2.11: Structure - Voici, voilà
- Page ID
- 108778
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)In this section, you will learn how to present things with voici and voilà
Listen to the audio clips that follow on this page to hear the French pronunciation of vocabulary and examples presented.
On étudie !
Voici, voilà
We have already seen a couple of ways to introduce nouns with c'est, ce sont and il y a:
| singulier | pluriel | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| C'est un chien. (It's a dog.) | Ce sont des chiens. (Those are dogs.) | ||
| Il y a un chien. (There is a dog.) | Il y a des chiens. (There are some dogs.) |
Now we will look at another way of using the words Voici and Voilà.
Voilà and voici are commonly translated as "here is, here are" when followed by a noun. They are used to indicate the sudden appearance of something or someone, to introduce people or ideas. Alternating between voici and voilà is common when referring to more than one item.
Jeanne montre le campus à Maywi : (Jeanne is showing the campus to Maywi:)
— Voici la bibliothèque et voilà la célèbre tour ! (Here is the library, and there is the famous tower.)
Voici and Voilà are called "présentatifs". They are used to present objects or people, like saying, "Here, there" is or "This is...".
Typically, Voici is used for people or things closer to you (like "here"), while voilà is used for people and things further from you (like "there"). However, this is not always the case; sometimes they are used interchangeably.
Voici and Voilà are usually followed by (a) a definite or indefinite article + a noun, (b) a number + noun or (c) an indefinite pronoun:
|
Français |
Anglais |
|---|---|
|
Voici mon livre |
Here is my book. |
|
Voilà la voiture |
There's the car. |
|
Voici mon père |
This is my father. |
|
Voilà les clés |
There are, those are my keys. |
|
Voici quelque chose de différent |
Here is something different. |
|
Voilà deux bonnes raisons |
Those, these are two good reasons. |
Each object or person above can be substituted by a direct object pronoun which is then placed before voici or voilà :
|
Français |
Anglais |
|---|---|
|
Le voici |
Here it is [le = mon livre, quelque chose] |
|
La voilà |
There it is [la = la voiture] |
|
Les voici |
There they are [les = mes pères] |
|
Les voilà |
There they are [les = les clés, deux bonnes raisons] |
Practice distinguishing between il y a and voici, voilà : Il y a vs. Voilà, voici.
Écoutez cette chanson : "Le voila, me voici".