{"id":23601,"date":"2016-06-23T17:54:27","date_gmt":"2016-06-23T15:54:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=23601"},"modified":"2018-02-28T13:43:51","modified_gmt":"2018-02-28T12:43:51","slug":"instrument-names-in-french","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/instrument-names-in-french\/","title":{"rendered":"Instrument Names in French"},"content":{"rendered":"

In my last post, I wrote about one of my biggest passions: l’op\u00e9ra<\/strong>. I briefly mentioned some orchestra terms but focused more on what happens at an opera house. That being said, an opera can’t happen without an orchestra*, so I’d like to write more on the actual instruments. \u00c0 mon avis, la voix est le plus bel instrument du monde<\/strong> (in my opinion, the voice is the most beautiful instrument in the world), but that beauty is only increased when instruments are \u00a0included. An instrument can easily change the mood of a piece.<\/p>\n

I can’t personally play an instrument. I wish I’d started learning violin when I was young, but that’s another story.<\/p>\n

The verb for “to play” in French, jouer<\/strong>, is special. Luckily, the conjugation is regular, so there’s no problem there. The trick is to remember which preposition to use to describe what is being played.<\/p>\n

Jouer \u00e0
\n<\/strong>When followed by the preposition \u00e0<\/strong>, jouer<\/strong> refers to a game or a sport.
\n<\/strong>Nous allons jouer au tennis.<\/strong> We’re going to play tennis.<\/p>\n

Jouer de
\n<\/strong>When followed by the preposition de<\/strong>, jouer<\/strong> refers to an instrument. Don’t forget the article for the instrument!
\nTom joue de la guitare.<\/strong> Tom plays the guitar.<\/p>\n

Joues-tu d’un instrument ? Lequel ?<\/strong> (Do you play an instrument? Which?)<\/p>\n

Instrument \u00e0 cordes<\/strong> (string instruments<\/p>\n

un violon – violin
\nun alto – viola
\nun violoncelle – violoncello
\nun contrebasse – double bass
\n—
\nun archet – bow<\/p>\n

Instruments \u00e0 vent<\/strong> (wind instruments)<\/p>\n

une fl\u00fbte – flute
\nun hautbois – oboe
\nune clarinette – clarinet
\nun saxophone – saxophone
\nun basson – bassoon
\ninstruments \u00e0 cordes pinc\u00e9es
\nune fl\u00fbte \u00e0 bec – recorder
\n—
\nune anche – reed<\/p>\n

Instruments \u00e0 cordes pinc\u00e9es<\/strong> (plucked instruments)<\/p>\n

la guitare – guitar
\nla harpe – harp
\nle luth – lute
\nune mandoline – mandolin
\n—
\nun plectre – guitar pick<\/p>\n

Instruments \u00e0 vent de cuivre<\/strong> (brass instruments)<\/p>\n

le cor – horn
\nla trompette – trumpet
\nle cornet \u00e0 pistons – cornet
\nle tuba – tuba
\nle baryton – baritone<\/p>\n

Instruments \u00e0 percussion<\/strong> (percussion)<\/p>\n

une grosse caisse – bass drum
\nle tambour – drum
\nles cymbales – cymbals
\nla caisse claire – snare drum
\nle tambourin – tambourine
\nle xylophone – xylophone<\/p>\n

Instrument \u00e0 clavier<\/strong> (keyboards)<\/p>\n

un accord\u00e9on – accordion
\nun clavicorde – clavichord
\nun orgue – organ
\nun piano – piano<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

* = Ok, it CAN happen, but it’s not common. There was a strike in 2012 in Italy that left one opera house with half a chorus and no orchestra. The performance was presented with a piano. The show must go on…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In my last post, I wrote about one of my biggest passions: l’op\u00e9ra. I briefly mentioned some orchestra terms but focused more on what happens at an opera house. That being said, an opera can’t happen without an orchestra*, so I’d like to write more on the actual instruments. \u00c0 mon avis, la voix est…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":125,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[108,13],"tags":[406191,408450],"class_list":["post-23601","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-music","category-vocabulary","tag-la-musique","tag-les-instruments"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t