Swahili Swahili For Dummies Cheat Sheet Cheat Sheet / Updated 12-01-2023 Whether you’re planning to visit East Africa for a few days or stay long term, it’s a good idea to have some basic phrases up your sleeve to help you manage conversations in Swahili smoothly. In this cheat sheet, you’ll find useful phrases to use in greetings, asking questions, dealing with numbers, and understanding the calendar days. View Cheat Sheet

Italian Italian Workbook For Dummies Cheat Sheet Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-02-2023 As you're studying Italian, either on your own or in a course, keep this Cheat Sheet handy for a quick reference on articles, personal pronouns, tenses, and more. View Cheat Sheet

Writing How to Start a College Essay Article / Updated 10-31-2023 The essay is to college writing what books are to educated people, what professors are to college teaching, and what wireless is to technology — they’re inseparable. The essay has been a major part of students’ academic life for more than 15 centuries. With such a storied history, the essay requirement isn’t likely to disappear before you graduate, which is why it's important to know how to start an essay. Don't have time to read the entire article? Jump to the quick read summary. News flash. Your professor, a human being afflicted with a lifetime addiction to reading, determines your essay grade. As much as you’ve been told about the importance of writing for your audience, your professors are the one member of your audience you need to please. And because professors are sophisticated readers, they value writing that contains a skillfully created opening and closing. Engaging openings and closings, the intersection of academic and professional writing, offer you the opportunity to impress your professor and stand out among your peers. When you undervalue the importance of an enticing opening and closing, you’re leaving points on the page. Here I focus on what you need to know about writing openings, including the first few sentences and the title. To learn how to write an excellent closing to your essay, and about all other aspects of college writing, check out my book College Writing For Dummies. Standing out Let the gains begin. As a professor who read and graded tens of thousands of essays and research papers, I’m thrilled to see a thoughtful opening that interests me as a consumer of content. My grading experience tells me to anticipate an excellent grade and read the remainder of the essay to justify that grade. When you're thinking about how to start off an essay, remember that the purpose of your opening includes the following: Engage your reader in the topic and establish the organizational structure of your essay. Convince your reader of the importance of your topic and raise reader questions about the topic. Clarify your position on the topic question, using language from the assignment sheet. Highlight your overall essay plan. Demonstrate your command of language. The opening transports your reader from the symbolic representation of your topic to the specific promise of your thesis — the last sentence in your opening. The structure of the opening progresses from general to specific information, from the abstract hook to the concrete thesis. Your investment in a strong opening yields high returns on your essay grade. As you're thinking about how to start your essay introduction, avoid experimenting with a delayed thesis, such as positioning the thesis in the closing. Avoid this until you regularly write A-graded college essays. When you read leisurely, focus on openings and closings that attract your attention. If you want to be nerdy about it, ask Siri to file them. And when you’re ready to write your openings and closings, consider re-engineering a favorite one you saved. While your opening provides background to place your topic within context, college essays usually require a background paragraph following the opening paragraph. Be sure all background content is related to the thesis, not merely to the topic. Including an anecdote Among the solid ways to start an essay is a go-to opening taught by many professors: the anecdote. It's brief personal experience story. You can use anecdotes in a wide variety of ways, such as: Connect a different personal experience to each essay you’re assigned. Exercise your poetic license by writing an anecdote about an experience that happened to someone else. Write a fictional anecdote that appears believable if you’re feeling especially creative. Use one as a piece of evidence in the essay body. The more you use them, the better your skills at developing them. Use one as a style tool. Anecdotes are the gift that keep giving. Following, I focus on what to include when writing anecdotes and how you can capture your reader’s attention. What to include in an anecdote Anecdotes are scenes, not narratives with a beginning, middle, and ending. They range between five and six sentences within essays between 600 to 650 words. They aren’t the recount of an experience from beginning to end. Strategies for writing anecdotes include the following: Name relevant people, places, and events. Identify relevant time references. Consider a twist or surprise ending. Add brief dialogue when appropriate. Brainstorm your anecdote similar to how you brainstorm your essay. Reference conclusions from your anecdote that apply to your essay’s thesis. Anecdotes are successful only when the experience connects with the essay topic. For example, an anecdote that tells a story about never quitting in athletics can be applied to an essay about never quitting in a challenging course. Grabbing your reader’s attention Similar to opening an essay, begin an anecdote with an attention-attracting first sentence. Following, are examples of language for beginning your anecdote and setting the scene: When I visited Alaska, I experienced the highlight of my travel experience — walking on a glacier. I will never forget the desperation on animals' faces when I volunteered at the center for abused animals. Some of the most memorable lessons I learned in middle school occurred outside the classroom on camping trips. I hide emotions well, but holding tears failed me when I recognized the name on the post. Consider this opening anecdote: I boarded the helicopter from the heliport in Juneau, Alaska — aware that one crashed in recent weeks — anticipating the experience of flying above an ice field, landing on the Mendenhall Glacier, and walking across frozen tundra, thousands of years old. I walked to the edge of crevasses, looking down hundreds of feet at the flow of blue glacier water. I witnessed the excitement of one of nature’s unique performances. But on the helicopter flight back to Juneau, nature offered one additional surprise that changed my comfort level with nature’s majesty. Using additional openings strategies When you're thinking about how to start an introduction for an essay, consider these other opening strategies: Series of questions: Many professors consider a one question opening a cliché strategy common to high school writing. But a series of questions raises the curiosity level and raises even more questions. Here’s a sample from my column reviewing Choke by Sian Beilock (Delco News Network): What’s the cause of high-performing students underperforming on a high-stakes standardized test such as the SAT and GRE (Graduate Record Examination)? What’s the cause of a professional athlete underperforming on a game-winning play or a pressure putt? Do underperforming students and athletes share common characteristics for their “choke”? What if? picture this: Another opening is the hypothetical “What if?” which raises questions and curiosities. Here’s a sample on a topic that interests you: What if colleges accepted more responsibility for ensuring graduation for the students they accept? What if their accountability included partial refunds of tuition and student loans for students who drop out? What if colleges fulfilled the promises to students and their parents made during freshmen orientation? In addition to the previous opening strategies, openings also include the importance of the topic, the approach to the assignment, your position on the topic, and the thesis. Steer clear of these types of openings Here’s a look at openings as unappealing as a broken popsicle: Previewing your intentions for the essay, such as what you plan to cover A dictionary or encyclopedia definition of the topic Restating the topic Presenting an overview of the topic An all-encompassing phrase such as: “Since the dawn of time …” Quotations that suddenly appear in text without context or follow up When I read these openings as a professor, I thought no effort, no thought, and no good. Focusing on the first sentences Are you surprised to hear that some professors will stereotype you as a student? Your professor’s assessment of your grade begins the first day of class with behaviors such as: Arriving early and introducing yourself Sitting in the front row and assuming an academic position Actively participating in class discussions and taking notes Saying thank you on the way out of class Your professor will also stereotype you by a strong opening of your essay, especially the first sentence. Unlike professional writers, inexperienced writers rarely prioritize first sentences and openings. Professional writers quickly learn that their most important sentence is the first because editors frequently buy or reject a piece of writing based on the reader connection of the first sentence. A lackluster title, first sentence, and opening won’t cost you money as a first-year student, but it can cost you a scoring opportunity. Here’s a look at a few first-sentence strategies that will engage your reader, impress your professor, and score the grade (you can easily develop these first-sentence strategies into opening strategies): Surprise information: Readers enjoy a surprise. When the first-sentence surprise raises curiosity and questions, you have the ingredients for an engaging opening. Here’s a sample: Sleep researchers studying mice observed that the brain’s synapses, message connectors, surprisingly decrease about 20 percent after a few hours’ sleep. But they also discovered that the reduction makes you smarter. The second sentence (But they also …) shows a sentence that transitions into the thesis. Chapter 6 details more information about thesis statements. Expert quotations: Opening an essay with a quotation by an expert interests the most sophisticated readers, including your professor. Here’s an example: “Progress is made by trial and failure, the failures are generally a hundred times more numerous than the successes; yet they are usually left unchronicled,” said renowned chemist William Ramsey (1852–1916). Ramsey was referencing science, but his advice applies beyond science and into everyday life, including writing. The second sentence (Ramsey was referencing …) also shows a sentence that transitions into the thesis. Essential content connection: What is the most emotional part of your essay? For example, if your essay’s about the college dropout rate, play the emotional card by opening with a sentence describing what a college degree means to you and your family. Here’s a sample: I dreamed of my college graduation since my first day of school, but I didn’t dream of its financial and emotional toll on my family. When your first sentence connects with your readers, you’re set up to deliver your second sentence and the remainder of your opening. Midway through your opening, your professor formulates a projection of your grade. Capitalize on the opportunity to impress your professor with a high-interest opening, and remember that good openings generate good grades. Quick Read Summary The essay is an essential component of college writing, much like books are to educated individuals and professors are to teaching. It has been a vital part of academia for over 15 centuries, and it's crucial to understand how to start an essay effectively. Your professor, as a dedicated reader, plays a pivotal role in determining your essay's grade. They appreciate well-crafted openings and closings, which set your work apart. Neglecting the importance of a compelling start means missing out on valuable points. An engaging opening serves multiple purposes: it draws in the reader, establishes the essay's structure, emphasizes the topic's significance, and clarifies your position while highlighting your overall essay plan. The opening guides the reader from the general topic to the specific thesis, a progression from the abstract to the concrete. Avoid experimenting with a delayed thesis placement until you're consistently writing high-quality essays. An effective strategy for essay openings is the use of anecdotes, brief personal stories that connect to the topic. Anecdotes should be concise, involving relevant people, places, events, time references, and possibly a twist or surprise ending. They should tie back to the essay's thesis. To captivate your reader, start with an attention-grabbing first sentence, such as an intriguing experience or a thought-provoking question. Other opening strategies include posing a series of questions or exploring hypothetical scenarios related to your topic. Avoid unappealing openings, such as previews, dictionary definitions, restating the topic, or vague phrases like "Since the dawn of time." Professors often perceive these as lacking effort and thought. In the academic world, first impressions matter. Your professor forms an initial impression of your work based on the essay's opening, particularly the first sentence. To engage your reader and secure a good grade, consider strategies like surprising information, expert quotations, or connecting with essential emotional content. In summary, mastering the art of essay openings is crucial for academic success. Impress your professor with a well-crafted start, as it can significantly impact your grade. Hungry for more? Go back and read the article or check out the book. View Article

Writing How to Write a College Research Paper Article / Updated 10-31-2023 Research papers are like a six-hour energy drink for your grade. They’re usually weighted a higher point value than other assignments because they require more work. And writing a few successful research papers each semester helps to boost your grade point average — and your academic confidence. Don't have time to read the entire article? Jump to the quick read summary. In addition to energizing your grade, here’s a look at the benefits of research papers and why they matter. Doing a research paper: Broadens your knowledge base: New knowledge produces new questions to answer and new answers to questions. Research papers broaden and develop new interests. Develops your scholarship: Research papers are the primary academic activity of scholars-in-training like you. More than any other academic assignment, research papers show your depth of understanding a topic. Focuses your expertise: If your research writing reveals patterns of interests, such as an analysis of workplace issues, you may be developing an area of focus for career exploration. Trace your research topics from middle school through college and analyze what they reveal about your interests. Develops problem-solving skills: Solving problems develops your problem-solving skills. Researching and writing are endless marathons of solving problems. Expands career opportunities: Research papers and grad school are a given. A research background also qualifies you for many business careers, including entrepreneurialism. Each paper you write represents an opportunity to explore a new career. Shows off your skills: Research papers demonstrate a variety of academic skills such as synthesizing, analyzing, organizing, summarizing, and paraphrasing. They also show skills such as creating research questions, developing an argument, and drawing conclusions. Before the age of mass computers, research was like locating a lucky flake in a family-size box of cereal. The research process included locating the library’s one copy of the Readers Guide to Periodical Literature, searching your topic, recording periodical biographical information, submitting your source requests, and returning in a week to see if your requests could be fulfilled. Occasionally, an overzealous peer would irresponsibly rip out the periodical page you needed for research. Gathering scholarly sources today lacks yesterday’s drama, but not yesterday’s importance. Sources may not be as significant to you as your phone and Wi-Fi, but without research skills to locate them, your academic life will crash like an overheated device. Put on your academic game face, alert your friends you’re taking a short sabbatical from social media, and commit yourself to the type of research that decreases the distance toward your college graduation goal. For more on how to start your college research paper, including formulating the all-important research question, creating an outline for a research paper, and gathering sources, check out my book College Research Papers For Dummies. What makes good research paper topics? Let this idea live rent free in your head: As a college professor who has graded more than 10,000 research papers, I assure you the most important grade-influencing decision you make — before you write word one in draft one — is identifying the topic. Innovative topics encourage your professor to reward your initiative with a grade of B or better, and it’s usually better. Innovative or outlier topics show your audience, and your professor, that your thinking surpasses the status quo and recognizes the importance of engaging writing and interesting content. Here are some examples of research paper topics that professors want to see more of and are willing to reward you for: Culinary trends in Shakespeare’s plays: What they say about nutrition at the time Nineteenth century literary characters who would blow up Twitter — and today’s First Amendment implications Is a “good” dictatorship better than a bad democracy? These topics combine unexpected elements: Shakespeare themes and nutrition, literary characters and the First Amendment — and arguing against the grain (a good dictatorship). Your initial topic, research questions, and thesis are called working because they usually require revising during background research and early writing of the assignment. Professor-pleasing topic elements In addition to novel and uncommon approaches, elements of professor-pleasing topics include the following: Addresses assignment question: Professors design research assignments to allow you broad interpretations of the topic, but not limitless approaches. Professors expect your topic to fulfill the major purpose of the assignment, usually a form of argument. Connects to course content: Connect your topic to course content by surveying your syllabus, reviewing tests, perusing notes and readings, and recalling class discussions. Identify major themes of the course and determine how one of them connects with the assignment. Contains a debatable issue: Be certain that your topic has an element of disagreement. If you’re arguing that government should partially repay student loans, be sure to address reasons for disagreement. Appeals to scholarly audience, including your professor: Connect your topic to the scholarly audience by analyzing it through an academic discipline, such as economics, health, psychology, sociology, and works of literature. Also consider integrating interests of your professor who represents that audience. Identifies with your academic interest: Within the context of the assignment, choose a topic that will sustain your interest for three or four weeks. Consider a topic in your major field of study, a topic you want to explore, or a topic you think about and talk about. Includes available research: An early red flag to abort your topic is lack of easily available research. If you can’t locate 15 to 20 sources on your first search, and if the reference librarian can’t direct you to topic sources, reboot your topic. How to find research paper topics Topic ideas surround your everyday academic life. Here are some resources for developing your research topic: Background reading: Read extensively and deeply on the topic. Read for who, what, when, where, how, and why. Read for ideas explained, implied, understated, and omitted. Your professor and other faculty: Talk with your professor about your planned approach to the topic and ask about other professors who may be a source for your research. You could also ask your professor for research paper examples that they consider high quality. Content from other courses: Professors value interdisciplinary thinking. Consider topics from another course that apply to the assignment. Library resources: A walk through the library or a scroll through the library website may generate topic ideas. Note displays and special interest exhibits and consider their connection to your topic. Campus and community issues: Consider campus and community issues that may connect to the assignment such as campus resources that can address community problems. Your phone’s AI: Ask your phone’s artificial intelligence for a suggested topic. The answer may surprise you. Social media: Is a topic trending on social media that’s academically applicable to the assignment? What topics are going viral? Identify a working topic within hours after analyzing your assignment and completing background reading. Avoid topic paralysis that bankrupts your time-management budget. Topic indecision is the enemy of a successful assignment. Topic pitfalls to avoid Your goal as a student is to fulfill your professor’s expectations for the assignment, which includes researching scholarly evidence to argue a thesis. Avoid topics that present unnecessary obstacles for achieving those objectives, such as the following: Too intricate: Steer clear of complex topics that exceed assignment length and increase difficulty of the assignment, such as the following: Causes of declining GPAs among first-generation college students who commute and work full time, reducing available study time All about AI: Uses and abuses, position in the workplace, and potential to replace college writing Non-arguable: College students thrive on defending a belief. But when a belief lacks defense, they’re speechless — or wordless. Here are examples of topics that lack a logical argument: Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and needs a cure. Colleges that have large endowments offer more resources to students than colleges with smaller endowments. Values: College students feel strongly about their personal values (honesty, authenticity, compassion, service, and so forth). But research papers and most other college assignments (except in a course that studies values and ethics) aren’t the platform to defend them because they’re too difficult to argue with scholarly sources. Defend your values with how you live your life and argue them in dorm-room discussions — with the door closed tightly. Here are a couple of examples of a values topic difficult to write a research paper about: Too technical: Avoid topics that exceed the technical knowledge of your audience and require too much terminology to explain. For example: Unfair advantages of high-tech swimwear in collegiate competitive swimming The energy efficiency of an HVAC system is directly related to its air exchange capabilities Personal obsessions: Avoid topics focused on personal obsessions you’re passionate about, such as politics, religion, and personal health. The emotional “you” will overpower the logical “you,” and your argument usually includes personal opinion rather than scholarly sources and a thesis based on logic. As soon as you begin accumulating information for your research project, back up files and back up your backup. Universities usually provide adequate student storage. Self-emailing represents another form of back up, in addition to an external hard drive backup. Avoid embarrassing yourself with the excuses almost all professors will decry: “I lost my files” or “My computer crashed.” How to create a thesis statement Your most important sentence as an academic writer is the thesis statement, which states the position your paper will take and the direction it will develop. It’s like system settings on your devices, controlling every function of your research. If one part of your thesis malfunctions, your research assignment is toast. Think of the thesis like sentence ground zero. The development of every idea in the assignment flows through the thesis statement. In research writing, thesis statements are called claim statements because they claim or assert the argument of the paper. Thesis statements require more thought than any other sentence you write. And when the thesis fails, the assignment fails. These sections explain the what and how of writing thesis statements and illustrate five steps for drafting a research paper thesis. Focus your thesis on a problem within the topic After analyzing the assignment and background reading, identify a problem related to the topic. Here’s an example on the topic of earning college degrees: Almost 60 percent of first-year college students neglect to graduate within six years. The topic’s problems include millions of students who fail to achieve their college dream and the financial opportunities that accompany it and drop out of college with approximately $15,000 in student-loan debt. The thesis offers a research-supported solution to the problem. When thesis statements neglect to focus on a problem, they lack reader drama and audience interest. How to write a thesis The thesis identifies the purpose of the research paper and references the argument the paper will defend. Here’s an example of a thesis: The college admission process should include students’ demonstrating an understanding of at least three classic books. The sample thesis asserts that students should demonstrate critical reading skills before admission to college. The thesis argues that the almost 60 percent college attrition rate six years after enrollment is attributed to poor reading skills. It will be supported by research showing that reading is a fundamental skill for success in college. As a general rule, a thesis statement is completion of the sentence, such as: "The purpose of this research paper is to argue that …" Here’s a look at theses that complete that sentence: The cost of producing electric vehicles often exceeds energy saved over lifetime operation of the vehicle. Music improves the benefits of exercising. Colleges bear some responsibility for the student loan crisis. Here’s a look at some successful thesis statements: Responsibility for the student loan crisis should be shared by borrowers and colleges, especially the college admission process. Female characters in Shakespeare are representative of today’s “Me Too” movement. NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) has had a positive influence on college academics. The most common error writing thesis statements is writing sentences too narrow or too broad. Here are examples of those errors and their revisions: Too narrow: College students’ academic performance is limited by eating unhealthy snacks. Revised: College students perform better academically when they exercise and develop good nutrition habits. Too broad: Everyone should go to college. Revised: Everyone qualified and motivated should attend college, but many other routes leading to career success and financial stability are available, such as the trades and entrepreneurialism. Drafting a research paper thesis in five easy steps Thesis statements preview the argument the research paper supports. Here are five easy-to-follow steps for writing a thesis statement for research papers: Determine your topic. After analyzing the assignment and reading background information, list the topic that interests you, which includes an argument and support by available research. Identify a problem. Identify a major problem related to the topic that the research paper will address. Interrogate your topic. Identify a variety of meanings of the problem by asking questions such as: Whom or what is affected by the problem? Who benefits and who doesn’t? So what? and What if? What do the answers suggest about content needed to address the topic? Write a research question. The question you write is answered by the thesis. Here’s an example of a research question: How does NIL affect college athletes? Convert the question into a position statement. A thesis statement takes an arguable position that offers a solution to the problem, such as: NIL provides college athletes with the same social media financial opportunities as non-athlete students. Quick Read Summary Research papers are essential in academia, often carrying significant weight in your overall grade. They require more effort than other assignments but offer various benefits, including broadening your knowledge base, developing scholarship, focusing your expertise, and enhancing problem-solving skills. Additionally, they can open up career opportunities and showcase your academic skills. Choosing a good research paper topic is crucial. Innovative and unique topics impress your professors and set you up for a higher grade. Topics that challenge the status quo and offer fresh perspectives are highly regarded. For instance, consider topics like "Culinary trends in Shakespeare's plays: What they say about nutrition at the time" or "Is a 'good' dictatorship better than a bad democracy?" These unexpected combinations and unconventional approaches can make your paper stand out. When selecting a topic, ensure it aligns with the assignment's purpose, connects to course content, contains a debatable issue, appeals to a scholarly audience (including your professor), relates to your academic interest, and has ample available research sources. To find research paper topics, explore resources such as background reading, consult your professors and other faculty, consider content from other courses, explore library resources, and even use AI and social media trends for inspiration. Don't get stuck in topic indecision; it can hinder your progress. Avoid topic pitfalls like overly intricate subjects, non-arguable topics, issues based on personal values, extremely technical subjects, and personal obsessions. These topics can complicate your research and hinder your ability to argue your thesis effectively. Crafting a strong thesis statement is crucial for your research paper. It serves as the backbone of your paper, guiding its development. Start by identifying a problem related to your topic and then write a research question. Convert this question into a clear and arguable position statement. Your thesis should be focused on a problem, supported by research, and offer a solution. In summary, research papers are instrumental in academic success, but choosing the right topic and crafting a compelling thesis statement are key factors in ensuring a successful paper. Hungry for more? Go back and read the article or check out the book. View Article

Writing Writing a Romance Novel For Dummies Cheat Sheet Cheat Sheet / Updated 10-24-2023 Romance is a top-selling fiction genre that includes historical and contemporary romance, paranormal and suspenseful romance, and more. Whether you’re an aspiring writer or just new to the genre, you’ll find practical information and tips here to help you along your writing journey. View Cheat Sheet

English as a Second Language Inglés Para Dummies Cheat Sheet Cheat Sheet / Updated 10-02-2023 Si tienes planeado viajar a un país que habla inglés, de vacaciones o por negocio, vale la pena aprender algunos saludos, frases de cortesía y preguntas de carácter general. View Cheat Sheet

French French Workbook For Dummies Cheat Sheet Cheat Sheet / Updated 09-13-2023 Keep this Cheat Sheet handy as you're learning French. It's a great quick reference when you need to check definite, indefinite, and partitive articles; personal pronouns, identify être verbs, and need help with other particulars of French grammar. View Cheat Sheet

Spanish Ordering at a Restaurant in Spanish Article / Updated 09-07-2023 When you’re eating out at a Spanish-speaking restaurant, knowing some basic Spanish vocabulary can make the ordering process a little easier. Placing your order basically consists of two parts: ordering a beverage and ordering food. But first you need to get the attention of your server. Calling a waiter over to your table If your waiter is a man, the appropriate way to address him depends on where you are. A waiter in Argentina is a mozo (moh-soh) or “young man.” But, calling someone mozo in Chile is offensive. In Chile, you say, garzón (gahr-sohn), which is derived from the French word for “young man.” If you call the waiter by either of these terms in Mexico, he may not react. You can better get his attention by saying joven (Hoh-bvehn), meaning “young,” even if he isn’t so young. In Spain, a waiter is a camarero (kah-mah-reh-roh). When a woman is serving you, call her simply señorita (seh-nyoh-ree-tah), meaning “Miss,” no matter where you are. Ordering a beverage Credit: PhotoDisc, Inc. Many people like to order an aperitif, or cocktail, before dinner. One popular local liquor is aguardiente (ah-gooahr-deeehn-teh), which translates as “fire water,” and is made out of grapes, tequila (teh-kee-lah), and mezcal (mehs-kahl). In Chile and Peru, people like “pisco (pees-koh) sour,” a cocktail made with pisco (another liquor made from grapes), sugar, and lemon juice. Agua (ah-gooah) in Mexico can mean “water,” which is its exact translation, but it can also be a beverage made with water, fruit, and sugar. All fruits, and even some vegetables, make refreshing aguas. In Chile, aguita (ah-goo-ee-tah), meaning “little water,” can be an herb tea served after a meal. Following are a few more phrases you may hear or want to use when ordering beverages: Escoger un vino (ehs-koh-Hehr oon bvee-noh) (choose a wine) ¡Salud! (sah-lood) (Cheers!) Tomar un refresco (toh-mahr oon reh-frehs-koh) (drink a soda pop) Tomar un trago (toh-mahr oon trah-goh) (have a drink [alcoholic]) Un vaso de agua (oon bvah-soh deh ah-gooah) (a glass of water) Un vaso de leche (oon bvah-soh deh leh-cheh) (a glass of milk) Ordering a main course In order to make a selection, you may want to ask questions about various dishes on the menu. Here are a few helpful phrases: ¿Qué nos recomienda? (keh nohs reh-koh-meeehn-dah) (What do you suggest?) ¿Con qué está servido? (kohn keh ehs-tah sehr-bvee-doh) (What does it come with?) ¿Qué ingredientes tiene? (keh een-greh-dee ehn-tehs tee eh-neh) (What are the ingredients?) ¿Qué más trae el plato? (keh mahs trah-eh ehl plah-toh) (What else is in the dish?) Your server may have occasion to use the following phrases: ¿Están listos para ordenar? (ehs-tahn lees-tohs pah-rah ohr-deh-nahr) (Are you ready to order?) Está caliente. (ehs-tah kah-lee ehn-teh) (It’s hot [temperature].) Está picante. (ehs-tah pee-kahn-teh) (It’s hot [flavor/spicy].) Está frío. (ehs-tah freeoh) (It’s cold.) Lamento, no tenemos . . . (lah-mehn-toh noh teh-neh-mohs) (Sorry, we don’t have any . . .) View Article

Writing Creative Writing For Dummies Cheat Sheet Cheat Sheet / Updated 09-06-2023 Do you want to be the next best-selling author and dream up a new iconic character? Follow this handy Cheat Sheet, which breaks down the creative writing process into manageable tasks and helps you to develop your writing style and become a confident and accomplished writer. View Cheat Sheet

French Enjoying French Meals Article / Updated 08-07-2023 What better way to enjoy what you are going to eat than to start with an empty stomach. Then you can say, "J'ai faim" (zheh fan) (I'm hungry) or "J'ai soif" (zheh swaf) (I'm thirsty), and the glorious world of French gastronomy is yours! French food is probably the most famous and the most praised in the world. And you don't have to go to Paris to enjoy it. In the United States, French restaurants and specialty food shops are often very expensive. But just across the border, you can find total satisfaction at reasonable prices in Montreal. In the United States, people eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Wouldn't it be simple if only three words designated les repas (lay ruh-pah) (the meals) in all French-speaking countries? Well, it simply isn't so. Québec has kept some of the seventeenth-century French of its first settlers and uses the words that were used then (as do the people in some parts of the French countryside): The word for "breakfast" is: le déjeuner (luh day-zhuh-nay) in Québec le petit déjeuner (luh puh-tee day-zhuh-nay) in France Le déjeuner (in Québec) is probably a remnant from the days when farm workers ate a big hearty meal in early morning, another big meal at midday, and only hot soup with bread at the end of the day. Then breakfast was more a déjeuner (meal) than a petit déjeuner (little meal). Also, the Quebecois are North Americans and thus more used to a big breakfast than the French are. So, if you're meeting someone for le déjeuner in Montreal, don't wait until lunch time! Unless your hosts invited your for le brunch — no explanation necessary, right? — they won't be expecting you. The word for "lunch" is: le dîner (luh dee-nay) in Québec le déjeuner (luh day-zhuh-nay) in France The word for "dinner" is: le souper (luh soo-pay) in Québec le dîner (luh dee-nay) in France These nouns are also verbs; to have lunch or dinner is déjeuner, dîner, or souper. After coming home from school, children enjoy le goûter (luh goo-tay) (mid-afternoon snack), which usually consists of bread and butter, jam, or chocolate. If you suddenly find yourself hungry between meals, you can always have un casse-croûte (kahs-kroot) (a snack, literally: break the crust) like a crêpe at a stand in Paris, a hot dog sold by a street vendor in Montreal, or anything in between. Even out in the middle of the country, you may be lucky enough to find a café where you can get une omelette (ew-nom-leht) (an omelet) or un sandwich (aN sahn-dweesh) (a sandwich). A note about breakfast As we mention earlier, a Canadian breakfast looks much like its American or British counterpart. The French breakfast, on the other hand, is more like what hotels call a continental breakfast. Many French don't even eat the famous croissant (krwa-sahN) with their morning coffee; they're often satisfied with just a quick espresso before boarding the train or the subway. Nowadays, like North American children, many French children have cereal and milk, les céréales et le lait (lay say-ray-ah-lay luh lay) for breakfast. Still, the traditional French breakfast is usually made up of the following: le café (luh kah-fay) (coffee) le café au lait (luh kah-fay o leh) (coffee with hot milk) le café crème (luh kah-fay crehm) (coffee with a little milk) le thé nature (luh tay nah-tewr) (plain tea) le thé au lait (luh tay o leh) (tea with milk) le thé au citron/le thé citron (luh tay o see-trohn/luh tay see-trohn) (tea with lemon) le pain (luh pahN) (bread) le pain grillé (luh pahN gree-yay) (toast) les tartines (lay tahr-teen) (slices of bread with some kind of spread) le beurre (luh buhr) (butter) la margarine (lah mahr-zhah-reen) (margarine), not as popular as butter but used nevertheless la confiture (lah kohn-fee-tewr) (jam) le croissant (luh krwa-sahN) (croissant — crescent-shaped) le pain au chocolat (luh pan o sho-ko-lah) (same dough as a croissant, but a different shape and with a chocolate bar inside) le chausson aux pommes (luh sho-sohN o pohm) (applesauce-filled danish) le pain aux raisins (luh pahN o ray-zan) (a sort of raisin bread) You can find all of these mouth-watering goodies in any pâtisserie (pah-tees-ree) (confectioner's shop) or boulangerie (boo-lahn-zhree) (bakery) throughout France. If you aren't sure what something is, you can always simply point to it in the window and be delightfully surprised at whatever delicious confection you discover! A note about lunch Until the mid-1960s, lunch was the big meal of the day in France. Fathers came home from work and children came home from school to sit to a four- or five-course meal prepared by the mother. After a two-hour break, everybody went back to their activities. Children still have a two-hour break from lunch, and many of them still go home. But with many women working outside the house, most active people spend much less time on their lunch break and don't have time to come home. They also eat more lightly at midday. View Article