French listening practice with side-by-side translation
Listening comprehension: See the links at the bottom for lessons related to the phrases in italics.
| La Nature parle : Sophie Marceau est Mère Nature | Nature is speaking: Sophie Marceau is Mother Nature |
| Certains m’appellent Nature. D’autres, Mère Nature. J’existe depuis plus de quatre milliards et demi d’années, soit 22.500 fois plus longtemps que vous. |
Translation
Some call me Nature. Others, Mother Nature. I’ve existed for more than four and a half billion years, 22.500 times longer than you. [collapse]
|
| Je n’ai pas vraiment besoin des Hommes, mais les Hommes ont besoin de moi. Oui, votre futur dépend de moi. Lorsque je prospère, vous prospérez. Lorsque je faiblis, vous faiblissez… ou pire. |
Translation
I don’t really need Man, but Man needs me. Yes, your future depends on me. When I prosper, you prosper. When I weaken, you weaken… or worse. [collapse]
|
| Je suis là depuis l’éternité. J’ai nourri des espèces plus grandes que vous, et j’en ai affamé des plus grandes que vous. Mes océans, ma terre, mes rivières, mes forêts… tous peuvent vous emporter ou vous laisser en paix. |
Translation
I’ve been here for all of eternity. I’ve fed greater species than you, and I’ve starved greater ones than you. My oceans, my land, my rivers, my forests… they can all take you or leave you. [collapse]
|
| Les choix que vous faites chaque jour, que vous vous préoccupiez de moi ou pas, ne m’importent pas vraiment. Vos actions détermineront votre sort, pas le mien. |
Translation
The choices that you make every day, whether you care about me or not, don’t really matter to me. Your actions will determine your fate, not mine. [collapse]
|
| Je suis la Nature, je continuerai d’exister. Je suis prête à évoluer… et vous ? |
Translation
I am Nature, I will continue to exist. I’m ready to evolve… and you? [collapse]
|
| Video courtesy of Conservation International. | Translation by LKL |
Listening comprehension
Grammar
- Certains m’appellent Nature, D’autres, Mère Nature – indefinite pronouns
- Certains m’appellent Nature, tous peuvent vous emporter – direct objects
- plus longtemps que vous, les Hommes ont besoin de moi – stressed pronouns
- votre futur, Mes océans, ma terre – possessive adjectives
- J’ai nourri, j’en ai affamé – passé composé
- j’en ai affamé – adverbial pronoun en
- que vous vous préoccupiez de moi – pronominal verb in the subjunctive
- Les choix …, ne m’importent pas – indirect object
- Vos actions détermineront, je continuerai – future
- le mien – possessive pronoun
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