education
Car maintenance Part II: A trip to the mechanic 11/08/2006 00:00
Even fluent French speakers sometimes have to ask: Comment dit-on…? Our practical French teacher give you some vocabulary for getting life's ordinary tasks done. Today's lesson fills in the blanks on basic car maintenance.
This feature is intended for both beginning and accomplished French speakers to provide practical vocabulary for common life scenarios.
Part one of this two-part lesson took you to the oil change centre; here we return to the mechanic, le garagiste, to cover some more complex maintenance tasks. The first step is to ask your neighbours or co-workers to help you locate an honest, reliable mechanic. Your (practical) French teacher: Marie-Alice Laulo-Smith
No matter what the repairs, always ask for a repair order as well as a quote or estimate. Vérifiez avant de partir qu’on vous a remis l’ordre de réparation ainsi que le devis.
TUNE-UPS
Tuneup: une révision
Periodic maintenance: un entretien périodique
Technical check-up (In US, roadworthiness test): un contrôle technique
Owner's manual: un carnet d’entretien du véhicule
Follow-up inspection: une contre-visite
CAR PARTS
Air bag light: un voyant d’air bag
Battery light: un voyant batterie
Brake pads: des plaquettes de freins
Brake discs: des disques
Brake drums: des tambours
Brake circuit: un circuit de freinage
Catalytic converter: un pot catalytique
Clutch: un embrayage
Cooling system: un circuit de refroidissement
Distributor pump: une pompe de distribution
Exhaust pipe: un pot d'échappement
Fan belt on the alternator: une courroie d’ alternateur
Ignition: un contact
Odometer: un compteur 
Muffler: un silencieux
Radiator: un radiateur
Seal or gasket: un joint
Shock absorbers: des amortisseurs
Starter: un démarreur
Steering: une direction
Timing belt: une courroie de distribution
Water pump: une pompe à eau
Windshield: un pare-brise
Windshield repair resin: une résine
Wheel axle: le pont
TIRES
You blow a tire while driving or discover a flat tire. Vous avez crevé en roulant ou vous avez trouvé votre pneu à plat.
A jack: un cric
Spare tire: un roue de secours
Donut tire: une galette
A patch: une rustine
Replace a tire: remonter un pneu
Wheel alignment: un équilibrage des roues
Retreds: des pneus rechapés
You may hear:
Your front left tire is smooth. Be careful how it holds the road. You don’t want to start aquaplaning. Votre pneu avant gauche est lisse, attention à la tenue de route ou à l’aquaplanning.
Your tire is cracked. There are cracks on the tire wall. Votre pneu craquelle, il y a des fissures sur le chant.
OTHER GENERAL CAR VOCABULARY
To stall: caler
Warranty: une garantie
Remanufactured or retooled part: un échange standard
Connection problem: un problème de connectique
Faulty contact: un faux contact
To be in the wrong gear: sous- ou sur-régime
The car overheats: La voiture chauffe de manière anormale
The needle doesn’t go back down: L'aiguille a du mal à redescendre
The clutch is slipping: L'embrayage patine
WORDS YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR
The hose is kaput: Votre durit est morte
You’ve got a busted seal: Vous avez un joint de claqué
It’s the cylinder head gasket: C’est le joint de culasse
You need to replace it or it could give out at any moment. Il faudra alors remplacer car elle peut claquer sans prévenir.
You’ll have a big problem and you’ll pay through the nose. Vous aurez un gros pépin et là vous casquerez.
August 2006
Copyright Expatica
Subject: Living in France, Comment dit-on, learning French, French vocabulary, car maintenance
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word of the day : s'amuser avec quelqu'un
meaning : fool around with
phrase of the day : Je voudrais poser une question.
meaning : I'd like to ask a question.
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