Thursday, March 25, 2010

About the French Word Challenge for Haiti

THE DEAL:


I'm asking you to pledge to donate to Partners in Health if I can learn 400 new French words by the end of April.

Partners in Health, started by Dr. Paul Farmer, has been working in Haiti for over twenty years. Because of the recent earthquake, they need your support now more than ever.

To pledge, please email me or pledge in the comment box, below. When I am done learning all these words, I'll get back in touch with you to remind you to send your money directly to Partners in Health.

You can donate to Partners in Health by clicking on the red DONATE button at http://www.standwithhaiti.org/haiti


THE EXPLANATION:

While I was studying for a research project on children's rights I was forced into the lives of children whose lives never should've turned out the way they did. There are children in the world who are forced to be married under the age of thirteen, children who are isolated from their families and forced to go to war, children without healthcare, children forced to skip school and work in factories, children dying of preventable causes, and many other horrible things.

It was only shortly afterwards when I heard about the earthquake in Haiti. When I learned that Haiti was already one of the poorest countries in the world, you can probably understand how sad I was for the children growing up there. And that's when I realized that not only children are suffering from abuse and lack of safety and healthcare, but people of every age, kind, and civilization. By this point I was overpowered by sadness and I knew I had to do something about it.

So I decided to do a French-Word-a-thon. I didn't want to do another read-a-thon because people do them so often that every school has one at least once a year. I wanted to do something different that no-one else would think of and that was really hard to do because then people would be really excited about it and would want to pledge more money for Haiti.

And I hope that at least a few of you can find love in your heart for all those dying parents and their uneducated, sick or injured children who need them to continue living and loving them.

Current sponsors:

Nona
Katie
Mom
Dad
Kate T
Kate W
Maria
Lucia
Anna-Maria and Dermot
Aups Jessica
Paris Jessica
Hilary, Peter, and Hawthorne
Aunt Mary
Aunt Bonnie
Zaro
Toni and Bud
Wendy

French Word Challenge

Words I have learned:

approcher-to draw near to

s'asseoir-to sit down

entendre-to hear or to understand

coudre-to sew

appeler (j'appelle, tu appelles, il/elle/on appelle, nous appelons, vous appelez, ils appellent) - to call

enlever (j'enlève, tu enlèves, il/elle/on enlève, nous enlevons, vous enlevez, ils/elles enlèvent)-to take away, to take off, to raise

aider (j'aide, tu aides, il/elle/on aide, nous aidons, vous aide, ils/elles aident)-to help

brûler (je brûle, tu brûles, il/elle/on brûle, nous brûlons, vous brûlez, ils/elles brûlent)-to burn

casser (je casse, tu casses, il/elle/on casse, nous cassons, vous cassez, ils/elles cassent)-to break

defendre (je dèfende, to dèfendes, il/elle/on dèfende, nous dèfendons, vous dèfendez, ils/elles dèfendent) to defend or to forbid

s'amuser (je m'amuse, tu t'amuses, il/elle/on s'amuse, nous nous amusons, vous vous amusez, ils/elles s'amusent)-to enjoy one's self

allumer (j'allume, tu allumes, il/elle/on allume, nous allumons, vous allumez, ils/elles allument)-to light or to turn on

assurer (je assure, tu assures, il/elle/on assure, nous assurons, vous assurez, ils/elles assurent)-to assure

La envie-desire

l'autoritè-authority

avant de-before

assez-enough or sufficient

aimable-pleasant

ainsi-this way

armoire-wardrobe

l'annonce-advertisement

l'emploi-employment or job

l'avertissement-warning or notification

le baiser - kiss

la bande - tape

la barbe - beard

brièvement - briefly

clair - clear, light

cher (m) - expensive

contraire - contrary

dedans - inside

dehors -- outside

dorénavant - from now on

depuis - since

actuel - present, current

affectueux (m) affectueuse (f) - affectionate

aveugle - blind

bien que - although

entre - between

ascenseur - elevator

arrière - behind

l'argent - silver, money

l'appareil - camera

la Angleterre -- England

l'an - year

adieu - goodbye

l'autoroute - highway

la calculatrice - calculator

le caméscope - camcorder

le bâtiment - building

le but - goal or purpose

l'argen comptant - cash

l'armée - army

le bagage - luggage

la bague - ring

un bal - a dance (party)

la banque - bank

en bas - downstairs

la aiguille - needle

les allumettes - the matches (as in to make a fire)

la amitié - friendship

la campagne - the countryside

le chèque - the check (for money) (not to be confused with "l'addition" at a restaurant)

la clé - key

le collier - necklace

une conférence - a conference or lecture

corps - body

le côté - side

le coton - cotton

le cou - neck

Dieu - God

couverture - blanket

bon marché - inexpensive

coutume - custom

le coeur - heart

le canapé - couch

la cloche - bell

copain (m) copine (f) - pal, good friend

demi - half

le curé - priest

la corbeille - the garbage basket

connaître - (je connais, tu connais, il connaît, nouns connaissons, vous connaissez, ils connåissant (to know, to meet)

appartenir (j'appartiens, tu appartiens, il appartient, nous appartenons, vous appartenez, ills appartiennent (to belong)

avertir (j'avertir, tu avertis, il avertis, nous avertissons, vous avertissez, ils avertissent (to warn or to notify)

le chauffeur - the driver

l'auberge - bed and breakfast

tremblement de terre - earthquake

la rivière - river


TODAY'S TOTAL NEW FRENCH WORDS LEARNED: 139

GOAL: 400 by April 30, 2010

To pledge your support for my French Word-a-Thon, reply to the post above!