Parts 1 to 10

Local language expert Hazel Tomlinson joined Kay Langlois on air to discuss Guernsey French and now it's your chance to learn Guernsey French.

If you want to try your hand at speaking Patois then either use the phonetic spelling below or listen and repeat via the link on the right.

The format for the sayings are as following:

Written in Patois
Phonetic spelling
In English

I' fait pus bal ogniet.
(I feh pu bal, onyeh)
It's nicer weather, today.

Vair, mais le temps est couvaert.
(Vair, may le toh eh koo-var)
Yes, but it's overcast.

I' s'en va ventair, d'moin.
(I soh va voh-tye, d'moy)
It's going to be windy, tomorrow.

Vair, i'l' aont dit sus le wireless.
(wee, eel an dee sul wireless)
Yes, they said so on the radio.

Voul-ous enne coupaïe d'coffee?
(voo-loo en koo-pye d kofee?)
Do you want a cup of coffee?

Oh oui dja, et j'ai grànd fôim.
(oh wee dja, eh zhay grah foy)
Oh, yes, and I'm very hungry!

Pernaïz d'la gâche ou enne galaette, si vous en voulaïz.
(Pairn-eye dla garsh oo en gah-lat see vooz oh vool-eye)
Take some cake or a (Guernsey) biscuit if you like.

Merci, j'oïme en amas les galaettes, mais j'oïme mux la gâche.
(Mair-see. Zhoym en amah lay gah-lat, may zhoym muh la garsh)
Thank you, I like biscuits a lot, but I prefer cake.

Voul-ous acore du coffee ou d'la gâche?
(Voo-loo ah-core du kofee oo dla garsh)
Do you want more coffee or cake?

Nen-nin merci, j'en ai iaeux assaïz.
(Norn-eye mair-see. Zhen-ay eye ahs-eye)
No, thank you. I have had enough.