The third part of “Learn the basic words and sentences in French”. Learn the basic Greeting words in French. If you want tostart with something really simple or if you just want to to be speaking some basic French words to be polite with the French people on your journey to a French speaking country, then this lesson is for you. You may also see this lesson as a reminder of the words you had learned long, long time ago. Have fun !
1. French Basic Words: Questions and Exclamations
French
English
1. Comment allez-vous ?
How are you ? (polite, formal)
2. Ça va ?
How are you doing ? / Is everything all right ? (informal)
3. Tout va bien ?
Is everything all right ? (more formal)
4. Il n’y a pas de problème !
No problem ! / That’s all right !
5. Allez-y !
(Please) Go on ! (formal)
6. Ça y est !
That’s it ! / Got it !
7. C’est du n’importe quoi!
That’s nonsense !
8. C’est fou !
That’s crazy !
9. C’est bon !
That’s ok ! / I got it / No worries !
2. Notes
There aren’t any notes so far.
Metro Paris
3. Exercise
Translate the following into French:
[xyz-ihs snippet=”french-basic-sentences-2″]
4. Homework
Learn the words by heart.
Try to imagine a scene in which each of these expressions could occur and write them down.
Learn the basic Greeting words in French. If you want tostart with something really simple or if you just want to to be speaking some basic French words to be polite with the French people on your journey to a French speaking country, then this lesson is for you. You may also see this lesson as a reminder of the words you had learned long, long time ago. Have fun !
1. Basic French Words: Requesting, Thanking, Apologising.
French
English
1. s’il te plaît !
Please ! (informal, friendly)
2. s’il vous plaît !
Please ! (formal, polite)
3. Merci !
Thank You !
4. Merci beaucoup !
Thank You very much !
5. De rien ! (formal)
You’re welcome !
6. Il n’y a pas de quoi !
Don’t mention it ! (friendly)
7. Je vous en prie !
You’re welcome ! (polite)
8. Excusez-moi !
Excuse-me / Sorry ! (formal, polite)
9. Je suis désolé !
I’m sorry !
10. Désolé.
(I’m) sorry !
2. Notes
The same as in the previous lesson with Greetings.
Eiffel Tower, Banajova – Flickr
3. Exercise
[su_spoiler title=”Click to show the explanation of the exercise”]
[content id=”439″]
[/su_spoiler]
[xyz-ihs snippet=”french-basic-sentences-2″]
4. Homework
Read all the words aloud 5 times. Read the words slowly, exaggerating the sounds with each word. Make a short break (5 seconds) after each reading.
Learn the words by heart. (You need to hit 100 % in the translation exercise above without any help)
Imagine in what situations could these words be used.
Learn the basic Greeting words in French. If you want tostart with something really simple or if you just want to to be speaking some basic French words to be polite with the French people on your journey to a French speaking country, then this lesson is for you.
1. Text: List of Basic French Words and Expressions 1: Greetings
French
English
1. Salut
Hello
2. Bonjour
Good morning
3. Bonsoir
Good evening
4. Au revoir
Goodbye
5. à bientôt
See you soon
6. à plus tard
See you later
7. à demain
See you tomorrow
8. Bonne journée
Have a nice day
9. Bon après-midi
Enjoy your afternoon
10. Bonne soirée
Have a nice evening
11. Bonne nuit
Good night
2. Notes
What you should know about the French and their language is that in general the French are really polite. Whatever has been said about people from Paris (which is another subject), politeness is ubiquitous in France. While dealing with the locals, you will hear a lot of “merci”, “excusez-moi”, and “s’il-vous-plaît”. It is perfectly normal to say “Bonjour” to complete strangers, the people you are just passing by while walking alone on the street. No one will think you are strange or crazy. It is perfectly normal here!
3. Exercises
[su_spoiler title=”Click to show the explanation of the exercise”]
[content id=”439″]
[/su_spoiler]
[xyz-ihs snippet=”french-basic-phrases”]
4. Homework
Read all the words aloud 5 times. Read the words slowly, exaggerating the sounds with each word. Make a short break (5 seconds) after each reading.
Learn the words by heart. (You need to hit 100 % in the translation exercise above without any help)
Imagine in what situations you could use these words.
Learn how to tell your age in French, ask and compare your age with others and speak about other members of your family. You will learn more about the conjugation and the use of the FrenchPresent Simple Tense ( Le présent de l’indicatif ), as well as the French comparatives and superlatives.
1. Dialogue: Quel âge as-tu ?
Quel âge as-tu ? – J’ai 25 ans. Et toi? Moi, j’ai 3 ans de moinsque toi. – Alors, tu as 22 ans. C’est exact. Je suis plus jeuneque toi. – Tu veux dire que je suis vieux ? Bien sûr que non ! 25 ans c’est le meilleur âge ! – Et quel âge a ta sœur ? Elle a 15 ans. Je suis plus âgé qu’elle. – Oui, ça fait 10 ans de différence entre vous deux.
Paris-Louvre-Luc-Mercelis-Flickr
2. Notes
Notes on French grammar, vocabulary, phoneticsand language in general.
[su_spoiler title=”Dialogue Vocabulary”]
French
English
de moins que
less than
alors
so, then
exact
correct, right
jeune
young
(être) plus jeune que
(to be) younger than
vouloir (Tu veux …)
to want
dire
to say
Bien sûr
of course
(être) le meilleur
the best
une sœur
a sister
(être) plus âgé que
older than
faire (ça fait …)
to make, to do
[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”Additional Vocabulary”]
French
English
1. Groupes d’âge
1. Age groups:
les personnes agées
the elderly / the seniors.
Eg. Beaucoup de personnes agées vivent seules.
les adultes
the adults
les adolescents
the teenagers
les enfants
the children
2. Membres de la famille
2. Family members
le père
father
Mon père est brun.
la mère
mother
Ma mère est infirmière.
un frère
brother
Eg. J’ai deux frères.
une sœur
sister
Eg. Je n’ai pas de sœur.
un fils
son
Eg. J’ai un fils et une fille.
une fille
daughter
Eg. Bénédicte est ma fille.
un mari
husband
Eg. Voici Jean-Claude, mon mari.
une femme
wife
Eg. Je vous présente Hélène, ma femme.
[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”Grammar”]
A. Etre / Avoir: Le Présent de l’indicatif ( Present Tense)
être ( to be )
avoir ( to have )
je suis français.
tu es vieux
il / elle / on est jeune
nous sommes désolés
vous êtes en retard
ils sont beaux
elles sontbelles
j’ai un ami
tu as une jolie voiture
il / elle / on a plein d’amis
nous avons des livres intéressants
vous avez votre passeport
ils ont deux enfants
B. être plus que (+) / être moins que (-)
Je suis plus jeune que toi. I am younger than you. On est moins riche que les autres. We are less rich than the others.
[wp-svg-icons icon=”warning” wrap=”i”] Je suis plus agé qu‘elle. [wp-svg-icons icon=”point-right” wrap=”i”] In French, there can’t be two vowels next to each other. That’s why the two words “que” and “elle” become one word in a way. It is pronounced as one word.
C. avoir …. de moins que
J’ai trois ans de moins que toi. I am 3 years younger than you.
D. être le plus … (the most … )
25 ans c’est le meilleur âge ! 25 is the best age ! Je suis le plus jeune. I’m the youngest. Elle est la plus agée. She is the oldest.
[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”Pronunciation”]
Pronunciation of eu, ue, on, an sounds
/œ/ jeune
/ɛ/ quel
/œ/ meilleur
/ɔ̃/ non
/ɑ̃/ ans
[/su_spoiler]
3. Exercise: Translate into French
[su_spoiler title=”Click for more information about this exercise”]
[content id=”439″]
[/su_spoiler]
[xyz-ihs snippet=”simple-how-old-are-you”]
4. Homework
Read the dialogue aloud 3 times. Do it slowly, be careful with your pronunciation. You need to feel your facial and tonguemuscles work. This will do miracles to your pronunciation and will make your speech more automatic and fluent.
Write about your age. Compare yourself to your siblings. If you are the only child, compare yourself to your parents or cousins (les cousins).
Get 100% of correct answers in the translation exercise.
Learn what to say in French when you meet people for the first time and how to introduce other people. Look up the words and do the interactive exercise at the end check your knowledge of the vocabulary from the dialogue.
1. Dialogue
Nice to Meet You !
[wp-svg-icons icon=”volume-medium” wrap=”h3″]
Alberto, un garçon italien, va à l’Université où il a cours de français. Sur son chemin il rencontre Marc, un ami français.
Marc: Salut Alberto ! Alberto: Salut Marc ! Comment çava ? Marc: Ça va bien. Et toi ? Alberto: Moi aussi, merci. Marc: Où est-ce que tu vas ? Alberto: Je vais à la fac. J’ai un cours de français dans unedemiheure. Marc: Alberto, je te présente Marie. C’est une amie. Alberto: Enchanté Marie ! Marie: Salut Alberto !
2. Notes
[su_spoiler title=”Vocabulary”]
French
English
aller
to go.
Eg. Il va à l’Université. He goes / is on his way to the University.
où
where*
*(see the questions words in French below)
(un) cours
course / classes / lessons.
Eg. des cours de français. French lessons.
(un) chemin
way / path / track.
Eg. J’ai perdu mon chemin. I’ve lost my way.
rencontrer
to meet
(un/une) ami
a friend.
salut
Hello / Hi.
bien
well.
Eg. Tu parles bien français. You speak French well.
la fac
the uni. (informal way of saying “the University” in French. It is the short for “la faculté”)
présenter quelqu’un (à quelqu’un)
to introduce somebody to somebody.
Eg. Je teprésente Anne. Let me introduce you to Anne.
C’est
This is / It is.
Ce (it) + est (to be).
Enchanté(e)
The word literally means “enchanted” but is used as the English Nice to meet you.
Enchanté (boy)
Enchantée (girl)
The pronunciation stays the same.
A. Asking how somebody is:
Informal (Friendly)
Formal (Polite)
Comment ça va ?
Ca va ?
Comment vas-tu ?
Tu vas bien ?
Quoi de neuf (Used when you haven’t seen someone for some time)
Vous allez bien ?
Comment allez-vous (Madame, Monsieur) ?
Comment ça va Monsieur / Madame ?
[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”Grammar”]
Le présent ( Present Tense ) aller = to go. Conjugaison du verb (Verb conjugation)
Personal pronoun
verb
example
je
vais
à la plage.
tu
vas
à la maison.
il / elle / on
va
faire des courses.
nous
allons
en cours.
vous
allez
bien ?
ils / elles
vont
bien ensemble.
The basic Question Words in French:
French
English
Qui ?
Who ?
Quoi ? / Que ?
What ?
Où ?
Where ?
Quand ?
When ?
Pourquoi ?
Why ?
Comment ?
How ?
[/su_spoiler]
[su_spoiler title=”Phonetics”]
/ɛ̃/
italien bien, chien
/y/
salut, une, du
/œ/
heure, beurre, sœur
Don’t forget about the liaison in French ! Almost always you need to make a liaison when a consonant (d, t, s, z, x, f, n) is followed by a vowel (e, i, o, u)
[wp-svg-icons icon=”arrow-right” wrap=”i”] Jevais_à la fac
Jevais_à la fac
[/su_spoiler]
3. Exercises
[su_spoiler title=”Explanation of the exercise”]
[content id=”439″]
[/su_spoiler]
Translate the following sentences
[xyz-ihs snippet=”nice-to-meet-you”]
4. Homework
Read the dialogue out loud several times (3-5 times). The same goes for the pronunciation exercise.
Using what you have learnt in lessons 1 and 2, write a short dialogue between Marie and Alberto. Write the possible questions that Marie could ask Alberto and make up the answers for Marie too (her age, nationality, where she is going).
You must be logged in to post a comment.