french 1101. chapitre préliminaire - bienvenue cognates train train station station table table...

French 1101French 1101

Chapitre préliminaire - BienvenueChapitre préliminaire - Bienvenue

CognatesCognates TrainTrain StationStation TableTable Machine Machine BanqueBanque RestaurantRestaurant UniversitUniversitéé CoursCours ClasseClasse CalmeCalme

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Differences Between French and English

Greetings Greetings Politeness Politeness

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IntroductionIntroduction

Je m’appelle Je m’appelle JeanJean Je suis de Je suis de ParisParis Je suis en Je suis en 22ee ann annéeée J’J’étudie étudie la biologiela biologie

AlphabetAlphabet

French Alphabet - L'Alphabet françaisFrench Alphabet - L'Alphabet français The The French alphabetFrench alphabet has the same 26 has the same 26

letters as the English alphabet, but they are letters as the English alphabet, but they are pronounced differently. You can listen to the pronounced differently. You can listen to the entire alphabet by clicking on Alphabet.entire alphabet by clicking on Alphabet.

Les AccentsLes Accents

1. Les accents01. L’accent aigu02. L’accent grave03. L’accent circonflexe04.La cédille

Grammaire 1Grammaire 1

Pour parler de nos originesPour parler de nos origines

Le verbe Le verbe être / Les pronoms sujets / Les être / Les pronoms sujets / Les questionsquestions

Le verbe Le verbe êtreêtre

In French, the verb In French, the verb être être meansmeans to be.to be. One One very common use of very common use of être être is to express one’s is to express one’s place of origin. In this case, it is used with place of origin. In this case, it is used with the preposition the preposition de de + a city, which means + a city, which means from from in this particular expressionin this particular expression..


Exemples:Exemples:

Céline Dion Céline Dion est de est de CharlemagneCharlemagne,, au au Québec.Québec.– Céline Dion Céline Dion is from is from Charlemagne, Quebec.Charlemagne, Quebec.

Catherine Deneuve Catherine Deneuve est de est de ParisParis,, en France. en France.– Catherine Deneuve Catherine Deneuve is from is from Paris, France.Paris, France.


Another common use of Another common use of être être is to express one’s occupationis to express one’s occupation..

Voici Monsieur Leroux. Il Voici Monsieur Leroux. Il est professeur. est professeur. – Here is Mr. Leroux. He Here is Mr. Leroux. He is a professor.is a professor.

Nathan Nathan est étudiant. est étudiant. – NathanNathan is a student. is a student.

Catherine Catherine est étudiante. est étudiante. – CatherineCatherine is a student. is a student.


The following are the present tense forms of The following are the present tense forms of the verb the verb être être and the subject pronouns and the subject pronouns (I, (I, you, he, she, it, we, you, he, she, it, we, andand they). they).

je je suissuis nous nous sommessommes

tu tu eses vous vous êtesêtes

il/elle il/elle estest ils/elles ils/elles sontsont

Les pronoms sujetsLes pronoms sujets

There are formal and informal ways to There are formal and informal ways to address people in French. When talking to address people in French. When talking to someone whom you do not know well, who someone whom you do not know well, who is older, or who is in a position of respect, is older, or who is in a position of respect, use use vous vous (formal). (formal). When talking to a friend, When talking to a friend, family member, or a child, use family member, or a child, use tu tu (informal). (informal). When talking to more than one person, use When talking to more than one person, use vousvous (plural, formal, and informal).(plural, formal, and informal).

Les pronoms sujetsLes pronoms sujets

When talking about several persons or a group of people, use When talking about several persons or a group of people, use elles elles if everyone is female. Use if everyone is female. Use ils ils if at least one person is if at least one person is male.male.

Carole et Sarah, Carole et Sarah, elles elles sont de Paris. sont de Paris. – Carole and Sarah, Carole and Sarah, they they are from Paris.are from Paris.

Ahmed et Nourdine, Ahmed et Nourdine, ils ils sont de Nice. sont de Nice. – Ahmed and Nourdine, Ahmed and Nourdine, they they areare from Nice.from Nice.

Antoine et Marie, Antoine et Marie, ils ils sont de Montréal. sont de Montréal. – Antoine and Marie, Antoine and Marie, they they are from are from MontrealMontreal

Les questionsLes questions

To ask a yes/no question in French, you can make a To ask a yes/no question in French, you can make a statement and raise the pitch of your voice at the end. This statement and raise the pitch of your voice at the end. This is called rising intonation. Such questions are considered is called rising intonation. Such questions are considered informal.informal.

Pauline est étudiante? Pauline est étudiante? – Is Pauline a student?Is Pauline a student?

Oui, elle est étudiante. Oui, elle est étudiante. – Yes, she’s a student.Yes, she’s a student.

Les questionsLes questions

You can also place You can also place est-ce que est-ce que ((est-ce qu’ est-ce qu’ before a vowel before a vowel sound) in front of a statement. Your voice also rises at the sound) in front of a statement. Your voice also rises at the end of these questions.end of these questions.

Est-ce qu’elle est de Chicago?Est-ce qu’elle est de Chicago?– Is she from Chicago?Is she from Chicago?

Non, elle est de Cleveland.Non, elle est de Cleveland.– No, she is from Cleveland.No, she is from Cleveland.


Pour être précis(e)Pour être précis(e)

Les articles indéfinis / Le genre et le nombreLes articles indéfinis / Le genre et le nombre

Les articles indéfinis / Les articles indéfinis / Le genre et le nombreLe genre et le nombre

As in English, French nouns have number As in English, French nouns have number ((le nombrele nombre): singular or plural. Unlike ): singular or plural. Unlike English, French nouns also have English, French nouns also have grammatical gender (grammatical gender (le genrele genre). Every noun ). Every noun (a person, an animal, a place, a thing, or an (a person, an animal, a place, a thing, or an idea) is classified as being either masculine idea) is classified as being either masculine or feminine. or feminine.


Sometimes nouns that refer to females are Sometimes nouns that refer to females are feminine (feminine (une femmeune femme a woman,a woman, une filleune fille a girl) a girl) and nouns that refer to males are masculineand nouns that refer to males are masculine ((unun hommehomme a man,a man, un garçon un garçon a boya boy). However, in ). However, in most cases, especially with inanimate nouns, most cases, especially with inanimate nouns, gender is unpredictable. gender is unpredictable. Therefore, you must learn Therefore, you must learn the gender along with the noun. the gender along with the noun. Gender is often Gender is often expressed not only in the noun, but also in the expressed not only in the noun, but also in the article that introduces it.article that introduces it.

Les articles indéfinis / Les articles indéfinis / Le genre et le nombrLe genre et le nombr

The indefinite articles (The indefinite articles (les articles les articles indéfinisindéfinis)) mean mean a, an, or some. a, an, or some. UnUn is used is used before masculine singular nouns; before masculine singular nouns; uneune is is used before feminine singular nouns;used before feminine singular nouns; and and desdes is used before plural nouns. While is used before plural nouns. While some some is often omitted in Englishis often omitted in English, , desdes cannot cannot be omitted in French.be omitted in French.


In most cases, an In most cases, an ss, , which is not pronounced, is which is not pronounced, is added to a singular noun to make it plural. Nouns added to a singular noun to make it plural. Nouns that end in that end in -eau -eau like un like un tableau tableau andand un bureau un bureau add an add an xx: des tableau: des tableauxx, des bureau, des bureauxx..

Nouns that have been borrowed from the English Nouns that have been borrowed from the English language are usually masculine: language are usually masculine: un CD, un iPodun CD, un iPod®®, , un DVD.un DVD.

Le genre et le nombreLe genre et le nombre

Some nouns that refer to people can be changed Some nouns that refer to people can be changed from masculine to feminine by adding an from masculine to feminine by adding an ee..

– un étudiant un étudiant (m.) (m.) a student a student une étudiantune étudiantee (f.) a student(f.) a student– un ami un ami (m.) a friend (m.) a friend une amiune amiee (f.) a friend(f.) a friend– un Français un Français a French man a French man une Françaisune Française e a French womana French woman

C’est C’est vs. vs. Ce sontCe sont

To identify objects or people, use To identify objects or people, use c’estc’est (this is) (this is) followed by a followed by a singular article and noun and singular article and noun and ce sont ce sont (these are) (these are) followed by followed by a plural article and noun.a plural article and noun.

Qu’est-ce que c’est?Qu’est-ce que c’est?

What is this?What is this?

C’estC’est un stylo Montblanc. un stylo Montblanc.

This is a Montblanc pen.This is a Montblanc pen.

Ce sontCe sont des classeurs.des classeurs.

These are folders.These are folders.


Pour décrirePour décrire

Les articles définis / Les adjectifs qualificatifsLes articles définis / Les adjectifs qualificatifs

Les articles définisLes articles définis

As you saw in As you saw in Vocabulaire 3Vocabulaire 3, French has , French has four definite articles: four definite articles: lele (m., sing.), (m., sing.), lala (f., (f., sing.), sing.), l’l’ (sing. before a vowel sound), and (sing. before a vowel sound), and lesles (m. pl. and f. pl.). They are often (m. pl. and f. pl.). They are often used to used to refer to nouns that were previously refer to nouns that were previously mentioned or to talk about mentioned or to talk about specificspecific nounsnouns. In . In this usage, the definite article is equivalent this usage, the definite article is equivalent to to the the in Englishin English..


C’est qui? C’est qui? – Who is that?Who is that?

C’est C’est lele professeur. professeur. – That’s the professor.That’s the professor.

Voici Voici l’l’agrafeuse. agrafeuse. – Here’s the stapler.Here’s the stapler.

J’aime J’aime lele stylo rouge. stylo rouge. – I like the red pen (as opposed to the blue pen).I like the red pen (as opposed to the blue pen).


Another use of definite articles is to designate Another use of definite articles is to designate nouns in a general sense. In this case, no nouns in a general sense. In this case, no article is used in English.article is used in English.– J’étudie J’étudie lesles langues.langues.

I study languages.I study languages.

– Ma spécialisation est Ma spécialisation est lele chinois. chinois. My major is Chinese.My major is Chinese.


Definite articles are also used to indicate possession with the Definite articles are also used to indicate possession with the preposition preposition de de and the name of a person. When the and the name of a person. When the person’s name begins with a vowel sound, person’s name begins with a vowel sound, de de becomes becomes d’.d’.– C’est C’est lele professeur professeur dede Paul. Paul.

This is Paul’s professor.This is Paul’s professor.– Ce sontCe sont lesles stylos stylos dede Paul et Paul et dede Guy. Guy.

These are Paul and Guy’s pens.These are Paul and Guy’s pens.– Voici Voici lala table table d’d’Anne. Anne.

Here is Anne’s table.Here is Anne’s table.

CommunicationCommunication

ReactionsReactions: Words often evoke positive, negative, or : Words often evoke positive, negative, or neutral feelings. Using the scale, indicate your attitudes neutral feelings. Using the scale, indicate your attitudes toward each of the following words.toward each of the following words.

ExemplesExemples:: J’aime bien le cinéma.J’aime bien le cinéma.

J’adore les vacances.J’adore les vacances.

Je détesteJe déteste J’aime bienJ’aime bien J’aime beaucoupJ’aime beaucoup J’adoreJ’adore

1. le football1. le football 6. les sports6. les sports

2. le cinéma2. le cinéma 7. les vacances7. les vacances

3. le chocolat3. le chocolat 8. la politique8. la politique

4. la nature4. la nature 9. la télévision9. la télévision

5. la musique5. la musique 10. la solitude 10. la solitude

Les adjectifs qualificatifsLes adjectifs qualificatifs

Adjectives are words used to describe people, Adjectives are words used to describe people, places, things, and ideas: places, things, and ideas: serious student, serious student, intelligent young woman. intelligent young woman. In French, adjectives In French, adjectives must agree with the noun or pronoun they modify. must agree with the noun or pronoun they modify. This means that they must agree in gender and This means that they must agree in gender and number, number, just as articles just as articles (le, la, les, un, une, des) (le, la, les, un, une, des) do. Descriptive adjectives do. Descriptive adjectives (les adjectifs (les adjectifs qualificatifs) qualificatifs) normally follow the nouns they normally follow the nouns they modify.modify.


For most adjectives, an For most adjectives, an ee is added to the masculine is added to the masculine form to create the feminine form. Add an form to create the feminine form. Add an s s to the to the masculine and feminine forms to make them masculine and feminine forms to make them plural.plural.


Tom est intelligent. Tom est intelligent. Sylvie est intelligentSylvie est intelligente.e.

Ils sont charmants. Ils sont charmants. Elles sont charmantElles sont charmantes.es.


When an adjective of this type describes a When an adjective of this type describes a group of males and females or objects that group of males and females or objects that are both masculine and feminine in are both masculine and feminine in grammatical gender, use the masculine grammatical gender, use the masculine plural form.plural form.

– Tom et Sylvie sont intelligentTom et Sylvie sont intelligents. s. – L’art L’art (m.) (m.) et la musique sont importantet la musique sont importantss..


Some adjectives have the same feminine and Some adjectives have the same feminine and masculine forms. masculine forms.

Most adjectives of this type end in Most adjectives of this type end in ee..


Le journalisme est Le journalisme est utileutile. .

La biologie est La biologie est difficiledifficile..

Mon professeur est Mon professeur est dynamiquedynamique..

Norah Jones est Norah Jones est célèbrecélèbre..


Examples:Examples:Je Je suissuis optimiste. Et vous? optimiste. Et vous?Moi, Je Moi, Je suissuis pessimiste. pessimiste.

Est-ce que le prof Est-ce que le prof estest sympa? sympa?Non, il Non, il estest sévère. sévère.

Vous Vous êtesêtes très modeste( très modeste(ss).).Monsieur Gate Monsieur Gate estest très riche et célèbre. très riche et célèbre.Les sales de classe Les sales de classe sontsont modernes. modernes. La vie n’La vie n’estest pas facile. pas facile.

Using the following adjectives tell where you fit Using the following adjectives tell where you fit on the scale from never on the scale from never “jamais”“jamais” to always to always “toujours”“toujours”

Exemples:Exemples:Je suis Je suis toujourstoujours honnhonnêteête..Je suisJe suis rarement rarement injuste.injuste.

jamais rarementjamais rarement quelquefois toujours quelquefois toujours

1. optimiste1. optimiste 6. pessimiste6. pessimiste2. d2. déésagrsagrééableable 7. honn7. honnêteête3. modeste3. modeste 8. triste8. triste4. injuste4. injuste 9. irr9. irrésistibleésistible5. Sévère5. Sévère 10. sympathique 10. sympathique

french 1101. chapitre préliminaire - bienvenue cognates train train station station table table...

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