I’m lucky to have a share in a house in France but sometimes it does test my fluency in French! There’s nothing quite like things breaking down for revealing the gaps in one’s command of a language.
The word capacitor isn’t one that I use regularly in English and I would be hard pushed to explain exactly what one is. I have a vague idea that they are connected to motors? So when the pool pump died recently I was pleased the OH (an engineer) was with me in France to diagnose death of said capacitor. But I hadn’t a clue what the word is in French and dictionaries are notoriously bad at including technical words or making clear which ones are used in which context. Cue panic in how to track one down – and not just any one – one that would fit the pump.
After an involved discussion with French friends the required word appears to be condensateur.
Sue Smith Private Tuition 