouvrir un compte.
I would like to open an account.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.